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I should think that with all this rain we are having there will be plenty of tents up for sale at the end of the season

Quote: Originally posted by kezzagal on 23/8/2010

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im looking for a tent 6-8 birth. we have just bought a 6 man 2 bed from tesco and its leaking in through the air vents i think. it was only 60 quid i thought i had a bargain but you obv get what you pay for...

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Hi kezzagirl, sorry to hear you've got a leaky tent (and wasted your cash) First off can you not take the tent back ? If you've still got the receipt then I sure as hell would give it a try - if it's new & it leaks then it's not fit for it's purpose, I'd think you might be protecte under the sale of goods act.

Secondly, I think you'd have a better chance of getting more advice if you post this in the camping under canvas section - this is the caravan bit !

As regards getting your cash back, Phil's your man - he posts on here as cwd..... er summat ! I'll see if I can see one of his posts & edit this with his correct user name. Phil is a legal-eagle who knows his stuff & very helpful too.

EDIT - this is him.....

cwdc56768

Platinum Member

Outfit: Elddis Odyssey 540. Kia Sportage XS Location: Bridlington Joined: 11/12/2009 Posts:   929 Site Reviews:   3 Gallery Images:   3

just alerted him on another thread he's on just now, hope he sees it

Post last edited on 23/08/2010 22:18:23

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Fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing . Anton Chekhov

Well see and look back here cos I just asked Phil to see if he can help you as regards maybe getting your cash back from Tesco !

No doubt he'll be along her later..

Good luck !

I'd try to get your money back too - it'd be a good chunk towards a different tent!  Check the for sale ads on this site for a good, used tent.

Re warmth & groundsheets, the bedroom pods should be sewn in even if the living area isn't & you'll be amazed how cosy they are once all zipped up!  Make sure you have plenty of insulation underneath you.  Put a blanket on the groundsheet, then your airbed/rollmat, then another blanket (or 2 if using airbeds), then your sleeping bag with an extra blanket for 'just in case'.  A layer underneath is worth 3 on top (I think that's right!).  Sleep in warm bedclothes with a fleece handy if necessary.  Then you'll find yourself waking up roasting in the night & kicking the covers off!

If you're camping with EHU take a small fan heater & keep it on a low setting. 

Hope you get sorted & enjoy your camping trip. 

Thanks for the recommendation Zorro. We don't have much to go on here ie. I don't know which tent, manufacture or the description that came with the tent. Nor do I know the weather conditions prevalent at the time that water ingress occurred.

I have had a look on the Tesco web site and there is a "vis a vis" 6 man tent at £60. Is that the one?

The description indicates "This [LOW]{%SUB_CATEGORY%} style tent for 6 people is made of [LOW]{%COLOUR%} coloured polyester and is fire retardant. The tent also features built in airvents, taped seams and a waterproof flysheet. Internally it has a porch with clear view windows and insect netting, a living area and 2 sleeping areas that each sleep 3 people. It has a sun protection factor of 30+ and a waterproof rating of 1500mm" (The HPTLM instructions are included on the web site and not an error on my part)

You do not say whether you used any fly sheet provided or whether that extended over the whole tent. Some tents will include a note indicating that the seams may not be waterproof when it left the factory and that you should use some compound on the seams before use. Such compound being with the kit. Was that the case with this tent? 

If this is the tent then just what does the description mean?

Waterproof means that the fabric has been coated with polyurethane and the seams have been taped, making that area of the tent impermeable to water. “mm” refers to the amount of water the fabric will hold before it leaks. A 1500mm coating, for example, will withstand a 1500mm column of water for more than one minute before a single drop might appear through the fabric. I understand that that is strong enough to prevent rain from leaking in a 75 mph hurricane-force storm.

Assuming that my understanding is correct and you were in less than a 75 mph hurricane, and had the fly sheet on, (and no qualification had been given about the seams) then the tent has failed to live up to its description.

Take it back, explain how you used it correctly and point them to the technical description and explain how it should have stood up to the kind of shower you were in and failed. They should give you your money back. If there is a difficulty then by all means come back on here and I can advise further.

Phil

Hi kezzagal

You indicate in your original post that you don't know if you will like camping. Buying a cheap tent, cheap sleeping bag, cheap mattress can provide a miserable camping experience leaving the camper with, potentially, the wrong view of camping. It may not be the camping that was bad, just the equipment.

Your tent is your priority. It provides protections against the wind and rain. Its where you sleep and its where you want your children to feel safe. For the right quality you may need to dig a bit deeper into the pocket than you imagined. If you have £100 saved up and you get your money back from Tesco, then thats another £60. We are going into Autumn and Winter so maybe wait until Spring and save up over winter and then get a really good quality tent in the spring.

Maybe try hiring a tent etc to start with just to see if you do enjoy it.

If you are planning on being a summer camper a tent with a waterproof rating of 1500/1600mm rating  should be ok. Go to buy one with a 2000mm rating and you will pay more and that would be what you may be looking at for all year camping.

I would suggest that you go to a camping specialist retailer. I am sure that Tesco staff will have been well trained in selling, but not in camping. As a novice, the benefit of being able to talk through your requirements with a specialist will be invaluable.

Phil

http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1428744-10294381?url=http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3409237/Trail/searchtext%3ETENT.htm 

If you dont get your Tesco tent sorted this 8 person 3 room Proaction Nevada from Argos will fit the bill at £123 we used it for 3 years with no problems. Easy to put up, great size and a bargain price, there were lots of them in Cornwall this year. However I think you need to have a go at getting your money back from Tesco first.

As for the cold tents warm up when they have people inside them, especially in the bedroom pods.  If you don't have electric hook up a gas fire or heater that is safe for tent use can be purchased quite cheaply for camping shops, although you will need to be careful with a 4 year old around I managed with mine on a table out of reach.

That tent has A "2000mm hydrostatic head".......pretty good level of waterproofing. Should keep you dry at Christmas.

Phil

Hi kezzagal

Have you tried "GoOutdoors" they have a vast range of Tentage and at very reasonable prices, must be a Store near you?

Best regards

Woggle