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I went through quite an evolution in my understanding of what i should be looking for in a family tent...hope my thread helps...some great tent suggestioins on there...

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=32&TopicID=287571&PagePosition=1&showActive=10&ReturnPage=Active

Rob :)

Quote: Originally posted by Stubb-z on 02/2/2013

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in North Wales, we are too... any good shops along the coast anywhere you could recommend please?

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1. Seen a Coleman coastliner 8 delux for around the £200 mark which seems like a complete bargain to me given its size- any input on this as an option? (Have seen the youtube walkround video and im quite impressed, and have read the reviews on this site, but most seem to date back a bit!) Nothing to compare it to though- hence the question!
2. Regardless of tent choice, Is it worth forking out for an add on porch section? Do they really give you that much more space? They seem really exposed on the sides to me!
3. Do you pay more to pitch a bigger tent?
4. Is there any way of darkening the sleeping area, so the kids don't start bouncing around at sun-up?
   
   Thanks again for your input!.........

Add on porches are good for kitchens, or simply an area to remove wet clothes/shoes etc before stepping into the tent.

I have found some sites do charge by tent size. I was reading a tariff (can not remember for where) which states tents over 17m2 are liable to a minimum charge per night.

While looking into somewhere for my test camp with my new tent, I decided on park Resorts. I went for the closest site to me, But they wouldn't take me as my tent is 320cm wide. They stated their pitches are 7m x 3m. So due to that extra 20cms I have, i had to book the 2nd closest Park Resorts site to here, which have pitches 6m x 7m (I think it is).

So in short sizes of pitches, and fees etc will vary from site to site.

You can buy tents which have darkened sleeping areas. the Gelert Corona 6 springs to mind, but there are others. Just don't ask me to name them lol. In fact I think the large Litchfield tents have sleep easy pods.

Quote: Originally posted by Stubb-z on 03/2/2013

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Thanks again all for the input,
Thanks to robertjp for the link, and thanks to JAAB, for pointing me towards local camping stores!
Got a couple more questions now though....

1. Seen a Coleman coastliner 8 delux for around the £200 mark which seems like a complete bargain to me given its size- any input on this as an option? (Have seen the youtube walkround video and im quite impressed, and have read the reviews on this site, but most seem to date back a bit!) Nothing to compare it to though- hence the question!
2. Regardless of tent choice, Is it worth forking out for an add on porch section? Do they really give you that much more space? They seem really exposed on the sides to me!
3. Do you pay more to pitch a bigger tent?
4. Is there any way of darkening the sleeping area, so the kids don't start bouncing around at sun-up?
   
   
   Thanks again for your input!.........

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Cant help with all your questions as im fnew to this myself, dont know the Coleman brand as a tent manufacturer.

As for question 2 i will leave that for the seasoned campers, i intend to buy one for cooking in!  It certainly added flexibility for us when caming last year - washing up  etc dont need to wrry about soaking the groundsheet but it was sheltered from the wind and rain.  Also good socially too in the poorer weather. 

for question 3 i think the answer is yes but like everything 'it depends' on just how much boger your tent is and how fussy the site is.  I did quite a bit of research after someone mentioned it on my thread and it was s variable im not going to worry about it - but i will phone ahead to sites we want to stay at and check the size / charges. 

For question 4 - both Kampa and Vango do the sleeptight system in some of their tents, it does help according to feebdack and reviews...but isnt quite 'black out'...

Good luck