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...

Well you're in the habit of saving £50 a month now and that buys a lot of bunting

Yes, that's true but I'm now on to paying for the car's service and MOT!! I'm a bit embarassed about bunting although I secretly love it. I have loads of my Granny's old bits of fabric under the bed and my sewing machine is sitting just here...

My next project is to make an oilcloth cover to glamp up the camping shelving thing.

It looks amazing! very

Quick bump before bed to see if Slubber's back to pass judgy-ment

I was just cleaning and repacking my camping boxes when I suddenly wondered if you had put it up yet PerArdua.

VERY nice, light, airy and tardis like. I'm impressed.

Not so impressed with sofa and candles talk mind .

Hahaha Slubber, I was every so slightly disappointed that you and OMDB missed the sofa comments and back me up!

How did I miss the update?!

tbh my mind boggles at how anyone could consider buying an in-tent sofa on the space in the car issue alone. We have a decent size estate and the biggest roofbox Halfords sells and even then I had about 5 'extra' bags of godknowswhat stuffed in around my feet by the time we were ready to leave.

If a sofa was packed something essential like the cobb or a small child would have to be left behind.

Agree with space issues - anything non-essential has to stay here too. As it was, I had to sit with my feet on some things for our last trip! Really need to buy a roof box before our next weekend away. Hmm, that's in two weeks, should get it sorted now, the marriage under considerable strain when packing commences...

I find the singular car pack a much less angry and strangely satisfying experience.

I'm too lazy disorganised, we'd never get going.

So would you recommend your roof box? Will have a look online now.

As roofboxes go I reckon it's pretty good. Mind you I have nothing else to compare it with. It seems (through studying the large nos of rookfoxes on site and at the beach) that you can go for wide squat ones or narrower taller ones.

I'd never get the damn thing shut if we have a short arsed one as the clothes bags go up there.

ahh yes, the rare rookfox of the Lleyn. very rare and shy they are.

The roofboxes of the Lleyn are a more commonplace creature.

Deary me, have just spent half an hour on Halfords website. Who knew there are so many types?!

tis a veritable roofbox smorgasbord

Sorry to be such a pain, but what size? Would something like this do size wise? Once decided on capacity, I'll look at indiv options.

Ooh you're talking roof boxes now... Def need some more storage space.

Am pleased however to report that the tent stood up to rain and 50 mph gusts with no apparent strain.

And that even though we had to put a tarp over the tent on the roof rack as we were packing to go because it started to hail we still went through with it. And were rewarded by glorious sunnyness after a couple of drear days

Oh that's wonderful, I was wondering how your first camp in it went! Any more pics?

When I get around to taking them off the camera I'll upload (as long as no-one's rude about a slight lack of army-style tension to some of the canvas)

Was fab though, and we're planning on poss doing a couple of nights in Denmark later this year on our way to somewhere else - if I can figure out how to get everything in the car...

Good to hear of your new tent standing up to the elements PerArdua, tbh I wouldn't have expected anything less, being a canvas tent n'all.

Sal, I'm ashamed to admit that unlike my usual research anality on all things camping, when it came to the roofbox all I did was walk into halfords, found an available sales man who was not 12 and asked what was the biggest roofbox that would fit safely on my car

He said "this one madam, would you like us to fit that for you?" and I said "yes please thank you very much".

And that is the (admitedly not very interesting) story of how I came to choose my roofbox.

Well I am shocked. You must have had a bad day, surely??

(This is the way I decide on most things - I was, however, expecting more of you! )

Well, I think we're going with this one. Adding to the basket now, just need to decide on roof bars etc.

We've had such good camping experiences so far this year - bell tent camping a huge success, yurt last weekend, Blackberry Wood in 2 weeks - even dh is all fired up now!

Can I just ask we're now the proud owners of a Vermont Xl which is huge and we love but we will be needing a weekend tent at some point(sadly not this year).

Just seen the pics of the Touareg tent and fallen in love. It seems smaller and easier,perfect for a weekend. Anybody know if that is the case or am I wishing it so because I'm smitten and can't really justify a new tent next year.

There are 5 of us.

The touareg is lovely. There are only 3 of us, but for a weekend I'd have a routine in place where beds were stashed to one side as it is just open plan. V easy to put up and down, just v heavy and has to be stored bone-dry.

Now, roof boxes. Do you think a roof bag is worth considering? Given that we've no garage to store a box in...

friends have the thule fabric roof bag as it packs down nice and small...and has survived a lot of weather.....and when they had an issue with the zip a couple of years along Thule replaced no questions..

Thanks Per.

How watertight is it and where do you cook?

It's totally gorgeous, I want one!!!!!

no leaks in heavy showers and stood up to 50mph gusts - although we were reasonably sheltered. as to cooking, don't know yet! we have the awning
as well so we'll plan to use that, once i'be ordered the extra poles to foursquare it.