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Hi all

The other day I bought a tent on ebay as an impulse buy after the OH has been on at me for a while to go camping.

I'm now looking at the basic kit required to go camping and I have a feeling that the tent I've bought isn''t any good - the sleeping compartments appear to be too small for most airbeds!

Here's the tent I've bought:-
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5232-2978-1/1?AID=9479574&PID=1428744&mpre=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=%26item%3D150139617015&rd=1&rd=1

if you look down the page you'll see the dimensions of the sleeping compartments.  the main compartment is only 130cm wide?  I'm looking at a Coleman double and that's 137cm wide?!!

Now this is an ebay shop I've purchased from so I shold be able to return the tent according to their policy if I need to.

I'd really appreciate some opinions please...keep in mind I'm a total novice (having only ever camped on a handfull of occassions at the Readin festival back in my YOOF!)

Regards

Wayne

oops, just noticed the above link isn't working (cause it's an ended item).

Here it is on the manufacturers site...

http://www.rageoutdoor.com/lofoten6.htm

As Bundys has said, this tent will be an ideal starting point to camping, but why dont you erect it on a local field when it arrives and you will be able to see for yourself if the inner compartments are suitable for your needs or not.

You could possibly leave the sleeping compartment open to accomodate your double airbed and use the other compartments for storage.

We have a few tents now, suitable for all types of holidays but me and my OH prefer to take the 8 berth for the two of us as the feeling of space is better ( and we need it to accomodate all the kit we have accrued !!!) 

Once you pitch it, you can't return it unless it is faulty.

If you decide this is not the tent for you, then why not see if you can cancel your order prior to delivery, or else return for full refund. You will probably be expected to pay carriage costs both ways, if you just return because of a change of heart.

Best of luck, whatever you decide.

No mention of a HH ?

Suppose you can send it ack if its not waterproof!

£149.99 isn't cheap, and there are lots of tents available for that amount - just post on here if you would like suggestions etc, since there are always bargains to be had and lots of folk ready to give advice.

If you do keep the tent, then best of luck with it and I hope you enjoy your return to camping.

Quote: Originally posted by LittleSole on 11/7/2007

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Another option to make the sleeping area 'feel' bigger is not to use airbeds ... airbeds raise you off the ground, and as the 'walls' of the sleeping compartments slope inwards towards the top you feel more hemmed-in ... we've always used a combination of a thick blanket on the floor plus 3 or 4 layers {depending how soft you like it or how old your bones are!} of 'old' duvets (not feather ones) or sleepings bags; as a mattress for a bed in a tent. I hate airbeds ... they can be noisy when you move / doubles wobble both occupants when either moves / they go down / they're not that soft / and they can be cold.

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with the exception of the coleman comfort airbeds which don't do any of the things you mention - ours are comfortable, they don't wobble as have separate chambers for each side, never felt cold but we always place a fleece blanket on the top first then sleep on top of that and we used ours for two weeks solid without the need to re-inflate at all...have never noticed any noise from the airbeds...and they are higher than standard airbeds, all in all a very comfortable bed....obviously should you manage to get any water on the floor of your sleeping compartment it won't seep up through an airbed but can come up through non-waterproof layers laid on the floor.  Personal choice though.