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we have just tried camping for the first time in many years and have come home early and knackered.

so we now think we need a tent that meets the following requirments:

very easy and QUICK to put up (part of problem was the 2 hours erecting and 2 hours dismantling the gelert satellite)

head space - stand -up-able 6ft

a living area we can sit in

sleeping for 4 people with bedrooms measuring 160cm each ( have already got the airbeds)

did i mention VERY EASY AND QUICK TO PUT UP!!

well ventilated

quite like the idea of built in ground sheet

not too expensive but still very waterproof (under £200 over 3000HH)

soooo..

all you knowledgable tenty types - get to it- as i am getting nowhere with my looking!

cant find the bedroom sizes now but the coleman weathermaster plus would meet some of your req

erection  15min

headroom in living area  ime just under 6ft and have no problem

living area may be a bit tight for 4 ?

two bedrooms that take a double airbed

very very well ventilated

sewn in groundsheet

£199 at donvalley  3000 mm

and did i mention easy to erect

its the living area ime not sure of we only fit 1 bedroom and there are only two of us

but its a thought

The more often you erect your tent the quicker it gets, so a tent that may take someone 20 mins to put up can take a lot longer the first few times till everyone knows which job needs to be done next. 

Last time I went camping it took us only 30 mins to put up our 12 man tent compared to about 2 hours the first time.

I admit our inexperiance may well have added to the extended time it took us but the gelert tent we have is 4 enormous poles and 2 smaller ones, and when you have all thenm in and pinned and pegged you have to start inserting the 3 inner bedrooms and then the groundsheet and then the guy ropes!! was a knackered sweaty mess by the end of it with hardly the energy to put the kettle on!!

plus i didn't sleep the first night and spent last night listening to the pr*** next to us telling his mate how years ago he used to get drunk and listen to bob marley then dance to the videos!! hasn't changed much in 10 years as he spent till 1am last night doing just that! even put the cd on the car stereo when the batteries on the player went!

sorry i digress - maybe we should stick to caravans!!

http://www.oswaldbailey.co.uk/eshop.asp?wci=product&wce=51109801&desc=CAMPUS+INDIANA+8+FAMILY+TENT&

Campus Indiana 8, goes up in about 50 mins, my dh is almost six foot and can stand up anywhere in the tent, one large bedroom - we have high rise airbed in there and room to store bags and get changed - two smaller bedrooms with room for two campbeds in each.

Very sturdy and weatherproof - what more can I say?

Good luck with your choice.

Trace x

How many sleeping compartments?

All four of you in the same compartment or 2+2 ?

Quote: Originally posted by heleno65 on 21/08/2005

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I admit our inexperiance may well have added to the extended time it took us but the gelert tent we have is 4 enormous poles and 2 smaller ones, and when you have all thenm in and pinned and pegged you have to start inserting the 3 inner bedrooms and then the groundsheet and then the guy ropes!! was a knackered sweaty mess by the end of it with hardly the energy to put the kettle on!!

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sounds as though you had a struggle but maybe a cuddle and a good nights sleep may have made you see things a bit differently

our michigan sounds easier its inner first and although the poles are long the actual inner is fairly light and the bedrooms are already fitted and then the fly sheet is very light

but after saying that when we used it last week it took 40min to erect it was very easy and we took our time but it was very hot and we still had a sweat on