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Tent Reviews: Outwell Arkansas 7
Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Outwell > Arkansas 7 Reviews
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Current Model?
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Discontinued
7 (more 7 berth tents)
54.40 KG
ฃ949.99
3
Fully Sewn-in
In one
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Average User Rating:8.1/10 from 20 reviews
Viewed: 57781 times
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20 Reviews of the Arkansas 7
Showing 11 to 20 Page:
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By: Henkkie Reason: I've used one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
We have used the tent a second weekend, no problems to get the tent up. For this size of tent it went very quickly.
Unfortunately the 'heavy duty outwell' zipper of the front door broke and we are now waiting for our supplier, to see if they can have it fixed by Outwell. And next to this we have in hole in one of the windows.
(And it was funny to see this size tent standing. With only 4 pegs)
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By: Iannewman841 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 
This tent sits on a standard pitch size and is absolutely huge. The bedrooms are very flexible and accommodate large beds. The lounge takes an inflatable 3-piece suite with ease and really makes for a comfortable living environment. We use the extra groundsheet, carpet and windbreak for comfort. It really makes it a home from home. It has an excellent water-resistance rating too, and a very flexible front canopy area (which becomes our kitchen and toilet area. With the light installed, heaters and other little creature comforts, this tent is perfect for glamping!
Tip: I used a little bit of copper slip on the poles before I used them for the first time, and have never had trouble taking them apart. The pole bag does seem flimsy compared to the tent bag, but it is still strong enough.
I am now making a front curtain to cover the porch area for that extra bit of privacy and cover from unsavoury elements. We have already integrated the wind-break into the front section, which acts as a perfect 2-way 'child-filter'. We won't use hotels ever again!
Some people laugh at the pain we take to make this into a hotel suite; however, all say that they really find it comfortable.
The best compliment is when someone visits on site after having traded their tent days for a caravan and awning (saying that their family outgrew their tent). They take one look at this tent and then wish they had saved their money!
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By: Norvin1000 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
Great tent, but the poles are definitely its Achilles's Heel. I have, however, happily solved the dreadful problem of separating the end-curved poles from the main arch sections (the joints which seem the most highly stressed of them all).
Get some copper-based assembly compound from any auto-spares shop (I bought a small tube of 'Copper Ease' by Comma, at Halfords). Smear a little around the 'male' pole ends of those 'arch' poles which join with the highly-curved ('arch-end' sections).
Erect your tent, and enjoy.
When unpacking, you'll still find that the sections in question stick a bit, but here is the most important bit: use a TWISTING & pulling action, rather than a BENDING & pulling action. This way, one person of modest strength can do the job rather than two Olympians or a pair of Shire horses (a la Torecelli hemispheres!).
It seems that the section joints in question can twist during erection of the tent, as the 'flats' in the joints are too radiussed for their own good.
What would make me award 10 out of 10 for the Arkansas 7, would be that it were made with air-beam sectiosn rather than poles. Try as I might, I've NEVER found anyone who makes a family-sized air-beam tent. Twenty or so years ago, I had a great air-beam tent which NEVER had any problems, Problem was, it was a four-man igloo-style tent rather than a family tent with hang-able bedroom inner-tents. Phil.
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By: Henkkie Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:
After a terrible holiday in Austria we decided to by this tent after study the video's on the outwell-side.
Unfortunately these tents aren't sold in Holland so we bought it in Germany.
The first time we try to put it up we found out that the garden was to small. So we went to a camping site nearby our home and stayed for a weekend.
We are pleased with al the details of this tent. Put the pole's in and then (the heavy part) erect the pole's up, slide them forward put some pegs in the ground and ready.
Great space, good ventilation and a lot of looking people on the camping site because of it's size. Putting it down was easy (leaf the door's open so the air can go out) and it fitted the first time in the nice trolly-bag.
Putting down, we also had the problem with the curved roof sections - some of them wouldn't come apart whatever we did and I broke some ties. (before we left I already received some spare ties. Tips of previous reviews on this side)
Because I didn't like the bag for the heavy poles, I've bought a second trolly bag and put in here the carpet, then the straight rods, on top of these the curved rods and then the footprint. (wonder why outwell doesn't deliver 2 trolly-bags straight away, the rods are almost as heavy as the tent itself)
We are looking forward to use this tent again. (and off course a weekend away) We couldn't test the Hydrostatic-Head with no rain that weekend. Sorry perhaps next time.
Ps, we know some camping-sites where we would need 2 places to put this tent up . Minimal 7 by 10 meter's only for the tent and if you want to sit outside in front of the tent. Hmmm
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By: Funnyboy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
We purchased an Arkansas 7 to provide a large family holiday tent (we have two rapidly growing boys aged 9 and 12). Having owned a Caravan for 3 years and two other tents (Outdoor Revolution VRX6.2 and Vango Milano both of which are excellent) we were swayed to Outwell by the impression of top quality and excellent design.
On arrival the first impression was that the quality of the tent bag was excellent but the pole bag was inadequate and will not last long given the weight of the poles which come in the bag with offcuts of groundsheet held over the pole ends by hundreds of elastic bands!
On arrival on our first holiday we set out the footprint ground sheet first and took the tent out of the bag and unrolled it. Immediately we noticed (unbelievably) a hole in the roof of the fly screen. With no other choice the tent had to be used for the four days we would be away.
A bit of a handful to put up for two adults in terms of weight but we managed it without any problems. On checking the tent further we then found that the zip on the main door was faulty which meant it couldn't be zipped up fully and also a door tie back toggle was missing. There were also a number of snags in one of the door mosquito mesh's.
Taking down was difficult as was packing it back into the bag (not to mention trying to get the pole ends covered in the bits of protective groundsheet material).
In terms of design the tent is great, lots of well though out features and a massive living area but the faults on this tent given the price are inexcusable and as a result it is going back for a refund!
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By: Nichollsam Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:
Having put up with a tent I cannot stand upright in for 3 years we decided to splash out and buy a Tent that would last for several years, cope with any weather and provide enough room to party in. The first tent (yes first) came as ordered one week before our planned trip so that we could give it a try before we left our house.
With the help of a couple of friends we got the tent up and marveled at the size, the neat and convenient storage solutions and the nice feel it had. Then on closer inspection we were dismayed to realise it had a hole in the plastic window, so down it came to be packed up for return. This provided us with another problem in that we could not separate the poles easily and in the process pulled one apart! Dismayed we contacted the supplier and arranged to swap the tent and the broken pole.
This meant that the replacement came the day before we were due to leave for our camping trip so was not erected until we got to our campsite, which we accomplished in wind and driving rain with the help of our friends.
Thinking we were home and dry we unloaded the car, set our gear out and began to relax. A tour of the tent did not reveal any holes and I relaxed and invited the rest of the group into our tent for the evening. When the evening drew to a close we came across another problem, unfortunately we could not zip up the entrance as when the zip reached the corner it came apart. The weather had deteriorated and the wind and rain howled around us and blew into the tent and we could not close it out.
In the end the four of us and the dog huddled together in one pod with the wind and rain doing its best to make us feel we were in Kansas about to take a trip to the emerald city! Any way we survived (only just) but the first few days were marred by the problem with the door and the collective knowledge of many experienced camper failed to get the door to zip up.
When it came to go home we had a further broken pole because our most careful tapping and easing still resulted in a breakage and we took 3 times as long as the others to get the tent down (again working in the driving rain so speed was of the essence!).
I still felt that the Tent was a great tent once up and if we could sort the door would be ok. However, as we had put the tent down in the rain we had to erect it again when we go home to dry it out. This was the first time that only two of us tried to do this and it was very difficult. The steel poles are very heavy and to raise them all with just the two of us was almost impossible even though we followed all instructions and the video on you tube.
We did mange it eventually, but we still could not close the door. When we took it down we again had lots of problems with the poles, so sadly the decision was made to return the tent to the supplier.
In summary a big tent with lots of storage and if you have more than two adults easy to erect. BUT not sure if we have just been unlucky but it has been a big disappointment for our family. I enjoyed having the space but a wet windy week coupled with a door that won't zip is not ideal. We could cope with a tent that was difficult to erect but the quality control of this tent let it down and for the price I would expect quite a bit more.
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By: Wardieb Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
This Outwell Arkanas 7 was bought to replace our old wynnster tent. We needed a sturdy tent, with lots of space, that didn't have fibre poles.
We have used the tent twice so far, only for weekends, but it has rained on both occasions. We did suffer from pooling of water above one of the windows, but no leaks.
The large living area is great and during a very wet Saturday double as a play room for abut 10 children.
We use the porch area for cooking and somewhere to sit in the dry and watch the rain!
The bedroom are is adequate, we use the larger one ourselves, our two girls sleep in one pod together and out son sleeps the other side on his own in a pod. As yet, we have had no reason to remove any of the pods inside the tent.
The tent has been very difficult to dry out when packed away wet. Our garden is only just big enough to put up the tent, it really needs to be opened up fully in direct sunlight for a couple of hours. Keep this in mind when choosing a packing up time.
The first time we used the tent it took over 40mins to put up. The second time it was less than 30, no doubt we'll get better at it. Packing away was more of a challenge, but after viewing youtube and seeing how to pack a Montana 6, the Arkansas 7 went away like a dream.
Be careful when taking the 'ribs' apart when packing away, we used slightly too much force to separate the end pieces and pulled out the retaining springs. One person needs to hold one side while the other slowing pulls and twists.
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By: Jdjones11 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:
I have just bought this tent and before we venture into the great outdoors we put it up in the garden. Well good job we have a large garden - it is very large (which is a good size for 7 people). Putting up the tent is ok (2 people needed as the poles are steel construction). The hoops are under pressure and you have to move the tent fabric to secure them on the pins - but ok when you get the hang of it. The tent fabric and colours are great and the windows are excellent. I would have liked to have had a side porch - somewhere to put the w/c but you can't have everything.
On packing down the ends of the roof poles (which are curved) would not come apart- leading to the tension wire detaching from the end poles. I had sprayed them with silicon spray as well. Perhaps this is due to the amount of pressure that they are under when the tent is up. I have noticed other comments to this effect. I have read that twisting the poles resolves the problem but this does not work with my poles. I am currently awaiting a response from the distributor who is contacting outwell in Denmark on the reason for this - I will post an update on the outcome shortly. This problem would be very annoying and time consuming on holiday and I await a resolution - in the meantime 7 out of 10
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By: Becks173 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 
We bought this tent for 3 reasons: the windows - 9 windows plus two more in the canopy make it an amazing tent for seeing what's going on even when it's raining. Definitely not a gloomy tent; the layout - three large sleeping compartments at the back, living area at the front; the living area size - it's vast!
The bag for the tent is sturdy and has wheels. It needs them! The rod bag is flimsier. It needs 2 people to lift it. Not sure how well it will hold up to the weight of the rods.
Technically, putting up is a cinch. Strong curved steel roof poles slide through without snagging, legs attach then join to tent with ring and pin system. You then gather all six poles together, lift them up and sort of 'concertina' the tent out. This is the tough part, as the rods are so heavy. We pegged the back of the tent to give it some stability as we did this in wind.
Once up, it's a GREAT tent. Very large, very well thought out, very stylish. Nice touches, like hanging rails in the canopy for towels/swim things etc; adjustable straps in various places to compensate for uneven ground; electric cable entry and cable tidy for an electric light; organiser pockets; velcro straps to keep guy ropes tidy in storage.
We wondered if the front canopy would turn our new modern tunnel tent into a wind tunnel, but it stood up without effort to being on top of a hill in a stiff wind in Swaledale. We only had a light shower, so no real test of waterproofing yet. Water looked to be running off well everywhere though.
An old time Outwell user came up to us on our last day and asked to have a look. They were hugely impressed with the design, space, layout, three sleeping compartments and are heading off to buy one.
Putting down, we had a problem with the curved roof sections - they wouldn't come apart whatever we did. After some trial and error and breaking of the rod joining ties, we discovered that two people twisting the sections against each other did the trick. The company we bought from have replaced the ties we broke FOC.
We paid ฃ675 with free carpet and footprint from Home Counties Camping Centre (www.Hccc.Co.Uk). Their after sales was great, too.
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By: Pjembe Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:
We bought the Outwell Arkansas 7 as a replacement for our ageing second-hand dome tent. We particularly liked the design and the layout. We never had an opportunity to put it up before we went away for the bank holiday as it was too big for our garden. So the first time we had an opportunity in seeing it in all it's glory was on our trip to North Yorkshire.
It comes in two bags the main tent bag with wheels is robust and fairly easy to manoeuvre but the pole bag which is just as heavy is not as robust, just a thin polyester bag with canvas handles which I'm sure won't last that long. It is also awkward to handle.
We first laid out the footprint and couldn't believe the area it took up. We then tried to follow the instructions sewn into the bag. To say they were a little vague would be an understatement. We did watch the video before we bought it so had a general idea about putting it up but some more detailed instructions would have been useful. However we persevered and eventually got it up. It is a very heavy tent with the steel poles and it definitely needs at least two people to erect it. TOP TIP that is printed on the label (which I completely missed!) until my wife pointed it out, is to open the doors to let air in. This definitely helped.
Once erected we used delta pegs on all the guys and the blue pegs on all the other pegging points. The interior of the tent is VERY spacious and lets in lots of natural light through the large windows and light coloured roof fabric. So definitely no feelings of claustrophobia.
The bedroom compartment is already attached and divided into three with the main 'bedroom' in the middle and the two smaller 'bedrooms' either side. There were just three of us on this trip so we were able to use one of the smaller rooms for storage. The main bedroom was ample for two adults and the smaller room was very spacious for one child.
The lounge area is huge so plenty of space if required to stay in due to inclement weather. There were plenty of windows and two side doors as well as the main front door so ventilation was never a problem. When we needed to close up at night, the sewn in groundsheet combined with the carpet made it feel very cosy.
The Front canopy extended out enough to fit our kitchen unit under so we had no problems cooking outside even when we had a drop of rain.
All in all it is a very good tent, with plenty of space for a family who like to spread out. It is light and airy but cosy when all the curtains are in place. I would definitely recommend this tent for families but it does take up a lot of room in the car with it's two large bags (plus footprint and carpet) so consideration needs to be given if vehicle space is an issue.
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20 User Reviews of the Arkansas 7 - Showing 11 to 20 Page:
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Manufacturer's Description
Impressive from first sight in its enviously attractive Outwell print fabric, this version of the Arkansas sleeps up to 7 persons in bedroom inners designed in trendy, colour-coordinated stripes.
Ultimate comfort in the spacious interior is maintained at all times by the effective screen-house ventilation and the Outwell Sealed Ground System. From the drawing boards of Outwell engineers, the Arkansas 7 features curved steel poles which dramatically improve tunnel tent stability. Other key features include the canopy at the front of the tent with rails for hanging and drying wet swimwear, and the bottomup
curtains in all the panorama windows.
The Arkansas 7 is certain to charm camping families who want luxurious comfort in a very liveable tent.
Specifications:
Flysheet: Outtexฎ 5000 with taped seams
Hydrostatic Head: 5000 mm
Floor: Double-coated polyethylene
Inner tent: Breathable polyester
Pack size: Tent: 78 x 40 x 42 cm/Poles: 30 x 80 cm
Weight: Tent: 27.3 kg / Poles: 27.1 kg
Poles: Steel poles 19/22 mm, 2 upright steel poles
Features:
Front canopy
Mud valance on canopy
Drying rails at each side of front canopy
Large panorama windows with roll-up curtains
Pre-attached and adjustable inner tents
Organiser pockets
Mesh pockets in the inner tents
Lamp holder and light cable tidies
Fully seam-sealed flysheet for maximum protection
Reinforcement patch on all stress points
Adjustable pegging points
Pre-attached guy ropes
Luminous guy ropes
Heavy duty Outwell zips
Outwell doormat included
Repair kit included
Optional Extras:
Carpet
Footprint
... there may be more info on their website
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