Message Forums

Bickers - were like you!

Tent and day tent takes an hour to put up, then theres the porch, carpet, camp kitchen, stove, air beds to blow up, sleeping bags plus w take it steady and have 5 mins break every now and again.

Then theres the electric (when we have it) and all my solar lights to set up lol

Normally a couple of Hours, depends if we are on EHU or self sufficent, I have to erect utility tent for gas fridge. We normally get there early and take our time as I hate rushing trying to erect things.

So its arrive, unpack stove make tea discuss what the plan of attack is, erect tent, unpack tables and chairs,

Make more tea, do bedding and bedrooms, then more tea and a biscuit. Then finish off and have a cup of tea!

Depends on the tent - about 1 hour 15 to set up if we do it all in one go for the Vango Columbia 600 (add an extra 15 minutes to get the pegs into the currently ultra hard Norfolk ground) but about 30-40 mins fully set up with the weekender Kampa Bude.

Main issue with a 4 year old is that food is a priority and if we arrive close to meal times the beds have to wait as the priorities are to get the tent up, carpet down, boxes and bags into the tent (never unpack them as they are packed ready for immediate access and use) and the cooker set up to cook. I try and juggle doing the beds (at least our son's) around jumping to assist my husband doing the cooking. 

The Vango Kairos 400 only takes 25 mins to set up, but most of that is manually pumping the airbeds if touring with the vintage Landrover as we don't have a method of recharging the pump. We don't use SIMs as too bulky when deflated.

As with this last week in Norfolk - it was putting down the Columbia that took the time. Unloading it wasn't a big issue, but getting those rock pegs out was a nightmare - took over an hour just to get the pegs out of the ground. My husband ended up using an adjustable spanner, large screw driver in combination with the claw hammer but still ended up on his back on the grass as the tools gave way before the pegs. He was not a happy bunny. Need a load of heavy duty washers now to replace the plastic heads. BTW - there was no way our nylon deltas would go into that bone dry ground. Fortunately had enough rock pegs for the whole tent...

a few days....

(actually all my tents are really quick, and utility is a pop up)

Bedding and kitchen take forever

Pop up takes about 15 mins.

Frinton 4 weekender nearer 45 mins for 2 of us inc awning & everything inside.

Florida 6 (week longs stays and longer) takes nearer 2 hours as I have my camp kitchen and wardrobes, extra awning and lots more kids toys..  We usually have a near divorce moment every time we set it up.