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I purchased a de-labelled halfords starter set off ebay £52 with the bags, blow up beds and torches (we have not camped before so wanted something cheap to test out), I only read the review after purchasing it and was not very hopeful of it holding up to any sort of bad weather...

However I slept out in it with the kids last night in the garden in preperation for tomorrows camps it was the worse torential rain I have seen in ages and we all stayed bone dry, I was well impressed. The only thing that went wrond is I pitched ontop of a rock and popped the blow up bed!!

The cheaper tents are obviously not perfect,, The ground sheet really wound me up as its not built in and we were welcomed to a huge slug in the tent this morning.

But hopefully it will do us until we have the funds for something better and the sleep bags are ideal for summer but wouldnt want to use them in winter!!!

15 years ago I started camping with a cheap and cheerful setup and have added to it slowly as I've gone along ,camped in all sorts of weather no problem.Sometimes I get a bit of tent envy but then I thing why bother its ment to be a cheap holiday.Just try it and enjoy yourselves

PS £52 quid is a bargin

Quote: Originally posted by dumb blonde on 24/7/2009

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hi ,dont blame you for getting a cheap tent to start off with.Like you said the reviews arent great but if you decide you like camping you can save for something of better quality.When you have kids you never know until you try whether they will like it so its better not to spend out on everything all at once.Have fun

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Yes I think a good many of us started ( or came back ) to camping this way

First got a pack for my then 8 yr olds birthday -  No the tent never rained in - but it constantly kept loosing bits due to poor stiching - the lights were pretty much US and the sleepiing bags - were wery "nylonish" type things and we never used them

Full Credit howeever to Halfords - who took the lot back - changed the bags for some nicer ones ( at a small price ) and sorted us out with some other kit.

Bought a Vango with a SIG -  for the first propper trip - and thats when I learned about condensation,  so maybe those draughts you get in the Halfords tent are not so bad after all ! 

However, if you get the "bug"  - like we all do - then you are going to find youself forever wanting this that and the other - the list seems endless - LOL !

Simon

friends of ours bought this set a few months ago,and have been camping almost every wkend in it, with their 2 children

they said it hasn't leaked ( and we are in Wales so have had plenty of rain ! lol) and has been fab for them to get started