Berghaus Air 8 - will we fit it in our Ford C-Max?

[Breadhead]

I know it's a huge tent but we're a family of 5 and we want something quick to put up for spontaneous weekends away. We're also hoping to get the porch, footprint, pump, and that's not starting on the usual sleeping bags and mats, stove etc.

Any experience of getting all that in a Ford C-Max or similar sized-car? We've also got a large roofbox and would consider a trailer if absolutely necessary.

Yes but not a lot else!

Hmm, might have to leave the DCs at home.....

We say the same! We are not light campers by any stretch of the imagination and have a massive minivan and still struggle. Fab tent though, we love it.

Goodness, you struggle to fit it in even with a minivan? I really think we might need a trailer, just not sure how long it will take to get a towbar on the car now. Need this sorted for the summer hols!

I mean we fill the mini van with everything not just the tent . If we had a smaller car then I guess we'd have to take less stuff! Our children are (big) teens so not able to use footwells around car seats like I've seen friends use either. We also have a dog and all his crap.

Yes I realised you took more than tent but still thought it must be a lot if you struggle with a minivan too. We have two teens and a 3 year old too (but dog stays at home!)

Can anyone suggest a large family tent and porch that packs away quite small?

We've got a Vango Icarus and a Ford Mondeo. The Mondeo has a massive boot but we do struggle. We also have a roof box.

We use vaccum storage sacks for all our clothes, sleeping bags, tent carpet etc to try and reduce space and have an electric pump with a deflation setting to pack it all up at the end of the trip. But it's getting harder each year as the kids get bigger and are becoming less tolerant to items beneath their feet!

We have a fairly compact tent but take 2x small tents for teenagers as well. Last trip we had a roofbox and boot full. When we had a big tent we needed a van. Honestly for a weekend a Vango/Decathlon poled tunnel tent is quick to put up.

Something like a Vango Stargrove 600xl has integral porch and is simple to put up. Packs down to 23kg but half the size of the Berghaus.

I agree a small tent for us and two pup tents for teens is fine for a weekend. But my concern is if we go for a week and the weather's rubbish? We'd need a big tent for us all to hang out in together, surely? Our current small family tent (decathlon 4-man pole) doesn't have a porch or even a rain flap thing above the entrance.

Yes, it's a squeeze but doable. Put the tent in the boot, camping equipment in the from box, minimal amount of clothes in holdalls which fit in and around the tent and protect the gas canister. Pillows/ sleeping bags are on the back seat with kids !

That sounds doable, certainly worth a try. I'm wondering whether to bid for the Beeghaus Air tent currently on eBay to pickup locally including porch etc, and just try it. If it doesn't fit we could just resell and hope we get a similar price!

We had the same tent.

We got that, a small holdall and some tesco bags in the boot of a seat ateca, but kids had their stuff in foot wells. We had no other gear like camping furniture etc. Sleeping bags were under seats etc.

On the plus side its an amazing tent.
One night was windy and everyone else's tent in site had some issues but ours.
But do check all the air tubes are OK. One didn't work first time we put it up, had had to drive 50 miles to the nearest shop with a replacement.

We have that tent and it's fab x

When we used to camp we had a Volvo estate with a roof box and it was pretty full (but included dog and child car seats).
Can you try first with a large roof box before thinking of a trailer?

We're probably going to get a secondhand Vango Marna 600xl which should hopefully pack down smallish but be big enough for 4 adults and a child, and includes a porch. Due to collect it tomorrow. Plus taking an extra little tent for one of the teens to kip in.

Last minute reassurance query - are there any other amazing tents that I'm missing which pack down small but are suitable for a large family?