Tents for all seasons

Well so much for our New Year's resolution. Both the hubby and myself have been laid up with one injury or another through January and February.

So we decided to put the time and camping pennies to good use and bought some more tents along with other camping goodies.

Sunncamp Gite 5

Our first purchase is a Sunncamp Gite 5 frame tent, for quick weekends through the summer,loving the attached canopy. Again it's canvas and very bright.The kitchen area is just adequate enough though  the two bed pods are small (five people never, with just the two of us it was tight). Removing the smaller bed pod gave us a bit more room, but It's not doing it for me......maybe it will grow on me.

Our next purchase is from the great makers Cabanon.The Cabanon vis-a-vis an older version of the much loved bora-bora . Again a fantastic piece of canvas with removable sun canopy,two separate good sized sleeping pods.A good sized living area makes me think this tent will get lots of use.On the plus side it is a lovely shade of green.

Cabanon Vis-a-Vis

Our third purchase is a bit of a hasty bargain buy.An Outwell Cleveland 5 now this tent has space it's well thought out,goes up quickly.But it wasn't Polly-cotton as I was led to believe.We did however use it just the once though before we sold it on.Had it been Polly-cotton it would of been a keeper for those weeks away maybe even stretching it to weekends.I do like Outwell, so we kept searching for our perfect week away tent.

Outwell Cleveland 5

We have found it, though it is an older model again. Boy it ticks all the boxes for us.Purchased from a young couple who had just invested in a caravan,there was the usual marks from a second hand tent.These were soon rectified and all but one have gone.This mark was pointed out to us "the wife went mad with fly spray". Well we have tried most safe methods of removing it to no avail,so we now live with it.After all it's not the end of the world,or maybe it is for me.It can't be seen from outside but on stepping inside I'm drawn to it.One day it will be gone!

Kampa Holkham 6

After trialing all our new tents we have decided that the Kampa is for weeks away,the Cabanon is for summer weekends and Bella is for winter camping.          

Introducing Bella

  I've not wasted anytime at all looking for a canvas tent.It could only be a bell tent.But which supplier caused a headache.

In the end we opted for a 4m Ease from Soulpad. Why? As a now declared camping addict,they had the fastest delivery option at purchasing time.

Of course I feel very strongly attached to this tent so have had to name it just like I did with Lincoln.

Bella

 Picture taken recently at Bungdale Head Farm

We use Bella from Mid September through till Easter,loving the snugness from the Sig and the quickness with which we can be set up on those chillier days.The glow of the indoor lantern also looks prettier in the winter months,giving a very warm welcome after a day out walking.

We do have a couple of niggles with Bella but nothing major.Firstly She's way to lovely to cook in ,so currently looking at options available to us.Secondly the cable for EHU has to go directly through the middle of the front doors,I dealt with this by inserting my own zip into the left  lower wall panel.
Friends and campers alike have commented on this from,"you brave girl "to" wow super job","will you do mine". To which I respond "NO,would any of you have dared to do it for me".

We have several canvas tarps which we can use for outdoor cooking or just shelter.

The Condensation Dance

   Had great weather for our weekend camp with the new Outwell Winnipeg.The tent stood us well it's very roomy very light.The canopy was a great area for cooking and sitting under as the night drew in.

The only issue was condensation in a morning.Not that it affected me, but hubby.Hubby always wakes first and is up and on it.This particular morning he wakes, exits the bed pod.Half asleep I lay motionless watching my half undressed hubby break into this crazy dance whilst unprintable words stream from his mouth.Trying not to laugh I ask" whats up"? To see my hubby toweling his naked top half down.With a grim look he starts inspecting the material above the bed pod and confirms "no leaks or tears ". I wriggle back into the warmth of the sleeping bag chuckling away that it was probably condensation."well that's no good I'm wet through"he cries.Seeing my chance I suggest a canvas tent as they don't suffer from condensation.

 

Snuggled up

Over breakfast I try to explain the differences between materials.Though I don't really need to he's now interested in canvas.B.S who we are camping with this weekend has a Cabanon Guadeloupe that he cherishes.B is very excited that we are now thinking about canvas,and hubby is engrossed deep in conversation with B for most of the morning.Examining the Guade I see for the first time why hubby is excited over material.It's a fantastic tent.

Cabanon Guadeloupe

Before lunch is upon us hubby has agreed I can purchase a canvas tent.

Camping Essentials

   So no longer having a caravan or TT,which both come with a kitchen we NEED to shop.
List after list is made of basic items,shouldn't be to hard.

Oh boy! how wrong we were.There is so much choice out there.We were like children in a sweet shop.We bought a basic 2 ring cooker and left the shop,not wishing to go mad.

On our return home we reevaluated our lists,we now had a NEEDS and WANTS.
Eventually we had enough basic items and some borrowed from the TT to be able to camp.
We had agreed that we wouldn't use the TT items,if only to avoid arriving on site with lots of missing  kit.It was to be replaced as soon as possible,preferably in blue so as not to mix the two.

Now all we needed was a shelter of some kind, to cook under the great British weather.
Forums to the rescue again.

When the canopy arrived we had a trial run in the garden,It wasn't a bad fit but would meet our needs.

Now time to try it for real.

October 2012

Vango Artemis 500 Canopy