I am looking to make a few modification to it to make our camping a bit more comfortable.
The tent is great if the weather is good, but if the weather takes a turn for the worse we find the tent a little drafty and hard to keep clean and free from rain.
Mainly due to the fact that the tent doesn't have a sewn in groundsheet.
Has anyone got any good tips for tents without sewn in ground sheets??
I would also like to purchase a porch to use for taking off muddy shoes etc. (as this tent is now not available)
I was wondering if anyone knew of one that would fit my tent.
I have often thought is there a way of buying a slightly bigger groundsheet and then attaching to the poles or canvas up the sides in some way. There are those bucket groundsheets of course, would that help?
There are universal canopies available, vango have a couple of different sizes and if you can get one, a vango premium extension which has a zip down door. You'd need to check your tents dimensions against those of the canopy. Regarding the ground sheet, if you get one that is slightly bigger than you need and then layer that with a carpet which fits your tent snugly, or a few picnic blankets, you should achieve a more cozy space with a few less drafts
Could you get a tarpaulin or groundsheet and attach velcro at various points & match them in the same places on the inside of the tent creating a bucket groundsheet
I can't help you on the extention for your tent. ( use either a quencha tarp or Vango adventure canopy, to cook under and to keep rain abay from doorway) It is a great idea to help keep the door way dry as you go in. My tent is not as large as yours It does'nt have a sig either, Spent the time devising ways of keeping the rain out of the tent with the comings and goings and mud free. (try too)
There has been some great advice. I use two large mats and a small groundsheets to keep these areas clean.(the tarpaulan then has another use ie. for blocking the draft from the doorway) one at each entrance, footwear stays on these. some people use bags or cardboard boxes maybe.
I make sure that when the doorway is pegged, the doorway is crossed over to take the strain of the zips where you have to peg and the doorway is slightly going away from the tents tub groundsheet so the rain doesnt drip into the tent. (I don't know if this makes sense to you. You could have an oversize grounsheet which will come up the sides inside the tent, which acts like a tub ground sheet. My tent being smaller I now use small grounds sheets as its easier for me to cope with.
does this give you any ideas. Other people will come along with extra thoughts.
On the subject of mud control, I take the dirt trapper mat from just inside my front door as I'm leaving the house, it makes alot of difference especially if there is lot of newly mown grass around.
Possibly making stormflaps for around the bottom of the tent might help. If you can get an old groundsheet or a tarp and cut it in strips of about 5 inches in height and in lengths to match the different panels of the tent you want to attach to. You'd need to attach them across the whole panels by sewing them on, then you'd need to waterproof the new seams (fabsil?) or something more permanent (im not sure what, but im pretty sure someone will advise here). If you make eyelet holes at each end of each strip and in the middle and then get elastic rubbers and when the tent is up you can guy the new stormflaps down. It should sort out the draughts.
If I can get a drawing of what I mean, i'll post it. I was thinking of doing something similar to our Sunncamp Calypso a few years back.
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Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
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You can buy mudwalling by the metre from this site;-http://www.esvocampingshop.com/en/tent-fabric/mud-flaps-en.html
If you sew this on the inside then you can peg out the tent as normal and lay a groundsheet over the mudwall inside to stop any draughts. I have done this on 1 of my tents, it is not too hard a job.
Just like to say a big thankyou for all your replies so far.
I was thinking of maybe selling my tent and buying a SIG tent, but after your posts I am a bit more positive about keeping and just improving my current tent.
HEJC72 (Helen) you said you have a Lichfield canopy and a Kampa sun canopy/extension on your Licata 400.
Do you put the Litchfield on the side and the Kampa on the end or the other way round?
No it doesn't zip on - it goes over the tent and guys down the opposite side and at the front. Have a look here - this looks just the same as mine: http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=381