Aaarrghhh.... Help me decide! Sprayway or Bell tent?

[PerArduaAdNauseum]

5m bell tent or Sprayway Valley 4 (polycotton)?

It's got to be cloth or canvas - can't stand any more billowy nylon in my face.

And I seem to be getting more and more claustrophobic - can't stand having the ceiling in my face (and I'm looking lustfully at double height airbeds now).

So - me, DH and DS (6). For use twice a year for a week or so, possibly the odd festival.

I love the ease of pitch of a belltent, but have never actually been in one since I was a brownie. How in your face are the walls when you're lying down? And if we had the double in the middle of the tent would there be space to curtain off DS to the side for privacy? We'd get one of the inners, as first trip of the year is always end of May with big temperature diff night/day. Does it still feel that luxurious? Have been thinking about a bell tent for about a year now...

However, we were in a sprayway today and it was rather lovely. Just the right size (assuming we can put DS in a puptent in a year or so) and nice and upright. But heavy (steel poles!) and looks like a bitch to erect. It was rather lovely though - and probably a lot easier to find a pitch for in the under-prepared private field we're headed for.

I don't know.

If we got the bell tent, we'd also take it to the local common for picnics. I make it sound like a dog don't I...

If we got the sprayway it would all be a lot neater...

Help me o wise and wonderful campers...

Ok, can see how that's bloody annoying!

So pegs then, do you go all out Delta pegs or just thicker and stronger ones?

Okay! It's not just the advertising. It's the thicker canvas and the fireproofing. We've been saving £50.00 a month for just over a year - it won't quite cover everything but most of it. In the mean time we've been using an Argos special and with just as much - or as little soul as anyone!

Slubber - where did you stay on Anglesey? Am going in August and would appreciate a recommendation please

(Sorry Per Ardua)

notwaving, we stayed at Home Farm top recommendation from camping guru Lucycat, and I think trouty has been there too. Lovely site, very VERY clean loos (note clean loo award), basics shop, small but useful indoor play area, pitches all flat and grassy, mobile fish and chip van, nice views.

We would deffo go back if we wanted to return to Anglesey.

Sal, I always take a few deltas with me, even on 1 nighters. They just don't come out so for peace of mind they are worth it. I have a whole other collection of various other pegs too. I quite like the big buggers from outwell with the luminous tops for my front porch guys.

thank you. I am DESPERATE to go camping, much to the amusement of all my friends.

Am greedily reading all the camping threads, even the ones that are donkey's years old..

Ok thanks, will investigate a bit further.

Well Homefarm would be a good place to start. How I wish most other British campsites would take note of how they do it (wrt lovely clean facilities and nicely maintained grounds).

Sal, do you know about cross pegging? Better than nowt if you only have the standard metal come-with-the-tent pegs.

see, I told you I could go on about pegs

Huh?? Nope, I know nothing about cross pegging, tell me more, please!

oh christ who started slubber on the pegs!

Slubber, car I ask a peg question? Are Delta Pegs called Dela achors or something on the website? They look funny. How do you use them? Where does the guy go? Obviously won't be buying any this year, I think the tent comes with pretty good ones - but if not, maybe next year...

Sorry, Delta Anchors!

[In my element]

3 lovely threads on cross pegging Sal. I've tried to explain it once on here before but I think I made a hash of it.

fireandlife, yes delta pegs are the same as delta anchors. The guy goes under the little notch at the end (the other pointy end goes into the ground). You bang them in with the guy end pointing AT the tent (not away from like you'd do with other pegs).

They work with all angles and forces see [angles and forces marcel marceau hands). The more the guy pulls on the peg, the more the peg is pulled down into the ground. I love that. The windier it is the harder the peg is being pulled downwards.

Bloody marvellous bit of engineering.

Whoops, sorry BO! Perhaps this is the time for MN to start using stickies at topics too: What NOT to ask ... (just joking, Slubber)

They're not that expensive tbh. You don't need one for every guy (although I do because I love them so much ) Just 4 would be enough for the main guys, or if it was very windy you can relocate them round onto the guys that are doing the lion's share of the work.

Ok, I'm about to order some, so quick last question: Would just deltas work in addition to existing bell pegs, or something else better with a couple of deltas to secure? We're doing first camp on Saturday and it is absolutely essential that my tent stands, as my friends are cracking up about my latest bell obsession (they're all "proper" campers - used to do climbing etc)

hang on

man I'm confusing myself now

You can cross the rubbers and peg to reduce the strain on the zips

or

you can cross the pegs

'cross pegging is when you put one peg in the ground at 45 degree and cross it with another peg at the same angle, this is called cross pegging. cross pegging will give your guy lines a better hold in windy weather'.

which is the one I meant

[cross peg funk]

Sal, not sure what pegs came with your tent. Our friends who have a bell, well the pegs that came with that were mahoosive-big-fuck-off-kill-a-zombie-if-you-needed-to ones.

If you only have the piddly little wire ones then I'd get half a dozen deltas. If you order them through ukcs you get a discount iirc

Lol, well, you never know what kinds of evil are out to get you at night in the English countryside!

I think what I'd do is get a couple, it can't hurt to have. Even if it is just the world's most secure toddler tent in the garden ever - the pegs that comes with ds's play tent is just a tiny bit flimsier than hair pins...

Thank you so much for cross pegging advice. Will make sure I've seen a couple of examples before Saturday. My pride is at stake.

Thanks so much Slubber!

I think I could need four deltas then. When you wish you were camping, any camping talk is good talk - pegs and all!

Sal, you never can tell , a few deltas will protect you against all manner of evils.

fireandlife - I know! I can't wait for whit half term

me too. I can create fire with my bare hands.

Ok, with a fire steel and cotton wool. Watch out Boots' make up counter!!

Bramble your ray mears fire lighting skills cancel out your kidson buntery so you are safe

considers unwrapping slubber from bunting.

I think we should call a cake summit where we can swap pegging skills for a demo of how to set fire to stuff.

oh yes

I LOVE setting fire to stuff

I bet bunting goes up a treat