Message Forums

Yippee we've finally got our new Cabanon Espace. We eventually managed to see one erected at Midwest camping in Solihul, and then because they have been taken over by Yeomans they happily delivered the one we ordered to our local Yeomans store just down the road. We have just put it up in the garden and we love it.

My question is this: I'm sure I once read somethng on this site about putting new frame tents up without the inners and putting the hose pipe on them. I think this was to expand the fabric along the seams so the needle holes don't let rain in when you first camp in it. I can't find this info now and my husband thinks I have imagined it. Can anyone help? And is it relevant with the PVC roof of the Espace?

(Of course today it is possible to believe we will enjoy 3 weeks camping without any rain at all, must remember that's pretty unlikely in the UK!)

Yes that's right, just get the sprinkler gun on it when it is all well pegged down and properly guyed.

As it dries, you might find it starts to pull some of the pegs a bit, just push them back in and make sure the fabric dries with the pegs fully hammered down.

It will expand the weave of the fabric and you should then have no probs with rain (or whatever the weather!).

Enjoy your lovely new tent, and happy camping!

(How long did it take you to pitch it, then?)

I do like canvas tents. There is just something more substantial about them, don't you think? As much as I keep telling myself the pros of having a synthetic tent, they still feel like holidaying under a brolly!

Oh dear, am beginning to sound like an old git!

Various things clinched it for us. We had both grown up using frame tents and then continued using my parents 30 year old one. Our experience of their long life (the tent not my parents!) was one factor plus less condensation and being able to hang things off the frame. But the key thing for us was being able to cook inside.

I guess the down sides are time to put it up (but this can still be an issue with the big synthetic tents) and bulk and weight. Now we have 3 kids we've had to get a trailer anyway. Also we realised that we rarely have the opportunity for one night stop overs but tend to be pitching for a week or two at a time.

I've uploaded  a picture of it in our garden with the front and side rolled up and the sun canopy on (although not guyed out). We found it hard to find anything other than the standard picture on the web.

Your Espace 8 looks brill Jenny and/or Andy!

It has occurred to me that it is very similar to a caravan set up, with the bedrooms at the back and then the awning to the front (and the facility to zip out /roll up panels for a gazebo effect).

The only way frame tents could be improved (for me, anyway) is to replace the curtains with zip up panels (as on the Biscaya), make the roof out of coated polyester (Isabella awnings have been doing it for years and I note that Cabanon are doing it on this year's Saturn Trailer tent, as are Conway with their Festival trailer tent) so you could do away with the clip-up roof liners and faffy curtain fixings, then install mosquito nets/ventilation panels to all windows and door openings (or, how about optional mozzie net panels to replace those that will zip out of the frame tent?)

(I do appreciate that lots of folk love them just as they are, though!).

If anyone else has any ideas on how to improve their tent, lets hear it.....

Quote: Originally posted by Reads on 01/7/2006

---

One of the things we hadn't known until today is that you can roll up the whole of the front as well half of one of the sides.

---

It rolls up.

There are doors on either side of the front panel and when they are unzipped you can roll up the wall of windows which is in between.

Yeah - I agree, curtains etc are a bit twee and mozzie panels would be a great idea. Actiually when we were hunting for a tent I did wish it was possible to design your own. I hope the designers do read these kinds of discussions. Having said that we are really pleased with what we've got. The rolling up front is is a really nice surprise because we liked the open front on the Mykannos 8 but the bedrooms were too narrow. We often camp in a group and an open front works really well then.

Call me sad if you like but the other thing I love is the yellow bedrooms because that was the colour in the tent I grew up with - it makes it seem warm and sunny even when it isn't! We were never going to pick a tent on this issue but I'm so glad they aren't grey!