Tent suggestions for family of 5

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 at 23:45

ThreadID: 55495 Views:6893 Replies:6 FollowUps:8

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Member - Richard K (NSW)

Hi all

Looking to upgrade our trusty single room, heavy-as-all-get-up, canvas 9' x 9' tourer tent to something such as a 3 room tent to allow the boss and I some privacy, the kids their own sleeping room, and some room for all the gear we lug around the countryside with us. I see that all the department stores are having big Easter camping sales and you can get a 3 room tent for something like $299, but I'm a bit worried about quality..

Can someone recommend a good 3-way tent, doesn't have to be the chepest or the most expensive on the market, just good quality, reasonable to good value, and something that if necessary I can erect by myself in a sane amount of time while the other half manages the 3 screamers? As waterproof as possible would be good too!

Cheers and beers
Rich

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Reply By: Member - Richard K (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 at 23:49

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 at 23:49

Me again, something like the Oztrail Bungalow 9 would be ideal, but if someone has an alternative sugegstion..

http://www.oztrail.com.au/tents/dome_classic_bungalow9.php

(we like the possibilities of having the children at the other end of the tent to the parents!)

Rich

AnswerID: 292446

Reply By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 00:12

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 00:12

We have a BlackWolf Turbo Tent Lite Twin 300... suits us well in the same situation as you, and is up and down in about 15 minutes.

But it is more like $1,000 though.

AnswerID: 292450

Follow Up By: Member - Richard K (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:13

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:13

Nice tent - might buy one of these cheaper oztrail type ones and if its the right setup, invest in the blackwolf for long term (although we also looking to buy a CT in a year or two)..

What does it weigh approximately? (our canvas Serengeti weighs about 45kg!)

Thanks for your help

FollowupID: 557892

Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:38

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:38

I'd guess it weighs 35kg in it's bag - a little big and clumsy I might add.

It has those great study structural setup which is quite inefficient to pack, but makes set up and pull down easy.

The tent packs into my trailer well, however.

FollowupID: 557894

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 18:52

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 18:52

Gday Andrew,
With the twin 300, you've got a lot of tent, and at 29kgs, they are very light for their size.

We recently got a Turbo lite 300 plus from Snowys which comes in at 16.9kgs, and has about 10' x 17' floor area, which is heaps for just the two of us. Will break it in at Easter.

Cheers
phil

FollowupID: 557969

Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:06

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:06

Rich,
The problem with most of the bigger tents is the time to put up and take down. Especially in extreme conditions and with kids. If you get to camp late, the first thing you feel you need to do is set the tent up so this can delay getting all the relevant bits out so the other half can start cooking or the other side is having to pack up in the pouring rain. I have had both these conditions many a time and i was thankful for a simple larger size, touring tent. Im faced with a similar problem now and as my boys are 11 and 13, im going to buy another smaller touring tent, just put the fronts facing each other and join the awnings. This suits us as we tend not to stay in one place for more than a few days. Maybe your situation is different and kids younger, maybe you stay put for longer and more organised than me. We watched a family in Hill End last year, put up the biggest dome tent i had ever seen, they seemed to know what they were doing but what a job, no way could you do that in the dark. I was waiting for the trucks to turn up with the Circus animals on them. Yes the Big Top coming to Hill End.. Michael

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AnswerID: 292474

Follow Up By: Member - Richard K (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:09

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:09

I hear ya... Happy with the tent we have but not practical for 5 of us (kids are 3, 5 and 12 - so don't want to turf them into sep tent yet for the younger ones sakes)..willing to put up with the PIA factor to a degree if it means we get some privacy! Might grab one of these and if its no good, revert to the old tent until we can afford a camper-trailer...

Thanks for the reply!

FollowupID: 557891

Reply By: Smudger - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:12

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:12

For years we've been big fans of Coleman tents. Their quality is always tops. Check out the CV9. (I have no connection, just a very happy customer)

Coleman Tents

AnswerID: 292513

Follow Up By: Member - Richard K (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 23:21

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 23:21

I like the look of that tent, though it looks smaller than the oztrail one I was lookiing at (probably a good thing!) - do u think that 3 kids would sleep comfortably in one of the end rooms?
Cheers
Rich

FollowupID: 558054

Follow Up By: Smudger - Friday, Mar 14, 2008 at 06:55

Friday, Mar 14, 2008 at 06:55

I guess the trick is to take the kids with you an have a look at one on the ground. My experience is that kids like to get together when they're in a tent, not spread out too much.

Only thing with the new style of tents is that the non-sleeping area is usually fairly small. Tight for a table and chairs if its raining, with nowhere for the tinlids to hang out except on their sleeping gear. The old stye bigger tents had large annexes perfect for that purpose.

FollowupID: 558072

Reply By: beelzebug - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:29

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:29

Coleman tents are great. We bought a Northstar 8 mid last year, but seeing we bought a camper trailer soon after, have not even put the Coleman up once.

Call me on 0413 746 757 if interested.

AnswerID: 292514

Follow Up By: Member - Richard K (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 23:17

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 23:17

Cheers for that, at this stage I'll say thanks but I'll have to pass - definitely looking for the 3 separate rooms at this stage (think yours is 2?) but thanks anyway!
Rich

FollowupID: 558052

Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:50

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 at 16:50

Hi Richard,
We have been great fans of the 30 second oztent for many years.
We now have 2, and although we are now CT people we still use the oztent with the grandkids.
For just tenting, 2 oztents, RV 3 or RV 4 joined at the awning with 2 side panels put up along the back wall, gives you 2 seperate rooms, and a eating area under the double awning, with a 10 min setup and down time.
Not the cheapest setup, about 2 grand, but certainly easy to use and practical, and only about 20kg each.

Cheers Pesty

AnswerID: 292516