Please help - recommend an easy to put up family tent with at least two rooms

[rookiemum]

We want to invest in one for weekends with our 14mth son. Had a look at a few at the weekend, liked the Vango Diablo 600. I know there is only three of us at present but we want a reasonable amount of space.

Thing is it takes my DH 15 concerted minutes to put up DSs little life travel arc cot, and I gave up after 20 minutes of being unable to understand the instructions, therefore we need something that won't result in us being divorced before we even start the weekend.

Anyone know how long it takes to put the Vango up or have any other recommendations on easy to put up family tents ? Our budget is quite flexible, ideally no more than £300, but if it looks like it would save time then we could pay more.

No advice as our tents have been big ones but if you haven't already tried ukcampsite.co.uk I suggest you post a thread there as well. There are lots of poeple on mn who camp though so you'll get stacks of advice here. Vango is a good make.

Just thought I'd post because I borrowed a little life travel cot last weekend for our first weekend camping and it almost took me longer to put that up than an enormous tent with three bedrooms that we also borrowed! It's an excellent cot though.

I've got my eyes on the Outwell Montana 6 which has two good-sized bedrooms but I don't know how easy it is to put up. It costs around £329 in most websites.

The montana is lovely. If you go to the Outwell website they have a little video showing you how to put it up and take it down I'll see if I can find a link.

No link as it just takes you to the Outwell homepage.

We have just purchased the Coleman Big Cypress. We paid just over 200 quid for it but Millets have got a mega offer on it at the mo with free cooker worth 50 quid. We are camping virgins but had a practice run and managed to get it up in about half an hour with only one bit being a two man job (leaving the other one free for childcare)

Oh thats great, thanks everyone, wasn't expecting such a quick response on a Monday morning ! I will check on the campsite website and have a look at the Coleman one.

All other suggestions welcome.

i think we've got a vango 600 - really easy to set up.

basically insert poles and pin down with tent pegs.

pull guys ropes out for entrance and for stability round the back.

best thing to do is to go to a local camping store - then buy on the web. then you can actually get in one and see if it's the right size for you and your equipment. i like the ones with a porch/groundsheet for taking boots off etc

The latest Good Housekeeping has reviewed some really-fast-to-put-up tents...

We have a Vango diablo 400. It takes one person (DP) about 20-30 minutes to put it up on his own, while I pretend to be otherwise engaged. Or if we both do it it's about 15-20 mins.

I have never read Good Housekeeping - something about the title I think made me feel it didn't apply to me, perhaps Inadequate and Slovenly Housekpeeing would be more suitable for me, but I shall definitely be picking up a copy of it ( no offense meant Jam and thanks for your reply )

Fennel, I will deffo be staying out of DHs way when he puts it up, we nearly ended up in a shouting match over the car seat until I took the grown up option of walking away,coupled with the less grown up option of muttering under my breath.

When we camp I think I shall be amusing DS or unpacking supplies whilst the tent goes up.

Sorry Jan not Jam.

We have a vango diablo 900 ( has three rooms)- its new so dp practised putting it up in the garden over the weekend- no probs at all- so i suspect that the 400 or 600 are easier.

RM - My Mum bought me a subscription - it may be a subtle hint......