Family camping tent

[Squidders]

I'm still on the lookout for a tent for family camping and I wonder if anyone has any ideas?
Things i'm looking for:
1. Simple pegging, not an assault course of guy lines surrounding my tent.
2. Not a tunnel tent, once you get above a certain size, I have found them nothing but trouble to get a decent pitch.
3. About 3m x 3m floor area in the sleeping area.
4. Decent standing room.
5. Can handle a bit of weather but i'm not expecting miracles.
So far the Marmot Halo 6P (http://www.ellis-brigham.com/pro…/marmot-halo-6p-tent/227022) has caught my eye but some have reviewed it as having weak poles for its size.
The Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow (http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10-x-14-ft-flex-bow-canvas-ten…/) looks great but isn't really available in the UK without a fortune in postage and another fortune in import duty.
The Campmor Safari Bow (http://www.expedition-equipment.com/…/campmor-tent-safari-b…) looks good but has a course bug net and is a fiddle to pitch.
What have you all seen that's good?

 

[bob_the_baker]

We have a Khyam quick erect tent for longer trips, I don't think they do the ridiculously large Balmoral that we have but the Chatsworth. They are very comfortable, plenty of headroom (I'm 6'3"), well built, quick and easy to put up, can take some pretty serious weather and the berth sizes are actually correct, a two man room will take a double mattress

 

[bilmo-p5]

Cabanon Guadeloupe.

 

[Giantwalks]

I would advise a tipi. I have a Helsport Finnmark 6-8. 4.2 meters wide, 2.55 meters standing room (which was important for me, I´m 2.10 meters tall), 14 sqaremeters space, originaly concepted for expeditional use but it´s just good when you need room. It´s good for 6-8 persons sleeping. You can make fire in the tent or use a stove with chimney. I bought it to have enough room on my hikingtrip but I don´t want to carry it anymore. The innertent was destroyed by a dog but it is totally comfortable without innertent. You have two entrances with mosquito-nets, a top-ventilation and some ground ventilations. It´s stormproof. I liked the tent very much but now I want to change and use a hammock and a tarp and bivouak-bag.

 

[Nice65]

Got a 4m bell tent. It's perfect.

 

[Paulm]

Got a 4m bell tent. It's perfect.

Even when it gets wet Rich ? :sulkoff:

 

[Squidders]

We have a Khyam quick erect tent for longer trips, I don't think they do the ridiculously large Balmoral that we have but the Chatsworth. They are very comfortable, plenty of headroom (I'm 6'3"), well built, quick and easy to put up, can take some pretty serious weather and the berth sizes are actually correct, a two man room will take a double mattress

Thanks for the information and link, it does look good but the photos show guy lines everywhere, are they needed all the time or just when expecting foul weather do you know?

 

[Squidders]

Cabanon Guadeloupe.

Looks lovely and nice price but it's guy line city isn't it.

 

[Squidders]

I would advise a tipi. I have a Helsport Finnmark 6-8. 4.2 meters wide, 2.55 meters standing room (which was important for me, I´m 2.10 meters tall), 14 sqaremeters space, originaly concepted for expeditional use but it´s just good when you need room. It´s good for 6-8 persons sleeping. You can make fire in the tent or use a stove with chimney. I bought it to have enough room on my hikingtrip but I don´t want to carry it anymore. The innertent was destroyed by a dog but it is totally comfortable without innertent. You have two entrances with mosquito-nets, a top-ventilation and some ground ventilations. It´s stormproof. I liked the tent very much but now I want to change and use a hammock and a tarp and bivouak-bag.

Unfortunately I have had a Tentipi Varrie 9 and Helsport Varanger 12-14 and found the unusable space around the edge of the tent as well as the pole in the middle and the headroom only being near the centre all annoying. For expeditions they're great but for family camping the features that make them good in bad weather and fast to erect also make them less liveable for a family.

 

[mountainm]

I would highly recommend an inflatable tent. We picked up a "last season" vango airbeam solaris 600 for £300 and it's brilliant. We opted for it having seen a very large airbeam tent on a campsite in the isle of white withstand all kinds of weather.

 

[Nice65]

Even when it gets wet Rich ? :sulkoff:

It's a bugger to dry, and weighs a ton. But they don't leak.

 

[Paulm]

Sounds like you really want a caravan Squidders ! Going to have a lot of guy lines on any sort of largish tent ?

 

[Squidders]

Sounds like you really want a caravan Squidders ! Going to have a lot of guy lines on any sort of largish tent ?

Might as well book a hotel

But the three tents in my original post need only pegging out at the perimeter and would only need guying for the awning or in very severe weather so it's doable. I'm just hoping that there is a perfect tent out there that ticks every single box.

At the moment the Kodiak Canvas and Campmor options are in the lead.

 

[bob_the_baker]

Thanks for the information and link, it does look good but the photos show guy lines everywhere, are they needed all the time or just when expecting foul weather do you know?

You definitely don't need them all out in normal weather, just the corners really and then ones at the rear that hold the sleeping chamber's shape