Message Forums

Hi

forgive me for not having a clue about tents.  I am going camping in August (UK) for 5 nights with my husband and 4 month old daughter.  We don't have to cook but need somewhere to sleep and live etc.

I need a cheap tent that has room to stand up in and has a sleeping compartment for a double mattress and cot (I'm thinking 5 person).  I would like the sleeping compartment to be completely enclosed so that when we do all the zips up no bugs can get in.

I have ben thinking about the vango v500 but I'm not sure if the inner tent is separate.  or the Easy Camp Milano 500.

do you have any advice?

Thanks

Jo

Thanks

probably don't want to spend more than £100 coz we won't be using it much.

So after these 5 days will you never be using this tent again? Or will you want it for further camping trips?

There does not seem to be a lot to say about the differnces between the 2 tents the dimensions and hydrostatic head are almost the same. Quite a price differnce though and as the child gets a little older 2 rooms may be an advantage in the Easy Camp

Steve

Hi I just bought a Vango V500 for me and the kids (aged 10+12). It was £82 from my local camping shop (www.springfieldcamping.co.uk). The tent was very easy to erect - took less than 20 minutes for me with help from 12 year old daughter.

The inner tent in the dome is really spacious and has a dividing curtain to make two bedrooms with two fully zipped access doors . There would be loads of room for a travel cot and a double airbed.

The head height looks better in the Easy Camp though, but in the Vango I can stand up fully (am 5' 8 " tall) but OH who is 6' 1" - his head head touches the roof - depends how tall you both are!  The living area is quite spacious - enough room for a small table and chairs.

Vango is currently erected in the garden awaiting a waterproofing test - by means of the hosepipe - it it doesn't rain first - which it probably will!  Will report back later on the results!!!

Thank you.

Karen, glad to hear it is easy to put up my husbadn will be pleased! 

Can you tell me, is the inner a completely separate section? Sorry I don't know the jargon. 

And is the dividing curtain a permanent feature or can it be rolled up out of the way?

Thanks again for the help

Hi Mrsironted & welcome to the forum

The dividing curtain can be rolled up & fixed out of the way to make one large bedroom. The inner is a separate unit with a bathtub groundsheet, ie the groundsheet rises up by about 5 inches & is sewn to the inner tent fabric, thus making a completely sealed bedroom when you zip yourselves in for the night. It does have an airvent, but this is mesh, so no creepy-crawlies can get in.

The inner tent clips into place with toggles & loops, and then you just peg it down. 

that's exactly the info I needed Jean.  Thank you.

i think I've decided on the tent!

thanks for all your help

Sorry for delay been off on hols. Have to report tent was completely waterproof and dry inside despite extreme testing with hosepipe on full blast.

Totally dried out in sun and a breeze within half an hour. Took 15 minutes to dismantle and pack back into storage bag.

Seems a great tent can't wait to try if 'for real' next week. Looks like it will get a waterproofing test in the proper rain! lol!

Hi Karen

We'll we spent a week in it and survived!  I don't think we pitched it very well but it still stood up to strong winds and heavy rain.  So I'm very pleased with it.  There is now a small tear in the ground sheet near a peg loop which I have to work out how to fix but it came with extra material.

Also I have to pitch again to dry it because it was raining when we took it down.

Thanks for all your help

Jo