Ground Tents..........whats your advice..?

[Paul_Humphreys]

I have the first tent that is linked to in this thread. It goes up in about 15mins, even with a bottle in one hand. .

I also have an big 6 man teat, that I have only used once.

As for sleeping bag, get a good one. I have just got a ex-mountie one. It is a liner, inner bag and outer bag. It is good for -40!!!

Paul

 

[TonyS]

Totally agree about a good bag. The ratings seem to be well out, a -10 might keep you alive at that,but only just,with all clothes on.
I have a one similiar to your mountie one, i guess,Paul. Its an american army arctic issue, a modular system, with gortex outer, and two inner bags of different thickness. Says it will go down to minus stupid farenheit.
It was warm enough in the Pyrenees sleeping on a cot, under an awning. £99 off ebay.
Since the trip, some of the other lads now bought them.

 

[Paul_Humphreys]

Mine came from Canada, but sounds the same type. Cost me £60 and a friend on another forum carried it over as hand luggage!!

Paul

 

[Paul]

I've always loved my British army sleeping bag, even in sub zero, but just found this to make it even better

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FLEECE-LINER-4-Br ... 2202991137

 

[24Seven]

http://www.sportzbynapier.com/product.html?product_num=57

SUV tent. Great for situations when you want to drive off for the day, to return later without packing up.

Available from TBRUK from about £269.

Hello Paul

Sorry to say...

Mine leaked really badly, enough so I returned it and got a refund from TBR, I'm not sure they are made for the UK really.

 

[Ecoman]

I like the look of those caranex tents.

Are they easy to erect and how big are they packed away. What sort of room do they have inside them. Do you think they would sleep 3 with space?

 

[Paul_Driver]

Hello Paul

Sorry to say...

Mine leaked really badly, enough so I returned it and got a refund from TBR, I'm not sure they are made for the UK really.

That's a bummer I was thinking of getting one. Where was the leakage? The fabric itself, seams or the openings?

 

[24Seven]

Hello Paul

Sorry to say...

Mine leaked really badly, enough so I returned it and got a refund from TBR, I'm not sure they are made for the UK really.

That's a bummer I was thinking of getting one. Where was the leakage? The fabric itself, seams or the openings?

It was the seams, but I was told after buying it that, I quote

That tent is 1200HH No wonder it leaks. HH (hydrostatic head)is the measure of waterproofing a tent has, and 1500 is regarded as the minimum, 2,000 or 3,000 being what the average decent quality tent has these days.

I had mine between 3-4 years ago, so maybe things have changed.

 

[24Seven]

I like the look of those caranex tents.

Are they easy to erect and how big are they packed away. What sort of room do they have inside them. Do you think they would sleep 3 with space?

I never really noted the guy putting it up and down, but I cannot remember it taking a long time or the guy moaning about it.

They are good IMO, although I don't think they would sleep 3 adults.

I have more photos of the inside / outside close up, they are not my photos though but if you pm me your email I will sent them to you as long as you don't post them on-line.

 

[Paul_Driver]

Thanks Matt

 

[Ian Rubie]

I like the Quechua pop up tents. They are fine for a weekend away.

http://tente.quechua.com/en/tent/r-8,a-59,tente-2-seconds-iii.html
http://tente.quechua.com/en/tent/r-8,a-62,tente-2-seconds-xxl-iiii.html

Ian

 

[sae70]

Wow Loads of info there

I did consider 'Quoting' all of the parts that interested me but I'd be here all day

I think that I'm getting closer to a decision with regards to a tent now & have pretty much discounted both of my first choice Vangos in favour of a Coleman Phad X3 as it's slightly smaller that the Vango Omega, so I feel it would be better for when I'm using it by myself, it's a dome/geodat construction & my understanding is that this will be far more stable in windy conditions than a tunnel construction tent, the Coleman Phad will also free stand without guy ropes & finally it has a far higher Hydrostatic head figure than anything else I've seen in the same price range I'm still not entirely convinced though my worry with regards the Coleman Phad is the head height being only 104cm compared to 140cm in the Vango Omega I have no idea if this would be an issue or not

Coleman Phad X3 http://www.coleman.eu/UK/p-23093-phad8482-x3.aspx

I do like the look & idea of the Caranex style tents that you can back your vehicle up to But they do seem to come in some monster sized bags that would require a LWB truck just to haul it around So I've completely discounted these For now

Thought I was getting somewhere & then Mr Rubie posted up a link for the Quenchua 2 second tents Nice Me likes the idea of these

Anyone got or had any experience of a Coleman Phad X3 that they would like to pass on Or one of those instant pitch tents come to that

Am I worrying about the head height to much Is there really very much difference between having 140cm or 104cm head height in terms of a tent for a couple of nights over a weekends fun

Ah.... Nearly forgot MATTRESSES, I had no idea that the inflatable ones would be cold Cheers for that So self inflating ones 2, 3, 5 or 7cm then what's your preference

Oooh......One last thing Sorry this must be my age but Chris 'Club' Is this like 'You Porn' but with more thatching material

 

[TonyS]

For a mattress, check out exped, they are down filled and very comfy, but again you get what you pay for.

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/exped_downma ... dle=116942

I camp a lot in the colder months, and dont like being cold, so this is the top end of mattresses. Remember our summers arent always hot!!

This also folds into a very small bag.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I've used the 2 second tents quite a bit and they're pretty good once you've got the hang of collapsing them I've used both of mine in quite nasty conditions and they've stood up and stayed dry. The ones with a small porch are good (I think the 1st one Ian linked to is what I have) because that porth is handy, don't know how well the taller ones will stand up in high winds (2nd link).

The thicker the matress the more fun you'll have rolling it back up again but the 7cm ones are very comfy

 

[fridayman]

For a mattress, check out exped, they are down filled and very comfy, but again you get what you pay for.

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/exped_downma ... dle=116942

I camp a lot in the colder months, and dont like being cold, so this is the top end of mattresses. Remember our summers arent always hot!!

This also folds into a very small bag.

Exped DLX Pump mat is one of the best bits of camping gear I own - up there with the Jetboil.

 

[TonyS]

Exped DLX Pump mat is one of the best bits of camping gear I own - up there with the Jetboil.[/quote]


Couldn't agree more.

 

[sae70]

My m8 Giles with the modified black LR90 that I'm sure you've seen in some of my out & about pictures came around to borrow my little old Ifor Williams P6e on Thursday to pick up some logs. I mentioned to him about my thoughts towards buying a tent & as it happened he has a Quechua 2 second XL lll pop up tent as recommended by Mr Rubie. Later the same day Giles dropped the tent round for me to have a play with. Before he had started to drive up the road I'd opened it & let it pop up in our main lounge! I left it up for the wife to have a look @ when she got in from work, she was impressed! It was then time to put it away! Actually it was relatively easy once you get over the fact that the poles aren’t going to break as your folding it up.

Today as I looked out of my landing window into the back garden contemplating going outside to fit my new Sirio Mythos 9000 twig & refitting Fiery’s rear bumper lights after refurbishment I realised that it would be the perfect time to pitch my m8's tent out in the garden as it was quite windy & so would be a good test of it's structural integrity. Without a moments hesitation I did just that

And here it is;

I spent about an hour or so looking @ it, sitting in it & thinking about it as the wind blew it about & then had a couple of goes @ packing it away the chucking it up again. I was impressed, very impressed. I didn't time it but I reckon you could have this thing pitched, pegged & guy roped in less than a minute Decision made! I came straight back in, got on-line & bought me one (reduced from £70 to £50 in the sales)

It's now called the Quechua 2" seconds +lll and looks like this;

I'll let you know when it lands

 

[sae70]

Just a couple or three other items to deal with now;

Mattresses

Tent lighting (I think I'll start another topic on this)

And the thing that's been really playing on my mind is #2's What do you do if you need a poo (probally needs its own topic as well)

 

[Ian Rubie]

Actually it was relatively easy once you get over the fact that the poles aren’t going to break as your folding it up.

That is certainly the worst part, I was convinced I was going to break mine doing the figure 8 fold bit.

I started with the same one that you borrowed but now also have the larger one I linked to.

Ian

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

And the thing that's been really playing on my mind is #2's What do you do if you need a poo (probally needs its own topic as well)

The simplest answer (assuming you're not on a site with facilities) is take you spade to a private spot, make a small hole and put your no. 2 in that, cover it up again You might find the book 'how to shit in the woods' a funny read