Hi campers or ex-tenters. This is my / your puzzel.
We are two ageing but healthy 60 yo adults. We've owned a Vango Orchy 500 for about eight years and it's still in good nick. Space for cooking and moving around is now a bit cramped as we acquire more stuff; the latest being a purpose designed cooking table which is also taller and probably out of place in these confines. The Vango Orchy design seems not very accomodating when it comes to extra porches working effectively when guy ropes, window visibility, fit, and potential rain leakes are concerned. The Mrs now wants to move up to six birth like Hi-Gear Voyager Elite 6 or Outwell Palm Coast 600. I've worked out that fibre glass poles save weight and that metal poles and package size just isn't my bag!
The puzzle or question I have is that many Ads say that couples are down-sizing and selling six birth tents as their kids move on. Do couples who don't need extra porches find 6 birth tents too cold or silly for their everyday needs because there is too much space! I need the optimum size tent for our needs. Is their an ideal tent solution for in terms of living space, cooking space, storage space and only one bedroom needed. I don't want to be the next Ad that reads we are downsizing because we purchased the wrong size tent. Many thanks. R
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We've now obtained a Maritsa 500.About right size for two people plus room for cooking table and a few added extras like three doorways,suffucient windows for light, hanging rail and the mini awning. Main downside is the added weight of five metal poles, eccentric design and two oldies having to erect the thing.
When camping as a couple we take the Caucasus 3 or Force 10. This is mainly due to speed and ease of pitching. We only use the tent for sleeping. We sit out and cook under a tarp.
It is also warmer and takes up less space. The only time we take the Pescara is for long trips abroad. For weekend family trips, we take both small tents.
------------- 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
You use whatever you want to use! I've heard of couples using an 8 man tunnel tent.
You can have a smallish amount of things and a big tent, with lots of empty space.
One of the only reasons I can think why there's a downsizing trend is that smaller bedroom pods are warmer, because there's less air to warm and you may get away without any supplimentary heat, your body heat would be enough as long as you insulated underneath your bed as well and wore warm PJ's.
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Thanks guys for feedback. Come the end of August, we'll find out the results of our comparison test of trusty Vango Orchy 500 vs newly acquired Vango Maritsa 500 plus carpet and cooking table to see if the significant extra weight and separate cooking space was worth the extra effort needed to build it:) The Orchy 500 was never a quick tent to erect, but it was snug and it was fun to mess about with its zipper blinds, vents, windows and doors:)