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I currently have a Gelert Renesse 3 which has been a fabulous tent.  We are now planning a camping trip for the first time with a toddler and the Renesse is not going to be big enough.

I have been looking at the Gelert Vario 5, but thought I would ask here if anyone had any other suggestions of a good tent for a family?

Things we would like in the tent

* 2 sleeping areas so that the toddler can be settled earlier in the evening and we don't disturb when we go to bed.

* Ability to stand up in the tent

* Living area big enough to be able to eat under cover if raining and store all the camping gear.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Can also vouch for the Sun Valley (2008), we have one.

If you like the Gelert, there's a good deal with the Sunncamp equivalent that a forum contributor (Beefysmum) knows about and always mentions ... it's a good price and the sun canopy is thrown in - hope she sees this and helps out!!

How much do you want to spend?

Sounds abrupt, sorry about that, but at least it narrows the choice somewhat :)

Angie

We started with a smallish four man tent, decided that we liked camping, and one of the reasons we went for the Kos 6 was the bedroom arrangement.   The main bedroom can either be a four man or two two man rooms - with the aid of a divider curtain.    Having the then young kids in with us was a big plus when one of them woke at two in the morning.   Even when you have to get out of bed to do a loo trip it is far easier to settle them, and yourself if you, having settled little one, then have to drag yourself to the other side of the tent to get back to bed.
Our first tent had the bedrooms at opposite ends, and although the space between them was only very small it was still a pain crawiling across it at two in the morning.

Even now ours are older, and we have the camper, I usually sleep on the bed made from the table/benches with the kids in the bed next to me.   It is easier for them just to climb into my bed if needed.

Quote: Originally posted by AngieGL on 16/4/2009

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Thinking back to when ours were toddlers (now 8 & 6), we had an Outwell Hartford and found the separate pods to be a pain.  Mainly for nightimes.  Let's face it, with a toddler, you'll be listening out for him and they do wake in the night and often a reassuring hand will settle him.  Who wants to be scrambling out of their sleeping-bag & pod and into another pod in the nippy air?  I would agree with going for a tunnel style, with bedrooms at the back, so you can have him in with you when he's little (and all you have to do is stretch out an arm) and then when he's bigger, he's got his own bedroom, which in the meantime you can use at storage. 

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Oh i completely disagree! I never sleep well in the same room as A and camping would be no different. I wake with every rustle or snuffle and also when he wakes and sees me or hubby no chilling out coming round time it's playtime from the word go wheras in his own pod or room we get a 15 mins or so grace before attention is demanded. If they really need you in the night you won't sleep thought it if they are in a pod, I promise. Good night sleeps required all round thank you very much LOL.

Linny x