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Quote: Originally posted by RunDMC on 29/9/2010

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Hi,

I am new to camping this year although used to go camping with parents many years ago.  I have been a couple of times in my Quechua Base 4.2 pop up but fancy a trailer tent.

I am thinking of changing cars soon but wanted a smaller car and was looking at new shape fiesta diesels which I think the max towing weight for braked vehicle is 750kg so unbraked it would be considerably less than this.

I have looked at the camplets as they are lightweight at 250kg so should be okay but are expensive and I have concerns which I have read on here also about putting away wet and getting dry once home.  I have now seen the Cabanon Stratos which looks good although I haven't seen it for real yet but this appears much cheaper than the camplets but is 350kg.

Does anyone else tow trailer tents with a small car and can provide any guidance.

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I can't see a problem in terms of towing most trailer tents (I tow a Camp-let Concorde with a 1.3 CDTi Vauxhall Corsa). I have just checked out towing weights for 1.4 diesel Fiestas. Without knowing the exact model I can't be absolutely certain, but the towing capacity of the cars does seem a little lower than my own, but nonetheless entirely capable of pulling a Camp-let.

However, your concern about packing a Camp-let away wet is rather interesting. Any trailer tent you buy (with the exception of ones where the fabric is acrylic - very much a new material and not entirely proven yet - or PVC, e.g. Dandy) has the same issue. Buying a different (and heavier) model will not solve this! If you have enough room at home to put it up for a few hours to allow it to dry then it will be fine. If you don't then no canvas trailer tent will be any good!

The Cabanon Stratos is a canvas tent and looks like it is much more work to put up than a Camp-let so you'd still have the issues of wet packing to deal with.

I've just seen the price for the Stratos. £4048 isn't exactly cheap, but it is clearly lower than a Camp-let at around £5600, but bear in mind the possibility of buying second-hand. I have seen 2009 model Concordes going for around the £4000 mark. I don't know what Camperlands would charge, but it might be worth enquiring.

However, the payload appears to only be 500kg for the Startos, meaning that you wouldn't actually be able to get much in it, whereas a Camp-let has a 750kg payload. You might want to think a little about this too.

Hi

Thanks valiantson for the advice.

I dont really have the room at home to open up a trailer tent to dry out but I am just not sure which to buy.

If you have a concorde is it easy enough to get the canvas off/on the trailer if it had been wet so that you can dry out in the house if needed rather than trying to erect the tent.  I liked the concorde when I looked at one in Camperlands and they had a brand new model braked for £5800.  I just saw the Stratos the other week and that looked good and thought with the awning coming off it would be easier but you still have the bit on the trailer part that you need to dry. 

I think with the ones that can go on their side I might be able to get into the back garden and put up on patio but not sure yet.

Quote: Originally posted by RunDMC on 02/10/2010

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Hi

Thanks valiantson for the advice.

I dont really have the room at home to open up a trailer tent to dry out but I am just not sure which to buy.

If you have a concorde is it easy enough to get the canvas off/on the trailer if it had been wet so that you can dry out in the house if needed rather than trying to erect the tent.  I liked the concorde when I looked at one in Camperlands and they had a brand new model braked for £5800.  I just saw the Stratos the other week and that looked good and thought with the awning coming off it would be easier but you still have the bit on the trailer part that you need to dry. 

I think with the ones that can go on their side I might be able to get into the back garden and put up on patio but not sure yet.

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You can get the canvas off the Camp-lets, but you need to be able to open the lid to do so of course.

If you do go for a Camp-let and the side storage bracket then be aware that the alloy wheels are not a good idea because you have to remove them before putting it on its side! Stick with steel, the weight difference is negligible and alloys scuff really easily.