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Topic: Weekend tent for 4

bugbug

25/5/2014 at 4:10pm
Location: South Wales
Outfit: Sunncamp Alana 700. Vango Lumen 500

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We have a 7 berth but need (want) a tent that we can use just for 1 or 2 nights for last minute camping trips, when the forecast is kind to us. Ideally, it needs to be fairly quick to pitch. Does anyone have a tent that they would recommend?

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Campernic

25/5/2014 at 4:36pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Bell Tent Vango Coleman and Quechua

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I have the Vango Icarus 500 which is a great tent for three, would be a little bit tight for four but definately doable and we have had four in it at times. The thing is to go anything bigger than that you may as well just bring your big tent.

The bedroom pod on mine (which can be divided in to two with a curtain) is 280cm wide. So what I would be looking for if I were you, is whatever the width of four single airbeds is, or two double, or 4 self inflating mats. Whatever that combined width is will be what you need to look for.

The Vango Icarus has just been replaced by the Vango Isis. The tents are simple to put up, only three poles all the same length so there's no colour coding. Ten minutes and it's up. The width of the bedroom pod on it is 310cm wide so that's 77cm each.

bugbug

25/5/2014 at 4:41pm
Location: South Wales
Outfit: Sunncamp Alana 700. Vango Lumen 500

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Thanks. That's what we were thinking - may as well take the 7 berth if much bigger. As it will very much be a fair weather tent, we would hope to have the kids outside as much as possible during the day. Whereas, widen we go for longer, it is a case of get out there, the rain won't melt you! Am liking the sound of the ten minute pitch time.

Campernic

25/5/2014 at 5:06pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Bell Tent Vango Coleman and Quechua

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If you look around you may get the near identical Icarus 500 (the later ones have are wider than mine which was a 2010 model) for wee money. Cross Camping may be worth a call.

If you want matching footprint, extension and windbreak for the new one get it now as Vango change the colours and sometimes the size too year on year.

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Ewen c

25/5/2014 at 7:50pm
Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Outfit: Tents

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Our tent is the easycamp wichita. For weekends we use only the tent and for longer trips, we have the extension. It is a vis a vis and both pods take a double sim. The space between the pods is big enough to live in and it takes about 30 minutes to put up once you have the knack.

Here it is with a tarp attached:

a very untidy inside

beginning to pitch

and just about up

The tent withstood driving rain and high wind on our last trip, no problem.

It is discontinued and replaced by the easycamp wilmington twin which is almost identical but looks a bit naff. You can still get the Wichie for less than 200 squid.

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Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

paul+kate s-o-t

25/5/2014 at 8:38pm
Location: stoke on trent
Outfit: Bailey 75-2

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Hi we had the same dilemma as you
Owning an Outwell Vermont xlp and wanted something smaller for weekends or over nighters so we bought an airbeam flux 500 which was great for the 2 of us and dave the dog but we really missed the space
So we ended up buying an airbeam eternity 600 for weekends 10-20 mins complete pitching time loads of space and easy for weekends and one nighters
We soon realised the Vermont would never get used so decided to sell both and invest in a tent that would do both jobs weekends and 1-2 week holidays so we put our hard earned into the airbeam Eden 600 xl
It's the best decision we've made in our short camping career
Maybe worth thinking about

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April Peak District Beech Croft Farm
May Peak District Duke of York
May Holland Delfse Hout
June Cotton Arms Nantwich
july/aug Cornwall Pentewan Sands
And quite a few local weekenders

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