Jane Paolozzi
Reviewed: 05 April 2010
A spacious family tent with good layout, light and airy, good value for the money, great range of extras.
Plenty of space in living area for inclement weather dining, porch area is good for storage of equipment, extra porch extension is excellent for cooking in. Separate pods on all sides good for privacy. Straightforward pitching, footprint groundsheet is a good extra to protect the underside of the tent. The extra tent carpet available gives a touch of luxury and makes it cosy at night. Sewn in groundsheet prevents draughts and leaks. Stands up well to windy conditions, does not take up a huge pitching area and is not awkwardly shaped so can fit on an average pitch.
Bedroom compartments a little cramped, lack of height in them makes dressing awkward. More a 6 person than 8 person tent in my opinion. Takes a fair amount of time to pitch properly due to the number of guy ropes needed, pegs provided were easily bent, despite being on non stony ground.
The pros far outweigh the cons with this tent, the lack of space in the bedroom compartments and the time taken to pitch is a minor inconvenience when you consider the added benefits of the quality and relatively low price of this tent when compared to similar types. Once set up, this is a very comfortable tent with lots of space for all the essentials, and attention to details like the zip for hook up cable, hanging tent tidies, plenty of windows and even a skylight for stargazing. I would recommend the extra porch extension for cooking in, there is plenty of room for a cooker and stand, it is also invaluable for leaving wet and muddy shoes to keep the inside tent clean. We found that there is plenty of space in the living area for a table and chairs for 6 people, and thanks to the spacious porch area at the front, which we use for our fridge, food supplies and essentials, there is plenty of room to keep everything so you are not constantly looking for things and tripping over bits on the floor. I would recommend this tent to families with children of all ages, and if you are looking for a good quality tent at a very reasonable price, you will not go wrong with this, at under £280, it is very good value for money, and the optional extras are excellent. We recommend the tent carpet and windbreak as well as the porch extension, all matching so it looks good too, and have just purchased the family shelter for outside which I am sure will be useful and of the same high quality.
