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 Topic: tent advice for 3 growing children
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24/12/2013 at 8:50am
Location: Derby.
Outfit: Karsten 350+Awnings
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Joined: 01/7/2012 Diamond Member 
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Welcome Topcat!
With respect, one thing I would be wary of, is the phrase "better off getting something like the Icarus in the first place and supplementing it with a porch for longer trips".
At first glance, it makes perfect sense, but, if the kids are still coming along for the shorter, two nighters, and you are still going to use your "full kit" (camp beds? Cooker(s)? Larders? Family-sized dining tables? Comfy chairs apiece?) then the chances are, your set up will be the same for two nights as for 14! In which case, why faff about adding a separate porch/extension each time, when you could put up a large "all-in-one"?
We have a weekend tent, but we are only two. And in winter, we don't set a kitchen up. If we felt the need to add a canopy (which we deliberately didn't purchase) we'd simply take the larger 6 berth. It suits us to have two tent options.
As your kids are a fair way off their teens, and if you are likely to be taking them with you each trip, I'd be tempted to be looking at large family tents, with a built in/integrated canopy for cooking/wet gear etc. Once they are ready to be wanting to stay home alone, you'll be ready for a new tent(s) then, anyway.
Of course, if there is the slightest chance you are going to get the chance to go away as a twosome, and leave the kids with grandparents/aunties/kennels, then a mid-sized tent with a separate add-on sounds the way forward.
It's always a tough call, and we all have different needs. Couple that with the fact that there is not one single tent out there that can be described as perfect!
Whatever you decide, the best bit of advice is to go see the tent set up somewhere, be aware of what kit you will be using, and where you'd like to put it.... and take a tape measure!
Good luck... and enjoy the search.
Oh... and come back and let us know the outcome.
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2024: 38 nights thus far...
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From July 2012: 23 nights
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03/1/2014 at 6:49pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: Vango Illusion TC 800XL
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We have had a Kampa Croyde 6 for several years and it has been a fantastic tent; we are a family of 4 - planning to change it this year because very well used! and we fancy a bell tent for a complete change.
The Croyde has a massive bedroom space, much wider than most 6-man, which can be separated or as one huge room, which is how we have always had it - our boys are now 7 & 5. We had 2 double air beds in it (end to end or side by side) leaving loads of bag space. Must be able to get 3 doubles in with no bags. Or easily 2 doubles and a single. Bedroom clips in quickly.
Plenty of lounge space....inflatable sofa, chairs, tables, bags, toys. Very handy storage pockets.
Porch - brilliant for cooking in, storing shoes, food, etc - in ours we had 2 kitchen stands, table with water carrier & gas fridge on, shoe crate, food crate and space to fit 2 moon chairs undercover. No mesh door on the porch but even in heavy rain, the rain didn't come completely into the porch because it is a straight tunnel design not a slanted porch.
Pitching - fine once you get used to it. Needs 2 people ideally to pull each pole set into place. Great that the porch is built-in and pitches in one.
Stability - very stable due to the front-to-back horizontal poles inside (which are v handy for hanging towels & coats on). We camped in Suffolk in very high winds for a weekend and we wondered if our tent would still be standing each time we returned to it, but no movement at all.
Negatives - only that the porch could have been slightly deeper but that really is being picky.
A fantastic tent, well worth the money. It has done us proud!
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good luck, let us know how you get on!
