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...

It's here . Looking at me from the other side of the sitting room. Bloody heavy but I've spent most of the last 36 hours asleep with a stinky cold so I may be unusually weak right now... We'll try a test erect tomorrow evening if it's dry and I'll report back. And we got the malu awning, but I'll be writing to the company about that as it all came with Dutch instructions

Oh fantastic, PerArdua! We packed one of those flat Ikea trollies (you know the blue ones that you can buy for dirt cheap) to use if going far. We didn't end up using it at the campsite, but it was useful on the way to the car.

woo hoo. It's here! I have been watching. I'd love to here how it goes and what it's like in RL.

Good luck

Can't wait for pictures there are some lovely tents on here

You lot have got me into trouble again- just emailed dh the link for the lovely toureg and told to get off mn's camping section

he knows the damage done to our bank balance last year when I started getting excited about camping!!

Just to let you know haven't managed to test our erection yet [fnar fnar] - it's now planned for after school Friday. I have found my camera though, so as soon as I find the memory card we're all set

I love my new tent - see my profile for pictures

That is fantastic!!! I forgot how huge is felt inside! When do you go camping then?

Next Saturday or Sunday, depending on how organised we are next week

Bet you can't wait! So tell more - what did dh and ds (?) say? Love the picture of them lying down in it!

Well.

In the interests of simulating a genuine camping experience, I started in a state of sleep deprivation with a large gin and tonic and just DS to help. DH then turned up when we were pegging out the groundsheet and took over the instructions. So pretty genuine then

Once we'd got the guys tied on it was all pretty easy, although would be tricky to do single-handed. But all made sense. DS loved it, DH loved it, I loved it. Neighbour who looks after communal garden was a bit but we only pegged lightly.

The instructions say to roll the poles inside the tent, but really can't see how that would work unless you had half a rugby scrum to roll it tight enough. However, given the weight definitely better to have a split pack to carry.

Have measured it out and worked out that we can put a curtain up - there are hanging points on each of the quarter poles and a single one in the middle, so need to sketch something out and get to the fabric shop tomorrow.

And find some more picnic blankets or dhurries or something.

And maybe a small folding sofa...

, , ,

utterly lovely, is the groundsheet built in?

And do you think one person could erect with practice.

Hahaha, you can NOT take a sofa camping! Mind you, you've got the space... Still. OMDB will have a heart attack if she sees this!

Nice tent!
Our new Khyham arrived today - sadly they're going bust, but on the plus side means bargains are to be had..

YY integral groundsheet. And they're doing wide moon chairs at the local garden centre that I think would take me and DS for a bedtime story...

Did actually have a 'sofa' at a festival last year - took a garden trolley with drop sides to haul everything in, then put a hacked up cot mattress covered in oilcloth in the bottom. So we could wheel stuff (and sometimes DS) around, then drop one side and have a nice sit down. People were

Those moon chairs are horrid (looks, don't know about comfort) don't do it!

Comfy and easily covered with a throw...

Hmm, I might need to go search for those two to back me up...

Oooh, I think I need to go glamping and post photos...

Perardua, it's lovely, lovely lovely! WHat a great choice. I hope I don't regret my bell whenever it arrives.

How very exciting. The sofa idea is very funny. I'm really trying not to become too glampy but I just can't help it. The glamping fairies are definitely sneaking very silly things into my camping gear.

What's a moon chair? Maybe I'd better not know in case the glamping fairies get wind of it...

this sort of thing but the one I looked at last week looks a bit wider. And was in a choice of unpleasant blue or unpleasant green - hence the decision to throw another throw in.

And of course you won't regret your bell - it's military-grade fireproof canvas!

I don't think they're horrid at all, well no more horrid thean any other camping chair. For some reason I thought you might have to blow them up! A throw would work really well to take away from the practical look. I've seen these in RL and they look quite big and comfy. I expect you really do need them - especially after a gin or two and no sleep!

Ha, ha, ha, hee hee PerArdua!
I'll be able to set fire to all the boring practical camping things and not lose the tent. Obviously the idea then would be to go and buy lots of pretty things instead but thanks to the military grade fireproof canvas, I won't be able to aford to!