which tent should I choose between?

[Mercedes]

I want to buy a tent for 3 people and have been looking at the following 6 berth tents on e-bay: The Vango Colorado 600 and the Skandia Family 6 person tent.
I've also looked at Millets and they have a nice tent called Swale - this has a good discount and looks really nice.(sorry I can't do links yet)
Does anyone have any experience of these tents or can offer any advice?

Anything by nago is owth a cosideration in terms of quality, and the Colorado is no exception- a good tent you'll appreciate.

beofre you commit however, these are some brands worth browing

Wynnster
Gelert
Vango
Sunncamp
Khyam
Outdoor Revolution (exceptionally good one on Ebat atm, you can get the spec on uk campsite website- but you need to look at 6 person tents, as it is isted badly, under the model not make)

Check out ANY tent you fancy on the UKcampsite site, as they do reviews and it is searchable.
have a look at outdoor megastore also, and somerset caravan and camping, for ideas.

uk campsite

stunning price for that model }

Check the Hydrostatic Head, some of the Millets own brand ones can be a little low for UK/northern europe use.

people that know, on UK campsite, say that you shouldn't go under a HH of 2000mm for UK use, 3000mm would give you a significantly more waterproof tent

See MB the one I suggested was 3000

Millets are OK, that's about it really. not stunning, or innovative. Great waterproofs, wouldn't buy a tent there.

I'd go for the vango if i were you out of those two.

Coleman are worth looking at as they are the same tents as Khyam!

are the Skandia ones from Germany?

I was looking at those for UCM the other day!

Luce did you see that price for the outdoor rev? £329 down to £199

I am so but until the garage stumps up for writing off the car.....

wondered where you were Sal when we had one of these the other day!!

er, what is Hydrostatic Head?

I don't think my tent has one...oh dear...how can I find out? It's a Vango, but the cheaper range.

ooh nice tent peachy!!

Is that the one that they sell on uk campsite then? the one that you were lusting after last year?

Bloody well hioope it does Blu, its how much water the tent can hold before its a portable paddling pool! LOL!

That's the one Luce.......

I think that they hold a tube full of water up to your tent and it'a how much water it can stand before it starts to leak - or somehting like that!

martianbishop describes soooo much more eloquently than me

Oh well, we have been subjected to torrential rain every time we have been camping and not got wet, so it must have one!

It is the amount of water (height IYSWIM) that can fall on top of 1 cm square and still stay waterproof. So 3000mm, would be 300cm! A lot of water!

The British army recons that 800mm is waterproof, but dh has been in army tents and says that they leak!

see i told you so

thanks mb for saving me from illiteracy

Thank you MB!

at seeing the camping threads in the active convos...won't be long now

Everything else being equal between two tents, I would always go with a name that I know to be good.

Of those two I'd go for the Vango, because I know that people rate them.

Dull of me, I know!