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Okay, this is the situation...

we're still looking for a family tent (there's 4 of us but we don't want to be squashed while sleeping)

Starting to be convinced about canvas breathability

Are there Cabanon tents around that don't have those naff curtains? Do the have a SIG?

Anyone like to persuade me to pay for a Cabanon...is it ultimately worth the money? Looking to initially camp twice a year but if it's a more pleasant experience, we'd be more likely to go more frequently..

The Cabanon Barbados is an easy erect pyramid tent with SIG and no naff curtains. We are investing in one next Spring to replace both our Khyam Yale that we use in this country and the Lichfield frame tent we use in France. The one tent will replace both and should last us the rest of our camping life.

A top quality canvas tent should last 20 years or more as opposed to replacing a Poly tent every 5 years or so. We have done the maths and decided that it is more than worth the money

Carol

We have a Cabanon Eloise that gives a large useable space in a pitch size that is only 4.5m x 4.5m. The bedroom has a sig and you can have one huge bedroom or split it with a dividing curtain. However it has got curtains but you will find these much easier to use than the fiddly zip and roll up types found in other tents. The quality is excellent but the pack size is quite large so you need a good sized boot, roof box or trailer.

You might think the curtains are naff and I agree the patterns seem pretty awful but they do have their good points.  They open and close inside the tent which is great if it is raining or you want to get changed or something!  Plus you get all that head space in the ones with curtains.  I think they are kind of kitsch though and I really like them.

Hi Spudcounter & welcome to the forum

I can't recommend Cabanon highly enough, we've got a large one for main holidays (need trailer) and a small 5 berth one for weekends which fits nicely in the car with all the camping gear. No sig, but if you peg the draught flaps under the groundsheet, believe me, it's as good as having a sig.

As Spirite says, the curtains are far easier than the blinds - you just pull them across the same as your curtains at home, but to roll up & fix the blinds you need 3 hands, one each side to roll them and another to secure one side without letting go of the roll   Believe me, I'm speaking from experience here, our APS tent's got blinds!

As for the 'naff' curtains, our big Cabanon has rather pretty curtains - green with a tiny red flower pattern, not gaudy at all. Our little Cabanon had light grey curtains with geometric red and black pattern - yuk  So I made some replacements in white with a tiny green & red pattern (actually it's Christmas holly fabric, but it suits - and it was cheap!) So don't let the curtains put you off, you can easily change them for whatever pattern you like.

Apart from no condensation problems, not like an oven during a normal summer,  you can also cook inside a canvas tent if it's wet & windy outside.

Are you convinced yet?

The Cabanon Biscaya doesn't have curtains!

Instead they have zip up flaps in a nice and simple plain blue colour - not a hint of floral pattern anywhere inj the tent!. They start zipping from the bottom of the window and you can have them closed as much as you want. They really are a huge improvement. Also found the bedroom ventilation to be the best we've had on a tent, and there was more vents we haven't even opened yet!

We think our Biscaya 440 is brilliant

You really need to see them to appreciate them and all the little touches that make them superb!

Chaz

Quote: Originally posted by spudcounter on 28/7/2007

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are they hard to dry out when wet? 

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We saw a Cabanon Biscaya up on show a month ago when we took our Bear Lake 6 back as it was faulty  .  We tested the zips and everything on the Cabanon and everything seemed really well made, therefore, we decided to take the plunge and pay out all the extra for the Cabanon Biscaya 440 cuisine.  We picked it up and went on holiday the next day.  We have not been disappointed, it is very well made, looks well and because it is made of breathable polyester, it gives you a nice pleasant environment to live in (no condensation).  There are no curtains as such, just sensible zip up blinds, which are also backed with a waterproof lining.  It has a thick strong zip-in ground sheet and we found there were no drafts, but plenty of ventilation vents if required. A really great tent.

P.S. We also like the look of the Cabanon Barbados and Gaudeloupe, but we haven't seen them up as yet.