Tent buying advice please!

[Housemum]

We haven't been camping for many years but DD1 has finally worn us down so we will go to the Scout family camp in May. I'm a bit fussy so want to buy a new tent so I know it's only my muck in it! We intend to see how it goes and if fun we'll use tent for short breaks in future. Budget is around £200 as don't want to commit a fortune if we hate it (and will then flog tent on eBay if we hate it).

Any pitfalls to avoid and any makes you experienced ones would avoid?

Considerations at the moment are:

• Coleman Quadspace 9 man tent
• Outwell Hartford XL
• some cheap offer in the Argos catalogue by Pro Action
• some cheap offer in Halfords

All suggestions welcome! Thank you

Coleman are a very good make - 9 man! Must look like a space ship. Has it got a really massive porch area coz you'll need it. I wouldn't go for a really cheap option if I were you, you'll only regret it if the weather is awful, then the whole experience will be very un-fun and you won't want to do it again... which would be a shame as camping is fantastic if you get it right. If you get a quality one and then decide not to use it again, you can prob sell it quite easily

The more cash you spend, the better tent you will get, in general.

If you intend to camp in the UK, I wouldn't look at anything with a hydrostatc head of less than 3000, 2000 at the absolute minimum.

Get at least 2 berth more than you intend to use, 4 berth more if you are going to be spending lots of time in the tent. So if there are 4 of you, get a 6 or 8 berth tent

Outwell are excellent and a piece of wee weee to put up!

I'd go for the Outwell, the again I'm biased as I have one.

although if you want to go for a Coleman then this Magellan 9 is a fantastic price.

We have the outwell hartfordxxl and are very happy with it. The only draw back with it is that it's inner pitch first which can be a pain in the rain,but the inner tent dries very fast when needed.

Large tent with loads of space, and agree with MB, go for as large as possible, we are a family of 5 and fit very comfortably in our tent.

yep, biggest you can, huge porch. we have a "sleeps 5" for 2 adults+preschooler and it fits us and at least a week's worth of stuff with plenty of play/cooking/eating room. will be able to squeeze another litle one in hopefully.

head room makes a big difference too, ours is a yurt-style frame tent that has full standing room throughout, which makes it feel about 3 times bigger than it actually is and when you're stuck indoors it's totally bearable. windows are nice too, or a light coloured canvas.

check out pack sizes too, love love love ours but it takes up a lot of room even in an estate.

Camperite have the Outwell Hartfordxl at the moment for £224.99

We use our tent back to front just so the whole main tent becomes a huge porch. We sleep in the official porch and roll the sides up of the main chamber. Like a gazebo with a 4man tent stuck on one side!
However the downside to a Khyam is the lack of SIG and consequent pegging marathon.

Thank you - I'm not ignoring you, have been looking up the links! That Camperite Outwell one is looking good at the mo. Cheaper than eBay!

Ignorant question - what's the "SIG" as in "lack of SIG" with a Khyam?

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Of course - well, definitely want one of those so that Outwell is top contender. Any sleeping bag tips? I would freak in a mummy-style one. Do you and your DPs/DHs have one each or those that you zip to make a double (if that's not too personal a question!)

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We have one of these

really warm, and it will be reduced at some point this season!

We sleep on top of an old double sleeping bag for comfort and under a quilty single one, unzipped like a duvet. DD has a girly kid's one and DS is in a 18-36m grobag with a blanket over the top.

Out of those two, I would go for the Outwell (Coleman is cheaper because its the less posh version of something else). However, if yu're really not sure if you'll go agian- we bought a pro-action for our first trip as SH wasn't keen, it was fine. When we decided we adored camping, we upgraded to a Gelert. But there was nothing wrong with the pro-action- perfectly functional, and do bear in mind we're a bunch of tent snobs on here LOL!

We have a ready bed double which seems to suit us, the boys vary- DS2 and 3 have ready beds, ds1 (an awkward soul) will only sleep on a camping mat / bag combo.
We take fleece blankets inc ase they're needsd, and also put those under the bags and lining the groundsheet (even if only with newspaper) makes a significant difference to the temperature.

Other things I'd recommend are the camping gaz party grill (we adore ours, we have one of each size now LOL), the new Argos catalogue has the new table combi we were hunting for like mad last year , its the one with the separate benches, in silver; and we also have a hi-gear roll up table which we think is great.

And don't forget the corkscrew

Oh have a look on uk campsite- not only do they do great reviews, they have a for sale section which has some glorious but unusual tents

I know you said you wouldnt buy second hand but Im selling the following :

Campus Brekenridge Delux

Its a 9 man tent, similar to hartford XL and Im looking for £200 for it (inc postage)

It was used once for a 2 night trip and is immaculate, its just a bit large for us and we have downgraded to a Bi-space 500.

The tent is idential to the Khyam Brekenridge delux (they bought campus) and the only change they have made is the badge! (its over £350 new)

Forgot to mention its a SIG :D

tent pic here

I'm beginning to get quite excited about the adventure now! Have been searching the garage - we have some camping pans (a set that nests into each other with one detachable handle), and a folding bench/table thingy (the plastic topped one that folds into a suitcase shape - got it for under a tenner in France last year!). DD2 (age 3) will have her Snugglesac inside a Readybed (neither seemed warm enough alone)

Ging gang gooly and all that stuff....

hi, i have a brand new 9person tent. its got 3 bedrooms and a living area. Bought it 3 weeks ago to go camping this summer. But ive just bought a trailer tent. DP said hed buy trailer tent if i sold tent, so am selling cheap

OK, so we've done it - getting a Hartford XL Outwell tent. We have sleeping bags, battery lights/torches, cool box, fold out table/bench thing. What is the bare minimum f "specialist" stuff we need to buy, and what are the essential items to take with us (other than the obvious like bog rolls!)

Also, what do you recommend for sleeping? We have a couple of sleeping bags, but what do you think of the adult readybeds? Or are they just a waste of time?