The Samara 600 for us ticks all of the boxes (except it slightly too long - I wanted no more than 6m, its 6.45m as a lot of sites say 6m max). Also reviews seem sketchy. Read problems with zips, flaps on front and one I seen in the shop on Sunday was ripped where the front guy rope attaches to the attached flap/canopy.
Then the Icarus 600 - small but we would buy an enclosed extension for either tent we buy for bigger sites. The Icarus is less impressive, but smaller and can fit on all sites
Please offer your advice
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Our Vermont is over 100cm longer than the Samara and in the 4 years weve owned it we have never had any issue on campsites with pitch size.
With regards to the Icarus Outdoor megastore do an XL verson which is longer than the Icarus but shorter than the Samara.
You could of course have a look at some other brands
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
Never had a problem with the length of out tent (7.5m) - it is usually the width (over 5m) that causes the problems.
Buy the tent that suits you best. There are plenty of sites that accept very large units (neither of the tents mentioned fall into this catagory) so whichever tent you go for, you shouldn't experience many (if any!) problems.
------------- Helen xx
Mini Mad Mum
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We have the Vango Columbia 600 which is the same size as the Samara (just with the external wing part of the Samara as internal space, steel poles and 5000HH - it was one of Vango's Premium range tents in 2009) - BTW there are still a few around new with retailers for £280 [probably because they are using a pre-production image with fibreglass poles](the Samara canopy will fit, but you have to be a bit creative for footprint and carpet).
We have not had a problem at any site. Many tents these days are far longer! We have used the occasional C&CC site, and even then we've not had a problem (even though the tent is about 45cm wider than the supposed max). We have always been given a standard pitch (not a large pitch). If you tell a site its dimesions on booking you are very unlikely to have a problem.
There is a quality difference between the premium family and weekend tents, but they are all good tents.
------------- Love our set-up and need no more tents or gear, so trying to stop looking!
For us it would have to be the Samara, we have the 400 version and we also have an Icarus 500, I know you are asking about the 600's but as far as the quality is concerned the Samara is far superior and also has an 4000hh while the Icarus is only 3000hh. We also have the front extension for both tent's which make both tents very long and we have never had any problems with pitching on any site we have stayed at. Have you had a look at the Tigris 600 our friends recently bought one of these and the length is between the Samara and the Icarus at 5.90m long and also has a 4000hh, they also have the side extension which gives them loads of space to cook under if the weather isn't good.
Thanks everyone. We have the tigris 400, the 600 has rooms each end and main doorway in middle. We like bedrooms at one end and the door way at the other end and extension make tent longer not wider.
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Thanks everyone. We have the tigris 400, the 600 has rooms each end and main doorway in middle. We like bedrooms at one end and the door way at the other end and extension make tent longer not wider.