Look away if you're not into camping - advice needed

[sievehead]

We're thinking of investing in a new tent - as ours is not big enough for the 4 of us now. We need one with 2 or 3 separate bedrooms and a dedicated dining/kitchen-ey type space.

At the moment, I always end up with the food and cooking stuff draped around outside.

Any recommendations anyone? I've looked at a lot of websites, but difficult to tell from the pics which ones are good.

Also - are camping fridges any good - or just a waste of money? Thanks.

what about a trailer tent?

nowhere to store it unfortunately, and prob too expensive

then alarge frame tent. my parents had a 7 berth one years ago and it was excellant. is there a camping shop nearby you could wander round?

hi sievehead

we invested in a dome tent after using a frame canvas tent for 4 for years but the aarival of ds2 we opted for a 6 birth dome tent (Campus Super Trio Deluxe Dome Tent) which we ordered from outdoor mega store. It has loads of living space but is a nightmare to put up and my dh swears shouts and screams but really likes it when its done.

Don't know about fridges

We trawled all local store then ordered online

Have a look at Camperlands , sievehead - this site has lots of useful information. We bought our tent from them (we are near Manchester) - it's the Vango Vista 800 , loads of space and not hard to put up (colour-coded poles etc) as long as it's not windy or there are at least 2 of you.

Wildday and Hugh Lewis have a lot too.

We used to have a huge 6-berth frame tent but that was a headache to put up, the poles got more and more bent, and finally DH snapped and threw it away.

I have toyed with the idea of a camping fridge but unless you have a pitch with a plug-in I don't know how reasonable they are to run or if you have to take a spare car battery to stop them draining yours, so I've avoided making a decision so far!

thanks guys. I need to find a tent showroom type place I think. Will get onto it.

Lots of tents and trailer tents on E.bay. I think lots of people try it and don't like it so lots of brand new used once stuff.

True. We've done it on and off for years, and love it. Haven't done it yet with DD2 who is 2 now, so think its time. Also as we're now tied to school hols, its the only holiday we can afford!

Great selection here Ours is the 'budget' vango venture 600 DLX which would be ok but not palatial for 2 adults plus 2 kids. I like it because you can stand upright throughout, and you can decide which of the 3 porch openings to have open or shut. Easy enough to put up and comes in a nifty carrying bag. But there are bigger ones.

I knew Blu was yer girl.

bigger than our house!

Blu, do you think the Vango Venture could take 2 tall adults and 9-year old who likes lots of space and a travel cot?

Otto - at a tight pinch, but tbh I don't think it would be ideal. If the 9 year old sleeps on a child size mattress, the travel cot could go across the far end of his/her compartment, but as far as I can remember, I think you would have difficulty fitting it at the end of your own full-length double mattress. I suppose in v warm weather you could leave your compartment 'door' open and put the cot in the porch section near to you.
I think the diagrams of 3 people in each compartment are a bit far-fetched - each is just about right for two.

we went to a tent showroom where they could help guide us through the huge selection available. Can't remember the brand that we bought this time but I know from experience that cheapest is not always best value (leaky seams, dodgy zips etc). We struggled with the dome design the first time but have got better with practice, but I would still prefer the old heavy frame tent we used to have. Being able to cook inside makes a HUGE difference I think. I'm not sure about camping fridges. We have one but haven't used it much because of the amount of space it takes up in the car.

We have a Wynnster Satellite 12 with 3 pods - 1 for us, 1 for kids, 1 for luggage etc. Room in middle to cook, table etc. Got it on ebay. Have you seen the new Argos Extra catalogue - they have pages of tents now.

previously had v small and light (and expensive) 2 man tent. After DD born bought cheap, heavy, big tent from Blacks. It's great. 2 rooms and central area but they do a bigger one too. Rooms are big enough for double air beds so we have one room, DD has other and DS goes in travel cot in centre bit until he's big enough to share with big sis.

Decided not to get fridge because DH worried they'll run car battery down. Take ice box with lots of spare blocks. Lots of sites have a freezer so you just need to remember to rotate the blocks

There's a company that has a big display of tents in Ambleside and Ripley (nr Harrogate) through out the tourist season - I think they're called Yeomans outdoor. You can actually walk round all the tents and I think they're quite cheap. May do similar displays in lots of places

Thanks Blu. Those pictures of people without arms lying side-by-side are very misleading IME. I'll check out larger versions.

thanks everyone, very useful. Will look up the Argos Extra catalogue.