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Tent Reviews: Outwell Hartford XXL
Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Outwell > Hartford XXL Reviews
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Current Model?
Berths:
Weight:
RRP on date added:
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Pitching Style:
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Discontinued
12 plus (more 12 berth tents)
39.10 KG
ฃ569.99
4
Fully Sewn-in
In one
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Average User Rating:8.87/10 from 30 reviews
Viewed: 121629 times
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30 Reviews of the Hartford XXL
Showing 21 to 30 Page:
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By: LoopyLu81 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: 
We love this tent! We got the 2008 model which is 4 bedrooms sleeping 3 in each. We were a family group of 4 adults and 5 children and it was the perfect size for us. However we found we could not fit 3 single air beds in a bedroom, so be aware! The living space is huge and we had plenty of room for our bags, table & chairs.
We found it easy to pitch, just make sure you erect the dome first before putting in the door poles, makes things a lot easier, as we found out! It was easy to get back in the bag too, a first for us!
We had a lot of rain and gale force winds, and did not have one leak and the tent survived in perfect condition.
We are now looking to get the smaller XL model also, as the XXL is a bit too big for our family of 2 adults 2 children!
Please be aware before purchasing this tent, it is huge and a lot of sites won't accept such a big tent, or will charge you double pitching fees, as they did with us. Obviously a tent this size comes in a huge bag too, so be aware it will take up a lot of room in your boot.
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By: The MarsBars Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating:
We used our Outwell Hartford XXL for the first time last year during heavy rain and strong winds. It was raining (pouring) when erected. We soon sponged the water out. It was up in 40 mins.
The 2008 model is fly sheet first, better. No leaks (It was tested several times). Plenty of headroom and space, (2 adults, 3 children, 2 dogs). The pod type bedrooms (4) are cosy, providing a bit of privacy. The porch has an extention (extra), providing extra storage. We would recommend this tent to others. Really really pleased with it.
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By: Loadsakidz Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: 
Love this tent as it is so easy to put up (30mins) and once up you can all jump inside out of the rain!, as it's ready to use with the bedroom pods already in place. We have 5 children which made us opt for the XXL but even with all of us inside it's HUGE, we recently had my parents come along for a few days and it still seemed spacious ( my dad being 6'4' found it great as he could walk around no prob's.)One thing we found rather irritating was the front door being slanted made it harder to zip up from the inside, also in the wet, as it tends to flap inwards, the water runs off it into the porch area but not a major drawback and certainly wouldn't put me off recommending this tent to anyone who has a larger family it's awesome! Packs to a reasonable size (we also found we can pack it smaller than when we purchased it!)BONUS.
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By: Judebrowne Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating:
We used our tent for the first time a couple of weeks ago and we were not disappointed. Very easy to erect, but one word of advice - when the poles have been slotted it and it's time for one of you to push up from inside, it's easier if the doors are open so that air can get in - or is this obvious and we were just being thick?!
We camped at Penmarlam Park, Fowey in Cornwall and the pitch was ample for such a huge tent. Unfortunately when we were there, the weather was awful but the good old XXL withstood everything that was thrown at it, strong winds, torrential rain.
We also had the carpet which made it so comfy.
Really our only criticism would be the main doorway. Because it is on a slant, each time we unzipped it to get in or out, the rain just poured in soaking the groundsheet and anything else that was within 2 feet of the door. Apart from this, we are convinced we made the right choice.
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By: Rakiwood Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating:
We did a lot of research before finally plumping for the Hartford XXL, much of which included wandering around campsites ogling everybody elses gear and questioning unsuspecting campers in the toilets! However, it was all worthwhile and we're over the moon with our new 'home'
Our requirements were major living space for all the family (We have 3 kids and a dog) during wet days or eves and a bedroom for everyone. We also wanted a sewn in groundsheet following a small case of trenchfoot after a very sudden downpour in Paris earlier on in the year in our old tent.
Originally, we were looking at the Hartford XL but as soon as we saw the XXL we knew that was the one for us. We checked it out thoroughly before buying and quizzed the man in the shop on every little detail. The only downside he could give for the XXL was that we might not fit on an average pitch size on some of the posher sites. Suffice to say, we prefer the open sites anyway so this wasn't a problem for us.
We had a trial run putting it up and with only a quick glance at the instructions it was done and dusted and we were patting ourselves on the backs within 45 mins! This tent really is simple to erect. The man at the shop advised that one of us should go inside to push the poles up whilst the other connected them to the pins outside and although this seems obvious now, it really was good advice. The outside pole construction means there's no more fiddling around trying to thread the poles through the whole length of the tent and the tension straps next to the pins means no more caught fingers forcing the poles in. Just pop in with ease, tighten, job done. It really is that easy. I love the fact that once it's up, its up and you don't have to go inside and then fix the rooms in place.
The colour is light and airy and even on gloomy days the carpet allows for a very cosy feel inside. The bedrooms are all very substantial in size and the headroom is lovely. The interior is massive and allows for all of us to eat and play with ease.
Striking camp is just as easy as erecting and even on our first attempt we were able to get it back down and in the bag (amazing!) within 40 mins. However, although the bag is perfectly ample to fit the tent, and does have tension straps on the outside, we have since invested in a couple of luggage straps to put around the rolled tent before going in the bag as it does tend to 'inflate' slightly once inside.
We don't have electric hook up, however I can see that the opening at the front could possibly be more beneficial at the back to suit most sites but all in all, this is the only thing I could fault.
Outwell seem to have listened and appear to have corrected the faults with earlier models.
A fabulous tent. I can't rate it high enough for families.
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By: Keendillon Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating:
We purchased this tent last year and have found it fabulous, we have camped with 7 and it is extremely roomy. The best point is no draughts at night! We find it really cozy and the living space is so large we didn't feel one bit cramped. I agree with other owners that it would be better with a hook up entry point at the back, but apart from that would recommend for large families. Would like to add that its easy to erect and during an extremely windy week in Anglesey it withstands the wind fantastically.
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By: Thewalthams Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating:
I have recently purchased this tent. Its brand new but not a 2008 model.I bought this well under the rrp and it came with a carpet. I am extremely happy with the tent.
The roof has large sky lights which ensures you don't need any lighting on until completely dark, it has a hanger for a light and even some clips running up the tent to clip your wires too, as I use a lamp with a large battery this is great so the kids dont trip over wires.
The tent has loads of room. We have 3 kids. The eldest gets his own room the girls share another. Me and the Mrs share one(unless we argue then we get one each!) the fourth bedroom is great for storing food clothes etc etc so the living area is always tidy just in case the average english summer arrives, the central room is big enough to run around and play games in.
The tent has been used in wind and rain no problems at all. The only minor issue is the porch is not big enough(pre2008)actually we have cooked in the porch whilst its raining and we did manage but we always seem to need more but an extended porch sorts that and some. As the tent came with a carpet we do use it and it really is worth the effort it does feel cosier and warmer basically just more pleasant than plain groundsheet.
We had heard there are some issues with camp sites accepting large tents but a quick look through the list of camp sites that do accept larger tent on this forum and we have found several no trouble(keep updating please).
The height of the tent is great no need to duck down to enter at all.To put the tent up is mainly a one person job but for just 2 mins you need two(just to go in the tent and raise the tent poles while the other clips the poles in)the rest continues as a one person fix.
Another bonus is the bag it came in even after you have used the tent you can get the tent back in with ease(an amazing first in my experience)
All in all a wonderful made and designed tent and the 2008 is even better(flysheet first or all at once and a larger basic porch)
I would highly recommend to anyone.
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By: Duffnut Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating:
We used our new XXL at the beginning of April, and it is a great tent. 8 can sleep in comfort in the 4 3 berth pods and although not great headroom in the bedroom is better than most of a similar design.
The living area is huge and the only thing to watch for is, as every pannel has some sort of opening in it you might need to move kit around if you want to use all of them. We didn't so stuff we didn't want to move stayed by the back door.
One improvment they could do is to have another EHU point at the back of the tent. Most sites I've stayed on the hook up is behind you where you would have the back of the tent, but the EHU entry is at the front, where most of the traffic would be.
When you are erecting this tent don't worry to much about the shape of the front of it as if you are not on dead level ground it could be a bit wonky.
All in all a great tent.
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By: Amaboverd Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating:
I love this tent, the sig is fantastic so cosy at night and as said previous lots of room inside. Yes the porch could do with being a bit bigger but the front extension sorts that out, I always get the job of going inside to hold up the centre as hubby puts in the poles but this only takes a few minutes.
It's all in all the best tent I've been in and with the addition of fitted carpet its just home from home.
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By: Tcat Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2006 Rating: 
We bought our Hartford XXL model in 2006, so it is not the current model. Whilst we are extremely happy with our version, there are some aspects that could do with improvement and it would seem Outwell have recognised this (perhaps through customer feedback) in their latest design improvements to the Hartford XXL. Even so, the 'old' Hartford XXL is still an excellent family tent for the following reasons:
1. It is easy and quick to put up. Initially, you need a second person to stand inside and hold the middle up (I don't know if the new design has alleviated this), but that takes just a minute or so, and then one person can be left to get on with it, whilst the other tends to impatient children (unless it's too windy). Usually, it takes us about 30 minutes to be fully pitched and chucking our kit inside. Within an hour, we're happily esconsed and sipping our first relaxing drink with the evening meal on the go.
2. The sewn-in groundsheet is an essential for us, and few tents of this size and quality offer that comfort. There are no drafts and the tent quickly warms up on a chilly evening.
3. The interior size is wonderful, and whilst it's weighty packed up it is still a convenient size for the car. The rooms are much better than the older Outwells which tended to be a bit saggy, and the interior middle area is enormous - on a cold night, we've regularly had a large group sitting comfortably chatting.
4. The fourth room does it for us - to have that additional room to put stuff in to avoid the tent being a pig-sty within a blink of an eye is invaluable.
5. It's light and bright - our biggest criticism of the older Outwells was the dark grey interior and dark green fly sheet, which made it feel dark and dingy. The new colours give it a much brighter feel.
6. Quality: pound for pound, we have found Outwell tents to be of the highest quality, in terms of poles (better than the originals, though) fly sheet materials, zips, etc.
There are some down sides to our model, some of which seem to have been attended to by Outwell:
- Inner-first pitching: this method of pitching makes pitching up and packing away in wet weather a bit of a nightmare. They are not exactly small, so drying them out at home is ardous, but essential to avoid mustiness or even mould. If you could at least ensure you don't spend the weekend with a damp inner and that it is packed away dry at the end, it would be a distinct improvement to only have to deal with a wet fly sheet. Thankfully, this flaw seems to have been resolved which I will look forward to when our current model needs replacing.
- The older Outwell's used to have double-lined inner doors, so you had a breathable mosquito door and then the thicker door. Outwell seemed to have improved the doors with the O-shape and better zips, but ditched the double-doors. I don't know if this has been rectified, but it should be! We might go to Scotland more often if they did!
- Windows: the XL had more side windows letting light and air into the inner sitting area. The XXL doesn't, just relying on bigger roof-lights.
- Porch area: I see that there is a slight improvement in the extension of the porch area. This would be good, as our version is a little cramped in the porch. This is generally where we put our stove and table, and when it rains you have to zip up as the design of the porch leaves you exposed, compared to other tents I've seen unless you spend extra for a porch extension/canapy.
- Whilst Outwell claims the rooms accomodate 3 people, I would say this is a little bit optimistic. Our double air bed fully covers the floor of one room, and we'd only get two of the kids' folding beds into one room. 3 in a room is only possible with rollmats, and let's face it if you are camping as a family in one of these who in the world is going to use rollmats to get 3 people in.
Overall, though, the Hartfords are a superb range of tent and last long enough to make them value for money. The quality is superb and the facilities are top notch for a dome tent. Outwell demonstrate their attention to detail by continually improving their designs in the right areas, and it looks from the description of the NEW Hartford XXL that they have addressed almost all of our criticisms. I would recommend this as my top choice to any family wanting to go camping in a tent in comfort.
There is one last thing to note for anyone considering a tent of this size: many campsites seem to have latched on to the size of these kind of tents, and are charging extra for the privilege of pitching them. Generally, we are finding the cost at around ฃ20-ฃ25 a night, sometimes more, but have not noticed an appreciable improvement in the quality of facilities at some sites that are doing this. Personally, I think this is a rip-off and we are moving to sites which make no distinction in size of tent, but rather just price it per pitch.
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30 User Reviews of the Hartford XXL - Showing 21 to 30 Page:
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Manufacturer's Description
The standing-height bedrooms in all side cabins made possible by the Outwell Extended Frame System (OEF System) are one of the major features in the Hartford XXL. Another popular feature is the outside pole construction which enables easy one-procedure pitching flysheet first, or all as one. This roomy and refined tent sleeps up to 12 persons, and offers amenities such as pre-attached inner tents with O-shaped stow-away doors, as well as handy mesh organiser pockets. Protected by a sewn-in groundsheet, the spacious living area is well-lit by large windows and two skylights, and complemented by the extended porch with a detachable groundsheet.
Specifications:
Flysheet: Outtexฎ 3000 with taped seams
Hydrostatic Head: 3000 mm
Floor: Double-coated polyethylene
Inner tent: Breathable polyester
Pack size: Tent: 43 x 75 cm / Poles: 25 x 63 cm
Weight: Tent: 25.0 kg / Poles: 14.5 kg
Poles: Duratec fibreglass 9.5/11.0/12.7 mm
Features:
Detachable groundsheet for porch area
Pre-attached inner tents
Stow-away O-shaped inner tent doors
Organiser pockets
Mesh pockets in the inner tents
Rear door
Fully seam-sealed flysheet for maximum protection
Reinforcement patch on all stress points
Lamp holder and light cable tidies
Adjustable pegging points
Pre-attached guy ropes
Luminous guy ropes
Heavy duty Outwell zips
Outwell doormat included
Optional Extras:
Carpet
Footprint
... there may be more info on their website
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