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Well after months of saving and reading reviews I ordered my first brand new tent this weekend a 2008 Outwell Utah 8 from Taunton Leisure, complete with carpet for a grand total of just over £300.

Hopefully it's coming wednesday!

My friend has a new Ontario 8, so I think we'll be looking for somewhere to try them out for a quickie next weekend, not too far from Gloucester. Then off to Lly Gwnant at the end of May, and West Middlewick in the summer.

My OH wouldn't hear of me keeping the Avignon 5 :( He says we don't have the space and are unlikely to use it.. which is pribably true) So it's up on ebay if anyone knows anybody who is looking for a bit of a bargain. It's not perfect, but it'll do a few more seasons I reckon.

Off to Go outdoors at Bristol today to check out some new kit!

Hi there

Just ordered the same.  Seemed a bargain at about 40% off for the tent.  My only reservation was the weight.

Let me know how you get on with yours.

Regards

Ken

Have been trying to locate a groundsheet for this tent with no success.  Just thought it might be useful.,  Plaenty of groundsheets (footprints) available for the Utah 6 or 4 at discounted prices (£15) but so far could only find the Utah 8 one at one place (£40)

Outdoor Action have the footprint for 39.95.

I haven't got one. Just the carpet. And the bathtub groundsheet that comes with the tent itself. (Which is the one with misplaced rings)

Thanks for the set up video on the other post btw. Had found it on Sunday, it does nake things look deceptively simple though!............. Mind you, I could be being a bit blonde!

Thanks for the footprint source.

The video skips over loads of steps - so I'm sure its trickier than they make it out to be.

I'm having slight second thoughts as the Utah 8 doesn't have a sewn in ground-sheet - is that a big deal.  I'm fairly new to this and this will be my first tent.

The sewn in non/ separate groundsheet debate is very long winded... check out some of the posts on here.

I had an Avignon 5 with a flat detached groundsheet before and really fancied a sewn in groundsheet, so was looking at the Kyham Ontario 8. However, I wanted steel poles for a bit more stability, so looked at the Quebec 8 I think it was.... but the prices just kept on going up and up, particularly with a porch etc added.

I fell in love with the Utah 8, but had the groundsheet reservation, (the reason it's been discontinued is that its replacement has a SIG).... however, it's a bathtub groundsheet so goes up at the sides and joins on, which I figured gave me the best of both worls, virtually sewn in but able to be taken off if I fancied it.

And with the tent and carpet for just over £300, it gave me all the other bits.. steel poles, vis a vis sleeping, porch area for a fraction of the cost.

I think now it's gone up once I'll be able to pitch in about 40 mins next time, and we got it down and packed away in half an hour. It's just the initial familiarisation that takes a while.

This is only my second tent, so I'm very new to this too. But the reviews of this tent were great. And in terms of light and airyness, as it has all those windows, it makes the Ontario 8 look very dark inside.

I'm not sure there is a right or a wrong tent, more often it's like love at first sight.. or not... and everyones requirements are different. Not to mention that in person, so to speak they can be different... I'm chuffed that the Utah bedrooms can be unzipped to create big ones, so me and the OH can have a palatial kid free zone! (I didn;t realise that til I put it up in the garden, had thought it was 4 indiviual rooms not alterable)

The Bear Lake 6 is a great looking tent, I had a Royal Avignon 5 before and the lay out is identical. Best of luck with it!

Personally we fancied being opposite the rugrats rather than next to them now they're bigger!

Thanks rj 

Only one rugrat in our case and she' quite cute for now.....