OY camping anoraks - over here please, advice needed

[jeangenie]

please help before I go mad - having searched for 12 months we finally bought a sunncamp oasis 600 - which was ripped on opening (separate thread on this)
having organised a refund (I hope - getting confirmation tomorrow) I now need to find another tent
the oasis was fab in that it had tonnes of space inside and a great porch, but it was a bit difficult to put up and I HATED the neon zip things and dark windows in it - couldnt imagine spending lots of time in it in the rain for example
so now am on my hunt again - next camping trip planned for 21 July so gotta be quicker this time!
Ive seen peachys recommendation of the ontario and it does look great, except that we would really like a proper porch
so, tent anoraks, your challenge is to find a similar tent, light-medium colour with clear windows, no neon bits on the inside, very easy to erect (so probably tunnel I guess), SIG, sleep 6+, decent living space in case of rain WITH A PORCH (max budget 225 pounds)
does such a tent exist?
and as a tangential challenge, if you are up for it, recommend somewhere near to SE London where I could see it (dont ask for much do I )
thanks people!
(sorry for lack of apostrophes - they were looking very strange when I previewed)

I see some people are wondering about the Vango Vail. We have just purchased a Vail 500 which we tried out a few weeks ago. It is great for our purposes. We liked the large amount of living space inside, the large windows and the canopy at the front for cooking under etc.. We found a place that had all of the Vail 500, Vail 700 and Outwell Montana 6 up, so could do a direct comparison. The Vail 700 is HUGE - it is like a marquee inside. It was too big for the three of us. We visited the place when it was raining and water tended to pool on the roof of the 700. Since the 500 is narrower, its roof is more curved so water runs off more easily. The Montana is nice, but overall we preferred the Vail 500. The Vail 500 does take 2 adults to pitch, but it isn't very complicated. The pitching video on the Vango website is pretty accurate - there are just a few minor details we had to work out for ourselves.

Yes I think the vango idaho 600 would be too small. I saw it at the weekend and whilst technically you could fit 6 in, it wouldn't leave you much wriggling room.

The Wynnsters look fine - we camped next to one last summer and although it did take them longer to put up and down than ours it wasn't too bad.

the height is good at 220cm and the HH is excellent at 5000mm.

are you considering buying one from the rude 'awnings' people?

yes the bedroom is lower than the living bit - do you want to be able to stand up in the bedroom?

would quite like to be able to stand in bedrooms, but I guess we could stoop a little if necessary (I'll be ok am only 5'6, DH is 6' though)- don't want to have to crawl! How low do you think the bedrooms are?

am considering swapping at rude awnings direct - just cos it'd be easier than having to argue for a refund and we'd get it quickly I hope - but ONLY if they have the one we want, which I haven't quite figured out yet

those wynnsters do look ok though don't they?

We have just got back from a rainy weekend of camping. Our friends that went with us have the wynnster orion 7 and it was fine, very large living area and no leaks at all even in the thunderstorm on Saturday! however our brand new and very expensive outwell vermont leaked in three places and I will have to return it I would recommended the wynnster, they were really pleased with it.

ontario porch (canopy)- £50.

Easy ours has one
a photo of ours with canopy

cameleon - you may find the outwell is fine next time - friends outwell leaked a bit in first thunderstorm, seams swelled and has been very watertight ever since. Our outwell (Hartford XXL) hasalways been fine.

Must have been very annoying to get wet on first outing though!

the instructions on many tents state that they can leak forst time but will be OK after- have to say I'd return it though and would be a bit annoyed!

Wynnsters are fab.

But still love me Khaym LOL

I know Peachy, and I am so tempted but do REALLY want a porch. Now if yours had a porch it would be my perfect tent.

Cameleon - sorry to hear your tent leaked - that sounds grim. Would love to pick your brains a bit more about the Orion though if that's ok - what were the bedroom sizes like? could you stand in them? how easy/difficult was the orion to put up? and finally - were the windows clear and was there any neon?

would be so glad to hear firsthand as am planning to order tomorrow, once I have sorted out the refund with the awnings direct people...

Thanks

cameleon - this year's new Vermonts are becoming notorious for leaking - you should see the threads on uk camping!

mind you Vango have recalled their Killingtons as they leak so much!

But it does have a porch- or is a canopy not enough? Is it an enclosed one you're after? If so then a tunnel isn't the right shape- a tunnel plus porch is really a form of geodesic tent, I would suggest the tahoma as we haev ahd one and it was a good tent

no, definitely want an enclosed porch if possible (not quite sure why am so hung up on this but there you go!)

CAMELEON - are you about?

Hi yes I'm here.
Thank you for your comments I have rung the camping shop and he went on about seams and sealants? so I am going to the shop tomorrow to disscuss it with him!

*discuss!

sealants can make a simple difference- but Not Fit For Purpose is a good description of a leaking tent, and a good reason to get money abck if so wanted.

jeangenie a porch IS a useful thing- the Tahoma had a sealed one and it was handy for storage, unless you have a gert tent that's important (what we do is take the spare inner from ours and use the space as storage- the boys go in the divided 4, we have a 2 man).

There are some tents like that out there- I know there are. hmmmmmm

Well apart from the ones that we've mentioned on here i can't think of any.

even with a limitless budget.

You're going to have make one yourself jeangenie - get yer sewing machine out

we have this tent its like a house and was one of only a handfull of tents to suvive a gale on our campsite!

Cabanon ones are indeed good, however they do ahem- cost!

this tent surely is the one for you? Tunnel config with a detachable CLOSEABLE annexe!

I was wondering Jeangenie if the Outwell SunValley mightn't be the ideal tent for you? Its a tunnel config but the end opens up to make an enclosed porch type area?

Its a good tent (and it isn't green- bizarre I know but I really don't like Outwell green!)

or erm have yu seen this range?

I'm not sure if this si the one (I think it is) but when we the six man tent they make in this design we were blown away- easy pitch, as they put it 'voluminous porch', stunning quality- amazing. The only issue is the price, because of the fabric- but maybe one to save for?

(the whole front opens btw and there is a designated prch space before the livinga rea... much like the Sun Valley on acid LOL)

Is that made of the same stuff as the highly desirable Norfolk Lake?

LOL Luce- we like the Norfolk as well but not enough to pay that much! Oh and its still green.

It's similar, seemed a bit lighter weight tbh, the tents were amazing- totally unlike anything else. Just a shame they're not so widely available- yet.

OH PEACHY! I've heard of tent porn but never experienced the thrill until I saw that tent - IT'S GORGEOUS..............
doesn't have a sig though, phew!
I think you are right, if money were no object I do think the sunvalley is the one (apart from THAT ONE), but is a bit too pricey at the moment
given that my sewing skills aren't really up to snuff (LOL LC!) I am thinking of the wynnster orion as the prime candidate right now (although the phoenix does pitch flysheet first, hmmm.......)
Cameleon, if you are back more input on the Orion would be fab...

(oh, further on the awnings direct saga - not so happy with me today when I said we wanted a refund - said that since we'd actually put the tent up they would consider it "used" which I thought was fairly lame - I quoted the sale of goods act at her and said we were completely entitled to a full refund - she hasn't yet agreed to that but said they'll accept it back and "see" once the tent man takes a look at it!! They are getting me quite irritated now, I've been chasing them for two weeks now )

Ah now- I'm a SIG girl but a good (and these things in the eureka tents were like gold compared to normal SIGs) bucket groundsheet is aceptable- trust me you'd have to see them

Oh and Jeangenie- put it in writing and give a cut off date for a reply; is you need to take it further you'll have had to do that anyway. Quote the act in the letter too.