ot: tent recommendation?

jim

Hi,

I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).

We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking of
buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
of camping.

That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
nothing about it. Personal recommendations or experience of others is
generally vastly better than a company's glossy brochure.

Thanks

Jim & Becca & kids...

Richard Bates

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 19:15:46 -0000, "jim" <this@that.com> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at

Cycling and camping go very well together ;-)

>uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
>could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
>currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).

Well respected makes are Vango, Coleman, Saunders. I'm not familiar
with any of the latest range so can't make a personal recommendation.

However, for larger groups such as yourself there are a couple of
options that I see:

Dome-style tents, which are generally simple to erect but necessitate
living on your hands and knees.

Frame tents are less resilient in the wind, require more swearing to
erect them, and are much heavier...BUT you can stand up in them - a
feature which may be the crucial difference between a happy five year
old and a bored five year old.

Don't rule out using two smaller tents: the 3 and 5 year old could
share if you can pitch the two units close enough together to satisfy
their safety.

Out of interest, how will your one year old sleep? Remember that there
is no such thing as a warm tent. It is your bedding which keeps you
warm.


>We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking of
>buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
>of camping.


Depending on your chosen design, you may be using a tent which has an
inner and outer skin. Being able to pitch the waterproof outer skin
first is better than having to pitch the non-waterproof inner first.

>That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
>felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
>nothing about it.

Definitely more flexible. The only contraindication to how often you
move on is how easy/difficult your tent is to manage.
--
Amazon: "If you are interested in 'Asimov's I-Robot',
you may also be interested in 'Garfield - The Movie'.
... erm, how do they figure that one out?

Brian G

jim wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
> uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
> could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
> currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>
> We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking of
> buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
> of camping.
>
> That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
> felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
> nothing about it. Personal recommendations or experience of others is
> generally vastly better than a company's glossy brochure.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim & Becca & kids...
>

Best bet is to visit one of the "Camping and Outdoors" type of shows
(probably advertised on the web) and have a good look at the various
options for yourself. We had many happy years family camping in a frame
tent. My only advice is get a larger tent than you think you need. We
were 4 in a tent allegedly for 7 and we appreciated the space.

Have fun.
--
Brian G

Paul Rudin

"jim" <this@that.com> writes:

> Hi,
>
> I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
> uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
> could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
> currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>
> We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking of
> buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
> of camping.
>
> That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
> felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
> nothing about it. Personal recommendations or experience of others is
> generally vastly better than a company's glossy brochure.


If it's not something you plan to carry on a bike then I can recommend
a Karsten. <http://www.karstententen.nl/>.

Paul - xxx

Richard Bates composed the following ...

> Well respected makes are Vango, Coleman, Saunders. I'm not familiar
> with any of the latest range so can't make a personal recommendation.

We have a Coleman 500, Dome Tent which we have as a backup for when we don't
have or can't take the caravan. Excellent tent, easy to erect, easy to
live in and work in .. we race and use it as a sleeping area and a pits area
during the day. We have two kids 9 and 12 and they also like it. Sleeping
areas are not totally separate, but in our eyes this is beneficial in that
we have easy access to the kids if they 'feel sick' or have a nightmare etc
...

> Dome-style tents, which are generally simple to erect but necessitate
> living on your hands and knees.

er, why? Our Dome is easily large enough for us all to stand up in .. in
fact has much more space than our last 'traditional' ridge tent. It also
accomodates a 'camp kitchen' that we leave up all day and a table and four
chairs easily, with enough room for the kids to play Monopoly or somesuch on
wet days.

> Depending on your chosen design, you may be using a tent which has an
> inner and outer skin. Being able to pitch the waterproof outer skin
> first is better than having to pitch the non-waterproof inner first.

Very important feature and one that ought to be checked with whoever you buy
the tent from. We've had to pitch in howling gales and rain, and it is much
easier and way more comfortable if you can keep the inner sleeping quarters
separate and dry.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A tosser is a tosser, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Carol Hague

jim <this@that.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
> uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
> could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
> currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).

We've had a few tents and the ones we've liked best have been Vaude
ones. You'd probably need a larger one than the Monolith we currently
use, but the range seem particularly well designed.

--
Carol
"Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"

Sniper8052(L96A1)

Carol Hague wrote:
> jim <this@that.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
>>uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
>>could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
>>currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>
>
> We've had a few tents and the ones we've liked best have been Vaude
> ones. You'd probably need a larger one than the Monolith we currently
> use, but the range seem particularly well designed.
>

Hi,
With young children I would echo getting a tent larger than you would
think you will need. However camping is not a 'cheap' option because
apart from the tent there are many other things which it will take a
number of years to build up. Trying to buy everything in one hit is
very expensive. Another thing to consider is the size of the vehicle
which will be carrying all the gear, it takes up a good deal of space.
I would advise only taking this route for a holiday option if your
really committed to the idea of camping for a number of years. Frankly
I would not advise 'personal' camping with a baby in the UK. I would
hire a tent in Holland or somewhere 'summer warm/hot' through Eurocamp
or the like.
If you do consider buying your own kit there are good tents to be had
from various providers, you pay your money and take your choice. I
would advise you to go for branded kit rather than copies. Copies tend
to have problems, cuts tend to be loose resulting in odd pull angles and
creases when set. These can be impossible to get rid of and may be
prone to leaks. Other than that make sure it has a sewn in groundsheet
otherwise you will have the field running through the tent.
Been there, done that, if I had to again I would wait until the baby was
5. Seriously look into this a bit more...
Sniper8052

Jo

"jim" <this@that.com> wrote in message
news:41d847ef$0$43356$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...
> Hi,
>
> I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
> uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
> could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
> currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>
> We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking
of
> buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
> of camping.
>
> That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
> felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
> nothing about it. Personal recommendations or experience of others is
> generally vastly better than a company's glossy brochure.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim & Becca & kids...
>
> I haven't got anything to add to what has already been said as far as
the tent is concerned, but I have to disagree with what some people are
saying about camping with the baby. I presume you don't intend to take
him/her camping until summer? That means that as he/she is 1 year old now
he/she will be at least 18 months then.
My children all camped from an early age - my oldest son first camped at
ten weeks old, in the UK. I used a camp cot and dressed them warmly at night
(bedding can be kicked off). They suffered no ill effects whatsoever, were
perfectly happy at the time and are now all healthy teenagers.
Jo

Tim

In article <41d847ef$0$43356$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net>, jim wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
> uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
> could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
> currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>
> We're just looking at the moment, but as with most things one is thinking of
> buying, there is so much choice it is bewildering as we have no experience
> of camping.
>
> That's about it really - we like the idea of camping as it seems more
> felxible than having to rent a holiday cottage for a week, but so far know
> nothing about it. Personal recommendations or experience of others is
> generally vastly better than a company's glossy brochure.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim & Becca & kids...
>
>

I thought camping was fantastic when I was little and still do.
Certainly one thing to consider is the size and weight of a tent when
packed- frame tents can be *very* bulky and heavy (my parents tent would
consume half of the boot space). Camping at the end of the summer it was
suprising how good family sized dome tents have become- the good ones
seemed to have 6' plus of headroom and acres of space in non-sleeping
areas for eating or sitting and playing games out of the inevitable
rain

Whilst not relevant to your question I'd suggest that good
sleeping bags and cooking gear is just as important to enjoying camping.
A good tent will keep the rain off but it's sleeping bags which keep you
warm at night.

Have fun!
--
Tim.
(who can't wait to get out and use the Terra Nova tent he was given for
Christmas!)

chris French

In message <CP9Cd.33034$48.7858@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk>,
"Sniper8052(L96A1)" <sniper8052@yahoo.co.uk> writes
>Carol Hague wrote:
>> jim <this@that.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
>>>uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
>>>could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
>>>currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>> We've had a few tents and the ones we've liked best have been Vaude
>> ones. You'd probably need a larger one than the Monolith we currently
>> use, but the range seem particularly well designed.
>>
>
>Hi,
>With young children I would echo getting a tent larger than you would
>think you will need.

Agreed. Space so as not to be too cramped in wet colder weather is nice

> However camping is not a 'cheap' option because apart from the tent
>there are many other things which it will take a number of years to
>build up.

it can be relatively cheap. You can start off with cheap kit and upgrade
as necessary - borrowing stuff at first is handy if you aren't sure what
you want or need, and stuff such as cooking pans from the kitchen etc.
can be pressed into service. Ebay is a good source of cheaper kit. And
now is quite good time to buy tents as there are often deals on last
years models. ands tuff can be resold on for decent prices.

> Trying to buy everything in one hit is very expensive.

It can be, see above.

> Another thing to consider is the size of the vehicle which will be
>carrying all the gear, it takes up a good deal of space.

It doesn't have to. Families go cycle camping. but if you have big
tent, chairs, table etc. etc. then a big roofbox is handy for the car.

> I would advise only taking this route for a holiday option if your
>really committed to the idea of camping for a number of years. Frankly
>I would not advise 'personal' camping with a baby in the UK. I would
>hire a tent in Holland or somewhere 'summer warm/hot' through Eurocamp
>or the like.

Hiring can be good way to try it out, and certainly a cold damp week in
the Uk can put some people off as their first experience

>Been there, done that, if I had to again I would wait until the baby
>was 5

I'd disagree with that, I find camping with young children quite easy.
we first camped with DD1 when she was 18 months, DD2 will be about 6
months when she first goes this year. DD1 loves camping, she loves the
freedom of the campsite, the excitement of life under canvas, running
about he campsite in the rain in her waterproofs etc.

Re the OP question re tents -much depends on how much space you want,
how compact the packed tent must be, budget etc. Is this for car camping
or tent camping.

My favourite tent is my old trusty Spacepacker, but that's a tad small
for 5. We bought a ludicrously large Kyham Frontier which is great in
different way. It has oodles of space. Is relatively easy to put up for
such a large tent. It is very stable in winds (this is important in the
UK even at low level). It is good, but Kyham are expensive, and probably
not a first time purchase unless you are sure of what you want.

The Kyham is bit big and time consuming to put up for quick weekend
trips at the moment, so we also bought cheap last year a smaller Vango
tent - with a sort of domed living area with sleeping area off it. Big
enough for standing up in the living area and with space for sitting
around. A separate 'room' for the kids to sleep in may be useful.
Sunncamp also make good family tents.

--
Chris French, Leeds

Tim Hall

On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 20:25:53 +0000, chris French
<newspost-c-002@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote:


>
>My favourite tent is my old trusty Spacepacker, but that's a tad small
>for 5. We bought a ludicrously large Kyham Frontier which is great in
>different way. It has oodles of space. Is relatively easy to put up for
>such a large tent. It is very stable in winds (this is important in the
>UK even at low level). It is good, but Kyham are expensive, and probably
>not a first time purchase unless you are sure of what you want.
>

We've got a Kyham XXL. Brilliant. Rock solid, spacious, quicker than
frame tents to put up. We've got a standard bedroom at one side for
Mrs. Hall and I, and the larger bedroom, which is divided into two,
for the kids, on the other side.


It's interesting, for trainspotter values of interesting, to compare
the later versions with our 4 or 5 year old version. Smaller door,
shrouded hinges, more guy ropes. Several of our friends have them, so
we form a little coraal of tents when we go away together. Which is
nice.

The instructions were on a video cassette, with music straight from a
late 70s p0rn film. Or so I've been told.


We had a Kyham vis-a-vis before that, which was a bit too small,
according to Mrs. Hall, for a fortnight's camping for four of us.


Tim

Sue White

jim <this@that.com> whizzed past me shouting
>Hi,
>
>I know this has nothing to do with cycling, but having had a look at
>uk.rec.camping and rec.outdoors.camping I thought I'd ask here if anyone
>could offer any advice about a suitable tent for our family, which is
>currently mum, dad and 3 kids (5, 3 and 1 yrs old).
>

If you're taking bikes, somewhere under cover to tinker with them is
good.

Friends have a dome-type tent with two "bedrooms" and a bedroom-sized
space between them which has a doorway each side. Either or both doors
can be propped up as awnings.
In wet weather the extra space is very useful for cooking and for their
kids.

--
Sue ];(

What goes down must come up again - Confucius' Law of Mountain Biking

Steph Peters

"Sniper8052(L96A1)" <sniper8052@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>I would advise only taking this route for a holiday option if your
>really committed to the idea of camping for a number of years. Frankly
>I would not advise 'personal' camping with a baby in the UK. I would
>hire a tent in Holland or somewhere 'summer warm/hot' through Eurocamp
>or the like.
>Been there, done that, if I had to again I would wait until the baby was
>5. Seriously look into this a bit more...

I was going to give the try a hire tent holiday first advice for slightly
different reasons. Camping can be great fun or miserably hard work
depending on the weather and the temperament of fellow campers. Before
investing quite a lot of money in tent and associated gear try it out to see
if it works for your family.
--
Reference Manual: Object that raises the monitor to eye level.
Also used to compensate for that short table leg.
Steph Peters delete invalid from incm@sandbenders.demon.co.uk.invalid
Tatting, lace & stitching page <http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm>

chris French

In message <9ecjt0pscfr8idp7pf2828acpi55v27cgh@4ax.com>, Tim Hall
<timhall@nospamtoday.clara.co.uk> writes
>On Mon, 3 Jan 2005 20:25:53 +0000, chris French
><newspost-c-002@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>My favourite tent is my old trusty Spacepacker, but that's a tad small
>>for 5. We bought a ludicrously large Kyham Frontier which is great in
>>different way. It has oodles of space. Is relatively easy to put up for
>>such a large tent. It is very stable in winds (this is important in the
>>UK even at low level). It is good, but Kyham are expensive, and probably
>>not a first time purchase unless you are sure of what you want.
>>
>
>We've got a Kyham XXL. Brilliant. Rock solid, spacious, quicker than
>frame tents to put up. We've got a standard bedroom at one side for
>Mrs. Hall and I, and the larger bedroom, which is divided into two,
>for the kids, on the other side.
>
>
Our Frontier is basically bigger version of the XXL - it was on sale
cheaper than the XXL we were going to get.

>It's interesting, for trainspotter values of interesting, to compare
>the later versions with our 4 or 5 year old version.

They've moved to modular arrangement now, where 'bedroom's can be added
or removed, looks interesting.
--
Chris French, Leeds