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Topic: How to darken the sleeping areas?

tootsmaginty

09/6/2012 at 8:02am
Location: Edinburgh
Outfit: None Entered

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We've been camping about 6 times now as a family of 4 over the past 2 years. None of us seem to sleep well as the tent (Coleman Mackenzie) is a light beige colour and therefore the sun makes the sleeping areas very light as soon as the sun starts coming up. Camping last week in central scotland, we found that the tent was already stating to get light before 04:00.

Does anyone have a good solution to this problem?

Should we just buy a tent with darker fabric?

warbis66

09/6/2012 at 11:00am
Location: Bristol
Outfit: Sungari 600 Icarus 600 with canopies!

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Camp in England, where it always rains and the sun never shines!!!!!

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France Lover

Bridgelayer

09/6/2012 at 3:29pm
Location: West Yorks
Outfit: Gobur Carousel

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You could get Blackout material from Dunelm Mill and make your own inner tent or try some in-flight eye pads used on long haul flights.

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Goodbye tension, hello Pension!

tootsmaginty

10/6/2012 at 10:09pm
Location: Edinburgh
Outfit: None Entered

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this could be the sensible option. We can't be the only family to have had this problem.

greenhill

10/6/2012 at 10:29pm
Location: Norfolk
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We have this problem too with our new trailer tent, especially given we were pitched dear one of the site's lights, never was very dark in the tent. Not tried any solutions yet

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

mcguire6078

10/6/2012 at 10:31pm
Location: London
Outfit: Kampa Frinton 4 Classic Nevada M

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Kampa tents have a "sleeptite" system where the bedrooms are darker. The question has been asked before (I'm assuming its not you!)

Read the following threads as a solution may have been suggested: here
& here

tootsmaginty

10/6/2012 at 10:54pm
Location: Edinburgh
Outfit: None Entered

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thanks for the nudge in the right direction. i'm pleased that we aren't the only ones with this problem

Bridget1

10/6/2012 at 11:20pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Kairos 400 Tigris 400

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I always have an eyemask in the pod and put it on if the light disturbs me....

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Bridget1

garym999

11/6/2012 at 7:41pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 2010 Trigano Olympe GL

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I have been toying with this and wondered about using the black garden weed sheeting?

missbou

11/6/2012 at 10:12pm
Location: Warrington
Outfit: Vango Columbia 600

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I wish tent manufactures would read this and do a bit more about it!

I'm currently trying a king size black flat bed sheet from Tesco hooked onto the inner tent where it attaches to the tent, it doesn't make it totally dark but it has certainly helped. Only tried it twice so far this year, 4 nights in total, the big test comes next week as we're off to France for 2 weeks. So far it has helped us all sleep better, including my 2 year old and my 4 year old!!!

Good luck

Chalkie56

11/6/2012 at 10:25pm
Location:
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In our caravan once you shut all the blinds its very dark but I never shut the one above our fixed bed that way I wake up early. Have early breakfast get out while most people are still in bed go exploring walking or whatever have lunch then have a little siesta, a bit more exploring etc - reading or what ever take my fancy. BBQ, beer, wine. Find a pub with entertainment, watch TV, read, bed about midnight. It seems hectic - but its not and if you have a weekend and a day its like having a week off.

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A barman is just a pharmacist
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joffff

12/6/2012 at 3:09pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Hi Gear Voyager 6 & Vango Icarus 600

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I've got a 2010 (I believe) Vango Icarus where the sleeping areas are darker than the living areas, which is a really nice touch compared to our Hi Gear Voyager 6 which is the same colour all over and gives everything an odd blue tinge :D

The curtain blackout material would be a good option, just need to work out how to attach it to the bedrooms without affecting ventilation.

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