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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 24/10/2010

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Why should anybody hold a low opinion of any one with less money than them?

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I think it generally stemmed from your assuming that people who camp in tents can't afford caravans. I think that's an odd opinion to hold but never figured it means you subsequently look down on anyone, just that you're making assertations about what people can and can't afford,

Sounds like you're still assuming that, despite that most of the replies seem to state camping in tents isn't based on financial necessity, but choice. Which isn't unusual really, given that this is a camping forum!

It's a bit like going on a hiking forum and saying people only hike because they can't afford bikes, or going on a cookery forum and saying they only cook because they can't afford to eat out...

I think its live & let live really.  I have both and love both, OH initially dictated the move to a caravan because he works such long hours he really found the packing/unpacking & pitching tent thing too much when he was already exhausted - I really wasn't sure as I was happy as larry in my Cabanon.  However, we now have a nice caravan which is lovely, the kids have their bunks & pretty much their own room, we can holiday out of season and the packing thing is a thing of the past.  Im definitely a canvas girl and do spend a lot of my time in the awning I just love being closer to the outdoors & I agree with some of the comments about claustrophobia as there was one time when it was late and we were inside the caravan with all the blinds closed and I did feel very hemmed in - but on the whole yes its different to tenting but I do enjoy it all the same.  Our loo is number ones only and we still go to the shower block so some habits die hard!!

I would never ever look down my nose at tenters why would I?  I don't think it has much to do with money either! I respect everyones right to choose how they holiday as long as they aren't complete hoolis but believe me they come from both types of holiday maker!!  I have heard the odd caravanner say that they wouldn't like to be pitched near tents but on the whole they are just like minded folk just enjoying their holiday albeit in a different shell  -personally I love tents and caravans mixed together on sites but Im sure plenty of tenters prefer their own field too.

We all have our opinions on what suits us best but theres good and bad in everything

Quote: Originally posted by pitchperfect on 24/10/2010

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Tentz mate, you old kidder, you almost had me ..

You like tents really don't you? Surely your user name gives it away otherwise you'd be called Caravanz ...

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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 25/10/2010

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Which brings us neatly back to the op's point. Good thing about tent camping is that when you ain't actually camping you can chuck the gear in a spare room & forget about it. Anything else requires yr round attention & expense to a certain degree.

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Each to their own as usual. I'm a secret millionaire and i choose to keep my old FC 1/2 tent 1/2 caravan. We are all in the same field at the end of the day.

Quote: Originally posted by Waynetod on 24/10/2010

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Does`n`t quite ring true in many cases. Motorcycling is a leisure hobby nowadays and bikes are not just a means of transport for the masses. 

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With the price of a decent bike these days, it's not a cheap alternative to a car, either!

Quote: Originally posted by issym on 24/10/2010

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.... then last year, just before the boom we came back to tenting. BUT we are struggling to get the tent up and it takes forever....

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Oh, this old debate once again!

Me, I love my tent, but I like the convenience of a caravan. I have a young DD <2yrs old and the convenience of the 'van (well my mam and dad's) was great this year.

So we are looking to buy our first 'van, not an expensive one, but one that may well be sold on in a few years when DD gets older and I don't have to worry about her running off  and getting lost whilst we pitch (like she did this year), or her waking up in the middle of the night and keeping us awake for 2 hours and me dying to go to the loo, but all she wanted was her mummy so I couldn't go because she was screaming her head off!

So, for me, there is no right or wrong answer, just a van would suit us better for NOW, but the tent will always be stored in the garage and used at the earliest opportunity I'm sure.

Quote: Originally posted by lizex on 27/10/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by issym on 24/10/2010

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.... then last year, just before the boom we came back to tenting. BUT we are struggling to get the tent up and it takes forever....

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We have a Sunncamp Antigua 8, just like
this. We went away for a weekend with some very experienced campers and their jaws dropped. We had the tent pitched and the 2 inner tents in in just over 5 minutes. I don't know what sort of tent you have, but you might be able to find a video of the best way to pitch it if you have a quick look in Youtube. With ours we put all the poles in with it flat on the ground, put the end pins in the poles then open it out like a sort of elongated fan. Then we usually walk it round the pitch while I make my mind up where it should go.
Usually we take tiny tents for summer weekends but we had to go & we thought it might rain and the big tent'd give us room to socialise with our friends if it did.

Liz

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Thanks, yes have checked out youtube and have had excellent tips from the forum. We have a Norfolk Lake, polycotton. No problems last year but this year both OH and I have managed to get frozen shoulders. We just don't have the grip or strength to pull the heavy weight off the ground.  We are going to try 2 methods suggested from the forum. But even once the tent is up zipping in the groundsheet and pegging out (with said frozen shoulders) takes a while.

The lovely thing about these forums is that you can hear other peoples opinions and think out loud. And in doing so we have realised that even with it's issues, we still prefer the tent to the thought of a caravan. We may have to go to a folding camper though if this doesn't work.

Quote: I really don't believe that many folk who can easily afford a large new car & caravan would choose tenting as an alternative.

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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 24/10/2010

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One assumes that most campers who bother to post on camping forums are camping enthusiasts who tent it by choice, but not all, because I tent because I can't afford a caravan(or its running costs)at the moment, which is no great problem because my tent still goes on the same camping pitch down in France.

Camping in a tent can certainly be a low cost option for those who could not otherwise afford to get away, I doubt many of these would describe themselves as tent enthusiasts, tent camping is just a means to an end(It is for me), I'm sure they would prefer a caravan if they could afford it.

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Heh, Tentz, going to debate on this one. We used to go on caravan holidays (towing) but these were long holidays. Then we could only get away for long w/ends or even a couple of nights; the van became a huge hassle and we could go where we wanted to go over longer distances with a tent, so the van went and tenting was great but there then followed extended family illnesses, the death of my OH and I'm still caring for an older family member, but, when I get away, I go tenting. I can still only get away for a max of three nights and a tent fits the bill; besides it is much more fun - it seems that on most sites I visit, caravanners are curled up in their vans and awnings with their TV aerials etc. up. I don't mean to say that's the norm, nor, that if that's what a person prefers, that I'd stop them doing it. It just seems there's more social interaction in the tenting area, even if, like me, you're a singleton in a tiny tent - just last summer, the people up from us in a HUGE tent called us over to join them and we had a great time - in fact they're heading this way next summer.

Why would I want a caravan?  They are expensive to maintain, service and insure; have to be towed and believe me that's no joy on the roads to be places I want to go!  Plus they cost a fortune on the ferry!  As for getting old, so what? If I really can't cope with a little tent any more then I'm already looking ahead for an off-roader I can convert.People camp (in the broadest sense of the term) and take holidays for a vastly different number of reasons - some people want home from home; others don't. That everyone's pre-rogative. To imply that tenting is a poor person's option and they'd much rather have a caravan if they could afford it is erroneous. I can't afford a caravan but I don't want one!