We've looked at family tents, and the excelsior ridgipod is impressive,but equally expensive. Is it worth the extra money? Is it as convenient to erect as the salesman implied.
Thanks in advance.
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Hi, we don't have a Rigi-pod (yet) but we have a Tourer 400 which uses the same system and it really is that easy. I don't know if the size/height makes a big difference to setting the tent up, but we had the frame of ours up in 15 minutes the first time we pitched it. The time is then taken with pegging. We cannot speak highly enough of our tent - in fact the only downsize for us is the size, hence wanting the Rigi-pod.
It was an absolute doddle to take down too, and it comes in an oversized bag so it's easy to put away. Our advice would be (enviously) to go for it!
I'm sure someone will be along to give you some advice specifically on the Rigi-pod soon..
I am looking for a new tent and am not considering the ridgipod because I recon the extra expense compared to an (Khyam) ultimate classic is not worth it. Think about it - do you really need to take advantage of the pod system - if so then fair enough. If not then look at the ultimate or the XXL for much better value.
Neil
------------- Neil & Alison
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I have an Excelsior Ridgi Pod and think it's the dogs danglies. Yes I agree it is not the cheapest however if you look at the overall cost weighed against the amount of use then it is worth it in my opinion. It is still cheap holidaying even if you buy a tent and equipment and use it only a few times compared to hotels or apartments.
There could be nothing worse than buying a tent which you sit in wishing you had spent a bit more and bought a different one!
I can put my tent up on my own including all pegging and groundsheet in about an hour. Have a look at my gallery as this was my first attempt in garden!
If you shop well you can pick up an excelsior base unit for under £400 with additions of bedrooms at £90 and groundsheets for the main area and bedroom at about £65 for both sheets. I recommend getting a porch inner so you can add a bedroom for extra guests occasionaly these are about £45. You can easily fit 2 double airbeds in each bedroom area as a guide.
I totally agree with you Newbs and there are plenty of dogs.
One of the main considerations to us when we went for the Excelsior was the height of the living space. I am over 6ft and I have a son of 6’ 6". I can also choose how many bedrooms I want to use for each trip. Its great for "introducing" friends to camping in comfort and dispels the image of cold nights around the camp fire in the woods. ( I’m not saying that that’s a bad way to go camping !!!).
We have just spent a week at Windermere and it rained every day…… Which only confirmed the reason for the amount of water in the Lake District.
Its an awful lot of tent to get dried in the garden when you don’t have the space. Even so, I wouldn’t change it.
I have been saddened to see a few threads recently where folk have been disappointed with their Khyam but I believe that the majority of owners are more than happy with the system that offers so many advantages over a unit of an equivalent size.
None of the kyham range come into the bracket of being cheap but then again you wont be needing to buy a new one every year.
has anyone had any problems with the size of the rigi pod or the ultimate rigi dome. they look larger than some of the outwell's which i have read have had some problems with pitch size.
Probably going to be the only one on here that says No, they are not worth the money. we are very disapointed with ours. Idea and space is good just let down by poor construction.
As to the tunnel question,we have the tunnel. you can not use it between the main tent and a pod as the other end slope is in the wrong direction so it can mate up with another tent. Can be used in place of a pod though to give you an extra room with a full height roof instead of sloping away like a bedroom pod does.
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I also am over 6 feet tall but the rest of the family is shorter. We visited Sporting Supplies in the West Midlands (who are virtually next door to the Khyam offices) to look at the Excelsior specifically for the headroom as we thought that the Classic would not be high enough.
In the end, we went for the Classic Rigi-Pod because height wise it was fine for me. (Some friends who were with us on our first camping trip with this tent, who are all over 6 feet tall, also found it fine but would probably have been better off with the Excelsior if they had been buying a Khyam themselves. I can stand up in most parts of the Classic but not completely in the porch area.
I think that the overall plot size of the Excelsior is very similar to that of the Classic thanks to it be higher overall with steeper sides.
I wrote a review of the selection and the tent here and there is a cross reference to another review of the Classic.
Stuart
------------- "If you are not confused, you are misinformed."