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just bought one of these tents anybody out there got any advice for putting up etc hints or tips bit new to camping

thanks

we bought one a few months ago and have put it up twice now. First time took nearly two hours , second time took much less - about 45 minutes. Went camping in it last week so I have tried to give instructions from memory below - the instructions in the bag though are fairly good - only one bit confused me (I'll tell you which)

We lay out the inside and thread through the three long poles - they are colour coded with the piping on the pole sleeves. Then hubby stands inside holding it up whilst I put the poles on the pins - I cannot do this without someone inside so this tent really needs two people to erect it.

Then the smaller poles go in for the bedrooms - again into the pins.

Peg it out - bedrooms first so you get them right.

Put two angled poles into top sheet and and pull over the inner tent. Put poles into pins. Attach plastic clips on outer sheet to rings near pin (this was the bit that confused me as the instructions call these clips something weird but they are like the belt clips you get on key rings and just snap onto the ring)

tie outer tent to inner - you need to get up inside between the two layers to do this. Hubby pegs while I tie to save time.

The groundsheet in the porch is removable - get this where you want it before pegging the porch bit as it doesnt seem to lay right otherwise. The flaps and straps need to be safely tucked underneath. First time out I tore this groundsheet when I tripped over a peg. You need the pegs with the flat tops - right-angles to the peg shaft so they dont damage the groundsheet.

Oh and when taking down dont wildly take out all the pegs if it is windy - your tent may take off and land in a hedge (as ours nearly did!)

You may want to put another groundsheet underneath to protect the sig but to be honest I decided this was too much faff in the end as I would have had to cut one to shape. We just lay the tent out in the garden when we get home.

HTH - it does get easier second time round. We took it out without the kids first time round as we couldnt even go for a dry run in our garden - the tent is too big.

Karen

Hi welcome to the site.

If you have room (you'll need plenty) have a practice before going camping for real.

below is a link to a recent thread on this subject which will hopefully be helpful.

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=3&TopicID=65441&SearchPagePosition=1&search=jaktent&searchMode=allwords&searchIn=Author&forum=3&searchSort=dateDESC&ReturnPage=Search

Enjoy the Diablo it's great tent

Hi,

Congratulations, great choice of tent.

I recently sold my 600 to my sister in law. We erected it in lightening speed at the weekend, about 20 minutes including guying out.

I'd echo all of the above advice, there's loads of postings to be found on this site that will help you as I'm sure you've discovered.

One top tip I've found is that when you've inserted the main two black poles and the long blue pole and someone has gone into the centre to hold it up, locate the blue pole into the pins first. This seems to make it much easier to then get the black poles in which I know sometimes causes people some difficulty. Make sure the straps are slackened off too.

Happy camping

John

Important advice!  Make sure that, when you peg your guy ropes down, that all the guy ropes follow the tent poles to the ground in the same direction!  As if the guy rope was a continuation of the tent pole in a straight line to the ground..  This is vital for dome tents to make them less susceptible to wind, as we discovered to our cost the first time we used our diablo 600 last year.

If Vango had taken the time to explain this in the instructions, it would have saved them the trouble of replacing my tent when it got flattened in the wind on its second outing.

I believe it is called storm pitching a tent.  Just make sure that the guy ropes follow the direction of the poles and itll stop the topsheet flattening against the poles in heavy wind.

I hope there is someone else around to explain storm pitching better than me!

Welcome to the Vango D600 club, what a grea tent. I could go on and on about it.

Best advice is to get someone inside before bending the poles into place. Everything else is straight forward enough.

DaddyJohn - 20 mins must be a record to get fully guy'd out, Well Done! Whats your secret...... we can get it up  in about 35-40 mins between the two of us.

DaddyJohn - 20 mins must be a record to get fully guy'd out, Well Done! Whats your secret...... we can get it up  in about 35-40 mins between the two of us.

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There's no real secret scotia72, it's just we've done it so many times now and there were 4 of us erecting it, all of whom knew what they were doing!

Hi I found that if you can get someone inside to lift the poles to make a dome then get the other person to clip the pegs in the end of the poles

made it easier for us may help you

Have now bought caravan so it it up for sale if anyone is interested

thanks

russ

Interesting read, we also have the Diablo 600 and had our first real trip last weekend. Previous one was in the back garden.

First attempt took 1 hour 50 mins just for the tent.

Second attempt last weekend for real (campsite with people watching) was 2 hours from start to finish, this included setting up the table, chairs, airbeds, cooking stove, etc (you know the scene) with three children running around.

Received a few comments about a team building exercise, as most of the tents around were smaller two / three man tents. However, not a cross word between myself and the other half, which amazed both of us considering how stressful it could have been. The practice run in the garden was well worth doing. Mightg be a bit more interesting in the wind and rain :-)

Good time had by all and can't wait to go again.

BTW what's the best way to dry the tent out when you've had to pack it away in the rain ?

D600 and there kin ( 900 etc) are cracking tents for the money -  we have used ours many many times - Zips poles etc have been faultless and the space is huge. W e chose this over it the   Outwell  for one reason only - the kids a re more than a micron's width away,

With a SWMBO  we can wack in up and pegged in 45 min's - 60 mins  with air beds inflated and kitchen set up  - I LUUUve it!  - FCS - £199! for a 2005 model.