Got new tent-yippeee....how on earth do I get it up!

[3rdnparty]

have invested in a Bear Lake4, its arrived....its v heavy (never had a cotton tent before) any one got one ? or something like it.. tips on erecting please....oh and packing away of course! hoping to use it this weekend....and don't want to spend all weekend arguing discussing how to get it up if possible

erm if you go to outwells home page they vidoe links (I think) for each tent. Other than that if it's the tent I think it is (ie tunnel type), my tips would be...
put all poles in and lie tent flat, make sure all doors are zipped, move tent around unitl the bum/back of tent is facing into the wind. Two people get the end poled section and pull it up, one person holds onto this and the other loosley pegs the end out. Whislt still holding the first poled section up pull out concertina style the enxt saection, loosley pef this the pull out agin the next section (I think thats all the sections on a bear lake? not sure about tha canopy but would follow similar set up). Peg out front then go back around and peg out properly. Then attach all guy ropes, should be 45 degreees to tent. I think you then have to zip in the ground sheet (if not already attached) and hook in inner tent.
Putting down, wait unit it's as dry as its goign to be (ie not first thing in am with dew on- but if its rainy......you've no choice), zip out ground sheet (you can clean dry this seperate) and then unpeg and lie tent down, take out poles and fold up. If it's wet you'll need to air it when you get home.

Congratulations on joinf=g the Lake club - fabulous tents - check out my profile

Great advice hettie - my only other tip is is to guy the back of the tent out to hold it up before you move towards the front - polycotton tents are really heavy!!

We don't pack the poles with the 'canvas' and the groundsheet also goes in a separate bag (we have one of those underbed/laundry storage bags from IKEA for the groundsheet)

oh and you might need a trailer

any other qu's please feel free to ask!

thanks I have a couple of the blue bags will seperate everything on pack down!and get better bags when I get back-

Will have to squeeze it and all the other stuff into estate car....dh refuses roof box and we have nowhere to put a trailer...though there are only 3 of us so should be ok

....seen the profile it looks fab that a 6? dh only just getting over his bivviwacking (sp) tendencies but really likes cotton so hopefully this is the one for us ridiculusly excited about a tent!

Hettie , thanks meant to say have printed out and packed with tent! saw Outwell video but looked far too easy!

We have got a Wolf Lake 5 this year which is essentially the same as a BL. Not used it yet for real!

If I was you I'd get it out and put it up in the garden before you go away (do you have time?). Just the main canvas, not the inner/zig. It's HUUUGE and heavy, (totally different to a poly dome tent) although it goes up nicely it certainly takes some handling. We had quite a few arguments before we succeeeded but now we sort of know what we are doing and won't look like twits on the campsite.

Also one of our poles had broken shockcord and needed mending.

The main poles I think need to be "footed" before you lift the tent - we didn't do this and ended up flapping around under the tent trying to force the poles/pins into place with all the weight on them. (is that right Lucy?)

Basically you want to avoid any unexpected disasters on the campsite like the lovely couple we saw last weekend with a brand-new never-put-up motorhome awning, which nearly blew into the Atlantic and ended up ripped, stuffed in the van and going home.

Our plan for the car is to buy big 120 litre dry bags, put the tent bags inside and lash them onto the roof bars with ratchet straps.

Back up plan is to split-fold the rear seats and squash up the children!

Hey, good luck too, our first outing is next weekend >.