How do I choose a tent?!?

[PersisFord]

We have borrowed tents a couple of times for weekends and have decided to bite the bullet and buy our own....but I'm pretty clueless and wonder if anyone can help? From my research we would like:

6 berth (family of 5)
Poled (small car)
I am obsessed with the need for ventilation - last tent I lay awake as the condensed breath of my children dripped around me and I did not enjoy it. Similarly I would like a fairly bug-proof tent (opened the windows to deal with condensation then had flies EVERYWHERE).

It will be for camping for a few days rather than weeks at a time, but I'd like a living area of some sort.

Ideally under £500

Any thoughts would be VERY welcome!!

My favourite tents are Coleman tents. They all have ventilation, and are bug proof. The groundsheets are built in, so you do not need a separate one.

Separate from a tent, you also need a shade/rain gazebo type thing as well to sit, eat and cook under when camping.

The waterproof ratings are essential. You do want at least 4000mm HH rating. Having a low rating means if you touch the tent wall when it’s raining, then you will get wet. You shouldn’t have any leakage in a storm. If you do, then likely the tent seams need a top up spray of waterproofer.

id seriously consider a preowned tent. You can get some real bargains on Facebook marketplace. People often seem to buy one then realise it doesn't work for their family, or kids grow up and so on, then they sell on their tents.

TheodoreMortlock we have a 2 burner Cadac stove which has been really good. It was about £100. You can cook on it with pans, but it also comes with hot plates for frying to save bringing a frying pan. For us, the selling point was it runs on butane or propane, so we can use the bottles from our trailer tent. Campingaz can be pricey, especially in Europe, so that was another reason we wanted to avoid that.
I have never found a grill that was much cop, so I wouldn't use that as much of a selling point. A wind shield is a worthwhile investment too if you don't have a kitchen unit with one built in.

OP, could you muddle through another summer borrowing one? You'll get much more tent for your money towards the back end of the summer.
My regret on our last tent was not buying the awning and groundsheet at the same time as the tent and carpet (I thought I would spread the cost and buy them next summer), as the following year they were very difficult to get hold of because newer models had come out. We have a Hi gear 'family' tent, a smaller Coleman 'pre-DCs/weekend' tent, and a Coleman 1 person pup tent, and have been very happy with all 3 over their years of use (9, 15, and 1 years respectively).
I agree with only having a tent you can stand in. The crawl-in variety are fine when both young and there is an absence of mud, but outside of that are a bad choice.
I also agree about the ages (and temperaments) of the DCs deciding the bedroom configuration - at 3 & 5, DCs were happy to share a pod alongside ours, but before then had wanted to share with us. We have camped with friends who have ended up having to sleep 1 adult & 1 DC to a pod as they were at opposite ends to each other and DCs were scared to be without a parent close by. This may only be a minor annoyance if everyone has their own sleeping bags and easily moveable SIMs, but causes more of an issue if DCs have their own (child-sized) bags, but the parents have brought a double to share (be that bag, air bed, or duvet) 😬 On the flip side, our 9yo is now happily in a pup tent. We no longer need as much sleeping space inside the main tent, although still need enough living space to accommodate her plus storage for her clothes etc.
The blackout pods are great, particularly keeping the heat in/out. I don't have them in either larger pole tents (too old), but the trailer tent and pup tent have them and they make a huge difference.

If you usually camp with EHU get an electric grill pan. I have a cheap single ring gas stove and an electric grill pan. You can cook anything in them from bacon and eggs to spag bol and anything inbetween one of the best purchases ever

This: https://www.millets.co.uk/15981046/hi-gear-hampton-6-nightfall-family-tent-15981046

or this https://www.millets.co.uk/15980258/vango-casa-lux-7-person-family-tent-15980258

@PersisFord A footprint, the separate sheet that goes under your tent’s groundsheet, is good for keeping mud etc off your tent so makes it easier to fold your tent clean and dry. Also extra protection against small stones / thorns etc. but not strictly necessary if you want to keep cost and pack size down. But as you discovered the footprint must not protrude beyond your tent groundsheet.

Get a "footprint" to go under the tent. They sell them specifically for tents...but I'd get a cheap plastic tarp from B&Q and cut it to shape or just fold it under.
I do have an expensive (£65) one made for my tent but only because it was free.

Yup agree with this , cheep tarp will do the job just fine

If you buy stick on velcro, you can stick it to the inside of the tent. Then the edge is raised so puddles can't run in and leaves don't blow in, and it's guaranteed not to flap out.

We have a Vango Anantara IV TC 650XL Air Tent, I know you said poles but honestly you won't regret air.
DH is 6'3 and there is loads of head room, plenty of floor space, we also have the awning where the kitchen goes so loads more room.

Also takes no time to put up and has converted me from being a hater of camping to loving it as enough room for decent beds, comfortable chairs etc.
Only downside is polycotton has to be dry before packing away.

Go to a big supplier where they have the tents up so you can look inside them.

We used to have the Outwell Montana which was perfect. It had steel poles which were heavy but it withstood a couple of storms that wrote off other tents.

I would definitely recommend Outwell as a brand. We used to camp in a group and the Outwell tents were very sturdy.

I agree that the footprint is a good idea while you are at it.

We got a Coleman but in the end, we've reverted to out expedition tents because the leisure ones are just so big and heavy. Just don't forget to get an awning or shelter separately so you can light the cooker in the rain. We went to the Lakes and it rained so much the campsite flooded.

At the risk of being a party pooper, we've just gone back to poles after a really crappy experience with an air tent which blew a beam and ripped the tent apart as it went. It wasn't overinflated and it wasn't hot weather either. We've gone back to Outwell and steel poles.

The Outwell Montana 6 used to be really popular and they have an optional inner room. Looks like the PE model has a bit of a porch too.
Also you get to a point where it's easier to have someone in a pup tent rather than keep making your main tent bigger so in a few years you could boot someone out. (or even one of the parents).
I'm not a fan of giant 8-12 berth tents they just get big and floppy in the wind. I know a family who had a big pod type tent (Outwell Hartwell type) but they had a huge car and a trailer. Packing, setting up and packing up an over large rig can spoil your weekend.
A decent tent like an Outwell, Coleman or Vango should not leak.
Also see UKcampsite for tent reviews - the number of reviews gives you an idea of popularity too.

As others have said, polycotton. If you can find a second hand Bear Lake or Norfolk Lake they are fab tents and practically put themselves up

Polycotton only works if you've got somewhere to dry them at home and a really big car. They're huge, heavy and prone to going moldy

Did you get your tent OP?
I second stamppotandgravy said re polycotton tents being huge and heavy, and risk growing mould if you can't dry them properly, same for canvas tents. They are ace, but you need a big car, and big space at home to erect them so they can dry, as it's not unusual to have to pack away a damp tent....especially in the UK!

Tunnel tents are the easiest to put up. I can put my Outwell Montana 5 man tent up on my own. Agree you need to be able to stand up in it.

i would go for steel poles over fibreglass. Decent make like outwell, vango, Coleman. I did have a decathalon Quercha pop up tent which I used as a camper van awning for a bit and was impressed with that.

I also had an expensive Bell tent which I hated. I had to pack it up once in a rainstorm and it is 3x as heavy as normal when wet and I nearly bloody left it there! Sold that.

Oh sorry I didn't see the replies! We got a vango stargrove xl and it was lovely except a pole broke in the wind - just a gust and the side inverted and broke a pole. It ripped the pegs holding the guy ropes out as well but I've got some tougher pegs for next time! Otherwise it was brilliant - dead easy to pitch and put away (fit in the sack!!) and minimal condensation even after a night of snoring kids.