Cabanon Elzas Tent Reviews and Details

Tent Reviews: Cabanon Elzas

Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Cabanon > Elzas Reviews

Current Model?
Berths:
Weight:
RRP on date added:
Bedroom inners:
Living area groundsheet:
Pitching Style:

Yes
4 (more 4 berth tents)
33.00 KG
Ł742.00
2
N/A
Fly first

Average User Rating:

9.25/10 from 4 reviews

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4 Reviews of the Elzas

By: Eureka Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2003 Rating: 9 from 10

I should say, by way of introduction, that I have a long history of bivying, backpacking, bothying and sleeping under the stars - so to me, the Cabanon Elzas is the pinnacle of camping luxury. Campervanners may smile at this, and Glampers pity me, but I refer affectionately to the tent as my 'canvas bungalow.'

It is a solid, robust tent when properly pitched. Mine has withstood gale force winds and torrential rain and has always kept me dry and secure.

The Elzas is perfect, I would say, but for no more than two people (I know it takes more at a squeeze) but a couple can much more easily mark out their sleeping areas and living space, without feeling cramped. I can walk around in it (I’m 6’ 1”) with headroom to spare. It FEELS spacious, and it’s well ventilated, which makes it a pleasure to relax in - unlike some tents, which feel cluttered, and can become uncomfortably hot in the sun.

It's worth noting that the Elzas is a large and heavy tent, which - when packed - fills the better part of a car boot. The two equal sized cylindrical sacks that contain it - one poles and pegs, the other, canvas and inner - are best kept near the car. (I once made the mistake of taking the tent to a large festival. Health and Safety regulations insisted we carried the tent and pitched it a long way from parked vehicles. There was no reference, I noticed, to the H&S implications for heat exhaustion and back sprain!)

Similarly, I once had a titanic struggle to pitch the tent in a stiff onshore breeze near the beach at Fleetwood, in Lancashire. A weather system was sweeping in from the North Atlantic, across the Solway Firth, and it was becoming increasingly gusty.

Several square metres of canvas behaved like a ship's sail in a trade wind, and it resisted all my early attempts to tame it. In the end, the only way I could pitch the tent was by pegging down its windward side and laying a row of football-sized rocks along the plastic skirting for reinforcement; then painstakingly easing the frame beneath the flapping canvas. I secured the tent by slow degrees, peg by painful peg hammered home with a heavy duty mallet. What should have taken half an hour, took me more than two and a half hours to achieve. The joys of camping!

If this sounds extreme, it was. Later in the day, a large nearby catering marquee owned by Moor and Coast, of Whitby, was lifted into the air by the wind and torn in half!

Hopefully, such 'adventures' are a thing of the past. Now, in my early retirement, I use my Cabanon Elzas several times a year. I've had it a decade, and reckon it's good for at least another. On the basis of its quality, practicality, comfort and longevity, I'd give the Elzas a resounding 10/10. But I'm reducing that by one, in the light of the two above incidents.

Provided it's pitched in favourable conditions, the Elzas is an excellent tent. Size matters, sometimes, and when you can pitch your tent in absolute confidence that it'll withstand all that Nature throws at it, you can sit back and assimilate all those things that make camping in the great outdoors so special.

In my experience, the prize goes to that magical summer evening at Gairloch Sands campsite, on my favourite pitch, with distant views of the Isle of Skye. For a short spell, I sunbathed in a rain shower. True! As I lay under the awning - single malt in hand - listening to rain falling on the tent from a cloud directly overhead, the setting sun bathed me in a warm, fuzzy, golden glow as it dipped down slowly towards Skye in the west. Or was that the whiskey? Either way, you get the picture.

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By: Fostermum Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating: 9 from 10

I bought the Elzas (named her Elsie!) from a well known auction site for a very reasonable price - and thrilled to find she was in near perfect condition and hardly used at all. Mine has the push out kitchen and canopy so lots of space. I still think a family of 4 would struggle in this tent unless the weather was fantastic and a lot of time could be spent outdoors. I camp solo and the bedroom pod with the divider rolled away is brilliant for my campbed setup - loads of storage space and room to stand & dress etc. The living area is a good size and with the kitchen push out easily accommodates a good size kitchen stand & accessories without encroaching on the living area. The quality is just second to none - as with all Cabanons - although there is no sig/zig it is easy to get a good seal from the elements with the large mudflaps tucked under a good quality groundsheet.

All in all a superb tent for a couple or solo camper - and simple to pitch alone. I have only given it 9 stars because of the 4 berth rating which I think, as in most tents, is going to be cramped.

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By: Zeelees Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2001 Rating: 10 from 10

We have just purchased our Elzas from a member on ukcs,absolutely love it.

Ours is the earlier model with no added window and a smaller kitchen area but is ideal for weekends with 2 adults and dog. As above,the bedroom pod is half the tent space which gives plenty of space in bedroom.

Room in the living space for 2 chairs,table,kitchen and dog bed. Ours came with roof liner and canopy(not shown as was too windy)Since it is earlier,it really is only a 2 berth(3 with a small child),but we love it.

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By: Eddy45 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating: 9 from 10

Nice well made 4 berth 420x250m sleeping pod is half the tent the rest is living area. Ideal for a couple or young family and is not over large to transport nice vibrant colours. Very sturdy due to its shape nice and airy too. Sleeping pod has dividing curtain.A roof liner complement the tent and aids with the condensation and a bit of roof insulation.

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Manufacturer's Description

All the comfort of a Cabanon frame tent: optimised height, wide openings and practical features to make the most of the fun of camping.

A campsite tent which is ideal for small families. The Elza tent is pleasant to stay in with its large doorways and various practical details. 2 interior tents offer separate sleeping areas. Kitchen extension with a large mosquito-netted window and exterior blind. 1 large window in the living area to benefit from available light. Roll-up front for perfect tent ventilation.

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