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I need a cheap and easy to erect tent for weekends away on my own with kids. I have reserved an Argos pro action 6 person reduced to 45 quid and an argos teepee reduced to 45 quid. Any opinions?

Thanks!

Thanks all

I am quite a seasoned camper and have a pretty good sunncamp tent that I am happy to use for longer holidays and if other half is with me as it is mahousive!!

But he often works weekends and I often wish that I could take the kids away now and then on my own with a tent I know will do for a couple of nights and will be easy for me to put up on my own (my oldest is 9 and she has helped with the big sunncamp before but not the sort of help I can rely on!)

The argos tents look cheap and cheerful and look like they would sevre my purpose but I wondered whether to plump for the teepee(the novelty value does appeal to me-sorry to be superficial) or the more straightforward looking pro action 6 man tent

Some of the Pro-Action tents only have a HH of 1200 and that's just not enough, really. 1500HH is the minimum for the UK. Apart from that quibble, how can you go wrong for £45? Just take some better quality tent pegs and some spare guylines.

Must mention though that there is a rumor that Go Outdoors are possibly selling the Vango Venture 500 for £59.95 for the first week in June. Now there's a bargain...the Venture is a classic weekend tend and good quality. Might be wirth keeping the Argos tent in the bag until you find out?

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 29/5/2009

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Some of the Pro-Action tents only have a HH of 1200 and that's just not enough, really. 1500HH is the minimum for the UK. Apart from that quibble, how can you go wrong for £45? Just take some better quality tent pegs and some spare guylines.

Must mention though that there is a rumor that Go Outdoors are possibly selling the Vango Venture 500 for £59.95 for the first week in June. Now there's a bargain...the Venture is a classic weekend tend and good quality. Might be wirth keeping the Argos tent in the bag until you find out?

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Quote: Originally posted by campasarow on 29/5/2009

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Is the Vango Venture a reworked Icarus 500? if so and your rumour has substance I will be sorely tempted.

campasarow

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No, it's been around a lot longer than the Icarus. I think you might be thinking of the Vango Weekender, which is indeed a reworked Icarus and specific to Great Outdoors. The Venture is a dome plus tunnel extension design. Also, no SIG in the living area. It's got a riser groundsheet instead. Specs are on my link above. It's been the classic recommended weekender for some years though, simply because it's a doddle to pitch, sturdy, weatherproof, spacious and can be handled by one person. And it can sleep four on two double airbeds.

 

Quote: Originally posted by campasarow on 29/5/2009

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Is a riser groundsheet the same as a bath tub?

Anyway, this seems a great deal, if it comes off, as I posted a thread yesterday about finding a weekender tent with reasonable living area and big enough to stand up in, and had come up with a Gelert Stratus 4 DLX at £89.

Would this Vango be a better option?

campasarow

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A riser groundsheet is not a bathtub one, no.

"Bathtub groundsheet" normally refers to the one in the sleeping pods and is sewn up onto the sides of the inner, creating a tray or bathtub base.

 A riser groundsheet is a loose one that is laid in the living area after the flysheet has been erected. It has sides that turn up the inside of the flysheet by about six or eight inches and is toggled into position.

A SIG is a groundsheet that's sewn onto the flysheet, either all through the tent (full SIG) or just in the living area (semi-SIG).

And a groundsheet is just that...a flat piece of groundsheet, shaped to the inside of the tent. It usually sits on top of the storm flaps, if the tent has them.

Hi,

I was going to suggest the Vango venture 500 as something to look for. I do indeed have a Go outdoors sale brochure in my hand which states that the Venture 500 will be at 59.99 for 1 week only between 1st June and 7th June. I havn't even bought my first tent yet - so can't comment on tent pro's and cons but looks like a lot of tent for that money on paper. I am tempted myself as a cheap weekender tent but the other half insists he wants 8 berth for a family of 5.

We have had other sale brochures of this type through our door and they have always pulled off their deals as promised. However stock has always been limited and we have always turned up at 9am on the doorstep when we have wanted these "1 week only bargains" to make sure we get one.

HTH