Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Camping

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

Original poster

where to buy a tent? and which to go for?

14 replies

thisisyesterday · 12/04/2009 19:59

we haven't camped since having children. now have a 4yr old, a 1 yr old and a baby on the way!
so figured we'd jump in at the deep end :D

I don't want to spend a huge amount, budget tbh is really no more than £150 unless I can persuade dp otherwise.
we don't want anything that's too vast as we want to use it to camp in his parents garden this summer lol (just for our first baby trip out in it hehe)
so I'm thinking a 6 berth dome type one? for a reasonable price.

If we get on really well with it and decide to do lots of camping then it's something we'll probably upgrade, but just don't want to spend a huge amount and then decide we really hate camping and never use again iyswim?

I did have a lookj in argos and they had some reasonable looking ones in there but not sure what kind of stuff I should be making sure it has.

what absolute musts should I look for? are things like hydrostatic head very important? (i have no idea what it even is )

OP posts:
Original poster
thisisyesterday · 12/04/2009 20:55

anyone?

OP posts:
Flutterbye · 12/04/2009 22:17

I don't think a 6 berth will be big enough for 4 of you plus a travel cot. You don't get many 7 berth tents so you'd be looking for an 8 berth one. How about tunnel tents, they're very easy to put up. Lots of people had this one last year, although it has a separate ground sheet that I couldn't be doing with, like to be all sealed in from the elements, me! Or how about something like this bit over your price range I know.

piscesmoon · 12/04/2009 22:35

Look out for camping exhibitions in your area. That is the best way because they have them all pitched outdoors and you can work out what is best and get expert advice. Try googling it.

jenthehen · 12/04/2009 22:59

We have an outwell montana 6 bought for our first ever camping trip last year. there are 4 of us.
we think it's great.

Dozeynoo · 13/04/2009 08:08

You definately need to go somewhere to see some tents up, a large camping shop or exhibition. We bought a tent last year, didn't think we were particularly bothered about when sort of tent. We then went to look at some at the nearest camping shop and found that actually we did want side by side sleeping, large windows in the living area, if poss sewn-in-groundsheet....

Original poster
thisisyesterday · 13/04/2009 09:30

we won't have a travel cot, baby will be in with us, or at worst in one of those little pop-up doo-hickeys

will see if we have any big camping shops round here. we went into millets and blacks the other day but they don't have any out on display so it wasn't very helpful lol

it's all a bit of a minefield! lol, DP was aghast at the size of the 8-man ones flutterbye lol, but I guess seeing them up in the flesh will give us a better idea of just how big they rteally are

OP posts:
troutpout · 13/04/2009 09:34

We also have a 6 berth. It is plenty big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids. It has a big living space which helps.

troutpout · 13/04/2009 09:35

Where do you live yesterday? might be able to give you some ideas for seeing tents in the flesh.

Original poster
thisisyesterday · 13/04/2009 20:20

i found a fantastic camping shop not too far from us actually (we're in west sussex), it had gajillions of tents, and you were all right, it was so good to actually see them in the flesh.

have a much better idea now I think of what we need, so I think we're going to see if we can get a nice big tent second hand from ebay or somewhere so that it's still within budget, but we now have a good idea of ones we def like so can search for specific names and stuff.

OP posts:
MrsDinky · 13/04/2009 20:30

Hi,
Haven't posted on here before, excuse me jumping in. There is a great place called Camping World in Frensham, south of Farnham, if you are in West Sussex it might be quite near, they have hundreds (it seems like)of tents up, plus everything else under the sun.
www.campingworld.co.uk/

Original poster
thisisyesterday · 13/04/2009 20:37

frensham a bit far out for us, but will have a look at the site anyway thank you

which reminds me, I totally fell in love with that outwell tipi tent, it's fab!!!! not parting with £650 for it though

OP posts:
Aefondkiss · 13/04/2009 20:38

this

or this

I have the 2nd one, it has been good for occasional camping, we used the smaller "room" for daytime naps, travel cot fitted in there fine, plus it was great for stuff. I can't remember how we slept at night, but the 4 person bit was fine for us (family of 2 adults and 2 children), I think we had the travel cot in with us and dd was in a wee camp bed and a double blow up mattress for dh and I ... great for standing up in (makes it feel more spacious when they have more height) and just fine for not spending too much money on a tent imho.

Aefondkiss · 13/04/2009 20:50

thisisyesterday I thought the outwell tipi was lovely too, have you seen the old style canvas tents, that you can get a little stove for, complete with chimney and roll up skirts?They are so cool... though I can't think of the name of them just now.

katiestar · 13/04/2009 23:06

We have an Outwell Montana 6 .We are a family of 6 and have used it since the youngest was about 3 months old . Never used a travel cot though . DD just slept in a sleeping bag on a camping roll on the floor.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread