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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Cheap lightweight tent needed.

26 replies

Tortoise · 20/07/2015 13:01

Need a cheap tent for camping but needs to be lightweight as going by train and it's only me and 2 DDs age 12 and 11.
Limited on what we can carry. I've got a king size airbed we can share!
£100 is about all I can afford to pay.
Any recommendations?

OP posts:
gingeroots · 20/07/2015 14:05

I like Decathalon tents .Good products and value .
This www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-4-family-tent-4-man-id_8322425.html for instance .

But ...probably not that light .Think you pay lots more for good quality light tents .

Can you buy a trolley or big wheeled bag to move it in ?
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001GU6FYI/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B008KX5CES&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=17AY2DJSZYNPNAYCYYKE

Original poster
Tortoise · 20/07/2015 16:01

Thanks for replying.
Needs to be higher than that one. We've got a tiny 4 man that is impossible to get dressed in and difficult to get in or out because it's so low. It's 16kg and that's ok to carry.
Could possibly get trolley but all adds to the cost.

OP posts:
gingeroots · 20/07/2015 18:01

Actually I meant to link to this www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-41-family-tent-4-man-id_8294502.html one

gingeroots · 20/07/2015 18:20

This looks okish ,seems out of stock most places but is listed here

www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Gelert_Stratus_4_four_person_tent.html

Original poster
Tortoise · 20/07/2015 18:23

Ah thanks, that looks a better size Smile. Looks like it's only 9.8 kg which is lighter than the little one we have!

OP posts:
Waltons · 20/07/2015 18:39

Hmm ... Scout leader here, so I know something about tents - not an expert, but I know a bit about them.

I can't believe you're lugging a 16kg tent around at present!! Haven't seen a 3/4 man tent that heavy in years!

Not sure what height you're hoping for, but the best you're going to get within the size/price range is around 140cm/145cm.

The Regatta Kivu 4-man dome tent is 140cm high, would cope with your airbed, gives you 1.2m of storage space around that, plus the porch. It weighs only 5.8kg and can be pitched in 10 minutes.

Manufacturer's website here: www.regatta.com/camping/tents/kivu-4-man-dome-tent.html

The best price I've found so far is £75.00 from Tesco, here: www.tesco.com/direct/regatta-4-man-kivu-dome-outdoor-tent-red/699-9742.prd

It isn't a tent that is going to withstand really severe weather conditions, but it is double-skinned, Regatta is a respected manufacturer and it should cope with anything within the normal range. They market it as a festival/ weekend tent because the inner can be used as a quick "pop-up" if necessary.

Waltons · 20/07/2015 18:47

Too slow posting: I like that Gelert, gingeroots. Extra height and porch space, even though it's heavier than the one I posted.

I would want to pitch it somewhere sheltered if possible - tunnel tents are even more vulnerable to wind and weather than dome tents.

Springcleanish · 20/07/2015 18:52

Argos have a five man tent, Trespass branded for about £90. It's easy to put up and very small and light, the sleeping area is sewn in groundsheet, it would be perfect for three plus kit. There is a similar one with a completely sewn in groundsheet in Go Outdoors, but 4 man.

gingeroots · 20/07/2015 19:05

That's really interesting about tunnel tents ,I've only experience of domes . We camp on a very windy site and our dome tents have always survivedv .
I was looking for height for the OP ,hence the tunnels .

Waltons · 20/07/2015 19:16

Yes, tunnel tents have poor resistance to wind - they just buffet around in it. I've seen one get completely flattened in a strong gust of wind because it was in an exposed position and the wind was coming straight at the side of it.

Domes are better, and for really windy sites the classic "v-shapes" (in each dimension for the modern ones) are the best - low-profile and aerodynamic.

The height of the Gelert is impressive though! I dream of tents I can stand up in on Scout camp.

gingeroots · 20/07/2015 19:53

Sorry to high jack but too interested ...so V shaped = ridge tent type ?

in each dimension for the modern ones) are the best - low-profile and aerodynamic - don't quite get this ?

This one www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-41-family-tent-4-man-id_8294502.html really is roomy .

Tho I bought this www.amazon.co.uk/Lichfield-Brunswick-Person-Tent-Blue/dp/B00B31EKXI%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIJT5UNV5NTMJQ35A%26tag%3Dequip4-21%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00B31EKXI because I wanted head height + smaller footprint .

But I'm not sure about it yet .

Waltons · 20/07/2015 20:22

Yes, ridge tents - they are cross-braced, as are dome tents. Tunnel tents aren't.

Original poster
Tortoise · 21/07/2015 09:39

Thanks for replies.
The decathlon one looks good, good height and cheap. Reviews are good too.

The old tent was bought in a charity shop for a fiver lol! And only actually camped in it properly twice and only for 2 nights. Mostly used in the garden for sleep out which is where DDs slept last night. Unfortunately pole snapped so definitely need new one now!

OP posts:
hrpufnstuf · 21/07/2015 09:52

Go Outdoors have a tent sale on at the moment, would be worth a look.

Original poster
Tortoise · 21/07/2015 17:49

What do you think of this one here
So, well above budget but on catalogue so I can just add to my account!

OP posts:
Waltons · 21/07/2015 19:15

No better than any of the suggestions above. Vango is another respected manufacturer, but it is now down to your personal requirements and price.

Original poster
Tortoise · 21/07/2015 21:19

Thanks. Size wise it's very good. Good height too. So difficult to know what to go for.

OP posts:
Blu · 23/07/2015 07:56

The vango tent will be better than the £79 Decathlon one.
The Vango one has the Tension Band System (TBS) which is a series of strong webbing straps inside the tent to keep it stable in wind. It also has a mesh door which gives you more options, and a 'linked in' groundsheet in the porch / living area which I think is better than the non sewn in g/s of the living area of the Decathlon.

Decathlon tents are excellent for the money, I have a different one, pop up, but they lack frills and flexibility. Storage pockets, hanging loops etc.

Price and personal choice !

Original poster
Tortoise · 23/07/2015 09:15

Thanks. There's one on EBay for £100 if I can find £100 to buy it lol!

OP posts:
gingeroots · 23/07/2015 09:33

Vango no doubt better ,we've always had dome Decathalon tents so no worries about stability .

But they have had mesh doors ,hanging points and pockets . And good zips !

Blu · 23/07/2015 11:25

Decathlon are now showing that Vango Drummond tent on their website, too.

The Arpanaz is only 9.8kg...

This Vango tent on the Decathlon website is £119, it doesn't give dimensions but you can look them up by Googling the tent - it is big enough to stand up in, but the living area / porch is small - one good feature that it hs is the little porch over the front door - invaluable on a sloping zip-fronted tent in the rain as it stops the rain coming down into the open door when you unzip it. This tent is 10kg.

Original poster
Tortoise · 23/07/2015 22:51

Thank you. I'll have a look.

OP posts:
Blu · 24/07/2015 19:18

Duh - I didn't include the link to the OTHER Vango tent on the Decathlon website - the one with the sticky out bit above the door. this one, £119

Blu · 24/07/2015 19:22

Full spec here, it weighs 9.45kg