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 Topic: Speed and ease of set-up
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25/11/2023 at 7:58am
Location: North Somerset
Outfit: Freedom Microlite
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Joined: 26/3/2016 Silver Member 
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Since having to sell my caravan some years ago I have dabbled with a number of different units, trying to find something comfortable, with ease of set-up. (Perennial back problems) My original idea was to get a trailer tent. However, I've tried two different ones and hurt my back with both of them (lifting over heavy bed-boards etc).
So have been trying out some different types of tent. I really like the old-fashioned 2 berth frame tent, with the cotton canvas, but have some questions about set-up which I'm hoping someone can throw some light on.
I've noticed that some frame tents have the pegging-out rubbers on the inside of the rubber skirt, some are on the outside. I'm not sure whether I have missed a trick where this methodology is concerned, but one of the frame tents I've tried had the rubbers on the inside, another had them on the outside so the skirt was either laying on the outside of the tent, some were on the inside. This probably sounds like a totally stupid question to seasoned tenters, but which is the best type?
On one outing I went on, with the rubbers being on the outside of the skirt, I had a really wet week weather-wise and suffered a lot of water ingress onto the groundsheet. When I tried the Marechal in wet weather, which had the rubbers on the inside, I didn't get any water ingress at all. Anyway, that's one issue I had with frame tents. I guess it shouldn't really matter, or else manufacturers would have made all tents with the rubbers on what was considered the 'best' side.
So, I hear some asking, why do I buy old canvas frame tents, and not nice new nylon ones? Well most of the modern tents have the bendy-type poles. I did try one, but I found, being on my own, that it was difficult to set up this type of tent on my own, and on one occasion, one of the poles unhitched itself and slapped me round the face. Ouch! That only happened once before deciding to sell it on.
I love the fact that, once erected, you have full head height throughout a frame tent. It's also nice to have the zip-up inner bedroom, which you can keep closed during the day to prevent the dog from treading muddy paws all over the sleeping quarters!
Trailer tents? Well it struck me that actually, there isn't a huge advantage in choosing one as the only real advantage is the fact that the bed is up off the floor. Set-up time must actually be quite a bit longer, as you have both the basic unit to open up, pushing up/tensioning the poles etc, then you have the awning to set up. Most of these seem to be bigger than your average 2 - 4 berth frame tent. Added to which, when you get home, if you've had a wet week, you then have to set up the trailer tent again to allow it to dry out. I can just about dry out my small frame tent canvas indoors.
What would be really, really lovely would be to win some money on the Premium Bonds and get back into caravanning. Nice to dream, aye?
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Life without dogs? I don't think so!
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28/12/2023 at 9:29am
Location: North Somerset
Outfit: Freedom Microlite
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Ah, lidds0! Therein lies one of the problems I have encountered so frequently, with some of the units I have tried!
I immediately noticed the 'we' when you described how quickly you could set up your TT. With a person each side of a unit it, naturally, halves the effort required to set up!
I haven't seen a Malawi 'in the flesh', but photos of them might suggest they are quite big - would I be able to manage one of these units on my own?
Youtube videos abound on the subject of setting up trailer tents (and other units of course) but I have seen few which show the process undertaken by one person, and even less of the method in reverse, and hardly any showing this being achieved by a solo camper.
Shortlist? The Gobur Carousel folding caravan is still at the top, but other pressures on my finances make the acquisition of a half-decent one unlikely in the near future.
I guess I'll just have to wait for the weather to improve, and make the most of my frame tent.
By the way, in the case of inclement weather, how many hardy campers out there pitch on a hardstanding? I've tried it a couple of times with the tent, using rock pegs, (with an extra groundsheet to shield from the hard ground) but it was bloomin' hard work!
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Life without dogs? I don't think so!
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28/12/2023 at 1:09pm
Location: North Somerset
Outfit: Freedom Microlite
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Joined: 26/3/2016 Silver Member
Forum Posts: 195
Tent Reviews: 4
| Site Reviews Total: | 10 |
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| Site Reviews 2024: | 6 |
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| Site Reviews 2021: | 0 |
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Thanks for your thoughts Hedgehugger. I'm 75, and still managing to set up the frame tent on my own despite, like you, having some arthritic joints here and there.
A campervan is the stuff of dreams for many of us ordinary folk it seems! One of my problems is that I still need two passenger seats for the occasions when I have to collect/deliver/generally ferry about my grandchildren, or I could adapt a little van for camping. However, then, it seems, there is a bit of a minefield to negotiate in terms of its taxation class and insurance criteria. That made me think I'd need to buy an already-converted van, which was actually registered as a campervan. Up goes the price!
Pod caravans..... I bet you could soon get one warm enough to be really comfortable, but could I face the restricted height, or (in some cases) having to go round to the back of the unit to access the coffee making facilities? Nah.... pass on that idea.
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Life without dogs? I don't think so!
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