enid quietly sneaks into the Camping topic...what would be considered a 'standard' size tent and what would be an 'extra large' ?

[Enid]

we are buying a tent (dont tell cod). I dont want a massive one although there are 5 of us (kids 8, 5 and 2) - Tom's Field in Dorset says that they prefer 'standard' size tents and that 'extra large' ones are proving a problem for many campsites. Dh wanted to get an OUtwell bear lake which at 665 x 420 seems enormous...but then again we dont want a shitey tiny tent either...

The tents with pods at all angles are the ones campsites don't seem to like. Tunnel tents with a rectangular type footprint seem to fit onto their pitches better I think. Not highly experienced camper though just getting into it for this year.

A Bear Lake would be gorgeous and as Flutterbye says as it is a tunnel design they fit better onto most pitches. We have the Norfolk Lake (our baby is on my profile) and we had no problems last summer, even at helhole Trevornick in Cornwall.

Be warned though, as the Lakes are polycotton, the bags are huge and will probably take up nearly twice the space of a similar plastic nylon tent!

Why don't you phone Tom's Field and ask if a tent the size of a Bear Lake is ok?

Crocs and a tent - tee hee Cod will spew!

is there REALLY any advantage of having polycotton over nylon?

aprrt from the homespun factor

They are cooler in the sun and warmer in the cold, the rain doesn't sound anywhere near as bad and they don't move in the wind! in fact the way that they don't rustle at all when the wind blows is just fab!

they are much more expensive and heavy though!

We have the indiana 8 which is of a similar size and shape to the bear lake and we have not had any problems with its size. We go camping with friends and they have one of the tents with a centre area and 3 pods going of it for the bedrooms and although they have never been charged extra for it, they have sometimes had a little difficulty getting onto a pitch and still being able to park their car on the pitch.
I think you will be fine with the bear lake (fab tent btw, we wanted it but was too expensive for us, hence we went for the indiana).

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we have the wynster corvus 6 which is also available as 8 berth it fits 4 of us easily and is also a good size for standard pitches plus opens up on 3 sides making it feel nice and airy (on a non breezy sunny day )

BTW - Toms Field has a place for large tents - ask for a pitch in the Nissan Field

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Glad to see some praise for the Bear Lake - we just bought one (Bear Lake 6) online reduced price and were a bit shocked when it was delivered - the bags are HUGE! But we have a good size car and roofbox so not so worried about that but I was worried about campsites getting funny about it. Nice to know that tunnel tents less of a prob than pod tents.

We were going to go with a different and cheaper tent but then I stupidly went to a camping exhibition and saw the Bear Lake up in all its glory and just fell in love...

Oh bliemy!

we've got a whopper of a tent, a nebraska XXL...will be have trouble booking a site this yaer?

Shall we do it now...christ alive booking holiday i sthe last thing on my mind atm.

I think Arthur's Field (Cornwall) sounds better.

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LTH, my mate has the Nebraska xxl. Loves it to bits. Never had a prob with pitch size. Just tell the sites the size when you book, you shouldn't have a problem.

Enid, you need a Monty 6. Click on tents, click on Montana, then Montana 6, then there are various options like seeing one erected oo-er

It is definitely the sprawly pods at all angles ones that campsites can be funny about - they don't seem at all bothered by one with the same number of berths with a basically rectangular footprint.

I love our Monty - there are two bedrooms, side by side, so you can unzip the wall a bit to peep at the kids. Living space is enormous - plenty big enough for a table and chairs if it's raining. When you unzip and roll up all the flaps (but leave the insect nets down) it feels really light and airy. The little side porch is a good space for wellies etc.

Have you been camping before? I'm not sure I'd invest in a canvas/cotton type tent til I was sure I liked camping - and they are much higher maintenance with regards drying etc. They are lovely though...

Canvas is much heavier to but up and can be a bit of a bugger to dry, compared to the poly tents. They also tend to be bulkier in the pack, so take up more room when you are getting to the site.

I have an outwell colorado (no longer made) fab tent.

For 5 of you, you should be looking at a sleeps 8 IMHO

Try before you buy, by going on a keycamp style holiday with the tent put up for you, or borrow someone's kit

Oh, and look what I've just found - they are now doing special kids' bedrooms for Outwells I want one!

LOL, but it is green and my tent is blue!!!!!

Mine's green... (and ds2 has just seen that picture and said "can we get one? Can we?" and even ds1 who I thought might think it was a bit babyish said "cool!")

Well only a alrge tent (Khyam Ontario) does for us obv, and yes this year a few sites have sai9d no- although the one we like had shrunk it's pitches but was willing to cmpromise when I chatted to them.

We do always check though, and for example at Sandy Balls you have to use a specific area.

IME tents with one huge dimension (ie ours) are the issue, as others fit better onto squarer pitches iyswim. We never had any issues with our old geodesic, but the long tunnel (7.5 metres) causes more issues.

our tent is blue and Dh bought himself a raincoat to match

(oh and have a look at the Khyam range- tehy've expanded massively this year so well worth keeping an eye out for)

Monty's etc are fine, they don't do it for me though which is the thing, it has to be the tent you walk into and feel as if you are at home. All our tents have been bought on that basis- no amount of research can compensate (do check uk campsite website for reviews first before buying though)

We have a mercury 9 for our longer than one night tent.

It is easy to put up - I can do it with a little help from my then 8 year old (she has to go underneath the tent and hold up the middle whilst I plug the poles in) It also has masses of room inside.

We were thinking of buying a Monty 6 as well but we had another baby instead.