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Camping under canvas - Tent talk. Advice, info and recommendations

Topic: Which tent??

McMurphy

30/7/2014 at 6:40pm
Location: Hereford
Outfit: None Entered

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Hi everybody,
we are looking for a tent big enough for 4 with a spacious living area for weekend and possibly longer use.
we are currently looking at the vango icarus 500 but we have heard of a few issues with the poles.
does anyone have any feedback on this tent or any other recommendations?
our budget is around £300
thanks

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bikemental

30/7/2014 at 8:38pm
Location: Belfast
Outfit: Vango Icarus 500

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Yes, I have heard some people have complained about poles being a bit thin and easily broken.

They aren't the thickest poles in the world but we have never had a problem.

It's not a terribly big tent though. I think of it as a 2 berth. There are only my wife and I and 7yr old daughter and we find it too small for anything more than a weekend and are planning to buy something of the size of the Outwell Bear Lake 6.

McMurphy

30/7/2014 at 8:53pm
Location: Hereford
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Thanks for your help, there are only two of us, but want the room of a 5 berth for storage/friends to sit in the living area etc.
what is it like in the wind and rain from your experience?

bikemental

31/7/2014 at 10:24am
Location: Belfast
Outfit: Vango Icarus 500

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I've only had one experience of bad weather in the tent. It was on the North Antrim coast last year. It was blowing a gale and chucking it down. I have to say the tent did stay dry but hard to get a decent night's sleep with the noise of the rain on the tent and the flapping and rustling of the tent fabric.
Having said that, I bought the tent in Decathlon for £150 and I haven't found a better tent for that price.
The tents I am currently looking at are closer to £1000. I just hope I get £850 worth of improvement :-)

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Bob61

31/7/2014 at 12:55pm
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My advice would be to get a tunnel style tent with metal poles which are usually easier to erect and more stable than fibreglass poles.

My tent is a 6 man tent but together with all the clobber that one takes camping I wouldn't be comfortable with more than two people living in it although great for visitors. I would suggest getting as large a tent as you think you can handle. My tent only has 3 poles and despite it's size it is the easiest tent to erect that I have ever owned.

There are many tents similar in style to mine with a large living area and large windows, so I am not just recommending mine, but take a look at the video. A tent with a flat main door instead of a sloping one offers much more usable room in the living area and rain doesn't come straight inside when opened.

Video

bikemental

31/7/2014 at 1:28pm
Location: Belfast
Outfit: Vango Icarus 500

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I would agree with Bob61 and with hindsight I should have bought the tent he suggests as there isn't a huge price difference between it and the Icarus 500.

McMurphy

31/7/2014 at 4:54pm
Location: Hereford
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Thanks bob61 that video was really helpful looks the same as the Icarus 500 but obviously with better poles and a better sleeping arrangement :)

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Bob61

31/7/2014 at 5:27pm
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