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Hi,

After much help from you all in deciding on the tent i purchased a Monty 4 yesterday. 

Does anyone have any tips on pitching this.   I will be doing it pretty much on my own and i have heard many comments that it is possible.  Hopefully going away on Saturday with it for the first time if i can find a site.

Hi

Kinda feeble 5'2 female (with arthritis) - find the Monty easier than the Vango 500 however I have never been short of offers of help - and no I'm not blonde & streamlined, grey & spreading more like.

Method

When on my own I prefer to put up the tent and the inner separately as this means there is marginally less weight.

Loosen (not undo) straps attached to fitted groundsheet

Loosely peg four corners in rectangle with back of tent to direction wind is blowing from.

Assemble poles, feed three roof poles into channels

shove in legs - leaving on ground bottom of pole towards wind

Goto back (with pegs & mallet at ready) lift the back set of poles up & shove in a couple of guys to hold steady - even if its not quite in the right place - this is usually where I find some kind soul comes and lends a hand - lift the middle - guy roughly then the front set - put the 'keys' in the bottom of the pole on one side straightening things up a bit as you go - then the bit I sometimes struggle more with - put the other three 'keys' in. Straighten up the poles so the tent is properly rectangular - peg the bottom of the poles - correct the guy ropes - peg round the groundsheet - put in the pole for the porch - hang the inner tent - time for tea - or something!

There are probably half a dozen ways to do this - & its probably a bit of trial and error until you find the way that suits you best. Have fun!!

thanks for that post, it has filled me with confidence  I think.  

hi, thought i would just add a thank you.  Took the Monty 4 away this weekend.pitched it with just a little help from my seven year old in just under the hour.  Doubt i would have been able to do it without all your help.

The site owner did take a bit of pity on me before i started by making me a great mug of coffee to set me up for the ordeal.

Thanks again.

Thanks Mags,   Must admit i was quite please with myself.

One other tip, for when it is raining, is keep the meshed door covered zipped as well as the outerdoor flap down.

The meshed inner door, keeps the shape with the entrance and stops the door(s) lip flexing and letting the raining in, as the outer door only has zips down the side and not on the bottom (there are just three peices of velco on the bottom).