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Subject Topic: Lightweight family inflatable tent advice Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonAustinhead
13/2/2018 at 1:30pm
 Location: Cheshire
 Outfit: Conway Ascot Vango Palermo 800 View Austinhead's Profile View Profile   Reply to Austinhead Reply   Quote Austinhead Quote  
Joined: 23/8/2008

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Last year I purchased my first inflatable tent, a Vango Palermo 800. It's a fantastic tent and I love it. It is, however, very heavy and very big.

Having been a camping lover for a long time, I had this lovely floaty idea of buying a large tent for weeks away with the kids. The reality is, i can't fit the 3 kids and all our stuff in the car, with my lovely big inflatable tent. I'm also quite unlikely to go away for weeks at a time.

So. I'm after some advice.

The Palermo is 33kg and pack size of L78.0 x H48.0 x W52.0cm. It's too big and heavy when not in use.

Ideally I would like a 5 or 6 birth, ideally with 2 completely separate bedrooms to minimise kids fighting, and give them some space (ages 15, 13 and 9) - although I think i'm unlikely to get this. The pack size needs to be smaller, and I need to be able to get it in and out of the boot of my car. I would also like a big enough living space for cooking, table and chairs etc

Completely open to suggestions, although i suspect i'll need to purchase second hand due to costs - although that will depend on how much I can get for my pretty much brand new Palermo.

Thanks in advance.


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Personduffs54
13/2/2018 at 2:32pm
 Location: Cambs
 Outfit: Ford Duetto Autosleeper View duffs54's Profile View Profile   Reply to duffs54 Reply   Quote duffs54 Quote  
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The polyester version of:Kampa Croyde 6

We have the polycotton and its a brute, but the polyester version is much lighter etc, love the layout etc

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Duffs54      


Personnavver
13/2/2018 at 7:33pm
 Location: West country
 Outfit: Mondeo View navver's Profile View Profile   Reply to navver Reply   Quote navver Quote  
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Something like this would do. Not inflatable but very big when up and very small when down.

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Royal-Montpellier-9/223


PersonPike259
14/2/2018 at 11:02am
 Location: None Entered
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Hi

Slightly off topic here but was wondering what your experience with the palermo 800 was like? I brought that tent early last year and had nothing but problems with it (although I loved the tent). It always collected water on the roof so much so the beams would collapse, no matter how it was pitched there was low points in the roof fabric so the water would not run off.

Been fighting with vango for 8 months and they finally gave in and provided me with a 2018 outwell vermont xlp with all the gubbings.

Just interested to see if ours was a one off as it definitely has put me off airbeams and vango for that matter.


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PersonAustinhead
14/2/2018 at 11:05am
 Location: Cheshire
 Outfit: Conway Ascot Vango Palermo 800 View Austinhead's Profile View Profile   Reply to Austinhead Reply   Quote Austinhead Quote  
Joined: 23/8/2008

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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 13/2/2018
Something like this would do. Not inflatable but very big when up and very small when down.

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Royal-Montpellier-9/223


Unfortunately this is the same weight, plus lots of poles. I'm a single parent, and whilst the kids do help, i'm happier to let them run around and explore and put the tent up on my own.


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PersonAustinhead
14/2/2018 at 11:08am
 Location: Cheshire
 Outfit: Conway Ascot Vango Palermo 800 View Austinhead's Profile View Profile   Reply to Austinhead Reply   Quote Austinhead Quote  
Joined: 23/8/2008

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Quote: Originally posted by Pike259 on 14/2/2018
Hi

Slightly off topic here but was wondering what your experience with the palermo 800 was like? I brought that tent early last year and had nothing but problems with it (although I loved the tent). It always collected water on the roof so much so the beams would collapse, no matter how it was pitched there was low points in the roof fabric so the water would not run off.

Been fighting with vango for 8 months and they finally gave in and provided me with a 2018 outwell vermont xlp with all the gubbings.

Just interested to see if ours was a one off as it definitely has put me off airbeams and vango for that matter.


Interesting point. We did have an issue with water dripping from 1 of the poles, but it looked like it just needed resealing at that spot. No problems with water collecting, and it really threw it down for long periods.
I only used it once, but was very impressed with how quickly it went up, and how solid it was. We were at Shell Island, and the winds were really strong, but the tent stayed absolutely solid. If it was smaller and didn't take up half of my boot, I would love to keep it.


PersonPike259
14/2/2018 at 11:21am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered View Pike259's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pike259 Reply   Quote Pike259 Quote  
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Thanks for the Info. We were in Devon in ours and it blew a gale yet that tent coped with all the wind thrown at it, really good in that respect.

You may get a couple of drops due to condestation that collects around the beams so nothing to worry about.

Glad yours is ok and ours was just a one off by the sound of things.

On another note I have the vango electric pump up for sale on gum tree if you're after one (makes putting it up a doddle).


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PersonMucker1884
15/2/2018 at 7:52am
 Location: Derby.
 Outfit: Karsten 350+Awnings View Mucker1884's Profile View Profile   Reply to Mucker1884 Reply   Quote Mucker1884 Quote  
Joined: 01/7/2012

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Pike,
Sorry to butt in, but I'm confused...

You had a problem with a Vango tent, you complained to Vango, and eventually they gave in and gave you a latest model of an Outwell tent?

I'm confused as to why Vango would replace one of their faulty tents with a new tent made and marketed by arguably their biggest market rival?



-------------
2024: 38 nights thus far...
2023: 47 nights
2022: 40 nights
2021: 30 nights
2020: Just 24 nights
2019: A personal best 50 nights
2018: Just the 30 nights
2017: 34 nights
2016: 32 nights
2015: 38 nights
2014: 34 nights
2013: 36 nights
From July 2012: 23 nights


PersonPike259
15/2/2018 at 8:36am
 Location: None Entered
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It took 8 months of phone calls, emails (which were never responded too). Days off work waiting for couriers that didn't turn up. I have pages and pages of correspondence between me and them. I spent days erecting the tent to video the faults and then having to dry it out again.

In the end I got my place of purchase involved who dealt with vango (as I couldn't, the level of service from them was appalling). I just wanted a refund but they said they would get me any tent I wanted so I got a new model outwell with all the extras.

Don't get me wrong they were pushing vango tents for obvious reasons and kampa as they did not sell outwell there. But 8 months later after countless hours on the phone I now have an outwell.


PersonMucker1884
15/2/2018 at 9:46am
 Location: Derby.
 Outfit: Karsten 350+Awnings View Mucker1884's Profile View Profile   Reply to Mucker1884 Reply   Quote Mucker1884 Quote  
Joined: 01/7/2012

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Ah! So it was the retailer that sorted out the replacement, not Vango themselves. Makes sense, as that's who your "contract" was with.
As in most cases, it's the retailer/dealer that you need to deal with. Vango sold their tents to the retailer, not to you, hence their lack of interest in dealing direct with the man on the street.
Good result in the end though. Hope you get more joy with this new tent.

-------------
2024: 38 nights thus far...
2023: 47 nights
2022: 40 nights
2021: 30 nights
2020: Just 24 nights
2019: A personal best 50 nights
2018: Just the 30 nights
2017: 34 nights
2016: 32 nights
2015: 38 nights
2014: 34 nights
2013: 36 nights
From July 2012: 23 nights


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PersonPike259
15/2/2018 at 9:51am
 Location: None Entered
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Yes sorry should have been clearer in my first post.

Me too looking forward to the end of March for its first outting.


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Personhankakampa
15/2/2018 at 1:32pm
 Location: uk
 Outfit: Karsten - sun storm - doesnt matter! View hankakampa's Profile View Profile   Reply to hankakampa Reply   Quote hankakampa Quote  
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lets hope with fingers crossed the Outwell is fault free...
because dealing with Outwell is like trying to contact a train company customer relations office on mars ...

vango are excellent by comparison for customer relations!

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Personjohn#mel#3kids!
01/3/2018 at 9:40pm
 Location: west yorks
 Outfit:  Vango inspire 600xl 5m bell tent View john#mel#3kids!'s Profile View Profile   Reply to john#mel#3kids! Reply   Quote john#mel#3kids! Quote  
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The Coleman fast pitch air valdes 6 might be up your street, 22.6 kg, three bedrooms too.


PersonBroadside
02/3/2018 at 7:43am
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Quote: Originally posted by hankakampa on 15/2/2018
lets hope with fingers crossed the Outwell is fault free...
because dealing with Outwell is like trying to contact a train company customer relations office on mars ...

vango are excellent by comparison for customer relations!


Mucker raises a good point, if you have an issue contact your retailer not the manufacturer.

I bought an Outwell last year, I’ve had some issues with manufacturing faults. I’ve never contacted Outwell myself and have done everything through the retailer. The retailer has been brilliant and has provided replacement tents twice without quibble.

The retailer in my experience gets very responsive service from Outwell and has an answer from them on next steps within a day each time. I couldn’t really ask for any better than that.


PersonRainMagnet
02/3/2018 at 1:25pm
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In my experience of tents, family sized & lightweight do not go hand in hand, have you considered getting a smaller tent and a pup tent.



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