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Help!!

We've bought an Outwell Oakland XL and side extension.....But we've not even got it out yet because we're having second thoughts and wonder if we should've spent more money and bought the Wolf Lake 5.

We're really keen on the Poly cotton and solid feel of it and reckon we can live with both the price and the bulk/ weight. However, the big question is about the pitching time and whether this'll put us off using it for weekends.

Things we've read suggest that the Oakland will take about 25-30 minutes but we've seen a big range for the Wolf Lake 5.

So what do you reckon?

How long will it take once we're practised at it?

Will it put us off short trips?

What should we go for?

Help!!

It took us an hour and half to pitch our Wolf 5 first time, but it was really poor weather and we were taking extra care to keep mud off the tent. We have pitched it 3 times now, and the last time it took us 35 minutes. However we had left the ZIG attached. This helps reduce time, but has quite a big drawback. When you pack the flysheet, bedroom pods and ZIG together, it weighs a ton! Next time we will pack the ZIG seperate. Trust me though, the extra effort and hassle in having a polycotton is worth it. You will not regret buying this tent.

Andy

Thank you all for the rapid responses - really impressed!

Why's nothing clear cut?! Our first time out is supposed to be next weekend for only one night- so sounds like we'll be in for a very lengthy time putting up and taking down if we change to the WL5! ...and just hope it's not raining!

Will

Thanks very much Diane - handy top tips!

I'll feed back when we've got our act together and then tried it all out.... I thought we were both in the same place on this one but it seems that my wife has moved to the Oakland end saying that the pitching time business is the most important... got to decide tomorrow as we've got to practice pitching something tomorrow!

Thanks for all your help

Hi BillynPatsy,

I'm a new WL5 owner, have only pitched it once (only got it 6 wks ago) ... great tent and the cotton really is wonderful.  Go for it!

Humbird

go for the polycotton!!!!

an extra 15 mins pitching is well worth it

it's the 'accessories' (blowing up air bed, setting up kitchen etc) that take the time regardless of the tent

I agree with valbarley. My son has a polyestester vis a vis tent that goes up and is pegged out in 20 mins. We borrowed it once as the Norfolk Lake takes an hour to get to the same stage. To have the comfort of the ZIG and space to move around in, and no noise when it's windy is well worth the effort and extra time. Even with a smaller tent it still took another hour to get all the gear set up.

My aim this year is to reduce what we take. We can't cut down on pitching time but carrying "stuff" into the tent can be reduced.

Thanks everyone for the wise words... all really helpful. We agonised over it for ages (it's so strange - I don't remember house or car buying taking this much decision!)

Anyway,on the basis that we're only just getting back into camping and have a 10 monther to keep busy and likely to be doing mostly weekends at the beginning anyway, we've stuck with what we'd bought - the Oakland and have a date booked this Saturday. for just the one night...

However, I can see the Wolf joining the fold in the next couple of years after we've been sweated out of it a few times and I've bored on about "I wish we'd bought..."!!

Thanks all

Will