tent queens: challenge!

[puppydavies]

i challenge you to pleeeeease find me a tent that meets the following criteria (cos am buggered if i can find one)...

we're looking for a weekend tent, mostly for use at festivals. it needs to sleep 4 and store gear and have enough living room to sit in if wet in mornings, but won't be spending much time in it during day. dp is insisting on full standing height, pref in bedrooms too. pack size/weight critical as may have to carry sizable distance and need to fit all terrain buggy in boot too . oh and it has to be properly waterproof. i aint sleeping in no gazebo and i don't see soaking sleeping bags as all part of the experience.

ESSENTIAL
small pack size/lightweight - ideally less than 20kg
sleeps 4 side by side/single compartment (young kids)
6" standing height in living area

POSSIBLY NEGOTIABLE
standing height in bedroom(s)
SIG
windows
small footprint (i.e. sleeps 4 +large living area OR sleeps 6 +small living area)

PRICE
up to £200 (although some flexibility)

closest i've found so far:

peakland matlock not standing height bedroom
outwell colorado 5 no SIG, dp has irrational dislike of this one
khyam xl excelsior no SIG, is £300 +groundsheet
outwell oregon 5 is really good pack size but no SIG also has door direct into bedroom which don't like at all security-wise.
robens evening star xl no SIG, is slightly more space than we need, is nearly £500
coleman cedar creek ideal in every other way but too damn big/heavy

so, does this tent exist? a beer and a bacon sarnie if you find one

didn't see the weight on millets site so searched elsewhere here it says is 2 bags, canvas=23 poles=19. that looks right to me from size of tent - no way is that a single bag esp if steel poles.

Ah right i see on the millets site they have obviously missed out weight of poles, sneaky..

Go for the coleman cedar creek and get a roller bag Khyam do one for their tents, coleman sell many of theirs in them anyway so may come in one, but worth the extra few quid (am V V pro coleman due to post camping disaster where the only tent that was unaffected was a colaman weather master, even our Khyam got a battering altjhough did survive)

Actually i would suggest the mayon vario 4 by Gelert as it ticks most of your boxes, a bit overweight but it ticks boxes on so much else- and is a good tent with a strong rep

Just bought the Robens Triple Dreamer and LOVE it. On sale in Blacks for £234. 2 bedrooms one end - separated by zip u can unzip if u need to be with kids. Bedroom at other end is removable for mahosive living area. Good standing height in living area - which has windows and 2 doors either side which u can strap up. Weighs 14.5kg. Has SIG in bedrooms, but not living area, though... Properly waterproof (5000mm). Might be worth a look

Try a "The North Face Trailhead 8BX", on with the following company for £212

www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Tents---The-North-Face.html

Pretty much fits the bill for your requirements, don't think it majors on windows but does the other stuff, would certainly get one myself if I was looking at the mo.

What about a Wild Country Halo 43?

It's 23kg (I think) but I'm not sure about the height in the bedrooms. Guaranteed waterproof too. It's £180 at the moment from Field and Trek.

think i have now officially looked at every tent on teh interweb [thousand yard stare]

oooh triple dreamer is on shortlist so special offer's sounding good to me, even better i can get to blacks and see if they have one up. is divider between rooms zipped or curtain orangecat? have you been out in yours yet?

north face came across on travels too, is there anywhere it gives internal dimensions esp height cos i can't work out how much standing room there is.

thanks for all help everyone. has helped us narrow it down to essentials (i.e. weight/pack size, access between compartments) over desirables (dp okay w/sloping bedrooms as it widens choice dramatically).

i think i should rustle up a whole packet of bacon, sarnies all round cheers guys

PD - divider between 2 main bedrooms is zip not curtain. Have put tent up as a trial - couldn't believe how big it was. My brother is 6' 4'' and was standing up in living area no problem. Roof slopes on bedrooms - so can stand at one end, but not all the way along.

While groundsheet in living area isn't attached, it curves up when it does attach, so no rain can get in.

Worth phoning Blacks before going - not all have tents set up (so we bought without seeing it up first). But they can put one up for you on weekdays.

Testing it out properly next weekend - can't wait. Loving my tent - can you tell??!! Fingers crossed for some sunshine...

Got the Trailhead 8 specs from a US supplier (REI).

According to the REI web-site it's 78 inches high in the middle and the sleeping compartments are 60 inches high.

Try Trailhead 8 here for the link.

thanks for that justadad - is too small unfortunately - i noticed 'proper' tents like this count living area as sleeping room too - so their 8-man is in family terms a 4-man and pods either end which is what we don't want.

am totally gutted on triple dreamer front - is out of stock on blacks website and our local branch. waiting to hear back whether they can get hold of one from another branch but not holding breath not sure can bring self to payfull price even if could find one - most places sold out.

wondered briefly about a jack wolfskin but are astonishingly expensive, esp. for festie use.

so now looking at something along same lines e.g. vango oregon 600 or outwell nevada l but not entirely convinced by either. turns out am terrible tent snob, spoiled for life by majestic aspen 500 that is perfect in every way for us except ridiculously huge pack size

anyway thanks again for help - if anyone has any more suggestions be very happy to hear them...

lol, copying first post over to ukcampsites for extra help i just spotted i had a spinal tap moment.

am really not kathyis6incheshigh in disguise

Aspen is luvverley in the extreme, but apart from being a bulky beasty it weighs several tonnes and would probably take most of the weekend to put up - particuarly awkward if the weather inclement as it's pitched inner first.
Sorry, that doesn't help Puppy.

yep we have aspen and love it dearly - don't find pitching it that much of a problem tbh, is just amount of room it takes up really. but has set very high bar that am stupidly hoping w/e tent can also live up to.

Such a shame on Robens - Blacks shouldn't have it on their website if it's not in stock Outwell looks really similar from pix. Let us know how you get on

How's about one of these?
www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/Product_arborescence/mountain/hiking/hiking-tents/campsite-tents/product_5435 585/index.html

www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/Product_arborescence/mountain/hiking/hiking-tents/campsite-tents/product_5596 570/index.html this is for 6 people but?

this says you can fit in 4 and stand in it?
www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/Product_arborescence/mountain/hiking/hiking-tents/touring-tents/product_54181 68/index.html

btw I know quite a few people who use this tent brand and they're very happy with it.

ooh frizbe you might be onto something with that middle one. at the very least you deserve a large piece of cake for stopping me buying this tent, temporarily at least

mmm thanks for the cake, virtual is much better when your trying to loose weight!!

[blub] decathlon don't do mail order

Is there not one nearby?

closest is 100+ miles away. (would am rather alarmed by lack of flaps in living area brrrr)