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I've already posted in the caravan section as we're sort of thinking of switching to a caravan instead as our old Cabanon seems to take forever to get pitched - possibly because the springs are getting a bit dodgy so the frame doesn't stay together well when you pick it up.

Anyway, after having a bit of a chinwag with the other half this afternoon (and looking at the potential cost of second-hand, 5 berth caravans ) we think that perhaps a new tent is in order instead, probably something like the Khyham Ontario.

Are they easy to put up?  We were watching several families getting set up this weekend and it certainly seemed so...

Many thanks!

Ali

Personally I reckon the old ridge tents were a darn sight easier to put up than modern tents - always seem to keep getting the pole joints caught when threading them through. Never had a frame tent.

The quick erect Khyams are supposed to be a doddle. Is the Ontario one of them?

Thanks everybody - perhaps sticking with our frame tent and replacing the springs is the way to go then.

Its difficult to decide really - we like the Khyam Ontario in particular as the 5 of us (2 adults, 3 very small kids) could fit into the large bedroom all together, and then we could use the other end of the tent for storage.

That's the other disadvantage of our frame tent at the moment.  It has 2 separate bedroom inserts and, as proved this weekend just gone, the kids can't be trusted to settle in a room on their own.

The time we went away before that we forgot to take the bedroom inserts with us, so the tent was like one giant room and we all slept towards the back of the tent.  Getting the kids to sleep was better that way but the tent soon got untidy!  (Plus, to be completely honest, I think I would prefer things to be a little more creepy crawlie free than we were then! )

If we could get one enormous bedroom insert for the Cabanon that would probably work but I've not seen anything like that before. 

Anyone got any genius solutions to the predicament??  Also, can you cook indoors in something like the Ontario?  Not a huge problem if I have to do it outside as surely the whole point of camping is to go back to basics, but we were just trying to work out if it was possible!

Thanks!

Ali

Quote: Originally posted by Mosserswife on 30/7/2007

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If we could get one enormous bedroom insert for the Cabanon that would probably work but I've not seen anything like that before. 

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Do the two inserts normally hang side by side? If so, and you`re handy with a needle, you could insert a D-zip into each of the two touching faces, above the groundsheet level, and temporarily sew the two inserts together with the option to open or close the communicating doors.

Stick with your frame tent.  
As has been said you could either alter the bedroom pods or look for a large one that would fit.    I know what you mean about wanting to be near the kids.

Respring your poles - with our old trailer tent we resprung most of the poles.    Easy and inexpensive to do.

Another trick with poles that don't stay together well is a tiny piece of something like duct tape around the joins.   Just stick a piece around the offending pole as you are putting the frame together, and then when you come to lift the tent with the canvas on, it will stay together.   Remove at the end of the trip.    I found this worked wonders with my little  Sunncamp Contential on a couple of the poles that are a little loose (or some that I must respring).

I'd hate to have to put a large dome/tunnel up single handed, but can manage my Kos 6 Frame tent solo.