Aitch! Aitch! I've done it! I've bought a tent - wannalooky? (and anyone else who may be interested)

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Here is my little Gelert beauty.

What do you think?

ooooooooooh.

and that's a good price, isn't it? well done. i really like it. we have a tunnel tent at the mo, an absolute doddle to put up. 5000 whatchamacallit as well, that's impressive.

it's cute. i like. have you actually got it yet, will await reports

Not arrived yet, I've only just placed the order. Been looking for weeks, like you!

Oooo ooooo.

DH didn't take much interest, left it all up to me (he is camping grump) just said it had to be under £250 - fair enough, really, because we will not use it for more than a couple of weekends a year.

Tee hee.

Have you had any luck yet?

not really, i fear i must go to an Actual Shop. if i do i will fall in love with something impractical, i know it.

You must do it swiftly! Sales end soon. Away to the camping emporiums (emporia?) with you.

i know, but at the same time i do have a tent so it's not a major emergency, and we're not taking our main hol in the tent this year. so it's not such a ginormous priority. i need to see how big a small 8 man is, before i go for the fookin' outwell nevada...

Ooh very nice! I'm a sucker for a good tunnel tent - so easy to put up, lots of head room. Do you have room to do a practice run before you head out into the camping wilderness?!

Yes, luckily, we have a big enough garden . Just as well cos we have never put up a tent before on our own! Its going to be like Laurel & Hardy the first time we try to put it up .

We have just bought the same tent!! Ours is arriving tomorrow apparently. Bought it Thursday night second hand.

Be warned - its too big for some pitches, which I realised about 30 mins after I bought it. We are having to change our holiday because it would double the cost of the holiday!

Really? I didn't think it was that big??? .

I wouldn't think that tent was too big for most pitches in the UK. We have a Montana 6 with front extension that must be the same length or longer and have never had a problem.

It is the tents with pods all around that usually don't fit on the average pitch I think.

I meant to add....nice tent!

Are you going for the porch bit too - would be very handy for keeping your tent clean and tidy

Maybe Jennypenny is getting it mixed up with the Horizon 8?

I like the look of the porch but, much as I would like a clean and tidy tent, I think it might be a bit extravagant as we really are very unlikely to go away for more than two nights at a time. We are very lightweight southern softie types .

Extravagant? We have carpet! We are not your backpacking type of camper obviously.

I am not getting it mixed up with the horizon 8. The 8 and 6 are the same length - over 24foot long. I didn't say it was too big for most pitches, just some. We were planning to go to Haven and their standard pitches have a max of 21foot. SOME of their campsite have extra large pitches but they cost extra and none are the ones we wanted to go to which is a shame.

We have the canaopy (which is like the porch but no door. Mostly because we got ours second hand (used once) for £75 for the tent AND canaopy including delivery which is cheaper than the canaopy alone new.

It seems a great tent though, I ideally wanted the 8, mostly so we had a big bedroom that could fit all of us (2 adults and 2 toddlers) in while the DC are young, and then the 2 little ones when they got bigger. But when we saw this deal we just thought it was too good to miss and as we are skint, it was silly to pay so much more for the 8 man when there are actually only 4 of us! lol.

Gelerts are fab tents. We borrowed my Dads gelert 4 man tunnel last year and it was great, just wanted something slightly bigger as we are going for longer and don't want to be stuck if it rains.

Have been thinking about getting the carpet. My Dad thinks it is no different to just putting a blanket down, but I wasn't so sure as thought the carpet must have some thing to stop it slipping? Can't really tell from the online pictures.

Only thing is, I want to pitch it this week to check its all oK and everything, but its going to be very wet ground and don't want to get it all wet and muddy and not be able to get it dry?

Ah well, Haven...have never looked to camp there, bit too 'organised' for us. Most campsites don't have such an array of pitch charges.

I think the Camping and Caravan Club limit is 8 metres.

The charges are really not that bad. It would have (if our tent was the right siz!) been costing us £17.50 for 4 of us to camp mon-fri including the use of all the facilities - swimming, soft play, kids clubs etc which is all great if its raining and you have little ones. I don't think I would be brave enough for any basic campsites with little ones. Did it as teenagers with my Dad years ago, but with toddlers I can't bring myself to risk being stuck in the tent all week.

And TBH, we could quite easily spend £17.50 at home for a week with all those activities!

School holidays would obviously be more expensive, but they do great deals off peak.

at £75 Jenny!

Do you have to pitch it so soon? Is it to check its ok? What about just getting all the bits out inside and checking them over? Hopefully it still has contents list and instructions.

Isn't this great? Talking about camping in cold and snowy January.

Am convert .

It is kind of the Butlins of the camping world I suppose . I'm making the most of the basic sites while the boys are small and we can get away without demands for kids clubs and pools etc. Maybe I'll change my tune in a couple of years.

If you've got a big cosy tent you don't need to worry about the weather too much.

The outwell carpets have a waterproof backing on them - they act as very effective extra insulation under your toes. Our carpet kept our things dry when we camped in torrential rain last year and the water seeped up through the ground sheets.

I suppose if you were desperate to inspect your tent you could try and pitch it on harder ground (gravel?) or something. If you stay off the groundsheet you should avoid damaging it.

Having had to pack away and then put up again wet muddy tent, I wouldn't recommend it at all.

Its not that I am "desperate to inspect it" it's just that, if there is any damage to it or something, then I can send it back. If I wait then I won't be able to. Think paypal give you about 30days to file a despute? But even then, you are meant to have spoken to seller first etc. My friend owns a pub with a marque out the back on concreate and I could ask her if I can do it there, but guess if I damaged it, then it wouldn't be worth the risk. Maybe will just get it out indoors and sort of inspect it without putting it up. Bit difficult though in a tiny cottage! Oh well, will sort something out.

Jenny, could you put down blankets after sweeping the concrete and just wear socks inside?

Lovely tent Bibbity.

Yer I guess so. Just wish it wasn't so much hard work just to check something is as its meant to be! lol.