Loved the idea of Hairywol trudging across devastation with notepad in hand, that is true research and Vermont is a nice tent too!
------------- My OH is convinced that a permanent raincloud follows my tent where ever it is pitched. Apparently, I could end all drought and famine in Africa simply by pitching my tent there!
Actually one our Yellowstone is up, and we've survived the mini divorce putting it up ensues there's not much I'd swop it with. I'm. Almost at perfect set up. The problem lies in my twitchy feet, if we do a fortnight in Europe we wouldn't stay in the same place. I don't want to pitch and strike that 3 times in a fortnight....
There's an inflatable in our future somewhere.....
------------- 2013
Easter - Thorpe park tin tent
May bank - Saxdale
Whitsun - Nantcol
June - Studfold
July - Priests house, Barden's back garden ;-)
July- 4 vents Paris for euro Disney
Aug - Saxdale
Aug- high straggleton farm
Aug BH - Studfold
Sept - Stratford
Oct - Masons
NYE -saxdale (eeeek)
This brings to mind a recent thread....tent sniffing...by all means walk around with your notepad/camera/other half who controls the finances..BUT--whilst you may get away with tent- sniffing at your local Go outdoors--it is frowned upon on the campsite.Be very careful!
It really Has to be done - and way more fun than mooching round a show or tent outlet.
just wish that everything I take a fancy to wasn't out of production or too big for my packing space
------------- Still trying to get the packing right.
It doesnt matter what tent I have or how many I will always get tent envy! I always look round the campsite and think oooh I want that one! Im very nosy aswell .. I like to see how other people have their setup! I like to walk past S...l..o.....w...l..y to have a good nose inside!
We have a Hi Gear Gobi 4 that is great for family weekend camping. I love it as its so stable in the wind and is roomy enough for us all. I do envy everyone with similar sized tents with an inbuilt canopy bit. With ours you tend to be either inside or out,
I love looking at other peoples set ups, no matter what tent they have, as you can always learn something new or get a new idea.
It's also fun to overhear what other people think about your set up. The good and the bad. Last year in Wales I had gone away with friends in the Eldorado and had taken the Outdoor Revolution Double Outhouse to use as the utility tent. This became known for obvious reason as the 'kitchen tent'. Some rather snobby campers next to use declared in a stage whisper 'That's not a kitchen tent, it's a toilet tent'
It didn't really bother me and we thought it was all rather funny how you could get snobby people when camping.
We were in France and heard some people exclaim loudly about our Outdoor Revoloution Outhouse. They couldn't work out what a tent that shape would be used for. Maybe they thought we slept standing up ;)
When the kids were young I took them away for an early season camp, large tunnel tent, carpet, large outdoor chairs. Windbreaks to enclose the entrance because it was ... Windy. Also sunny, so the shade was nice. My husband had driven down one weekend to help set up and came down the next to help pack up. I heard a few sniggering comments abuut glamping and too much stuff.
In my Tera Nova competition I've over heard exclamations about who could sleep in such a small thing. Once by a very drunk man who had no problem shouting the F word in the same sentence.
When I comment on others set ups I try to whisper ;)
We always have a look at other peoples set up but I can honestly say that I've never been envious of any tent that I've seen.
I'm very happy with my Skandika Milano 6, it's not the most expensive tent in the world and not made of the best material, but it's perfect for me and the wife, keeps us dry in heavy rain and it's sturdy in strong winds.
We did have a laugh on one site tho, we watched a guy struggle to assemble the worlds smallest aquaroll, it must have only held 5 or 10 litres of water.After 45 minutes it was ready. The handle was that short that the bloke had to stoop to roll it along the grass to the water tap, which was 20 metres away.
------------- I can't add years to my life but I can add life to my years
Bought an eye spy book of camping for one of the kids last year, it was ace. we had a legit excuse to look at all the different set ups as we had to tick all the different bits of kit, tents, etc