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Hello everyone

Thinking of upgrading our Kyham ontario as it didn't stand up well in the storms last bank holiday (not that many tents did on our campsite).  Was very impressed with the size and quality of the vermont and with the amount of good reviews on this site for it.  Wondered if anyone has seen it below £500 anywhere or if anyone has seen any packages as we will probally invest in footprint groundsheet carpet and canopy if not windbreak too.  Would I be cheeky to email some of the internet stores and ask for a discount if I buy all together?  Have looked also at the monty 12 and the nebrasksa xxl but love the huge porch in the vermont and it just looks so easy to put up.  Can anyone recomend a good place to buy, and if you have one please extole it's virtures to convince my OH who isn't quite as taken with it as me.  He likes the Colman Evolva which I think looks cool but not quite as sturdy.  Also do we need the side extension canopy, do you use yours???

hi thellama

from what I've heard on this site and through retailers there is no such thing as a windproof tent but the vermont certaintly looked a lot more robust than our ontario when we saw one yesterday.  I think it was the steel poles that impressed us, however when we went to get replacement poles for our tent last week we were suprised at the amount of steel pole tents that were coming in for replacement when we were there.  I think we were very unlucky with the weather that bank holiday. However I hit on a video of some campers on shell island on utube and while other tents were falling in the wind you could clearley see a vermont standing up to the winds in the background.  Think next time we will listen to the forcast and use delta and other specalist pegs whatever tent we use, but we are seriousley concidering the vermont for our next outing.Only thing seems to be the lack of stock of the 08 model, was hoping to get a good deal from the internet but it looks like they are to quote my OH "like rocking horse Poo"

Hi

I don't think any tents are built for that type of Winds. We had the Vermont L and it was very sturdy and we did lose our tent ...it was too dangerous to take down. We would have another Vermont without a shadow of doubt. It was really sturdy while the Vangos & Kyham were already gone.

If we had Delta pegs we might still have ours now!

Go for it get a Vermont...beautiful tent!

:)  :)  :)

hi Beanie641

What an awful shame, was it the last bank hol and were you down south too.  It's a pity you cant take out insurance for a tent that way I wouldn't mind paying for one of the lovely clasic outwells they look fab but we couldn't afford to lose a £800 + tent in a storm. Thats what is holding me back on commiting the £600 (incl accs) on the vermont.  Our kyham only cost arould £200 so we were more conserned about getting our stuff out.  As it turned out it only cost us a couple of pounds in replacement poles to repair it.  If companies offered insurance on the higher end of the market I guess more people would invest in a more substancial tent.  Lots on our campsite were using the cheaper more lightweight tents and they got wiped out but at least they didn't lose as much I guess.  So sorry to hear about your tent, will you get another do you think? I think they should supply delta pegs as standard  they could make such a difference and lots of newbies like us didn't have a clue about them before the weekend.

Hi Big Momma

Got a Vermont XL and although it has not been out in the weather over this BH I can recommend it in pouring rain and what I would call a strong breeze... did not leak a drop.  It is a very strong tent design with the steel poles and the many many guy points you have........ and I love mine to bits!  Would recommend it to anyone, and from the comments and things we've had from people coming to look round it at the campsites we stayed at last year it proved very popular and most everyone said they wanted one.

If you need any help with pitching tips etc there are a few threads on here that will help you first time out, just wish I'd read them before our first time.

Hi

I have a Vermont L.   I have to say I have a a few tents and I have never had one that has somany design featuctre that make me go why was that not on my last tent?

The room is great and the options on entry make this just the job with three little ones running around.

I will agree that it is thought provoking to put up in the wind but no worse that many other 6 man tents. 

My previous tent was a Kyham which went up easy but the faults everyone is talking about the Veront were evident in the Kyham.

Hope this helps with your selection I am a happy bunny.

GG

We have the Vermont XL and over the Bank Holiday week it took a lot of torrential rain and never leaked a bit. We use delta pegs and it stood up to some strong breezes and the occasional strong gust of wind with no problem at all. I am sure it is a pretty robust tent and I would far rather be in one of those in bad, strong winds than smaller tents with fibreglass poles.

It is very spacious, the porch area is superb and plenty big enough to store all your kitchen stuff and eat in as well. The inner area is also large and ours is even larger now we have decided to take down the wardrobe. Originally we were going to use it to put the porta loo in, but after finding a puddle on the floor where someone had flushed but not opened the chute (?) so causing seepage, we put the loo in the porch and covered it over with an old plastic tablecloth during the day time. Luckily OH had left the Vermont carpet at home by mistake and I had to use picnic rugs in the living area and had left the wardrobe uncarpeted, I would have gone beserk if it had gone on the carpet

We have now decided, or rather I have, that due to the kids chucking clothes all over the wardrobe from inside the holdalls when looking for certain T-shirts, trackys etc, that I am going to buy one of those low wardrobes similar to the kitchen units. One with shelves in and stand that in place of the wardrobe. I think that will make the inner living area even larger, as it won`t take up such a huge corner like the wardrobe did.

All in all the Vermont is a fab tent and I would recommend one to anyone. Ours certainly drew a few admiring looks on site.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the great advise, have done it!!!!  ordered one from stan on outdoor megastore this afternoon as he proved cheaper as he gave a discount on all the other bits and has them in stock on thursday.  Had to go for the footprint groundsheet, carpet and the side canopy too as I think we will end up using it for a few years to come, and I like my extras.  I think we will end up using the side enterance for wet days too glendo90 as I can see your point about the rain coming in through the sloping door, maybee in the future they may even come up with a frount canopy to solve this problem, as if with the size of this tent we would need it.  I don't think we will need to take our dayroom with us anymore now and it will be lovely to pop out to the awning for a late night brew instead of struggling through two doors and tripping over guy ropes in the dark.  We also tracked down some delta pegs this afternoon and we will not be pitching without them again even in bright sunshine after the bank holiday. Breezers think I agree with you about the wardrobe it may be used as a novelty at first but we sat in a Bear Lake this afternoon which is similar and doesn't have the wardrobe and it felt really luxurious with all the space ( but it doesn't have the lovely porch)  Can't wait for it to come now, will follow the tips I have been reading on here re erecting it. Now I just need a matching windbreak... chairs....a hanging light...an outwell wardrobe..... oh no must go as my OH is burning my outwell catalougue. Thanks again and will let you know how we get on errecting it at the weekend ( Ok probally on Thursday night I'm so excited)