Starting out?

Dear All

 Can anybody recommend a quick errect tent for 2 adults and 2 children aged 4 and 6?

Although ,I wonder if I'm on the wrong web site as reading your forum it sounds like you're all hardened climbers and real adventurers. IF only...... I remember the days before children!

Anyway I'm trying to recapture a bit of my old adventurer spirit with two kids in tow so I need a tent that's easy to errect, preferably with two pods to separate adults and children and with some space to snuggle up inside with a glass of wine incase of rainy evenings.

Thanks jackie

Hi Jackie,

Welcome to the forum, and don't worry there's a wide range of campers on here not just "hardened climbers and real adventurers"

I'd recommend looking at the Vango and Wild Country ranges of family tents, as they have a long and proven history in both family and individual tents.

Hi Jacky what are your plans for the near future? Only car camping or also trying to hike with your kids and stuff? This is important in your tent selection cause if you choose a tent too heavy (> 8kg) you'll never even think to try to hike with your kids from A to B with all your stuff.

I can advize you how to do it, to trek from A to B with all your stuff and kids, but that will take you tent-wise away from Vango and wild country like tents. You'll then have to look at lighter and smarter tent set-ups (may be even 2 seperate tents).  

Cotswold had a few Primus Bifrost family camping tents in their bargain bin recently, at £200 and £250 rather than £350 and £400.  Not available through their website, I had to 'phone them up to get one.  They might have some left.

2 models available, the Y6 and H4.  The H4 has two bedrooms for two either side of a communal standing height area, the Y6 has two three person bedrooms at angles (in a 'Y' shape, hence the name) off a central large standing height dome.  We got the Y6, for 2 adults and 2 children (7 and 5): if you're car camping and the rain keeps you inside then space is space is space with few downsides, but the H4 would be quicker to put up and is a little lighter.

Quality is pretty good, especially the poles which are high quality aluminium alloy, where more family tents are either very heavy steel or rather crappy fibreglass.

You wouldn't want to be hiking anywhere with either, but out the back of a car (or maybe a boat) they look pretty good to me, especially at the bargain price (they seem to be stopping selling them, hence the price reduction) which means you can get a good quality tent at something more like a budget price.

Pete.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not ready for hiking yet. Just camping out of the back of a car.

 The reason for asking is I bought a huge Vango but cannot bear to spend the 2- 3 hours it takes to put it up and that's with 3 people! Maybe I need some lessons!

Anyway someone suggested a Kyam but they' re so expensive. Has anyone got one ? Are they worth the money?

2-3 hours!  Gak!

I've only put up the Primus once so far.  I guess it took around half an hour, but that in the context of having only seen it before in pictures and not having any instructions and there being just the one of me in a small space I don't think that's too bad!  Looking at the overall plans the H4 would be quicker and easier to set up than the Y6 we have, but the Y6 isn't really problematical in that regard.

Pete.

Don't know which Vango you have so I cannot judge if you're able to set up another tent in a quicker time and alone.

Normally 4 person tents with two inner are tunnels. If the tunnel is lightweight you can set it up alone. Just stick in the 4 poles likely needed for such a tunnel. Tighten the poles. Peg up one end of the tunnel. Walk to the other end of the tunnel tent, lift it it up and pull it tight. This way you erect the whoel tunnel and are you able to peg the other end. Next is tweaking the poles and third is setting guy lines, last the other pegs you didn't do yet. Then putting in the groundsheet and innertents.

As Peter wrote, it should be doable within half an hour and alone providing you do not have a heavy tent. 

It was a Vango colarado. Having watched the video on line later, it shows 3 people putting it up. There would be two of us so I'm sure a 4 man will be no troubles.

Like the look of the primus though ,thanks Pete.

Does anyone know if there are any tent shows coming up around south west?

jackie

Oh dear that Vango Colorado is a complete hotel! Big, very big imho.

The suggestion for a Primus H4 is actually a nice one. It's not a full tunnel (it has two crossing poles) so it's somewhat more difficult to setup this one than a full tunnel.

But don't be scared the difference is mostly it's more slightly more difficult to raise the first crossing pole. It can be done easily but it needs some experience in raising tents.

Another suggestion is perhaps a Nordisk Piru (6 persons but fullblown tunnel with standing height, easy to set up.)  polyester version about 16 kg's a cotton version ranges to 29 kg.

In the light weight section (most are more expensive) I have seen a:

-Terra Nova Laser Space 5 (5 person and standing height aprox 5,5 kg.)

- Birdland Multinova (4,5 person and sitting height, splitable in two seperate tents and extra pole to connect spare porches to build a shed next to the multinova. aprox 7 to 7,5 kgs)

-Nordisk lagerlof (4 person, sitting height, splitable in two seperate tnst, aprox 5,5 kg's)

-Hilleberg Stalon Combi (sitting height, loads of imaginable combinations, 4 person set-up with two inners is aprox 7 kg's)

With all tents (alo the staning ons lik the primus H4 and the Nordisk Piru) I suggest an extra  tarp/wing and a pole to be able to extend the porch which is nice for shade against sun and rain.

wow thanks Zuma. You're a complete star!Lots of food for thought.

We have the Primus H4 for car camping, but we paid full price for it. Pete

It's a great tent. Well made, excellent usable space and goes up no problem in under 15 minutes. It's tough too, having taken some pretty ferocious weather in lovely North wales on occasions.

Some more food for thought: I forgot the brand Eureka!:

Checkout the:

Eureka Bighorn 4XD RS (a full tunnel, semi standing height, fits 3 adults in one inner and only two small children in another inner, weighs  6,9 kgs)

Eureka Tunnel Vision CV RS (a full 3 pole tunnel, standing height, fits 2-4 adults in one inner and two children in the other, weighs 10 kg's)

Eureka Tunnel Vision RS (a full 4 pole tunnel, standing height, fits 2-4 adults in each full size inner, a separate kids inner is also available(smaller), weighs 12 kg's)

Eureka Tunnel Star TP (a full 4 pole tunnel, standing height, fits 2-4 adults in each full size inner, a separate kids inner is also available(smaller), weighs 11 kg's)

here you can find them:

http://www.eurekaeurope.com/en/tents.php

Se@n, it was your recommendation in a previous car camping thread that had me looking for the Primus: called the importer to see who might have one, they suggested Cotswold might have a few left and... that's how I found out about the discount! (sorry! )

I bought it about a month ago and they only had a very few left, sitting in stores rather than wherever Cotswold Camping Central is, but you can order from their mail-order line and they have the store send it directly to you.

Pete.

I have a Khyam classic XXL for the family camping and yes I'd say they're worth the extra money, probably £100 more than a similar size coleman / Vango if that??

 Our Khyam measures 6.5m x 3m and I can literally put it up on my own while the wife entertains the kids. The main structure goes up in about 5 minutes realyl handy if you need to get out of the rain, the rest of the time is spent putting up the inner tent seprarate ground sheet and dozens of pegs .

The newer models have sewn in groundsheets so probably even quicker to put up. Also bear in mind the Kyham's don't pack small !

Zuma mentioned Eureka which I've seen put to good use in North America. And there are plenty of other good suggestions - liking the Primus options - up above.

But one of my friends has recently bought a 6 person REI tent from the US for use as a family camping option and it looks like a great idea to me. It's under 9kg which makes it very portable for the space; you could certainly use it for a bit of summer wild camping if you didn't go too far from the car. There's an optional vestibule that would probably be worth having.

Of course, the import process could be a bit of a hassle; he got a friend to bring it back from a business trip. But worth a thought, especially if you or someone you know is going that way...

John

For car camping (maybe an estate) I would second the Khyam tents.  As Andy says you can have a rain shelter within 5 minutes and the rest can be done in maybe 15 at a leisurely pace.  I would check out secondhand ones on e-bay.  If you can get an older one  (usually burgundy coloured) they are bullet proof. The newer ones (usually blue) are not quite so solid. Ours is still going strong after about 12 years of regular use and everything the elements can throw at it.

They do have a BIG and HEAVY packsize though, so try to see one before you buy.