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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

I want a really massive tent that will last forever!

59 replies

WestCountryLass · 08/08/2007 22:13

We've got 3 kids so I want one that will have 3 bedrooms (one for DH and I, one for DSs and one for DD when the time comes). I would like it to have spacious living area and ideally another area for storing stuff (I went in a tent that had a tunnell type opening and that was good. I want it to be well made and able to withstand fairly harsh weather.

Any ideas?? Are Outwells any good? They seem quite expensive but there were a fair few at the campsite we visited on the weekend.

OP posts:
Doodledootoo · 08/08/2007 22:16

Message withdrawn

Judd · 08/08/2007 22:19

We've just got a vango Oregon 800. Sleeps 8 in 4 double pods. We wanted the same as you - one for us, one for DD, one for DS and one to put stuff/house friends who come with us in the future.

I like Vango very much!

brandnewhelsy · 08/08/2007 22:21

We've got a Khyam Ontario 8 there are 4 of us but it has 3 bedrooms, one sleeps 4 and two that sleep 2

Doodledootoo · 08/08/2007 22:37

Message withdrawn

Nemo2007 · 08/08/2007 22:43

we have a khyam ontario/kansas same tent and it is fab. We had 3 dc so wanted the bedrooms for when they are older and wanted to bring friends. Decent size living space and can buy extras to go with it like a big canopy and also has sewn in groundsheet. Takes about 40-50mins o put up and thats with 2 toddlers and a baby.

puppydavies · 09/08/2007 08:44

if i were buying a "forever" tent i'd think not just about withstanding bad weather but how it is in hot weather, especially if you ever plan taking it e.g. to france.

i love our aspen cos it has 3 doors you can open up plus windows at the back of the sleeping area so it's lovely and airy during the day (also good for keeping condensation down). so i'd be thinking possibly about a polycotton/technical cotton tent, the new ones aren't masses heavier like they used to be, although they will take more care e.g. airing thoroughly every time you pack up (but should do that with any tent).

i find steel poles (rather than flexi poles) reassuring in terms of stability/longevity, although obviously this adds to the size/weight.

i'd also ideally want an inner on the living area (rather than just on the sleeping pods) for that extra insulation early mornings/late at night. i think you're likely to only find this on inner-up-first tents though, so that's another thing to think about (although have always had inner-first tents and never found it a problem personally).

sadly i'm coming to the conclusion that one tent can't do everything (i.e. small pack,easy to put up, sturdy, small yet spacious etc.) so am gradually collecting an armoury of tents for every occasion (have 2-man, 3-man, 5-man and soon 4-man too). an extension to store my tents in would be on my wish list too

FeelingOld · 09/08/2007 10:01

We have outwell indiana 8 and it is fab. Dh and I use one bedroom and at the moment our 3dc share second bedroom and we remove the 3rd bedroom to make more living space. It withstood wind and rain at the last may bank hol when lots of other tents were blowing down or leaking. We put a windbreak around the porch area and do the cooking under there.
We love it

Sheherazadethegoat · 09/08/2007 10:07

i think it is called a caravan.

tiredemma · 09/08/2007 10:09

We have a Vango Diablo 900 _ wanted the extra space for all of the stuff dp has deemed 'essential' for camping ( a friend suggested "why dont you just book a hotel room??")

It has a massive living area and three bedrooms- its like a marquee!!

I hate being couped up so it was a good buy.

Peachy · 09/08/2007 10:15

Hmm there's a lot to choose from atm

if you wait until saturday, lucy will be back having trillaed her new norfolk lake- perfect for you

I can also recommend my khyam Ontario 8

However- the highest rated tent this year in some tests,a nd the only one to survive really awful weather on one trip I went on, was a coleman galileo weathermaster. Amaziong tent! everyone else (khyam, outwell, whatever) needed repitching and a bit of help- not the coleman! We're seriously thinking about one

snorkle · 09/08/2007 10:55

many fabrics won't last forever. The cottons don't degrade in UV as badly as the man-made ones, but are more susceptible to mold - drying out a super-large tent at home can be difficult.

thomcat · 09/08/2007 10:58

Ohhh I want the same but i want 4 bedrooms so kids can each have own room And I wanrt storage, and large living space we can stand up in.

Peachy · 09/08/2007 11:23

thomcat you want the one we have I think, ontario 8

shame you're not closer (unless you fancy going somewhere where we're en route eg tenby) as would lend you to see what you thought iof it- try before you buy and all that

we have no 4 due in the Spring, so what we'll do is 3 kids in the 2 separate bedrrom units, us on the other side in one room, thast separated by a divider from baby so we have privacy yet could reach across if needed for feeds etc

tiredemma · 09/08/2007 11:24

thomcat- sounds like you want a canvas house!

ours is massive and very good for families if you dont mind two of the siblings sharing

thomcat · 09/08/2007 11:54

I don't massively mind kids sharing if that's what THEY want, but would rather them have the option. Also at this age I think they sleep for longer if left in own bedrooms, or just lay and chill for a bit when they wake rather than play (aka wind each other up!)

Peachy will google Ontario 8 now and see hwat comes up.

I have a 3 bed tent now that I can stand up in but it's not great quality and I'd rather chuck some more money and get a really decent well made tent with more more.

With 3 kids and zero spare cash think we'll do our fair share of camping over the next 10 years!

thomcat · 09/08/2007 11:56

Peachy - the only ones coming up are 3 bed -

KHYAM ONTARIO 8 TENT - 8 PERSON

The Ontario 8, from the Khyam range of family tents. A very big family size tunnel tent that gives a huge amount of space for a minimum of effort.

The three bedrooms consist of a large 4 berth bedroom and two smaller 2 berth bedrooms. These can be removed to create more living space, depending on your needs and party size.

justadad · 09/08/2007 12:31

A canvas tent should last >20 years as long as you can get it dry before packing away, which in reality means that you need access to a garden big enough to pitch it in.

A recent thread on the UKCampsite site was querying the longevity of nylon tents and a shop owner wrote back to say that their show tents last from 8-20 weeks permanently pitched before the fabric degrades (UV light) and the rain just punches holes through it. Now that was for permanently pitched, every time you pitch/pack away there is wear and tear on the canvas, so if you're looking at a 2-3 weeks every year then don't expect to get more than about 5-7 years out of a nylon tent, less if you're going to a sunny climate.

So if you want a huge tent that will last and last, go for a Cabanon Aruba or even an Espace (provided you don't mind it looking like a bungalow!), but you'll need a fair old bit of space to cart it round!. If you're more picky about looks and money is no object then try the Cabanon Biscaya. And if you do get one then don't tell me about it because I will just be

thomcat · 09/08/2007 12:37

LOL and great and helpful post justadad, cheers

Peachy · 09/08/2007 12:38

TC

it hasd 3 hangiung rooms, however the big one also co0mes with a fabric divider that hangs down the middle of the room and is optional but included

Peachy · 09/08/2007 12:50

Oha nd i'd agree about longevity, however we use our tents intensively (5 weeks use a year, although dotted about in weekends as wella slonger breaks) and find that we prefer to replace a cheaper- as most synthetic tents are- more regularly and go with that. The cost of some of the polycottons we love (Norfolk lake or the Eureka! range, a big trailer wouldn't suit us as we have no drive, garden or reear access to the garden) mean that they'd ahve to be a longer term investment which we'd rather amke when we can throw genuine cah at it, rather than the remanants of a student income.

Original poster
WestCountryLass · 10/08/2007 08:20

All very helpful, thanks for all the suggestions. I don't think I can convince DH to go for a Cabanon Aruba as he had a bit of a giggle about the '1970's' tents when we were away last!

I am liking the look of the Vango with the 3 bedrooms at the mo

OP posts:
Original poster
WestCountryLass · 10/08/2007 08:22

And 5+ years is 'forever' in my opinion!

We have a Gelert tent at the mo and already the zips are starting to go...

OP posts:
Biglips · 10/08/2007 08:22

this is the one we've got and its brilliant!!!

harleyd · 10/08/2007 08:29

wow biglips i was going to change to the outwell indiana 8 - but i love your tent! how does the side canopy attach?

ernest · 10/08/2007 08:39

we've got a sun valley 8, also outwell, very similar to biglip's but the bedroom layout is a bit different. so not all lying together - got 2 back bedromms (for 3 but we use them as large roomy doubles) It's to great ventilation - we went out in it last couple of weeks in dorset & it was very rainy 1st week & hot 2nd. Days when we came back & it was hot & stuffy inside, just opened up te many windowns/doors and instantly fresh & cool inside. Really fab tent. cost £299, which I think is very reasonable. Easily big enough for family and very high, also easy to erect.

www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Outwell_Sun_Valley_8_Tunnel_Tent.html.