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I go camping once per year for 4 nights with my 2 children aged 5 and 9.  Occasionally my husband comes with us.  Having never camped before, 2 years ago we bought one of those tent sets from Halfords.  The tent was ok the 1st year, but last year we had the most awful time as the weather was horrendous (in late July) and the tent all but collapsed and we were soaked for the entire time.  This year I want to buy a new tent.  As I only have a small car & we dont expect to use the tent more than once a year - I have been looking at 4 person tents on the internet as there does not seem to be anywhere close to home where we can go to see the real thing!   I am desperate for advice - we really just need the tent to sleep in as we will be out during the day.

Having discovered this site, I was wondering whether the Outwell Virginia 5 or Vango Icarus would be ok for us - or would it be too small? 

I would be really grateful for advice - thanks in advance.

The Vango Icarus 500 would be the at the limit of how small you'd want to go.

There is an Icarus 600 and one of the websites is selling a Vango Icarus 600DLX as a limitied edition.

Here it is

http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1428744-10475506?url=http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Vango_Icarus_600_DLX_Family_Tunnel_Tent_2010_Model.html

The Vango Tigris is a great tent too and you could go for the 8 man version which has a sleeping pod at each end.

If you want something with steel poles you could go for the Vango Artemis 600.

Quote: Originally posted by frome on 08/6/2010

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one of the websites is selling a Vango Icarus 600DLX as a limitied edition.

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I think if you take out the parcel shelf you'll be able to get the Icarus 600 or similar in fine. Have a look at the pack size, find something with similar dimensions, even if it's just a squashed up cardboard box and try it out in your boot.

We camped last year with my parents who have a Vango Icarus 500.  Two of our children slept with them.  If you have minimal equipment and really only sleeping it would probably be ok but you won't get much more than a couple of chairs in the "living" area.

We have a Outwell Indiana 8 (there is 6 of us) and I agree that you really need to add 2 to the actual berth to allow some room for equipment and to move without stepping on each other .