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Subject Topic: Need a smaller tent - any advice? Post Reply Post New Topic
17/8/2006 at 4:20pm
 Location: East Midlands
 Outfit: Outwell Amarillo
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We currently have a Wynnster carmarthen which we bought this time last year. We love the tent, however have had so much aggro this year with C&CC about 'the size' of it that we are considering changing to something else. (It's not that big - but is a cross shape, not rectangular and so therefore falls foul of their 'no wider than 5 m' rule)

We have looked at a Sunvalley (either 6 or 8) and would like to see a Sunncamp Vario 600 as well (unable to find one up to see yet). What we do like is the SIG, porch and 3rd 'room' for storing stuff in. What we don't like so much is the pitching in the rain as it goes inner first. (Also it doesn't pitch properly in our garden as we have a rectangular garden - so we have to leave the rear porch down and put the front porch over the top of the swing - it works as long as you remember to hook the swing seat out of the way when entering and leaving!!!)

Any ideas on these tents and anyone able to suggest any other alternatives please? I'm a bit wary about getting a replacement that is also very large, just in case it falls foul of some other 'size' rule that I am currently unaware of!

Thanks

(by the way there are 4 of us - 2 adults, 2 children)


17/8/2006 at 4:28pm
 Location: Surrey UK
 Outfit: Too many again! no more.
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  • How many of you is there and in what sleeping arrangement?
  • Budget in mind?
  • Full SIG, no full SIG or not bothererd?

 



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Big Bunny
Robens Valley Lodge & Cabanon Pyramide 6
"... kids you distract the bear, while I run to the car...."


17/8/2006 at 4:37pm
 Location: East Midlands
 Outfit: Outwell Amarillo
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Hi - 2 adults, 2 children. At the moment we sleep 1 child and 1 adult per bedroom (not enough room for 3 in the bedrooms), but am hoping next year that the little one will consent to share with her sister.

It's got to be full SIG, I have looked at tents with 'riser groundsheets', they seem much too drafty so I still prefer the full SIG.

Budget.... as little as possible! However I wouldn't want to spend a lot more than £300.

Thanks!


17/8/2006 at 4:38pm
 Location: Wrexham North Wales
 Outfit: Campus Indiana 8 & Gelert Cadiz
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We have a Campus Indiana 8 for 4 of us, it's a tunnel tent, 7.4m by 3.5m I think!  It has a large double room and 2 smaller ones, which you can hang or not, we usually only put up 1 of the small ones leaving the space for a kitchen area.  It has a large living area which will fit a table and 4 chairs nicely still leaving plenty of room.  It doesn't have a porch or a SIG and costs about £199.

I personally like the tunnel tents, easy to put up and I like the height of them.

Hope you find what you are looking for ... there are some sites that will accomodate your large tent, have you looked on the "UK Caravan and Camp Sites" forum there is a post on "Sites Accepting Large Tents"

Quinnys



17/8/2006 at 4:50pm
 Location: Surrey UK
 Outfit: Too many again! no more.
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Quote: Originally posted by georgiegirl104 on 17/8/2006
Hi - 2 adults, 2 children. At the moment we sleep 1 child and 1 adult per bedroom (not enough room for 3 in the bedrooms), but am hoping next year that the little one will consent to share with her sister.

It's got to be full SIG, I have looked at tents with 'riser groundsheets', they seem much too drafty so I still prefer the full SIG.

Budget.... as little as possible! However I wouldn't want to spend a lot more than £300.

I would suggest for your short list to view typical full-SIG tunnels:

  • SunValley 6/8
  • Montana 6
  • Sunncamp Haven & Vario (2006 model)
  • Vango Aurora
  • Gelert Quebec & Alaska

This design would give you the larger end bedroom where you could easily get 3 in to sleep or even the kids in a zipped bedroom next to you.

The good value ones in the above list are the Gelerts, which will easily get for £150-£200; however, they are also the ones that are pitched inner-first. The Aurora would also be good value and does pitch as one (outer-first), however, you need to be comfortable with the bedroom slope, given the design.

 



-------------
Big Bunny
Robens Valley Lodge & Cabanon Pyramide 6
"... kids you distract the bear, while I run to the car...."


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17/8/2006 at 5:18pm
 Location: East Midlands
 Outfit: Outwell Amarillo
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Thanks for that.

I have seen the Sunvalley 6 and really liked it, haven't seen the 8 up. Have looked at the Montana 6, but didn't like it that much (can't say why). Also with the 'porch' at the side it is over 5 m wide by a small amount - not sure if site owners get a tape measure out?

I haven't seen any Sunncamp's up around us - we might try Towsure at Birmingham at the weekend to see if they have any on display. (we live near East Midlands airport).

I have seen a small Aurora - it was the 4 man version. Looked very small to me, but the 8 man with porch might be more generous (don't know where I can see one of those though).

I think the Alaska is non-SIG. I have only seen one Gelert tent up (not either of the ones you mentioned) and I was concerned about two things. One is the lack of guying points for a large tent (not many!), the second was a quality issue. The one I saw had a huge rip across the bottom of the porch and half of the (few) guying points were ripped off.

Anyway, this has given me something to think about. Thanks for your help.


17/8/2006 at 5:29pm
 Location: Surrey UK
 Outfit: Too many again! no more.
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Quote: Originally posted by georgiegirl104 on 17/8/2006
I think the Alaska is non-SIG.
You are right - sorry, I was thinking of the Utah (which is too small for you).

-------------
Big Bunny
Robens Valley Lodge & Cabanon Pyramide 6
"... kids you distract the bear, while I run to the car...."


17/8/2006 at 6:11pm
 Location: Newport Saffron walden
 Outfit: vango aspen 700 freelander rootrailer
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Joined: 02/3/2005

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think the vango aspen 500 is just within 5m x 5m


17/8/2006 at 6:23pm
 Location: East Midlands
 Outfit: Outwell Amarillo
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I don't think it needs to be 5 m x 5 m - just not wider than 5 m. I don't know how long you are allowed to go - presumably up to 8 m is OK (to allow for guying)?


17/8/2006 at 7:18pm
 Location: Newport Saffron walden
 Outfit: vango aspen 700 freelander rootrailer
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Quote: Originally posted by georgiegirl104 on 17/8/2006
I don't think it needs to be 5 m x 5 m - just not wider than 5 m. I don't know how long you are allowed to go - presumably up to 8 m is OK (to allow for guying)?



so the length can be longer than 5m?

actually I just looked and the 500 is still over 5m in length

good luck with your search though


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06/9/2006 at 2:00pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Homestead 10 Tent and Wynnster Pegasus
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georgiegirl104 - Please see advert in Free Adverts for Wynnster Carmarthen Flysheet - that I just cant see wasted.


06/9/2006 at 2:05pm
 Location: Pembrokeshire
 Outfit: Outwell Flagstaff 5 + awning.
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 some friends of ours have the sunncamp vario 6+ and they say its absolutly brill, the best tent they`ve brought! really big and spacious in the living area. they did 2 weeks in wales with 2 small kids in it and loved it! while they were away they had the usual mix of weather... strong winds, heavy rain and scorching heat and they said the tent couldnt have been better!

-------------
crystal jo

Carpe Diem


06/9/2006 at 2:16pm
 Location: Mansfield
 Outfit: swift challenger 490 SE LUX
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Hi,

Mansfield Outdoor Leisure have tents on display, including vario. That's where we viewed our vario 900. I think they've got the 600 on display. Wouldn't be too far for you to go and you might find something you like.



06/9/2006 at 3:17pm
 Location: Worcestershire
 Outfit: Outwell Norfolk Lake
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We had the same problem with the Outwell Nebraska XXL. Being a cross shape and about 7.5 metres wide we had loads of problems getting onto C&CC sites. We got rid of it and bought the Outwell Norfolk Lake instead. This is 4m wide and 7.5m long so is perfect for a C&CC site. The Sun Valley 8 is the same tent but made of polyester rather than canvas like the Norfolk lake. I was talking to the site manager at the last C&CC site we stayed at and he said most of their pitches are 8x8m, therefore allowing a 6m gap between units (3m per pitch) if a 5m tent was used. He said it's getting a problem now with such big tents being sold but the C&CC are looking to find a solution to this without affecting safety or number of pitches.

Nick


06/9/2006 at 3:22pm
 Location: Leamington Spa
 Outfit: Vermont M Tigris 600 Oregon 400
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The Sun Valley 8 is on display at Go Outdoors Coventry - don't know if that's too far for you to travel


06/9/2006 at 4:11pm
 Location: East Midlands
 Outfit: Outwell Amarillo
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Hi - thanks all this has obviously got bumped up to the top again from a while ago! We have just bought a 2005 Wynnster Anglesey (for a great price!)- very similar to our Carmarthen, but with the bedroom pod at the back, so this should hopefully solve our problems.

We have also decided to hang onto the Carmarthen as well, and use it when we go to sites where size isn't an issue!!

So we are now a 2 tent family (well 3 if you count the play one for the garden!). I must now be disciplined and stop looking at other tents, however tempting they are.....................

Thanks everyone!



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