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So, we have a HUGE 8 person tent for our family of four. Plus an enclosed porch extension for cooking. The total footprint is something like 8m x 6m, and quite a few campsites can't fit us in.
The theory was that we would use it for weeks away, the kids could bring friends, the living space would be fine if it rains, and MrsMC doesn't like cooking in the living space, hence the extension. Which worked fine for a bit.
Time has moved on, and we can get cottages/cheap hotel deals for not much more than camp site fees for our main holiday, so it is only getting used for a few long weekends. The damn thing fills the car, let alone the fact that it gives us all that Space That Must be Filled with other Stuff. 🙄
So now looking to downsize to something with 3 dbl "bedrooms" (boy and girl too old to share now), a moderate living space and still with an option of an enclosed canopy extension for cooking in.
Any suggestions/recommendations of what you use yourselves to keep an eye out for in the end of season sales?
Cheers
Have you though about two smaller tents, one for the kids ( if old enough) and the other a little larger for yourselves?
Only probs with two tents is you will pay twice. Three double bedrooms is where your problem lies I reckon. Shame they don't do the camp shows down at codnor anymore. However most tents that are available are actually up and viewable at Derby go outdoors.
You're camping FFS. Just share the "bedroom" space.
we can get cottages/cheap hotel deals for not much more than camp site fees for our main holiday,
^This is your solution.
I looked at a caravan or tent last year, and site fees just made it barely worth it.
Agree with Scotroutes.
Head to Decathlon and buy whatever takes your fancy.
On our trips, we use a 4 person pop up (with porch) for most weekends and overnights. We have a 2 bedroom tent for extended trips. We have a boy (9) and girl (15). They just have to get along. They get changed in the shower blocks or in the separate bedrooms. Don't really see what the issue is....
(boy and girl too old to share now)
Can't your son stop masturbating for a weekend?
site fees just made it barely worth it.
This really grips my poop. How some folk charge £££ for a tiny bit of grass with no breathing space around bamboozles me. I have a 6 man tent and it worked out roughly the same price to stop in a static caravan?? I stayed in the caravan!!
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Help me reduce my camping footprint. Literally
A pair of high heeled Crocs? .....Tiny footprints. Literally.
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Cheap sites are scarce these days. They all seem to bump extras on. We use one site regular that's near home which is still great. 14 quids without electric 16 with but you then have to camp somewhere specified.
monkeychild - Member
site fees just made it barely worth it.
This really grips my poop. How some folk charge £££ for a tiny bit of grass with no breathing space around bamboozles me. I have a 6 man tent and it worked out roughly the same price to stop in a static caravan?? I stayed in the caravan!!
Annoys me too.
Camping fees have got ridiculous. £40+ for a lot of places in the SE.
And where is the OP going to get 3 double bedrooms for £40 a night?
Four of us just booked in a Premier Inn for £40 a night, for all of us.
3 double bedrooms Matt?
You are describing our camping set up!
It has become such a massive thing that we can only justify going away for at least three nights, it is a proper expedition. It is ironic that all the things we have purchased for camping become the reason we don't go camping very often.
I'm going away in a couple of weeks with my 10 year old and we are going to lightweight / semi wild camp. I can't wait. It will totally reset my camping karma.
we can get cottages/cheap hotel deals for not much more than camp site fees for our main holiday,
Staying in a hotel is in no way comparable to camping! They don't like it if you barbecue stuff in the rooms, for starters.
Just back from the Vendee, and it was considerably cheaper to camp (although we hadn't booked long in advance). Plus a huge pitch, 16A hookup, own water and waste. Couldn't get a bit of grass in Devon for the same money (which we do regularly as we have family there).
EDIT: Forgot my point - we have an Alabama 7p Outwell that meets your need. It isn't cheap and doesn't come up second hand so much, but it is a quality tent - does us well for 5. I think in your case though I'd look at a couple of smaller tents and shelter for flexibility.
Thanks for the comments, especially this:
It is ironic that all the things we have purchased for camping become the reason we don't go camping very often
I've been told smaller separate tents and a living shelter is not an option.
The Outwell Palm Coast 6 seems to meet my requirements, though not as waterproof as our current Vango. Maybe if we could rationalise the "stuff" it might make sense.
Loving the high heeled Crocs PP!
Couldn't get a bit of grass in Devon for the same money (which we do regularly as we have family there).
Depends where you look, the little site I stayed at last year is £10/night standard, £12/night large, +£1.50 for an awning/second car.
Payment into an honesty box on the wall of the little toilet block.
Close to Beesands, in South Hams.
We just got one of [url= http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/vango-nadina-600-family-tent-p290300 ]THESE[/url] from go outdoors. Footprint is about 6x5m and 3 double bedrooms (one bit is 4 person with diivider in to 2x2 person).
First weekend away with it on Friday, but had a couple of nights in the garden and there's loads of space.
Alternatively, there's [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skandika-Nimbus-Person-Familytent-Large/dp/B00B9BZUZO/ref=sr_1_10?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1472635906&sr=1-10&keywords=skandika ]THIS[/url] on Amazon.
Quite a few around where there's 3 bedrooms centred around a central dome.
Four of us just booked in a Premier Inn for £40 a night, for all of us.
3 double bedrooms Matt
Put the tent up in the room. Sorted.
I love camping, but really I love bivvying and wild camping
I haven't car camped for years. I want to go camping with the kids but the thought of taking all the extra faff puts me off completely!
The back to basics side of it with less stuff is definitely easier
Pocpoc - let me know how you get on with that Vango, that had caught my eye too.
Got friends that have one of those big bell tents...one mahoosive communal living/sleeping space shared between parents/kids/dog.
Can't you all just be discreet when changing for bed etc and just turn their backs?! Even easier if you go for the more usual two double bedrooms, that would always give some privacy.
Wife and cooking... Get the kids to cook and then they can do it in the main tent and not an add on bit 🙂
Just back from the Vendee, and it was considerably cheaper to camp (although we hadn't booked long in advance). Plus a huge pitch, 16A hookup, own water and waste.
We camp using a large trailer tent for family holidays and a Quechua 4 man tent for weekends.
Next year, we want to go to Vendee with the trailer tent. Could you let me know which campsite you went to?
I want to go camping with the kids but the thought of taking all the extra faff puts me off completely!
You don't have to faff with camping.
We went camping this summer in the US (family over there) so our gear had to come on the plane with us. We didn't bring much more than if we'd been wild camping really. Our tent is a 4 person backpacking style job, we have a tarp shelter to sit/relax under, we cooked on the fire and on my MSR camping stove. We slept on a fantastic double Outwell self inflater and the kids on lightweight thermarests I just happened to have. MSR cookware, borrowed sleeping bags and pillows, job done. It'd have fit easily into the boot of the car if it hadn't been for the bike 😉 Even then it fit with a bit of shoving.
Although if I didn't have a caravan for UK use I'd have got a small trailer and bought some of that nice folding camp furniture you get at Go Outdoors. I'd still keep the tarp shelter or one of those Coleman ones with sides, and sleep in a small tent. Far easier to put up and take down.
If you're feeling plush, how about an Outwell Hornet? Air means no poles, so some space saving when packing away.
Is a fairly compact footprint for 3 double rooms (about 6m X 4m) and has a small awning / canopy up front which you could cook under at a pinch.
New it is very spendy, although there are some 'sale' offers on now.
[url= http://www.outwell.com/en/Products/Tents/SmartAirPolyesterTentCollection/Hornet6SATent ]Outwell Hornet new[/url]
PS there is a full awning available too.
This sort of setup for the tarp
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Except the tent is this
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I have just bought a new Drummond 7 for £400 to replace an Atlanta 8, slightly bigger at 7.2m x 4.5, not quite 3 doubles but a much nicer floor plan & ample room for four, it's still a big beast but fits on most decent camp sites
Drummond
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Atlanta
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I really wouldn't want to camp on a cramped site, done that & it was depressing 🙁
He wants to go to a smaller tent...
molgrips - Member
He wants to go to a smaller tent...
What smaller than 8x6m that fits on most standard pitches with 3 bedrooms? 
I know you said 2 tents isn't an option but this would be an ace camping setup. We've got 2 Quechua pop ups (not inflatable) and they aren't too big in the car, only take 15 minutes to put up and have lots of space.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-family-42-xl-inflatable-tent-4-man-id_8357357.html
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/air-seconds-xl-2-inflatable-tent-2-man-id_8342517.html
The last place we camped I negotiated the pitch for a single tent fee too
Not quite an answer to the actual question. But having a camping trailer packed and "ready to go" all season, means the wife and kids just have to pack some food and bedding into the car & we can get away as soon as I get home from work Friday evenings
I do like the idea of an air beam tent, they sound like a good development
How do folks find drying the big tents? My wild camping stuff is either tarp or floorless pyramid shelter so drying is easy
benp1 - MemberHow do folks find drying the big tents? My wild camping stuff is either tarp or floorless pyramid shelter so drying is easy
Bit of a pain, to be honest.
My Wife & I have got a Vango Orchy 600 and so far have only had to get it out once when home to dry it off. Laying it on the lawn was enough, as it was mostly dry.
What makes a big difference is having the footprint groundsheet that sits under the tent and is generally quite wet when we put the tent down; but it keeps the underside of the tent dry.
The tents that me & my mate's use for things like the Twentyfour12 always seem to end up getting soaked while trying to put them away & drying normally means putting them up properly in the garden, once home.
I normally take them out of the bag when home & unroll them as much as I can, then dry them properly at the nearest opportunity; normally the next weekend.....
Thanks, does sound like a pain. It's what puts me completely off getting a canvas tent
I'm in 2 minds about getting a big teepee with a woodburner, or an air beam tent
Wife isn't as keen on camping as me, but the faff puts me off too. Easier to just rent a house for a few days! Especially as we need to put 2 dogs somewhere too
hmmm...
Haven't had to dry our 5m canvas belltent at home yet and, living in a city centre flat, I've no idea what I'll do. At 30 odd kilos it'll probably pull the balcony off the wall if I try to hang it over so it'd have to stay wet in the van until I got chance to put it up in a park or something.
It only matters if it's raining the day you leave. Until now we've either packed up a day early or late to avoid that, and even if it's rained overnight it's dry by the time you put it away, if you leave it til last.
We've spent about 6 weeks in it this year (mostly in N.Spain where it does rain a lot) so it's not quite the pain you'd imagine. The footprint (6m dia with the guy lines) plus a VW van hasn't been too big for a site yet, though I've stayed on plenty where it wouldn't fit.