Quick pitching tent required

[A900ss]

I'm looking for a VERY quick pitching tent to hold 3 people (so I guess 4 berth) for sunny weekends away. The three people are one adult and two junior age children so a small 4 berth is fine. Due to the children's age, I need to put the tent up myself.

Ideally it will also have a living area as well in case we get caught in the rain but willing to listen to other opinions here.

I'd love a Heimplanet Cave but the lack of any living area whatsoever puts me off a bit.

Currently looking at inflatable Vangos, the Capri 400 and the Solaris 400.

Recommendations and comments most welcome. Budget of £500 but prefer less.

[WildCards]

Have you looked at the tents at Decathlon?

6 Man Tent with a decent living space for £399
4 person tent with no living space for £199 and a pop lounge/kitchen for £119.

Or something bigger and a little better quality from Khyam for £499

[A900ss]

Thanks.

The 6 person quechua looks very promising. I think the Kyham is a bit too big for weekend only. Lots of guy ropes so I'm guessing pitch time is a fair bit longer. I also prefer the living area at the front like the quechua.

[ngdragon]

Would definitely recommend a Kayhem. I have the awning version for my camper. Once you get the knack it really is up in seconds. Easy to erect on your own. Have had a few remarks from fellow campers that they are amazed how quick it is. easy to take down and fits well into its storage bag. very pleased with it.

[SSC!]

I have had kyham tents for years, last really well. Bought a vango inflatable which was great but took up a fair bit of space. Recently bought a Quechua pop up tent which I use for storage as now use a van to sleep in. All good bits of kit but would opt for a kyham if I was going for one again.

[A900ss]

I hear the forum recommending Kyham and thanks. From photos, I'm not too sure I like them but will investigate.

I've also seen a Kampa I quite like. Any thoughts on the brand, tent or specs welcome.

http://www.kampa.co.uk/air/mersea-4-air

[Watchman]

A friend has an inflatable Vango - nice and big (no idea what the name is) and surprisingly rigid (to me) when fully inflated. I really expected it to be a "nice idea, but..." however I couldn't be more wrong. It's very solid when properly pressurised.

Take "minutes" to erect. Needs a bit of effort to pump up manually but I thought perhaps you could get 80% of the way there with a cheap 12V mattress pump, then finish it off with the high pressure manual pump. It'd cut the (already short) time in half too.

[tenohfive]

A900ss said:

I hear the forum recommending Kyham and thanks. From photos, I'm not too sure I like them but will investigate.

I've also seen a Kampa I quite like. Any thoughts on the brand, tent or specs welcome.

http://www.kampa.co.uk/air/mersea-4-air

I own a Kampa (having looked for months at what to buy) and I really rate them - the quality is as good as Outwell, and in some areas better having compared them side by side at camping shops and camping fayre's etc. I've got a steel poled variety because pitching convenience isn't an issue and I wanted something bombproof, so I can't comment on their gale-proofing, but for summer camping an air type wouldn't put me off.

I wouldn't pick that one though - it's not tall enough to stand up in which will become tiresome very quickly. For my money I'd be looking something like this:
http://www.kampa.co.uk/air/oxwich-5-air

Have been inside one and I was impressed.

[Foliage]

A900s is it your first time camping or first time camping with the family?

If its for use in the UK when picking a tent remember that it always rains the UK so you need to make sure you have enough room to relax, cook, eat in, the tent being tall enough to stand in is always a massive bonus.

Don't know how old your kids are but when I was a lad we used to go camping (we started when I was around 6) and part of the fun was putting the tent up and all helping out etc, if your struggling with the tent etc don't be afraid to ask the staff at the site for help or your site neighbour, people are always helpful

If its your first tent, its worth having things like door mats or off cuts of carpet/lino to keep the ground sheet clean, it saves having to take your boots off.

If you need anymore advice just ask

ETA - don't forget that if these tents are quick to pitch but are invariably an arse to put down, its always worth having a practice in your garden before you go

Edited by Foliage on Tuesday 2nd June 12:20

[A900ss]

We do have a tent but I've used it twice in two years as I HATE pitching it. Too many poles and a pain in the arse.

Well I've looked, researched and looked a bit more and have finally bought a tent.

Not quite to original spec as I've gone for an Inflatable Polycotton Vango Eden 400 tent. It is bloody heavy (44kgs) but from the moment I went inside a Polycotton tent at a camp shop, I realised that my previous polyester tent was history.

So.... The tent retails at £1,100.....

But managed to find a 5 week old one, camped in for one night and the previous owner realised camping wasn't for them. So the £1,100 new became £570 used one night for me and also included a new Vango carpet. Original purchase receipt included with sale.

Thanks all.

[Foliage]

Nice find and I'm glad you've found a solution.

Hope get many years of use out of it, some of my best memories as a young child were camping.

[towser44]

A900ss said:

We do have a tent but I've used it twice in two years as I HATE pitching it. Too many poles and a pain in the arse.

Well I've looked, researched and looked a bit more and have finally bought a tent.

Not quite to original spec as I've gone for an Inflatable Polycotton Vango Eden 400 tent. It is bloody heavy (44kgs) but from the moment I went inside a Polycotton tent at a camp shop, I realised that my previous polyester tent was history.

So.... The tent retails at £1,100.....

But managed to find a 5 week old one, camped in for one night and the previous owner realised camping wasn't for them. So the £1,100 new became £570 used one night for me and also included a new Vango carpet. Original purchase receipt included with sale.

Thanks all.

My parents bought that same tent earlier this year. Was ex-display at Winfields, think they paid £700 including the carpet and footprint. We used to go camping all the time as kids in a huge frame tent with electric hook up etc so they are au fait with tents and they too were well impressed with the polycotton. It is a cracking tent! But yes, it's heavy and takes up most of the boot of their Vectra!

[A900ss]

I've got a 5 series touring, so quite a big car but it still takes up half the boot.....

[WildCards]

Jesus, I was looking at the Eden 600 XL last week at JR. As lovely as it was it was the pack size and weight that put me off and back onto a poly tent.

[superlightr]

We have a 22kg Vango air awning bought new for a caravan and have been very impressed with it. easy to set up. Yes takes up a fair room in the boot - also 5 series estate but its not a chore in setting up the awning at all. Makes it fun infact.

Good choice OP.

[BOBTEE]

We have a Vango Evoque, so easy to pitch! Just peg the base out, pump it up and then do the guy lines...me and the GF don't even argue about it!

[abbotsmike]

Completely off topic, but it's funny how priorities can differ. Most of my camping is as a scout leader, so quick to pitch is a high priority. Most of my nights are in a Vango Blade!

I push the boat out for longer camps and have a force ten classic!

[Spuffington]

Slightly OT, but I can't believe how much boot space that tent takes up!!!

I need pretty much most of the boot space of a 5er just to get my camping gear in, let alone the tent!

[A900ss]

If you're going to do something, do it big

I also have a roofbox.....

[jep]

Top marks OP, and you've made the right decision about polycotton. Having had a number of polyester tents, I took the plunge a year or so ago and upgraded to a polycotton Sunncamp 800. The difference it makes to the camping experience is remarkable.