Another "help me choose a tent" thread -- Outwell Ohio XL, Florida 6 or Montana 6?

[TheDailyMailHatesWomenAndLemon]

We have, sort of, narrowed down our options to an Outwell tunnel tent. And from there I think that through considerations of layout, size, etc., I've narrowed it down further to the three above-named.

Any thoughts? The Montana is the cheapest option, but we would be prepared to pay the extra if the others are that much better. There are four of us at the moment -- DH, me, DS (4.5) and DD (1.5). There might or might not be a third DC at some point.

I suppose I'm looking for experiences with any of these tents, or suggestions of factors we ought to be considering. But if anyone wants to tell me that we've got completely the wrong idea and need to start from scratch, feel free to do that as well .

And should I be swayed by the fact that Outdoor Action are offering a free kids' room with the Florida or Montana? Are the kids' rooms really any good?

Probably not Aitch. I think they measure a 'person' as being the width of a standard sleeping mat (not very wide). You would have to get your tape measure out to check.

Mollie, aww, I won't hold your Kid's Room against you , and I am LOVELY to camp next to, you wouldn't even notice me judging you I am so quiet and friendly. I'd lend you a spare delta peg too if your tent was going to blow over.

thinking about the airbeds, you might fit them in, but I bet there would be no room around the sides. You'd have to get into your pj's on the livng area and launch yourself onto the bed to get in.

Can't get a kids room or any bl**dy Outwell tent that I want. Will have to contend with our cheapy from Millets for the rest of this season and add the Nevada to my wish list for next year.

I've decided to work on my minimalist camping list to ensure we can plan to go away for a week or longer and possibly to France. Need to pack better as once ds was in the car he couldn't get out unless I moved stuff first!

yes i don't anticipate having two airbeds in there, it was more for scale. what age did you lot stop uSING TRAVEL COTS?

Warning! Warning!

Minimalist Camping with the Outwell Kids Room is a cataclysmic oxymoronic event that will set in motion a series of events culminating in a plague of seagulls and a celestial TUT of ear shattering proportions.

It says so in the instructions sewn in the bag.

Never used them Aitch. sorry.

SORRT about caps, dd2 present.

we were using the hammock but `dd2 now iin cot. she'd be ha``ppy be\tween dh and me, I THINK

SORRT about caps, dd2 present.

we were using the hammock but `dd2 now iin cot. she'd be ha``ppy be\tween dh and me, I THINK

I'm not worried about the tuts as I will have accompanying ear plugs! Anyway as I can't get one this season I will no doubt be suckered into buying whatever is 'new' next season and that may be completely different .

Does she need to be in a cot?

Our first trip when the dds were small was with Eurocamp, so the cots were provided, but I wonder if we would have managed (if we had been in our own tent) with all four of us squished together on airbeds/mats on the floor with the dds in the middle so they couldn't roll out.

There's a picture on my profile of how we sleep at the moment (in the canvas tent). The dds sleep better than they do at home.

WAS THAT JUST A WAY OF GETTING ME TO GAsp in admiration at your beautiful tent?

i don't think she does, no. i suppose my concern is that if she's on the loose somehow she'll be trapped down the side of an airbed and die. [rational]

I usually have the side of our cot open, so I can reach in, but like that she has a cot, so I don't suffer irrational fears of squashing her.

Also, it comes with it's own pegs so can be used as an outdoors playpen, too.

www.littlelife.co.uk/html/travel_cots/arc-2-travel-cot.html

(I originally bought the Arc3, but the spoilsport who is my dear fiance made me return it, just because there is no place in the world where we can accomadate a four ft by four ft big travel cot, especially not our tent, or anyone's spare room. Meh. It was lovely and had lots of room for the child.)

She is a beaut isn't she?

If your dd was in a bag on an airbed then I'm sure she would be safe.

I often wonder how people with little ones actually fit a cot into the car, with all the rest of the stuff. They are big old cumbersome things.

Those ready bed dooberies have sides on them don't they. That would stop the roll out and squish scenario (but not escaping).

I realise that I am just spouting forth crap at the moment. There are lots of camping folk here who go with little ones and who have all manner of clever sleeping contraptions that I know nothing about.

I should zip it.

I'm gonna hold firm on my miserable old trout feelings for the Kids Rooms though

Can confirm that kids room (although fab) does NOT make it any darker.

Our kids room was free with our ex-display Monty btw - a nice surprise for us when we first put it up

We have used a First Readybed for DS2 from 1yo onwards and a Kampa Junior bed for DS1 - which is much more comfortable and easier to inflate/deflate. We did manage with a travel cot in the kids room in the Montana but hell it took up so much room in the car we were glad to ditch it!

Slubber I greatly admire your minimalism but will continue with my comfy camping none the less .

And the kids room reminds me of the curtain and inner tent pattern on our old Raclet trailer tent in the 80's

Washer mate, you need to free yourself from the comfy camping and embrace sleeping in a tiny tent with nowt but your sleeping bag and a mallet for company

Been there done that Slubber (not the running naked bit), now I embrace the comfort afforded by tent carpet, curtains and heaters and electricity (occasionally). Oh and my lovely old Camping Chef that grills my toast...

toast schmost

You don't have one of those giant inflatable sofas do you? That really is a step too far.

Heaters?? What heaters can you get for tents? [camping novice emoticon].

haha no, no sofa; there would be no room to pack one in the car.

We have an outwell fan heater for later in the year when we use ehu, and also a Blue/Black cat(can't remember which it is) gas heater for when we don't have electricity. We do camp late in the season (mid/late October) sometimes and found last year that we really did need a heater (so the little ones could get into their pj's without freezing)

Another camping purchase for me then! I like the idea of being able to camp when it is cold outside but staying warm in the tent. Can't get my head around ehu so the Blue cat heater is perfect. Not sure Slubber would approve as minimalist though!

We're also looking at tents ( camping novice emoticon- an upside down tent methinks!) but fancy the idaho rather than the monty, as slightly larger. Others just too big. We've seen it in Go Outdoors but not in stock, altho tis available on the internet- sometimes with a free kids room!

Just can't make the final decision, and the crappy weather does nothing to help. I had visions of us swanning of every weekend- not a chance.

Oh I do like the Idaho, I saw one at Go Outdoors recently. We opted for the Montana because we can get to the DS' easily in the middle of the night (as we so often have to ), without leaving bed. We have the front extension for it which hugely increases the living space.

Have to say we are looking at the Nevada M/L for shorter camping trips as it takes a while to put Monty up and then fill it with all of our comfort camping essentials

I bought the Nevada M in may and have already used it 4 times. We are a family of 4 but quite often DH works weekends so I was worried about erecting it single handed. Myself and my 9 yr old son have got it down to 20 mins.

The only gripe I have with it is the carbon poles are really difficult to get into the little hole/peg thing when putting it up. I think I might go for a rigid frame next time. Also I have to take the kids wagon to transport v heavy tent etc. when on a site where I can't park next to the tent.

The guy at Yeoman's told me the kids rooms had been discontinued but they're still on the Outwell site.

Actually, Mollie, there are some Nevadas on eBay, and some Nevada M rooms.

I think if I were camping on my own with the DCs I'd just take our existing 3-man tent, so will rely on DH to put up the Monty when we get it (note that this is becoming less hypothetical as the thread goes on... )