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Just got a new Biscaya 440 and I'm sooooooo excited.  We're going to try an pitch it in the garden over the weekend to check all is ok and have a practise at putting it up.  I know this may sound a silly question but where and how do you hang up a light etc as the poles are all zipped in.  There's probably a really simple solution but its escaping me at the minute.

Thanks

Basically, you don't!

There is no hanging point in the biscaya, and the poles are all zipped into sleeves. The vis a vis (model we have) does have some exposed frame, but still it is not really an option because of the pole diameter. We could probably rig something up, but find it easier just to use rechargeable lanterns, and stand them on a cupboard!

where the poles are zipped in, there is material underneath that has holes where you hook up the inner tent. they supply butcher hooks for this.

so i bought extra butcher hooks and hung all sorts of things, from dressing gowns, keys, dustpan and brush and a light.

the light i had was a lantern light and i hung the light by the lead on a butchers hook and had it dangling down.

come on Liddenham, use your imagination

i am not sure putting the tent up this weekend will be a good idea due to weather. but if you do, have two of you as it takes a fair bit of effort getting it back into a foldable shape to to the weight.

lovely tent so happy camping

Thanks all.  Will have a better look when we get it unpacked.  Will watch the weather and see if we do get a chance to get it up.  Just another quick question, do we need to 'weather' the tent before its first outing?

Thanks all. Jo

Well...

I don't want to risk stretching those holes in the webbing by hanging anything heavy, since they really are just designed to suspend the bedroom inners, no? (Hey, I sound like Val now! )

Besides which, don't you then have stuff hanging right against your bedroom inners?

The vis a vis has a partly exposed central pole, near the doorway, and it is possible to use this to hang a light (if you want) by using those non-releasing plastic garden ties (just cut it off at end of trip). We have tried this method before, but to be honest find it easier just to put our rechargeable lanterns on a table, then can just pick them up and use to illuminate night-time trips to you-know-where! Then, you don't put any additional weight on the frame and don't knock your head on a hanging lantern!

Horses for courses....

hi jo and hers,

no, i don't think you need to weather it. i just pitched mine up, waited for rain, which took 10 minutes as it was the middle of summer (!) and that was that.

the first week saw awful weather and we were as cosy as can be. I take a little blow heater and if its cold, a blast of that for a few minutes and its lovely and warm.

keacal

Thanks Liddenham and Keacal for your replies.

Just need a bit of Summer now to get out and enjoy our new tent!

Hi jo and hers,

We too have a 440 Biscaya and love it

See pics of ours on this thread:

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=32&TopicID=123041

In ours we hang a flourescent inspection lamp(has a hook on the end) from the holed webbing that the inner hooks onto.

Bought a pack of these hooks from B&Q (pack of 10 for £1.48) and hang allsorts from the tent no problem.

Chaz

Hello there

We use a flourescent light too - we thread the lead through where the bedroom inner tent hangs.....the flourscent light has a hook on the end which holds it in position.  I use the tops of the camping wardrobes we have to stand the lamps on - these tops are really sturdy and useful to stand heavier things on i.e. lanterns.

We bought our tent last year, and the first time we went camping we had several light downfalls of rain throughout the week - we didn't even haven condensation when we had our fan heaters going.  As far as I was made aware, there is no need to weather this type of material.

Hope you enjoy your new Biscaya .  We did have a problem with our kitchen extension - this has now been sorted out we hope.....we just need some good weather to put it up and check - our garden isn't big enough unfortunately.

Kaz & Dave

We have the old style 440, without the spaces for hooks.

I bought some extra clips for the bedroom. I use these to stretch a guy rope between the bedroom and the front pole. From this I suspend our light (60w inspection lamp). The guy allows you to tension the line easily, and the clips stay firmly in place around the pole. Used it in some serious wind last year without a problem.