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Camping

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

Original poster

camping advice please - what do you think of this deal?

73 replies

policywonk · 15/02/2008 21:18

We're thinking about getting some camping equipment for the summer (travelling in the UK, probably in the south). Argos have this offer on at the moment - I'd be very grateful if anyone who knows something about camping could have a look at it and tell me if there are any obvious drawbacks to it.

(I know we'll also need to get stove, kitchen stuff, pump and so on.)

OP posts:
Blandmum · 16/02/2008 12:54

about 1-1.5 hours from cardiff.

very nice facilities. So friendly.

I'm on their reviews page, and it really is an nice as they all say

Lucycat · 16/02/2008 16:09

madm00se - we camped at Pear Tree just north of Wareham in 2006 - lovely site, grumpy owners who liked their rules but then did nothing to pull up anyone who broke them! You were not allowed any windbreaks more than 4 poles and only around your cooking area - and if you did have more then the bloke would come along while you were out and fold up your windbreak to make it shorter

glassofwine has also camped there.

The top picture is my favourite campsite ever - well at least so far!

oh go for it policywonk - we are due a good summer so you may never see any rain!

Cappuccino · 16/02/2008 16:24

I wonder about this as well

after all we may hate camping

and then we would only have lost £150

Original poster
policywonk · 16/02/2008 16:28

Yes, and also it avoids hours farting around on eBay (which DP would prefer, but no way would he actually sit down and do it)

OP posts:
Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:32

If you are 'not sure' about camping you have three options.

Borrow kit from a mate. This is the best and cheapest way of doing it. I've lent stuff to a mate who then loathed the experience, so I saved her money!

Go on a camping holiday with someone like Canvas or Keycamp, who have the tents already up for you. They cost a bit more, but it will give you an idea of what camping is like with minimum fuss and hassle for you. But this os more expensive than the first option. and if you hate it, it might be hating your main holiday of the year, and not just a weekend away.

If you don't have a mate to lend you the kit, then getting one of thse deals can be a great thing.

A good quality site in France , with a bar, and pools etc will set you back about £25 per night, per tent. That would be £175 for the site for the week, in the peak of peak season, £200 for the tunnel and some petrol, that is a good price for a weeks family holiday on the continenet. Even with buying the stuff, you'll be quids in.

We calculate that we 'made back' the cost of our tent and kit in the first year

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:33

Dont buy the tents on E-bay. Many are crapola!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only get one if you recognise the brand name

hercules1 · 16/02/2008 16:34

Oi I bought one of mine off ebay but it was an outwell. I do remember seeing lots of overseas brands going very cheap that looked a bit odd.

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:35

yes, but outwells are fab, I have one!

its the unbranded, or unheard of tents you have to watch. Some are US imports, and the HH is way too low for the UK

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:36

Gelerts, Outwells, Vangos, all of that type will be fine. Its the other stuff you have to watch. there are lots of threads on UKcapsite about this, and they tend to be the people 'who know'

Cappuccino · 16/02/2008 16:37

I have seen this tent on another thread

it does not seem that much more £££

is any good?

Original poster
policywonk · 16/02/2008 16:37

You lot are might informative, thank you!

I'll pass on your wisdom to DP. I find that a good 30 minutes of me droning on imparting Mumsnet opinions tends to wear him down.

OP posts:
tiredemma · 16/02/2008 16:38

Friends of ours purchased some monstrosity off ebay and it literally fell apart on the first trip ( but the weather was shit)

We have a Vango Diablo 900. HUGE!! I love it.

Cant wait to go away again this year

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:38

Khyams have a v good rep. Supposed to be easy to put up as well

they tend to have a good resale value too. I didn't like the old ones as they were purple which is a pointless objection, I know!

Cappuccino · 16/02/2008 16:40

are they huge?

just on the other thread they were saying you got turned away from places with a big tent

I know nothing about camping btw

Original poster
policywonk · 16/02/2008 16:41

at Capp's tent

OP posts:
Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:43

it is 0.5 bu 0.7 m bigger in terms of footprint than ours, and we've never had a problem on sites in the UK and in France.

It is the big 'satelite' tents that people get sniffy about. Some are big enough to sleep 12 or even 15!

that is a V nice tent, and a bloody good price, btw

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:44

It has a sewn in groundsheet as well!

Really nice tent.

Cappuccino · 16/02/2008 16:44

it is not my tent

not yet

I am running downstairs to show it to dh

hercules1 · 16/02/2008 16:45

We have one of the massive tents - 3 sleeping pods and a huge living area. Not all csmpsites will take us and some will charge for 2 pitches. But tbh we prefer very basic campsites with a field and these arent so bothered about the size of your tent, where you pitch, number of cars etc.

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:46

A 'serious' tent!

People will see it and think that you are old hands!

Make sure you put it up in the garden first so as not to blow your cred!

Lucycat · 16/02/2008 16:46

nah those Khyams aren't huge, being a tunnel design they tend to fit onto pitches better than some domes.

that is a good price too.

Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:50

then go here for your first trip to France.

38 euros per night at the peak of peak season, for a pitch and 2 adults and 2 kids under 10.

You do the sums, it is about as reasonavle a holiday as you can get in France during the kids summer holiday. I once worked out that taking our own kit insead of booking a caravan with Canvas holidays saved us £1000!

Now granted I had to go to the ablutions block for a pee in the middle of the night but £1000!, that has to be worth 12 pees!

Lucycat · 16/02/2008 16:53

Now you see I like going to the loo when everyone else is asleep - I met a rabbit on the path last summer - I don't know who was more spooked!

Original poster
policywonk · 16/02/2008 16:54

mb, you do realise that you are going to be followed around Europe by folorn MNetters asking you to help them erect their tents, don't you?

OP posts:
Blandmum · 16/02/2008 16:56

That would be fab! All I ask is a glass of wine!

That site will even rent you a fridge so you can keep your white wine chilled!

another nice one is Camping Pong (I kid you not!)

I went there one year and ended up, by total fluke, camping next to a bloke who'd helped me out with a 'hook up' question on UKcampsite!!!!!