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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

So excited, we have just bought...

31 replies

Wiggletastic · 09/05/2010 19:22

this lovely new tent.

We have a huge Vango Diablo which is really great for longer trips but wanted something for weekends that was quicker to pitch. We are just going out to do a trial run in the garden. Fingers crossed its as easy as it looks.....

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MNHubbie · 09/05/2010 19:24

Good luck! We need one that goes up quickly as the Sahara 6 from Go Outdoors takes an age to put up even after 4 goes now.

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 09/05/2010 20:20

Hah! It is easy-peasy! The blurb says 2 minutes but I think it took me 10, pretty good for a first go. Now for a cup of tea then I have to manhandle it back down and into its bag - fingers crossed that is just as easy...

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MNHubbie · 09/05/2010 21:00

Ah! That'll be the real test!

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 10/05/2010 19:57

Just as easy-peasy to take down, so simple, I did it on my own, no help from DH. Highly recommended for ease of pitching. Next test will be spending the night in it...

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nappyzoneloveslindor · 10/05/2010 20:01

really you got it inthe bag? we bought a 2 man quick pitch last yr as did a friend of mine and it was like comedy night onthe phone all trying to get the blighter back in the bag!

nappyzoneloveslindor · 10/05/2010 20:02

I love the way it says folds away in under 5 mins WHEN YOU GET THE HANG OF IT

MNHubbie · 10/05/2010 20:21

Coolio!

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 11/05/2010 08:13

Actually, once you have watched the video on the website a couple of times it is really simple. I am very impressed with it as I had not been convinced by the blurb, I was sure I would be wrangling it down for ages but the proof is always in the pudding!

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BigTillyMint · 11/05/2010 08:33

I got a 3-man pop-up tent from Decathlon, but I haven't dared to get it out of the bag yet!

Just watched the video and it looks like you put it down like the DC's toy pop-up tent. Hope it's that easy!

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 07:40

Go for it BigTilly, it was much easier than I thought it would be. It does take a bit of strength to bend the poles into the right shape but that is the hardest bit.

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sarah293 · 12/05/2010 07:47

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Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 10:30

The Decathlon website don't list an HH for their tents but quote a waterproofing test they have carried out at so many litres per hour etc. I understand from reviews of their tents that the waterproofing is very good. Fingers crossed .

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PrettyCandles · 12/05/2010 10:43

Oh great site! I've been hunting for a 3man version of our popup tent, but could only find cr@py Gelerts. I've never heard of Quecha - are they a good make? Seem too cheap!

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 10:48

Check out the reviews on ukcampsite, they all seem to do well.

My friend in Spain told me about them, she has had her Quechua tent for years and never had any problems with it.

I had been eyeing up the pop-up tents for a while and trying to persuade DH we needed one then luckily Decathlon opened near us recently and I took him along and convinced him. He was even more impressed when we got it home and I managed to put it up and down myself in just a few minutes.

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IloveJudgeJudy · 12/05/2010 11:36

I have seen this tent in use. Our friends have one. I really couldn't believe how easy and quick it was to put up and down. It's a fantastic thing. The middle bit is not huge, but sufficient for a long weekend with two adults and two children aged 10 and 12. It really did only take a couple of minutes to put up and not more than 5 minutes to put down. In fact, DH and I are going to Decathlon tomorrow to look at the very same. I also want to look at the Seconds Base? middle bit that can have other bits added to it.

When you've used it, please let us know how you got on.

4andnotout · 12/05/2010 11:43

We have that exact same tent and love it, we spent 3 weeks touring France in it last summer with our 4 dd's.

Did the decathalon staff tell you about "the cock and the balls"? We were when that's how the described the fold but they are right, it is exactly what it looks like!

The waterproofing is very good, we went camping a few weekends ago and it poured down all morning but inside was 100% dry.

I'm considering selling mine just so I can buy this seasons new colours as it is a star printed one

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 13:16

Oh, excellent, thanks for the reviews. I can't wait to try it out properly and have been scouring my big campsites book to choose where to go for our first weekend. We are defo going to Northumberland in two weeks for a five day trip and not sure whether to take the Base Seconds or our giant Vango Diablo. I am a bit concerned about the lack of undercover cooking space which would be fine for a weekend when we would do picnics for lunch and eat out at night but maybe not for 5 days and possible rain...hmmm...still undecided. We did buy a tarp that we can set up as a utility area with our windbreak so that might do it.

We certainly did not get told about the 'cock and balls' but totally see what they were on about . if the rather nice looking French chappy that helped us had mentioned 'cock and balls' I would probably have come over all peculiar .

Also, what is this star print you mention 4andnotout? No sign of that in our Decathlon and the one we bought is plain green (a nice plain green mind you )

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Lotkinsgonecurly · 12/05/2010 13:28

I'm thinking of getting one that we can pop up and down. Looks really good. It's one thing of camping that drives me mad the pitching the tent and taking it down. We have an Outwell huge thing named after somewhere in USA and its great but takes so long to take up and put down.

Will be interested to see what you make of sleeping in it. How big is the seating area?

4andnotout · 12/05/2010 15:36

We have the same green one, the star one is the 4.2 seconds base constellation.

We have a tarp too for cooking under!!!

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 16:32

The seating area is 5m2 Lotkins, not huge but room for a table and chairs and a bit of storage and it is over head height, even for DH who is 6'3". We intend to store clothes and stuff in DDs 'room' as there will be space next to her travel cot. Other things can stay in the car. This is to be our 'weekend tent' so will be trying to be a bit more minimalist (although I do have a terrible overpacking compulsion )

4andnotout, how do you set up your tarp for cooking? Do you use it as a porch (not actually sure it is tall enough for this) or just set it up next to the tent? Do you use a windbreak too? V you have been camping already this year although sense you are all hardy souls as it has been freezing!

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4andnotout · 12/05/2010 16:53

This photo shows my kitchen set up :)

Better pic

4andnotout · 12/05/2010 16:55

constellation new seasons colours

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 17:27

Excellent kitchen set-up! That is pretty much what I imagined although I notice you have four poles and the tarp only comes with two. I presume you bought two more?

I like the constellation tent but I was right, they don't have it at our local store .

Another think I like about the 4.2 is the amount of light kept out of the bedrooms, hopefully good for keeping small person asleep in the mornings .

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4andnotout · 12/05/2010 17:52

My parents have a tarp so I usually just nick their two poles too

Dd4 was only 6 months when we got the tent and has slept really well in it so far, we don't generally zip the inner tents up at night unless it is really cold, but with the windows zipped up it is dark enough for then to sleep well.

Original poster
Wiggletastic · 12/05/2010 19:22

Ha, good plan 4andnotout. Do you think they would lend them to me? Probably not.

I will have to go to Decathlon and get some spare ones I think.

DDoneandonly slept pretty well last year in our Vango but I think the Quechua is darker inside so that's a bonus.

So, so excited about going camping....

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