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We have a Monty 6 at the moment and last year managed 3 holidays in it. We are wanting to do more single nights and weekends with the kids (3 of them) this year.

I've found a GELERT TWISTER 5 that looks to fit the bill for a quick set-up and take-down needed on these shorter breaks, but wondered if anyone had any experience of them?

This is it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mpPEnggzrE&feature=related

This and a Tarp might be the perfect solution?

the gelert twisters are great for a weekend camping trip and are easy to get back in the bag (my experience) but if packing away damp you need to make sure you have the space to dry it out properly.

We brought the quechua base and base full with an extra pop up tent. They go up in seconds and are easy to put away. the pop ups fir under flaps on the base full so you have a porch.

Why on earth doesn't it have a full fly sheet?

Have to say though that a straightforwards six-man tunnel tent in a basic design would only take about twenty minutes to put up and give a lot more licing space, plus a couple of bedrooms. Our Vango Oregon 600 takes that long and it was our short stay tent for two years, till the bedroom requirements changed and we bought the 800 version to replace it. Five poles and that's it. Twenty minutes is an acceptable erection time for a weekend tent, I think. (Pix of the 800 plus canopy on my profile.)

If I was going for a really fast pitch tent for overnight stops I'd get two 3-man Quechua pop ups, plus a tarp. Maybe the Quechua Base...I'll have a look at it when we're over in France. Anyhow, in my experience however long it takes to pitch the tent, it still seems to take the same length of time to set up the kit!

My concern would be that it pitches flysheet last!

I would second(..third?) the comments about the Quechua Base and pop-up tent option..

Although several of those in the boot would eat into your load carrying capacity!

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 30/4/2008

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Why on earth doesn't it have a full fly sheet?

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Hi Valk_scot

In the write-up it says it can be used with or without the fly sheet.  It also says both the outer and inner are waterproof. But, I think I'll have to wait for it to appear at a tent show before I decide ;-)

So, its basically one big sleeping space that the family steps directly in or out of by opening up one of the longer walls? I can see the wish for the very quickest erecting tent but I'm not really persuaded by the practicality of this one yet. The pegging out and setting up would take the same length of time as any other tent I guess.

Like Val I'd be more inclined to go for a very simple, ordinary tent like the Oregon or , my vfm tent of the week, a Wynnster Shrike 6 http://www.outdooraction.co.uk/acatalog/WYNNSTER_SHRIKE_6_TENT__2007_.html. And take less stuff! MT

For what it's worth I would agree with Vals earlier comment.

How quick do you want? 20-25 mins for a weekend tent seems reasonable to me...for us it's everything else that goes with the tent that takes ages...beer, wine, scotch, port, pimms.....