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I keep looking at the windbreak/canopy thing as I think that they look ok to cook under outside.....

Tynxuk...what put you off using it, If you don't mind me asking?

My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag. It was a two person job and as I often camp alone with the children it's just not practical (too stressful getting my 7 year old to help) plus I use electric for cooking so needed something more sheltered.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 21/8/2012

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My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag. It was a two person job and as I often camp alone with the children it's just not practical (too stressful getting my 7 year old to help) plus I use electric for cooking so needed something more sheltered.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

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Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 21/8/2012

My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag. It was a two person job and as I often camp alone with the children it's just not practical (too stressful getting my 7 year old to help) plus I use electric for cooking so needed something more sheltered.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

<img align="absmiddle" src="https://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r264/Tynxuk/camping/utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTExMDI4LTAwMzA2LmpwZw.jpg">

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Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 21/8/2012

My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

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I cook in the extension that is open at one end but do not use any gas now when I used gas I cooked outside. As someone said the suitcase stoves can be very dangerous as the canisters can get hot and explode.

Quote: Originally posted by poppy.dog on 23/8/2012

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Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 21/8/2012

My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

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I was thinking of one of these and using the wooden poles from our cheapy to cut down on the number of guylines...

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the sleeves for the poles won't accommodate the thicker wooden poles as I too had though about it. Maybe a screw at the top of the wooden pole to attach the D loop thats at the top of each pole sleeve and somehow attach the bottom of the sleeve to it may work.

And yes the tent either needed to go back or all the 'walls' of the windbreak part, we realised our mistake but gave up and decided we could live with it as we were having to duck to get in the tent anyway.

Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 21/8/2012

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My main problem with it was all the guylines and having to get the tension right otherwise the canopy would sag. It was a two person job and as I often camp alone with the children it's just not practical (too stressful getting my 7 year old to help) plus I use electric for cooking so needed something more sheltered.

It looked nice with the bell tent but more practical as a sun shade than rain shelter (notice saggy roof as we gave up trying to get it tight and all the guyropes):

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Quote: Originally posted by Hacksaw Bob on 23/8/2012

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Re the canopy - if you could slacken (or possibly dispense with altogether) those guys to the higher poles which face away from the tent, and extend and tighten the two which go to the sides of the tent, I think this would pull the canopy taught.

Also, it appears from the picture that the tent guys have two-hole sliders, so you might like to try rethreading these with the knotted end finishing up inside the loop, as suggested in an old Camping and Caravanning Club article I mentioned in
this thread - might help avoid slipping and need for readjustment.

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I think if I had got rid of those guys and angled the poles slightly toward the tent then tightened the others I probably could have got the canopy tighter but it was only our second camp so we weren't going to worry too much (unless the wind picked up).

Thanks for mentioning the guys on the bell tent, I hadn't noticed any need for readjusting as only used it for a couple of days at a time but will rethread them next time I use it (weather permiting of course) as it does make sense.

We have an extention and cook in that. You can just about see it in the pic below. We are careful to make sure the camp kitchen is not touching the sides of the tent and the door is always open when cooking. The gas bottle is outside and is turned off at the bottle when not in use. I wouldn't cook in the living area of the tent but I am comfortable cooking in the extension. I am still very careful though and wouldn't leave anything unattended.

Quote: Originally posted by dbice on 23/8/2012

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hey aklmatthews, can you tell me roughly how much load you can have on through your ehu or is it campsite dependant?

at a recent site i couldnt get the kettle to stay on long enough to boil or the fan heater to work at setting 2 or even the toaster to work long enough to toast bread and the ehu kept tripping at the post where you plug in.

so its interesting to see your array of kitchen equipment -   have you ever had trouble running any of it at sites?

I think it depends on campsite but we have never had problems we use oven and hob at same time we do not put heater on if cooking or using kettle but have lights and heater and charge phones at same time or have oven hob and lights on.

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Quote: Originally posted by dbice on 23/8/2012

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hey aklmatthews, can you tell me roughly how much load you can have on through your ehu or is it campsite dependant?

at a recent site i couldnt get the kettle to stay on long enough to boil or the fan heater to work at setting 2 or even the toaster to work long enough to toast bread and the ehu kept tripping at the post where you plug in.

so its interesting to see your array of kitchen equipment -   have you ever had trouble running any of it at sites?

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You're lucky you didn't get in trouble with the site warden as some sites are funny if you knock out the electric! Also don't assume its the sites fault and have your cable checked just to be safe if it is older than 1 year old.

The output depends on the site, in Cornwall we were on a site that was 6amp so approx max 1.4kw use at once, some sites are 10amp = 2.4kw and sites such as Park resorts and the Secret Garden are 16amp which allow a few items at once as 3.8kw although some ehu cables are only 10a or 13a so best check that. It is worth enquiring at smaller sites as they can vary and best not assume even large sites have 16amp.