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Hi Gear Kalahari 8

We are camping virgins and purchased our 1st tent and equipment only days ago. I am now ringing round trying to book a one night 'practise run' to be told that the tent is too big and 8 out of 10 camp sites wont accept our tent! Please help. Is this correct and if so can we exchange it? If we can exchange it can anyone recommend a similar tent?

The impression i get is that most sites standard pitch sizes are 6m x 6m, hence your tent being too long for the pitch.

I have recently bought a Vango Diablo 900XP and that has an 8m x 8m Footprint, we took it to a site in Malvern and the pitches there were 6m x 6m so i asked to go on the Rally field where the pitches were not marked instead.

Try asking for a rally field unmarked pitch, i think most sites have some sort of overflow field they use when they are busy.

Other than that, pay for two pitches !

Theres a list of sites that accept larger tents somewhere on this site ...

... here you go  LINK

Having a big tent does limit your choices a bit, but you should still be able to find sites that will accommodate you.  Its usually easier if you don't require electric.  Many electric pitches are quite regimented in how they are laid out and therefore limited in size.

Thanks for your advise guys. My husband had to buy the biggest one in the shop...!

Managed to find and 8 x 8 pitch for our first ever camping trip this weekend.

Thanks for your advise guys. My husband had to buy the biggest one in the shop...!

Managed to find and 8 x 8 pitch for our first ever camping trip this weekend.

The Kal 10 is 710cm x 305cm which is not particularly big at all so being told that 8/10 sites won't accept you is rubbish!!

Our Onty 8 measures 750cm x 370cm and we have never had a problem getting on a site or been told we're too big and we always have an electric pitch!!

Problems only really start to occur if your unit is over 5m wide and even then there are sites that are happy to accept super-size tents.

Enjoy your first trip.
Helen xx