It's here it's here it's here it's here

[Slubberdegullion]

And it's a biggun.

Just pricing up an Enlarged Herring and Vario canopy there.
If ever I should upgrade...that would deffo be in the running.

Please post pics of it set up. Love to see it.

"Enlarged Herring" :o

Enlarged Herring Gull.

All the De waard tents are named after birds.

Vergrote Zilvermeeuw sounds much nicer.

Where is the best place to buy a varifocal?

Just the one?

Monocles R Us?

I like that they are all named after birds. I think that's nice.

Well..this thread led me to pursue a late night camping porn sesh, and I had a good look at lots of lovely tents. I don't need much persuasion.

I got all swoony over the Albatross and and Herring Gull.

Also looked at Karsten tents, and all manner of other canvas creations.

Karsten tents are very very clever and strong.

Not as nice looking as the pyramids though imo.

I ummed and ahhed about the Albatros vs The Zilvermeeuw, but Pé my new friend from De Waard Heerde convinced me that the Albatros best suited our needs.

One thing to take into consideration is a Dutch 4 man is what it says on the tin, none of this sizing up by two malarkey you have to do with UK tent shopping.

The measurements of the Albatross are roughly synonymous (floor space wise) with the 5 metre bell. I find that about the right size for family camping.
Of course...more space is nice, but you've got to take into account pack size, weight, stability and most importantly, finding a suitable pitch.
The bigger you go, the more you have to compromise on location. So the Herring Gull might prove cumbersome from that pov. I think you were wise to choose the Albatross.

I agree that Karsten tents aren't as comely...I'm not that taken with the DeWaard tunnel tents either. I'd go for a pyramid tent every time.

In all my deliberations, I concluded my eventual upgrade (our current tent is in fine fettle and suits us well) would most likely be a Canvas and Cast bell of the same size again - 5 metres.
I am swayed by the ease of putting up, small pack size, good looks, reliability, floor space and affordability of your bog standard bell.

I'd still like to see that DeWaard though - if anything was to turn my head away from a bell tent, it would be one of those.

Pé made the very good point (with his perfect English) that once the dc get to pre-teen/teen age they want to sleep in their own little tents anyway, rather than alongside mum and dad who are occasionally trying to attempt a stealth shag and it's wise to leave some space on your pitch for a little pup tent.

That really helped me make up my mind. I reckon we've got one, maybe two years left of the dds wanting to sleep in the main tent. They've already sampled 'own tent' sleeping when we did the two backpacker tents in France last year, and really liked being on their own.

Yep...that's astute thinking as well. We have a 12 going on 13 yr old. The same will become true of our set up soon.

Right...three pics are;
the front so the first poles to do and then hoist up and peg.
inside view of the curtains hanging before the final hoist up. We had made a mistake with the curtains and they were a bit twisted so that is something to watch out for.
and then the ....drumroll...variolifuil!!!

I'd like to add this was our first pitching in the garden so it's not nearly as perfect as it was by the time we showed off in front of other campers!!

I absolutely love the canopy!
How far does it come out from the doorway? I can see the width of it, but not the overhead length...iyswim?

And finally a top view on it's 'almost too small pitch' in the south of France last year!

DS is 13 and will be sleeping alone in our dinky hiking tent this summer.

We will be stuck in "vintage" 70's orange canvas splendour for the foreseeable, but hey, we never have any problems finding our tent among the rows of identikit tunnels and pods...

Thanks for the photos Claire. Is no 2 how you attach the curtains while you pitch?
Gorgeous top view.
I can see we are going to have to have another conversation, probably next year, about trailers

Nowt wrong with orange canvas splendour Fallen. I spent my entire childhood holidaying in an orange frame tent, with brown and orange flowery curtains. Made me the canvas obsessive hardy camper I am today I like to think.

Scrap that. Didn't read your post, was just looking at the photos. Doh!

pictish It comes out quite a long way. Enough to get a decent table and chairs and all the kitchen stuff under comfortably which is why we got it.
We wanted to be able to sit out even if it was raining. Our other tents all had huge living space and porches but we wanted to feel 'outside' but still be undercover if need be. The shade can be manoeuvred really easily for sun shade or brought right down like a clam shell closing if the weather is vile...

The trailer is another topic all of it's own!! A four compartment air con'd dog trailer from Ireland. One compartment each for food/wine, tent, kitchen stuff and 'comfort cupboard (beds,cushions etc). Toys and 'need to find quickly stuff' goes in the top which has a lid that lifts up. We still have a fully packed Land Rover and a roof box too!! I can almost wistfully remember packing everything we needed in the boot of a VW Golf...life was so much simpler then...but maybe not as comfortable!

Your trailer has air con???

This is going to take quite some time to sell to dh...

We actually got the trailer for our dog to come too...she's a really bad traveller and puked all over the car but weirdly didn't when she was in a trailer!!

So if we camp in this country one of the compartments is her travelling den...bit more justifiable!!
However it does mean that if the trailer is hooked up it stays nice and cold (wine cellar) but even unhooked it works as a good larder.

So....

You have a De Waard, a Land Rover roof tent, an expedition fridge and an air conditioned trailer.

Blimey!!

DH made our trailer. I bet he could do some modifications if I went with the wine cellar angle...

Aaaaaaaargh

Mn camping forum is a bloody Red Queen.

I've had a de waard for just over 24 hours and now I NEED a climate controlled trailer.