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Tent Reviews: Khyam Freelander
Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Khyam > Freelander Reviews
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Current Model?
Berths:
Weight:
RRP on date added:
Bedroom inners:
Living area groundsheet:
Pitching Style:
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Yes
3 (more 3 berth tents)
10.50 KG
£299.99
1
Standard
In one
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Average User Rating:8.19/10 from 21 reviews
Viewed: 75463 times
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21 Reviews of the Freelander
Showing 11 to 20 Page:
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By: Gordon Carter Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: 
I have used a Freelander for two years now. Only problem is that the bedroom is to small to take two folding camp beds. Inflatable beds will fit but more difficult to get out of in the mornings when you are past your sell by date. Reaching the low down zip door was a problem, but I solved this with a net curtain rod drilled at one end and attached to the zip puller with a piece of wire. Works well.
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By: Dk168 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
I bought the Freelander to replace Excelsior XL (as in the Petworth, see separate review), as the latter is too big for me to pitch up on my own, as I am only 5'2 and a whimpish middle age female.
I used this for the first time this month, Jun 09, and managed to put it up on my own with ease. I did add storm guys for peace of mind, and am glad I did, as it was very windy for a couple of days when I was up in Norfolk, and the tent stood the test in the wind with no problem. It is not as sturdy as the Excelsior XL, however, they are built differently, and is about half the weight of the Excelsior XL and it shows.
The living area is ample for a small table and chair, dog cage and bags of cooking stuff. I had the tent carpet, and it made the living area nice and cosy. The sleeping area is big enough for a double blow up bed with room left for a trolley case and a pile of dirty clothes.
I can appreciate the comments by other users with regard to the zips, as I too found them difficult to do up/undo from inside. The slope of the door means one has to bend low in order to reach the zip.
I only used the large PVC window once when it was raining and could not sit under the canopy. I did not use the large window/air vent on the other side at all, and thought it *could* be more useful if it is a dual purpose door/air vent like the one on the Excelsior XL.
It has a built in tent tidy in the bedroom section which was very handy for small bits and pieces. I wish I knew about this before I purchased a separate tent tidy which remains unused.
Only 9 out of 10 because of the zip issue. Otherwise it is a very nice tent for me and my dog (a Border Terrier).
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By: Eladine Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating:
I LOVE THIS TENT!
I can put it up by myself, even in gusty weather.
I can put it up on silly shaped ground (semi hills, and even ground going off in all different directions and it still goes up 'properly'!
There's enough room to stand up in it, cook in it, wait out the weather in it. Play cards in it (with a small table!)
It's been through some rough weather, and yes, the poles can flick inwards, but they do go back again very quickly. If it's that much of a bother, I've found a guide rope stops it.
Never really had a problem myself with the door - but that's maybe because i'm only 5'2'! My fiancee does gripe about it though. Next trip out, I'm going to see if attaching a bit of string to the zip helps or not. This is the reason for the 9 out of 10 - and to be honest, it's being very picky!
The bedroom is lovely and roomy - big enough for two of us, our clothes, and our dog. (A terrier - small!).
It's fantastically easy to put up. It's just as easy to take it down, and this is the ONLY tent that I've been able to get back in the bag properly, without fear of the bag ripping at the zip seam!
It packs up into a sensible size, and is light enough.
It is airy, well ventilated. Not really found it all that cold - nothing that a cuppa and another jumper wouldn't cure anyway!
Fantastic tent for a couple and a (small!) dog!
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By: Jango62 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating:
I bought this tent as I am 6ft 1 and wanted to be able to stand inside during poor weather conditions and to seat comfortably with the wife without feeling smothered. The dome also offers a large amount of storage space without compromising a decent sized seating area for 2 people.
The packed weight and size is small enough to fit snugly into the very small boot of my MX5 and still leave 'plenty' of packing space. The tent is easily erected and packed in a matter of minutes and made even simpler by leaving the bedroom attached inside.
My only doubts are as stated by other reviewers, the door zip is a pain to reach especially when you're dying for a pee in the middle of the night otherwise I would have give 10/10, and I suppose I do wince a bit when locking and unlocking the flimsy looking poles.
We've only had 1 experience of really poor weather (fair weather camper) and although the tent rocked a bit, I was confident it wasn't going anywhere, though I never slept a wink due to the racket.- I suppose you can't really blame Khyam for the wind!
I paid £120 for an ex-demo model but would be content to pay full price for new. I would also definitely recommend the footprint groundsheet.
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By: CaptainBozo Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: 
I bought my Freelander for two main reasons (1) Quick and easy to erect, esp. Single handed, (2) Standing room without going to a 'big' tent. On both points the Khyam did not disappoint and I was, in fact, very impressed with the pole system. I have used it on four proper trips over one and a bit seasons and it has performed as promised and kept me completely dry through some awful rain.
Now the issues.
When I first bought it I was warned to make certain the flysheet was properly unrolled and both the flysheet and (still folded) legs were correctly positioned before attempting to raise it. During my last trip I found out why the warning was given with such seriousness. I had prepared it for erection correctly, but as I started to raise it up at the centre a strong gust of wind blew the rear of the flysheet round. The next thing I knew I had a leg that had become twisted back on itself and caught up firmly in the flysheet. It took me about 20 minutes to sort out and I still don't know how I managed it. It was more frustrating than the worst Chinese puzzle and I nearly broke the leg several times. Not a fault but something of which one should be very warey.
The Freelander is also good at standing up to strong winds. I have been amazed at how much punishment mine has taken and remained standing. However, be warned that in good gusts the tent dome flails around dramatically and if you are standing up at the time you may find yourself knocked promptly to the floor with a sore head. Also, as with just about all polyester type tents, the noise in such circumstances is beyond belief. Don't expect to sleep.
Someone has already commented on the slope of the door being an issue. I agree. I got pretty fed up of crawling on my hands and knees every time I wanted to open or close the door. Not so bad when its sunny and dry but when its cold and wet it becomes extremely tiresome, not least because the area on which you must crawl gets thoroughly wet too. What is more, as the previous reviewer(s) stated, it is impossible to do this without also rubbing against the door. Done frequently enough when wet, this will cause problems.
Finally the issue of temperature. All polyester type tents have to be well ventilated due to their desire to produce excessive condensation. In my opinion Khyam have gone over the top on the Freelander. With the huge vent at the summit of the dome and the open skirt all around the base there is not a chance of ever getting warm when temperatures fall. I got tired of freezing my butt off, even with a gas fire running flat out. This is a very, very cold tent.
My Freelander has now been donated to charity.
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By: Cubana Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: 
Bought this tent for two reasons, one its packed size & weight and two, easy erection.
The first reason was fine.
The second was ok after a few attempts. The click together joints don't seem that strong and you feel as if you have to treat them gently. Having said that once it was up we were able to pick it up and move to a sunnier spot quite easily. I think it would be ok in strong wind. There is quite a space between inner & outer.
I think the loops holding the inner sleeping area to the outer skin are flimsey but so far so good. That is my only criticism of the construction.
My wife thinks the outer area a bit small and the porch/awning useless as it is too low. A sort of reverse Tardis effect. A good tent for 2 people.
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By: Tomvenning Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating:
A nice tent for a couple when car camping. Lots of space in the sleeping compartment for the airbed. Good height in the dome - I am 6'3 and have no problems. The tent is very airy - keeping ventalation high reduces condensation. Handy pockets on the outside of the sleeping compartment. The outer area is large enough to sit in and cook in when the weather is foul - although using a table in there would be a push. Good quality finish for the price. I would recommend purchase of the matching groundsheet.
The gripes: Due to the shallow sloping nature of the front door in the morning all the dew drips onto the groundsheet when rolling it up.
The door needs water proofing regularly to keep water tight - again due to the shallow slope and the fact you are always touching the door.
The tent performs badly in high winds - the poles can bend round allowing the outer to touch the inner and water to leak through - this was experienced on an extremely winding cliff top site!
It has a large foot print - too large to find a space at music festivals unless you get there really early.
Overall I would highly recommend it for summer car camping trips.
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By: Colin Fletcher Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2006 Rating:
First Kyham I have owned, I have always been a bit sceptical about so called quick erect tents. Pretty impressed with the pole system, a bit fiddly at first but once you get used to it you really can have this tent up and pegged out very quickly. This can be a major advantage, there is no hassle with pole assembly, threading through etc. Inner can be left in but I prefer to take it down and fold it separately. Great tent for two person car camping, plenty of room any more would be a squeeze. Condensation not to bad with two people although a quick early morning getaway is a bit of a problem as there is always some condensation - no good for packing away until dry. I always use extra storm guys, although the tent is stable I just feel it is more secure in windy conditions. I paid £136 on line and also bought the full groundsheet. Quality at this price is acceptable, guys are a bit cheap but what can you expect. Coming from a traditional tent background I find packing the tent difficult, it is not possible to pack everything neatly rolled up you just have to make the smallest bundle you can really and forget about trying to keep everything neat. Only one failure - the hanging loop in the living area broke having had a lantern hung on it - probably too heavy. Overall a good tent at the price, not sure I would pay full price for it though.
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By: Celtic_gothette Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2006 Rating:
I adore this tent. I moved up from the McKinley (passed on to friends) as I wanted a bit more head room and this tent has it. A lovely roomy tent for 2 adults that packs up small. I am a motorbike rider and on the checklist are pack size, weight, ease of pitching (you try pitching a tent in full leathers) quality of build and durability.
This tent goes up so fast and easily it's almost a pop up! I have camped in quagmires and terrible winds. In high wind the tent wobbles about a bit 9expected for a tall tent) but bounces right back. I have seen other tents fail badly at that point. Never had any issues with leaks.
To be honest I wouldn't be easily swayed to look at another brand now. I once had a broken foot on my old Kyham (my fault) and they send me a massive spares kit within days!
At so many festivals you seen the failiar old colours of blue and yellow everywhere you look.
Unbeatable quality tent in it's size range.
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By: Callumsnona Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating: 
We bought one of these as we needed a tent we could 'live' in when on holiday and this appeared ideal. The size certainly was and the ease of putting it up was a great incentive when we bought it. Having previously had a smaller khyam dome we expected the same quality. Boy were we disappointed! On its third outing (just after guarantee had expired as we had bought it at end of season previous year!) we were hit with a windy night, nothing too drastic.We had been in worse before with other tent ( 20yr old vango tunnel).The right hand rear pole snapped at the joint! We then spent the rest of our 2 week tour of Ireland holding that pole together with elastic bands and prayer. When home we emailed and told them what happened and ordered a replacement pole. We could not believe when a year to the day we set off on our 2 wk holiday when exactly the same thing happened on our first night! The replacement pole snapped in exactly the same place as the original. This time electrical tape held it together for us until we got home. Again it was not an excessively windy night. On checking the tops of all the poles at the hub we noticed they were all cracking at joint. I emailed Khyam outlining the problems and suggested a minor flaw in design/materials.And never so much as recieved a response! A friend bought one last year and on his first outing same pole plus bedroom pole on his one snapped. Afraid Khyam has lost 2 customers here as much through the lack of response as the flawed goods.
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21 User Reviews of the Freelander - Showing 11 to 20 Page:
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Manufacturer's Description
While still built using the unique Rapidex pole system, the Freelander is a tent that has ample room to stand up and walk around in. A detachable inner adds to the convenience and porch windows complete what is a very popular tent.
The unique Rapidex quick erect system has been tested across the globe over many years, giving you piece of mind that you are investing in a tent that you can be proud of and will serve you well for years to come.
... there may be more info on their website
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