Mahoosive tent or big tent?

[IkeaHighchair]

mahooosive tent for £160

OR

big tent for £170

For a family of 5, virgin campers. We are looking at 8 berth but the 10 berth seems like a bargain.

I am worried about the width on teh first. The second is only 70cm narrower but seein gh them side by side the smaller looks a bit more manageable. I am also worried about pitching area - will we be restricted in our choice of campsites....and when we do get it pitched will we have mingle space? Is the big one a "false economy"?

What do you reckon?

Is 'Hi-Gear' Go Outdoors own brand? I have a feeling it is though I may be wrong.

I think the 10 man may be a bit too much tent to handle, bigger is not always better.

This is a nice tent if you can stretch to a bit more.

Eh? Those aren't the prices quoted on the links?

Or are you buying from somewhere else?

Are the bedrooms actually stand-up-able in?

Because if not you're only gaining storage space, at best.

People on camping always seem to say go bigger than the capacity but you already have that with the 8 man.

Bumping for you - I'm sure some experts will be along soon.

hi Gear is rebranded Gelert sold through Go outdoors. They are practically identical to the Gelert Meridian 8 & 10.

Bedrooms stand upable

I will be buyig from Go outdoors - but I have a 15% off voucher - and the 10 man will be £190 next week + 10% off .

I think my perfect tent is probably the Tigris 800 at £230...but for £60-70 less I will probably go for one of these.

reviews

I know the reviews are very good for both - thanks.

I am just trying to decide which is the most appropriate size for us.

Worth noting that the Gelert version has a HH of 5000, but the Hi Gear has one of just 3000.

I would look closely at the spec, before you buy based on the Gelert reviews iyswim.

If you have already realised this then apologies.

average pitch size

Are all the campers off camping? Surely someone must know if there's any advantage to a huge tent?

i think id go for the slightly smaller one for managability but then probably regret not gettign the biggerone . A HH of 2000 is enough i understood so 3000 should be ok. I am also looking at a hi gear one and waiting till thursday for the extra 15% off.

I am basing on the Gelert reviews of last year (when it was 3000HH I believe) and the HiGear reviews.

I am worried about pitching. We want to go to "Haven type" parks and the limit there seems to be 6.5m long...so we may actually get a Licata 600 (which is only 2000HH) which is a very spacious 6 berth and teh biggest we seem to be able to get ona standard Haven pitch.

My 8 man tent is about the same size as the 10 man one you linked too, it's 735 x 405.
We are also a family of five and think it's a bit big for us!

my normal advice would be go up at least 2 berths, so at least 7 in your case, so from that perspective either tent will do.

next question is how many physical bedrooms you want & how many will be sharing each one - some 2 berth bedrooms can be a bit snug for 2 people, ie just about enough room to sleep if you don't mind being "cosy" (which hopefully you & DH won't but kids sharing might ), but nowhere to put clothes etc.

"big" only seems to count in terms of getting pitches once you get over about 7mx5m (eg camping club sites), so in that sense not much to chose between them, but there will always be some campsites that struggle with anything bigger than a 4 berth tent

In terms of physically pitching the tents they are very similar, so if you can do one you can do the other, so again not much to chose between them.

The thing to think about is how you will use the tent, for example what you will do on a rainy day? - go out anyway or stay in the tent? If it's stay in then more space is good. If you are the "go out anyway" type of family then it's not so much of an issue.

2000HH is "ok", but 3000HH is better obviously.(I personally would go with at least a 3000HH, but then I'm a boy scout ("be prepared" type of person )

In terms of what we have for me DH & 2 kids? - a tent similar in design to the 8 berth one - DH & I can have a huge bedroom & a double bedroom each for the kids + a big living area, but then we like our space

I hope that helps?

i like that kalahar 8 berth one your looking at and also the corado 6 though is a bit mroe expensive - i do like the look of the mojave also but the wet weather thing bothers me though that would do for me and dd only so if the boys come too (dh and ds ) then the bigger the better hence the kalahari . Will that fit on your haven site? also we were looking at the icarus - based on the wet day theory im now im thinking bigger - grrrrrrrr - its such a perosnal decision. We need a big bedroom that can be seperated but isnt seperated iyswim. The dimensions for the kalahari 8 are not in my brochure thinkgy.

Thanks,

The 8 berth is big enough - and the utilisation of space is fine for what we want. We would use 2-3 bedrooms and have 1 for storage in either tent.

I can't get either on a standard pitch at a couple of places I have rung (Haven type) so I am looking at this now.

As 6 births go it is very big and it has practically the same living space has practically teh same as the 8 berth. It just has 1 less bedroom so we use our dedicate storage area. It is only 2000HH though.

Not 100% sure how we are going to use it. At the moment it will probably only be a weekender so probably OK.

If I can be brave and wait until the 15% evening I can get it for £130 too (it was £200 last night so price now seriously swaying me towards it TBH)....so small investment with resale value if push comes to shove.

Go for the 6 berth, you really don't need anything bigger.

Especially if it's only for weekends!

We were looking at the Mojave initially...but TBH price:area ratio is high.

Corado still won't go on the pitch. It has to be less than 6.5m long.

The Kalahari 8 is 7.1 by 3.05 (so identical to Kalahari 10 - but 70cm narrower).

I think decision is made. I think that now I can get Lcata for £130 that is the solution...given that we are virgin campers it will be fine in teh short term...test the water and upgrade in teh future if we take to it...

i really liked the vango icarus and orchy also - orchy was really nice but got a bit slated on uk campsite site - my heads all over and all ver y much dependant on whether i can get dh hooked

Yes I was all set for the Orchy 600 - and then realised that the bedrooms weren't actually big enough for more than 2 double airbeds .

Not seen the Icarus.

i need to get 2 single airbeds in and one double then a holdall in the sleeping area - would they go in? yes seeing licta thingy one - unsure about lower HH - i could take the end sleepingarea out and have more living space though. I would really like an outwell but they are ££££££. Years back i had a proaction nevada andit was perfect but they dont do the same one now (looks bit like a codorba or whatever they call it).

I just wnt a tent i can put up in my garden asap to marvel at

i think they will go in the Orchy....It is a spacious 4 berth IMO...no way 6 though.

thanks - realistically for weekend use i thing the icarus or orchy or the high gear mohaje would suffice us.

what about this? i think i love it? i must see one up..... this is the cheapest price on web for it also.....vango tigris 600

ok i need to go get a life now.

I love the Tigris 800. I think that would be my dream tent (well probably the Outwell Montana 6). But At £230 for Tigris 800...the others I have on this thread are too good to pass up.

I am happy with the Licata 600 for what we want it for in the short term. We need to decide what our long term needs are - so I think it is pointless buying for the long term with a deal like the Licata.

We went today - the mohaje and the tigris 600 have seperate camping rooms not just divided by curtain. Thso kalahari are huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge. Now i need to know if the licata is a curtain seperator bedroom that would fot all 4 of usin and if it comes with poles to make a canopy......

After we csame home i got our two man tent out thinking dd and i might sleep out tonight and found my wedding ring i lost 2 years ago - thats a story for another thread as i now have 2 rings and am v at dh.