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Subject Topic: Dome or tunnel? Post Reply Post New Topic
19/2/2006 at 10:11am
 Location: Coventry
 Outfit: None Entered
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We're a family of 4 completely new to camping and looking for a suitable tent. We like the Gelert ones, but are torn between the Vario 6 and the Satellite 6.

Are there any obvious (dis)advantages to either of these over the other one? Are they okay for beginners - easy to put up is quite a major criterion for us!

Help or advice much appreciated.


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19/2/2006 at 10:26am
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3
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Hi - I see this is your first post here on UKCS, so hello and welcome!

I don't know either if these tents very well, but the general point I would make is that tunnel shaped tents tend to be the more simple shape to put up, but are more reliant on being well guyed out as they are not as stable as dome tents, which get extra stability form the crossing over of poles.

Have you seen both tents in the flesh? Are there any obvious differences between them -e.g. bedroom heights, layout, weight/pack size etc?  It may just be down to personal choice in the end -does one just "feel" right for you?

Happy camping, whatever you decide!



19/2/2006 at 12:24pm
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We have a Tunnel Tent and we think its fantastic

Cant really add anymore , i think foggers has summed it up in his post.



19/2/2006 at 12:31pm
 Location: A quiet pitch with a lovely view
 Outfit: Cabanon Noumea
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Hi Surfin' , Foggers is a woman, it's Mystery Dick that's the chap.

Who wears the trousers? I couldn't possibly comment! MT



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Tackling life the Western District way


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19/2/2006 at 12:35pm
 Location: Hampshire
 Outfit: Vango Killington Coleman Trailblazer
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Oi you mean the Wynnster Satellite 6 - it is superbly stable.  We camped last year in sawanage and woke up one morning to wee tents damaged byteh wind.  The three pods off the central dome give the satellite so much stability that we didn't notice the weather!!

The only con is the headroom (particularly in the sleeping pods). Due to serious grief from HWMBO we are now ocnsidering buying one of the new pseudo frame type tents (e.g. vango vail).

 

Don't regret the satellite and may even carry on with it this year!!

 

 



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19/2/2006 at 12:57pm
 Location: Doncaster
 Outfit: suncamp vario 5
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we have the suncamp vario 5 tunnel and i think its great same height all way through no bending anywere in tent, plenty of room


19/2/2006 at 2:57pm
 Location: Hampshire
 Outfit: Outwell Montana 6 (2006)
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We have the Outwell Montanna 6 which is a tunnel tent and I have to agree it is the best tent design.

-------------
Tony & Elaine


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19/2/2006 at 3:34pm
 Location: Newark-on-trent
 Outfit: Abi Ace Harmony(back to a FC soon)
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Hi mckeegan and welcome to ukcampsite.

We had the Gelert vario 5 tunnel tent and it was brilliant big when opened but packed up in a nice & neat into a little pack ,weight about 26kg.very easy to put up after practice 4 long poles lift up and attach at the botton ,guy ropes in and then put the inner tents in used to take us around 30mins in total but if you left the inner tents in well it would be even quicker can't say much on a dome as we have never had one.got ours off ebay.

good luck

206our's was dark green though



19/2/2006 at 4:58pm
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Sorry Foggers , my apologies



19/2/2006 at 6:36pm
 Location: Coventry
 Outfit: None Entered
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Thanks very much all for the advice and the nice welcome! I think dome is the way to go for us. We've seen a montana 6 too, which Tony mentioned, and liked the look of that - but it was a 100 quid more expensive than the Gelert. Don't know if it would be worth the extra...


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19/2/2006 at 10:32pm
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3
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Quote: Originally posted by Merry Terrier on 19/2/2006

Hi Surfin' , Foggers is a woman, it's Mystery Dick that's the chap.

Who wears the trousers? I couldn't possibly comment! MT


Hey MT - I posted back at ya yesterday on your thread about needing a festival tent for Riff, and I provided a link ot photographic evidence of the existence of my OH - in action at the UKCS Settle meet in May 05............here

.............and neither of us wear trousers, I prefer a kilt and Dick wears a tutu.....

 

And to Surfin' - no offence taken. My natural air of authority on camping matters means I am often mistaken for a bloke. The tattoos and pint-drinking habits don't help either......



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19/2/2006 at 10:36pm
 Location: A quiet pitch with a lovely view
 Outfit: Cabanon Noumea
View Merry's Profile View Profile   Reply to Merry Reply   Quote Merry Quote  
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Sorry Foggers, only messing about. My only excuse is that its been a dark, wet, grey February afternoon when the only alternative was to do the cleaning ....

Anyway, I quite like the idea of Mystery Dick. Swooping in and out of tents and leaving boxes of Black Magic on women's lilos when they least expect it etc MT



-------------
Tackling life the Western District way


19/2/2006 at 10:39pm
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3
View foggers's Profile View Profile   Reply to foggers Reply   Quote foggers Quote  
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I shall tell him of your fantasies, MT. Not sure he is quite up to "Swooping" these days........but his performance on a lilo is second to none!

And of course you need to find ANYTHING rather than do housework.........I have successfully avoided it for years!



Post last edited on 19/02/2006 22:55:35



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