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

Original poster

first tent decision - thinking Vango Tigris 800/Khyam Ontario8/Gelert Horizon8 - any thoughts?

34 replies

motherducky · 31/05/2009 22:39

OK, first camping trip (unless you count last years pre-erected eurocamp holiday). I'm getting very excited about it, mainly about choosing a tent.

I'm thinking these tents because (apparently):

they fit onto all pitches, they are easy to put up, they are HUGE (we briefly looked round the Vango) but cheaper than most big tents, they have sewn in ground sheets.

But I'm just not sure......

Any thoughts?

And which accessories should I really get? (finances tight)

Oh, and does anyone know whether kingsize airbeds and tween-sized readybeds fit into the small compartments?

OP posts:
Original poster
motherducky · 31/05/2009 22:42

That first line sounded a bit rude didn't it? I can see I'm going to be in fits of inappropriate giggles trying to put the thing up

OP posts:
Olihan · 31/05/2009 22:59

We have the Ontario 8 and it's great. We didn;t get much use out of it last summer (I'm strictly a fair weather camper ) but it is a great size and is definitely easy to put up. Lay it out flat, there's 5 poles that are colour coded with the channels they go in then stick the pegs in. The inner bits just button in.

We fitted 2 single air beds in one of the small compartments with a small gap between them so I guess a kingsize would fit. AFAIR our mattress is a kingsize and I think it fitted.

Absolutely essential accessories are a couple of lights, airbed pump and decent sleeping bags.

Peachy · 01/06/2009 12:25

We ahd the ontario, was a great tent and sold on well also (a factor for us as we did the buy- use- resell thing each year until we could afford the tent we really wanted).

Would advise a porch / canopy and the under groundsheet if you get it as that is useful and boosts resell value also, we did like our caroet but that's not really an essential PMSL

Peachy · 01/06/2009 12:27

Oh we did fit a kingsize in the pod, and 2 readybeds also if that helps- as a family of 5 / 6 we put the three readybeds in the double pod withot the curtain, we had a single and we left the other down for storage space

happycampers1 · 01/06/2009 14:37

I have just brought the outwell hartford 2007 from ebay for £231 for my 1st tent and went for a 3 day trail with friends ended up with 3 adults and 5 children in a 6 man tent, but it was brilliant.

I brought a lot of my stuff from www.johnscross.co.uk/
best buy was the tent accessory pack with mallet strong pegs and removal tool. Would get a additional ground sheet though for next time, but the blow up beds, camping stove (which was up-graded to model costing another £50) was a bonus!

The 3 day trip was good and going to take my other half next time!!

happywomble · 01/06/2009 15:20

We have just purchased a vango tigris 800. It seemed spacious and well priced. We have also ordered the canopy, footprint and carpet. Have not camped in it yet!

I'm afraid we didn't look at the other two tents you are thinking of so am not sure how they compare.

We wondered about a Sunncamp one (shadow 800 I think) and also looked at the Outwell Hartford XL. The Outwell one looked very nice but was more expensive than the vango tigris and we heard that the Hartford is bigger than the standard pitch size.

Starbear · 01/06/2009 15:30

We have gone for an Outwell Nivana(I think)Tent. Easier to put up than the Millett tent of last year. Hoping it will let in less water too. We have brought a carpet as a treat for me as we are never going to afford any hotel holidays again
Last years tent was damaged in storage!

spokette · 01/06/2009 15:38

We have a Gelert Horizon 8 and it is huge. It is really spacious, easy to erect and last year, withstood overnight torrential rain and strong winds without springing a leak or collapsing.

VanillaPumpkin · 01/06/2009 16:34

We have the Tigris 800 and I LOVE it. We ummed and ahhed but we were so pleased with the decision we made. Cost was a factor for us and I am thrilled with the space and versatility we got for the price. There was not another tent on the site I would have rather had. It came with king poles which meant we could put the doors up like a porch if we wanted. We put the double pod in the bed end and it fitted two Fat Airics in one half and three Thermarest trail mats in the other no problems. We then put a single bedroom pod in the other end for the portaloo and our bags/ clothes. The kitchen stuff went next to the pod so the living space was brilliant. The whole of the middle area to sprawl out on.
We bought the carpet and footprint and although I took them out of the bags thinking 'how much did I pay for these????' they were very def worth it, esp the footprint.
We now want the tunnel extension to go on the side
Got the tent, carpet and footprint for just over £300 on line. Tent was £235 I think. It was the best price I could find.
Sorry I can't compare with the other tents though as the display models near us were Outwell, Vango, Sunncamp or Sprayway so that is what we focussed on.

Original poster
motherducky · 03/06/2009 20:32

Thanks everyone, from that it seems all three are very good,

I've noticed the tigress is the biggest though...

But then one of the others is 5000 water...Head..thing..

And then, 1 of them has two big double rooms separated by curtains to make 3/4 bedrooms. This would be great for children's sleepovers when camping with other families, but less good when camping with other adults possibly, hmmm not sure.

Carpets - how do they get washed? and how bulky are they to take with us? also, do they cover all of the ground sheet - right under the bedroom pods, or just the middle living area?

OP posts:
Celia2 · 03/06/2009 20:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VanillaPumpkin · 04/06/2009 13:15

Carpet for the Tigris goes in the middle bit and not under the sleeping pods. Because we didn't have all the pods in this gave us a 'kitchen' area where I could just wipe spills of the SIG and avoided spilling on the carpet.
I haven't even thought about cleaning it. Um...baby wipes .

VanillaPumpkin · 04/06/2009 13:33

Tigris has a door at the end as well as at the sides. Do the others? Does this make any difference?

tigger32 · 04/06/2009 14:43

Hi, we have the Gelert horizon8 and it is fantastic,
It has 5000 hydrostatic (sp) head
Built in ground sheet
curtain which can be removed in the large (4man) pod and 2 separate 2 man pods
The carpets only covers the main living area and like vanilla that works for us as we leave one pod down and use the area for a kitchen.
The carpet when folded into its bag is not bulky at all.
I would recommend a footprint though as it saves the bottom of your tent getting dirty and helps you plan where to pitch.
We have the porch on our tent which is great for keeping the rain off the door and out of the tent!
I'm sure you will enjoy whichever tent you choose! Good luck

VanillaPumpkin · 04/06/2009 18:25

Ooh, I want a porch / extension and was considering one of the Gelert Horizon ones....I am waiting for someone on UKcampsite to try it first before I buy. The Vango tunnel extensions look ok but the Gelert one looked better. I am just wondering how well the colours will go too .

VanillaPumpkin · 04/06/2009 18:33

Oh and the Tigris has storage pockets that were VERY useful.

Just looked on ukcampsite.co.uk in their review section and that didn't help much as they are all getting reviews above 9/10.

Ho hum....

happywomble · 04/06/2009 18:57

Vanilla - why don't you get the tigris porch.....surely that will fit best?

Hope I have done the right thing in ordering the tigris porch?

we also liked the storage pockets on the tigris.

VanillaPumpkin · 04/06/2009 19:05

We might still get the Tigris porch, but the tunnel extension that we need to come off the side is not as big as the extension canopy that we originally wanted. The door is sloping too and it is that bit more expensive than the Gelert.
Which canopy did you get???

Prob is I like things to match and so part of me wants the Vango tunnel extension anyway (and the matching windbreak )

tigger32 · 04/06/2009 20:12

vanilla I love everything to match too, we have almost everything Gelert including the windbreak, oh and everything is blue (even cutlery, plates, sleeping bags)

PerfectPrefect · 05/06/2009 18:57

I recently did a thorough analysis of 8 man tunnel tents. Although we haven't actually doshed out any cash I think the Tigris was my favourite followed by the Horizon. What made the difference is that the Horizon gets a handful of negative comments about letting rain in the door when it is opened in the rain - Tigris has a little shelf over the door. Horizon is a smidge cheaper though.

At the end of the day I think that teh Vango Albany 800 or the Vango Yukon 800. Both are last years models and the Albany is available for £180 IIRC so £50 cheaper than the Tigris.

VanillaPumpkin · 05/06/2009 18:58

Oh yes, part of me wants to get us all Vango sleeping bags too, even though the ones we have are fine . Thankfully finances rein me in.....

Original poster
motherducky · 05/06/2009 20:25

Yes, vanilla I've been watching that thread on UKcampsites too, really wanting to see that picture and see how it looks...

Definately leaning towards the tigris now because of the size (although the 5000 thing is tempting, not sure how useful that is though - does anyone know?).

Funny I hadn't considered leaving just one of the two smaller pods out - is that possible then? ... It would leave a nice kitchen area wouldn't it... and we probably don't really need that extra pod... But I had thought that the two smaller pods were attached to each other - like the big pod - but with a fully sewn-in 'separater' rather a removable curtain.

It is really good that you all have only good things to say about the tents.

OP posts:
VanillaPumpkin · 05/06/2009 21:29

The Tigris has one bedroom pod that has a dividing curtain bit. We slept in that with the dd's next door (so I could reach to them under the partition if needed..). The other pods are def separate .

There is a pic of the Vango extension on the 800 on UK campsite now. It looks good and bigger than I thought so I think we will be getting that one. Yay!

Original poster
motherducky · 06/06/2009 08:39

Just after I checked the forum! Have you seen the gelert porch on it too - it looks huge, would really like to see it from the same angle as the vango tunnel pic.

Not that I am planning on buying a porch this year, I just want to know the there is a good one if we want to later on.

You're on UKcampsites! - its a bit like bumping into a friend in another city.

OP posts:
VanillaPumpkin · 06/06/2009 09:02

I know . HenniPenni is on there too! I only joined yesterday so I could chat Vango porches but did a tent and site review while I was at it.