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We are currently looking at buying a new tent and the three above are the ones we have narrowed it down to, just wondered what others would recommend and the pros and cons for the three tents.

Where we are looking gooutdoors at Coventry there is only £8 difference between the cheapest Diablo and dearest the Aspen.

How easy/time consuming are they to put up and how do they fare in windy conditions?

Other considerations would be whether you want full 'standing up ' room in the bedrooms, whether you want removeable bedrooms, whether you like plenty of light and windows on the living area, what weight of tent you want to be lugging about, whether you prefer green or blue coloured tents! The answers to all of these are all very personal and are best answered by you looking at the tents 'in the flesh' as it were!

Of the three tents you list, my guess would be that the Montana would be the easiest to put up . MT

We've had 3 trips out in our diablo and can now put it up in less than an hour, it stands up well to horrendous wind and rain, we've even put it up in a gale, neary took off ourselves.

Its a great tent, living space is tremendous, porch area fantastic, thats what made our minds up the fact that we can cook in there so it doesn't matter what the weathers like outside. 

It would be nice to be able to stand up in the bedrooms but for us thats a very small inconvenience.

Quote: Originally posted by TheKnappyGang on 10/05/2005

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It would be nice to be able to stand up in the bedrooms but for us thats a very small inconvenience.

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I have the Montana 6 and can agree with MT......BUT I also seen the Aspen 700 in the flesh and it's a very nice tent (bedrooms and living area are huge).

Only drawback from a personal point of view is that it's inner tent first pitching and as such may not cope with the 'tunnel' tent type canopies additions .........but it is a nice looking tent and it's on special offer at around £399.

Pete.

I have the Vango Aspen 500.  Brought it recently and been away in it once already.  The all over full head height was I main reason for us getting it, cos I've got a bad back and husband is 6'4".  Its fab, the room sizes are large and it has a walk in wardrobe, they seem to have thought of everything.  It is very light and airy, cos of the positioning of the 3 doors and ample windows.  The fully sown in ground sheet is a big bonus also. 

Before purchasing it we did go in the Aspen 700, which is huge.  It would have been great, but we just couldn't justify getting it as there is just the two of us.  However, for larger groups or families it would be the ultimate.  Can't praise the Aspen 500 enough, but I can't comment in the other tents your considering as I haven't seen them.   

Hi

We have the diablo 600. We find it pretty easy even in the wind the way we do it is peg the corners down then put the poles in then lift it tends to stay put. It normally takes about 30-40 mins to put up so not that bad

The Diabolo and Aspen go up inner first, so they have that nice big sealed in groundsheet. However, we know for having a Sunncamp Tourist Plus that  if you get caught in even the lightest shower when putting up or taking down an inner first tent , you end up with a soggy inner with indoor paddling pool effect! It also means putting up the inner with your poles and then throwing a large flysheet over the top.

The design of the Montana addresses these by going up outer first, but also having a fully sewn in groundsheet, so that it has the speed of an outer-first erection () but the advantages of an inner-first tent.  Its kind of like putting poles through the upper side of a huge tube then putting them upright to create a big sealed tunnel with bedroomd hung at one end of it.

I hope that makes some kind of sense ( just having my fist G&T of the weekend....hic!)

Hi boughen,

Can you tell me where you have seen the Aspen 700, as we wouldn't mind having a look a one . My sister has the Aspen 500 which looks great, but we would like to see the 700 up.

Happy Camping

Chris