Help with buying a family tent please...(uk)?

We are seasoned campers and would offer the following advice. Most 6 berth tents have very little living space outside of the bedrooms. Choose a much bigger tent than you require, preferably one with a big central living area. Don't forget you need an area to cook, eat etc if the rain is falling. We have a Khyam Wyoming 12 berth tent for four of us that's brilliant, easy to pitch and pack away, and nobody feels claustrophobic. The tent cost £325.00 and is worth it's weight in gold. Happy camping!!

Tthere's lots of good choices out there nowadays. For us as a family it was weight and pitching time, we used to have a second-hand frame tent which was OK, but it nearly took all day to pitch, filled the car bootspace and weighed a ton. So after some non-happy trips in that bought a khyam. Its quick to pitch (1/2 hour in real time not that "up 30 seconds" in brochures!), not too heavy and its 100% waterproof, and despite warnings all over that you must not cook near the tent fabric we can cook quite happily inside it on wet days. i can also stand inside it so that really helps. Millets and blacks seem to do good value tents, khyams are bit expensive compared to some but seem to be worth it. happy camping!

ok let me give you some ideas i love coleman products most of my camping gear is coleman. when picking a tent make sure you buy a tent that the floor comes up over the sides and you will want a tent that has 2-3 seams all the way around cheap tends to leak and not hold up. also acouple of days before your trip set up yur tent in the backyard acouple times to get used to it. i would also buy a ground cloth to put under the tent you can use a tarp or plastic but make sure it stays under the tent keep it away for the edges about 3 inchs will do.also buy a good seam sealer i use seam sealer 2 you can get it @ walmart. i made a camping group its called w.v,oh,kycampingace in yahoo groups know one has joined of yet and i open the invite to every one but will give you and help you all i can if your interested

Here ya go. You can't get much better than this in terms of tent quality, tent size or price: http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Khyam_Michigan_Family_Tunnel_Tent.html Be quick. That price won't last. Kyham are one of the best makes of tent available. Don't buy a 6 berth tent. If there are 6 of you, then it won't be big enough. They never are.

You need to look out for: High Hydrostatic head (at least 1500, if not 2000 or above) Taped seams Ripstop fabric Good tents will also have lightweight but very tough poles and a design which will withstand wind and grim weather -probably a dome or tunnel shape. I would say to avoid Sunncamp and Eurohike tents as they are cheap and I've seen them collapse or break in July weather in the UK! They're not really made for anything but good weather camping in the south of France or whatever. Gelert, Khyam and Vango (especially) make excellent tents which will withstand poor weather conditions and will last you for years. They will also maintain their resale value if you decide you want to get rid of it later on. If you are concerned about the higher price for these brands then try getting one off Ebay - there's always loads on there because people buy tents and then decide they don't like camping! You're always far better off getting a good tent cheap than getting a cheap tent - having a tent you can't rely on can ruin a holiday. As other people have said, what counts as a 6 berth tent can vary massively - this could be one compartment that sleeps exactly 6 people squished in head to toe or, say, 3 bedrooms that fit 2 people, with a large communal area etc. The best thing would be to visit a display or tent showroom nearby - check in your yellow pages for one. Then you'll be able to look around the tents, decide what kind of size or layout you want, maybe find a particular model you like that you can search for on ebay. However you do it, make sure to take note of the dimensions of any tent you like, so you can find comparable models quickly and easily if you buy online. Get product reviews from: http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/defaultProductReviews/mps and more helpful advice from: http://www.thehappycampers.co.uk Good luck! Hx

hydrostatic head not less than 1,500 otherwise it will not stand up to a good down pour, sometimes called water pressure or waterproof, had loads of tents over the years go camping most weekends all year round the last weekend this year for me is the 8th of DEC then start again in Jan, just because a tent has a big name does not meen its a good tent & good value, some of the best tents i have had have been little known, most tents are made in the same factorys in far east , i got a kyam copy(made in the same factory) that has lasted over 10 year my son uses it now, i have a great gelert tunnel tent stood up to what scotland could throw at it,they do a good sleeping bag i have spent up to £150 on sleeping bags good names but they did not keep me warm the £17 gelert does, so i would recomend gelert but still look for one you like rain wants to run off so you dont want a tent that is saggy or long sloping side's as these will sag when wet you want a large comunal area so you can sit in if it rains or just chill in,it will also be your cooking & eating area, just the other weekend saw a friend get soaked in the new tent they had bought good tent they told me big name was not that good next morning

we have some outdoor stores that rent tents and other stuff(sleeping bags, pads, camp kitchens and lighting). Also some of the state parks have what they call a rent-a-camp.Try some out. End of the season is a great time to pick up some bargains and display items. get a good tent,nothing like stuck zippers at 2:00 in the morning when you need to make that special run you know where or that drip that always hits at the most unlikely place.Go to a outdoor store and talk. I hate to down grade any brand they have different levels of quality in the same brand. The bigger like 8-10 and namebrand

i have just bought a 6 berth tent from rage. if you email me i will send all details. should have cost 174 pounds i bought it brand new for 56 pounds including posting and packing.

totaly agree dont buy cheap ones too much hassle setting up. Also when the time comes to buy one go to www.hotukdeals.com and u might spot one on sale or a vouvher to use against 1. happy tent shoppin!