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hi folks,

i hoping that someone could help me out.

we`re in the process of selling our caravan (for finacial reasons) and are hoping to get a new family size trailer tent.

in your opinion what is a good model and what is the average time to get the trailer tent up and livable?

many thanks

mick

Hi

Are you buying new or used?

I'm happy with my Trigano Chantilly, though the time it takes to pitch is a bit of an issue, as with the drying issues in the event of wet weather to the point where we've stopped nipping away for weekends, and are now considering having a regular tent in addition for that purpose. Pitch / un-pack time for the full monty is a good few hours, although the bed area on it's own can be ready in about 30mins.

The main reason we went for a trailer tent was for longer trips, and for those it's ideal, because it's big. Smaller ones will be quicker to pitch.If you want a quick pitcher, look for one with a fold-out awning, such as the Camplets.

Best bet is to visit a big dealer and see what's out there. Time spent looking at as many different makes as possible will be well worth it in the long run.

TT.

Hi Mick

There seem to be three different types of trailer tents.  You have the standard variety which have flaps which open out on each side of the trailer body to give raised sleeping areas.  People seem to recommend makes like Cabanon, Trigano, Conway and they come in a wide variety of different sizes.  Pitching time for these seems to be anything from an hour upwards.

The second sort is quite new on the market and is made by Cabanon.  They have two models called the Stratos and the Neptune which are a large and small version of the same thing.  Basically, they have a similar main cabin area with the flaps on each side but the major difference is the awning.  It is more like a tunnel tent with a lot less poles than the standard TT and therefore can be pitched a bit more quickly.  These also have a zip in ground sheet which makes them creepie crawlie proof.

The third sort are the quick pitch trailer tents made by a number of companies such as Combi Camp and Camplet.  These are a lot more expensive than standard trailer tents but take less than half the time to put up as they sort of fold out a bit like an old fashioned pram hood.  The main unit of our Combi Camp takes 30 seconds to put up and the awning about another 15-20 minutes.

There are a lot of second hand trailer tents of all varieties around at the minute so if you are looking second hand you could get a bargain.  My advice is to visit a few dealers and have a really good nosey round a few erected ones to see what feels a good size and layout for your family.  Then when you have decided what you like you can either buy new or look for a similar model second hand.

Happy hunting!

Hi we have a raclet trailer tent which we have had for just over a year, To put the bedding/traier bit up it takes 10 mins. If we have just the main awning it takes about an hour and if we do the extension and main awaning it can take up to 2 hours. But we do have loads of living space so is worth it. Just a pain about drying out if wet when we leave

emma

Gotta take this chance to big-up my Cabanon Neptune!  I've only been away in it once but it was straightforward to put up and it will only get easier over time.  The beds are huge and the awning is so spacious that you don't even notice there's a kitchen unit in there.

And the zip-on SIG is a real blessing as far as the OH is concerned!

As Pixie_Hez mentioned, there is another version called the Stratos which hasn't got the kitchen extension on the side and is slightly narrower but it still provides a great living area and has got that same unique look.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Cheers,

James

hi folks,

many thanks for all your replies,i`ve been looking at a conway cardinal dl on the web,it looks a god size and well set out,whats your opinion?

cheers

don't know to much about conways now but know my parents had a conway when i was a kid and never had problems and survived lots of rain and winds.

em

At the end of the day it is what you feel is best for you.

Have had a suncamp 400se for the last 3 years bought secondhand and it has been fantastic.This is from a geezer who spent 3 weeks under canvas in the worst summer France had on record!!! and swore never to camp again.

My choice was made purely based on space. Cost also played apart (cheap, got lucky) but must say if push came to shove I would by another Sunncamp.

First time up 2hours now fully fitted to 45 minutes, without colour coding! We do mulity centres (3 sites last season in one go!) and it is a breeze because that is what we are uesd to.

Agree with Trekkin Tekkie best to get out to local dealers and 'ave a good butchers, go with your instincts.

What ever you decide have fun.

Bags.

We have the Cabanon Stratos but have so far have only had one chance to use it thanks to our monsoon like weather.

However it only took us one & a half hours to fully errect and my OH & I think we can get this down to about one hour or less with a bit of practice.

The Neptune is a bit larger but even the Stratos feels massive after our 5 man Cabanon frame tent which took the two of us hours to fully errect.

John

It takes about the same time to put our tt up as it did with the tent, but it's much easier to do, and we don't have the problem of packing everything into the car at either end! I'd say we're ready to sit with a coffee within the hour, the beds are already made up, the awning is easy as long as one person knows where it all goes. (And the rest do as they are told  )

Don't be persuaded to part with a huge amount of cash for a brand new top of the range tt, the old ones, as long as they have been well looked after, are just as good. Space is a funny thing, get a big roomy tt, and you have more canvas to dry if you pack up wet. Get an average sized awning, and there's enough room if its wet, it all seems easier. The more room inside, the longer the whole thing takes to put up. And lets be honest, even if its wet the kids would rather be outside anyway! Good luck with your impending purchase, we've never regretted ours.

Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 23/6/2007

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Hi Mick

There seem to be three different types of trailer tents.  You have the standard variety which have flaps which open out on each side of the trailer body to give raised sleeping areas.  People seem to recommend makes like Cabanon, Trigano, Conway and they come in a wide variety of different sizes.  Pitching time for these seems to be anything from an hour upwards.

The second sort is quite new on the market and is made by Cabanon.  They have two models called the Stratos and the Neptune which are a large and small version of the same thing.  Basically, they have a similar main cabin area with the flaps on each side but the major difference is the awning.  It is more like a tunnel tent with a lot less poles than the standard TT and therefore can be pitched a bit more quickly.  These also have a zip in ground sheet which makes them creepie crawlie proof.

The third sort are the quick pitch trailer tents made by a number of companies such as Combi Camp and Camplet.  These are a lot more expensive than standard trailer tents but take less than half the time to put up as they sort of fold out a bit like an old fashioned pram hood.  The main unit of our Combi Camp takes 30 seconds to put up and the awning about another 15-20 minutes.

There are a lot of second hand trailer tents of all varieties around at the minute so if you are looking second hand you could get a bargain.  My advice is to visit a few dealers and have a really good nosey round a few erected ones to see what feels a good size and layout for your family.  Then when you have decided what you like you can either buy new or look for a similar model second hand.

Happy hunting!

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Quote: Originally posted by nohopeleft on 24/6/2007

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hi folks,

many thanks for all your replies,i`ve been looking at a conway cardinal dl on the web,it looks a god size and well set out,whats your opinion?

 

cheers

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The Conway Cardinal isn't strictly speaking a trailer tent - it's a hard top folding camper. Inside it is more like a caravan with fridge, hob, wardrobe etc.

It is a lot quicker to put up the main unit than a trailer tent (Combi-Camps excepted) and it can be used without the awning. There is no pegging of the main unit.