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We have camped now for two years.  We started out with the biggest that we could afford a Khyam Ontario (we thought the spare space would be good and we could house the luggable loo in one of the spare bedrooms) however as there are just the two of us it was of course too big so we sold it.  Mistake No 1

We then searched around for something smaller and bought the Outwell Minnesota 4, this tent withstood gales and heavy rain at Normans Bay last year but since day one we had trouble with the pole pins and have to take the pliers to get them into the holes, but because we've got nowwhere to dry it should it ever have to be taken down in the wet we end up spending all our time building up to our trips away and while we are away watching and reading every available weather forecast and have never yet stayed for the full duration of our holiday because we worry about drying it.  Mistake No.2

We came home on Thursday this week (we were supposed to be staying until Friday (but the forcast was saying rain!) saying that we wouldn't camp ever again but on Friday we were at Go Outdoors looking at even smaller tents.  We saw a Outwell Arizona L which seemed really neat, the bedroom as SIG but the living space as a loose groundsheet which bothers us a bit because we've camped in quite a bit of wind over the last 12 months we thought that this could be a problem.  Some groundsheets seem to be pegged down which seems sensible to me but others don't have any means of securing them.

We even looked at the tiny Gelert Quick Pitch 4 which (apart from it's size) would be ideal as it wouldn't mattter if it got rained on and it has a SIG.

Does anyone have the Arizona L and is it secure in the wind?  I don't think I can bear another mistake it's costly and demoralising as hundreds of other folk manage to go away and not worry about the flipping rain and drying their tent.

We go away expecting a bit/lot of rain, and if it's dry it's a huge bonus. When you make the decision to camp in the UK it is inevitable, you are going to get some bad weather. It is only water afer all, and I would not let it spoil my holiday.

Our friends have a minnesota and it is a lovely little tent. They use towels on their living room floor and leave it to dry, turning it every now and again.

Quote: Originally posted by PigletandTigger on 29/6/2008

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Can you explain the tent drying problem? Is the Minnie an inner pitch with a Diablo type all in one inner which causes a problem?    

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Quote: Originally posted by widdi on 28/6/2008

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We then searched around for something smaller and bought the Outwell Minnesota 4, this tent withstood gales and heavy rain at Normans Bay last year but since day one we had trouble with the pole pins and have to take the pliers to get them into the holes, but because we've got nowwhere to dry it should it ever have to be taken down in the wet we end up spending all our time building up to our trips away and while we are away watching and reading every available weather forecast and have never yet stayed for the full duration of our holiday because we worry about drying it.  Mistake No.2

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who confesses to finding those pins hard work.  Maybe I'm not such a wimp!  Er....you DID have the tension straps on loose when you were inserting the pins, didn't you?

Going to such a small tent as some of those you have mentioned may make you feel rather cramped.  I really do appreciate being able to stand upright in my tent, especially the living area.  If the tension straps were loose on the Minny have you considered either a Vango Orchy or, for greater stability in the wind, an Outwell Nevada M.  Both these have fibreglass poles and less brute force and ignorance is needed when pitching.  I pitched an Orchy yesterday and there was only one bit that needed any force, the pole that creates the front canopy, and this was still significantly easier than the Minny.

I have never had a sig and it's never been a concern. I have the footprint for my tent which I take if the forecast is lousy.

Wind has never been a problem to be honest but if it worries you what about looking for a tent which has those mudflaps and combine that with a footprint. Best of both worlds?