Suggest me two different tents

*I have a heated indoor space for drying tents

Tent 1, up to £400

Tent 2, up to £600, unless Tent 1 is cheaper

Budget excludes additional extras

Past tents

Future tents

For car camping get a Bell tent.
Easy to put up even alone.
Just make sure they are dried out after each use.

Past tents

Future tents

Or wait until your birthday and get two present tents?

I've got that Decathlon one, only used for one trip so far but very pleased with it. No problem in putting it up on my own.

For car camping get a Bell tent.

I'm more likely to get Mrs Piemonster camping in a Bell Tent, this does have the option quite high. My house has a 1st floor is also the basement, there are two good sized heated rooms for drying out.

Past tents

Future tents

I'm half expecting a Mighty Boosh song

MSR Hubba Hubba NX.

~1.5kg for the two person. Packs small.

What about the teepee tent from Decathlon for the car?

If you want to go much cheaper but still good for tent 1 so you max out the bell tent or whatever the big one is then try a Vango apex compact 2 (or 1 or 3 depending on space needed). 30cm poles and small pack size for bikepacking .

Beware with air tents that the downside is they are significantly bulkier packed and heavier as well. Also if you get a leak (we have had once).

Personally I would have another if it was the right deal but our camping gear goes in a big trailer so that changes the dynamic.

Beware with air tents that the downside is they are significantly bulkier packed and heavier as well.

Yep, I stopped by Go Outdoors in Penrith and actually said out loud "Jesus H ******* Christ that's massive for a 4 person tent"

Even with a roof box, packing space is going to be a factor with 2 adults and 1 dog.

Tent 1

I'd add; outer first, tall enough to actually sit up in it and for bikepacking, look at 'bulk' as the key issue rather than 'weight' and make sure to add a footprint for extra warmth & strength.

I'll lob in what I've got, Vango F10 Helium 1.  Long enough that I don't catch the inner with my bag, tall enough I can sit up in, pitches outer first (and will pitch outer, inner and footprint all together), light, not bulky and pretty weather proof (although takes a few goes initially to get the 'pitch' right).  Circa £200.

But for how many people?

Tent 2

Something tall enough to stand up comfortably in, with a separate  sleep 'compartment (solid not mesh walls).

That wee Alpkit inflatable was on sale for £112. I was half tempted to buy one just for a play with.

Oh, and in before someone says buy a van.

Olpro do a number of tracking/back packing tents which seem pretty good, sub £200.  Longer camps, we've a big bell tent - it's lovely. PS don't kook inside any tent, not wise.

Probably worth noting, I have a Trekkertent Saor and a Terra Nova Photon Elite that covers the fancy and light all year 1 person, comfort not that important trips. We're talking about very short tours and BACKpacking, not Bike packing. If I'm strapping a tent to a bike with bike packing bags I'll not be taking Tent 1.

Tent 1 probably wants to be a claimed 3 person tent in terms of available room.

Yaks Vango Apex series has one big enough.

Nature hike might be an option for number 1.

As above check out alpkit also.

Tent 1: Vaudé Taurus ultralite. 1.7kg with just enough pegs to pitch it, cosy in cold weather, midge proof, has withstood pretty horrible conditions, hasn't fallen apart after many years and nights of use. I've also got a sub 1kg MSR but hesitate to recommend it because apart from the weight there's not a lot to reccomend.

Tent 2, something cheap and big from Decathlon.

Having worked a Summer on a campsite I'd never cook in a tent.

Pity you missed out on Wiggle / The OMM fire sale on the Nordisk tents - I have the Ydon and for the £160 I paid it's brilliant for car camping.

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What about the teepee tent from Decathlon for the car?

Is that £1300 or have I missed another one?

Tent 2 - get a second hand robens kiowa. Awesome tents and are pretty much indestructible.  loads of head room and you can have a stove. Other robens tents might work too

Decathlon sell on stuff from Boutique Bell Tents, they have options in range. I'm also aware of the Vevor ones on Amazon.

For #2:

https://valleyandpeak.co.uk/products/luxe-outdoor-megahorn-iii-fly-only

Various inner tent configurations and poles available from same retailer in UK. Note vent for wood stove chimney. I use a smaller, lighter version for mobile, self propelled travel.

Vango Force F10 mk4

Preferably inherited, fifty years old and faded to a lovely creamy peach colour.

Tent 1 I'd be tempted more by the Ordos 3. It's cheaper lighter and pretty sturdy, we must have done c150 nights in ours over 6 years, still going strong.

Inherited Vango Force 10? Orange polycotton one? Well that was my Tent 1 option for years. But bitd we were stronger/ didn't know any better/ couldn't afford anything anyway. Great tent!

For 1 I am considering the Lanshan Pro 1.
700g plus trekking pole. Pitches easily. Good reviews. £145 from UK retailers.
Single skin but I already have a double skin 2kg tent for poor weather. The Lanshan would be for trips at short notice with a good forecast.

The alpkit 3 season inners - Jaran, Ordos (unsure about similar manufacturers) have a lot of mesh which can make them quite draughty for the UK

Tiso Outlet is currently doing an extra 10% discount and there's a few tents that might suit ..

https://www.tiso.com/sale/camping/tents/

I would also offer a look at decathlons own forclaz MT900 tent, I have the 1 man version and had it out in similar conditions you propose and find it fine and within budget, nice and light, small pack size.

Going with what I have:

Tent 1: Decathlon ultra lite 2 man (Forclaz 900?). been great for 2 of us bike trekking. Goes up in minutes. Around £200.

Tent 2: Decathlon Air 4.1...decent size, goes up in minutes and not too big for car boot. Got in sales for about £200 last year. You will need to buy a pump.

Sportpursuit have the Big Agnes Copper Spur or their own Fjern Gokkotta(?) which looks good value.

On Tent 2, There's a Khyam in the classified ads right now which might fit the bill.  (I've had a couple of Khyam tents and really liked them.)

Decathlon, just for the colours

I bought a fjern gokotta 2 on a bit of a whim. Slightly short if you are a bit tall (at 6'3" I fit in best diagonally! But 1.5kg and only £200ish. Lightweight materials but build quality is good.

Mesh inner, so it's a bit draughty for shoulder season camping.

They do a 1 person version for about £150 but i definitely wont fit in it!

Copper spur is also a good shout, lighter and better features but spendier.

I also have a lanshan 1 pro. Very light but much more of a pain in the arse to pitch.

Edit to add, I also have an Alpkit Jaran 3 for when I'm backpacking with my wife or son. It's similar to the gokotta or msr Hubba, but bigger. Slightly on the portly side for what it is at 2.3kg.

OP never stated height.  I can rule out many tents as just being not long enough. I'm 6ft3.  I tried out a OEX Bobcat in Go Outdoors this week. With a  210cm  inner tent my head was touching one end and my feet the other.  Without a sleeping bag.  Although I am 19ocm tall,  tent walls are rarely vertical,  and when lying flat I need 200cm as my feet are not vertical. Add a bit of tent wall slope and 210cm is not always quite  enough.

Though oddly, I have a Mongar 2, also a claimed 210cm inner and find it long enough.  More vertical walls?  Maybe tall people just need to try tents out to be sure.

So the OEX Bobcat and Forclaz 900 are out.  Hence why I am looking at the Lanshan Pro 1 with 230cm.

My 2kg tent with plenty sit up height and length is the Nordisk Savalgard 1. Comes in Silnylon and PU versions. The silnylon saves a bit of weight and bulk but cost more.

OP never stated height.

6ft 1"

Tent 2 is looking like a Bell Tent, or something like that Luxe Megahorn. The Luxe is certainly more compact, lighter, and at the cheaper end of things, but maybe doesn't have the same aesthetics that'll tempt Mrs Piemonster camping.

@montgomery what's the mesh like with Midge?

Anyone that's gone down the Canvas route, any comments on Canvas "GSM" weight?

And are most of these type of tents using mosquito mesh, and not midge mesh?

Out of curiosity, what is your proposed heating solution?

what’s the mesh like with Midge?

My Luxe inner is a winter version with minimal mesh. I know when the Luxe owner, HK-based Michael Wong, was working with UK retailers, he went camping in the Highlands in summer - prompting a redesign of the mesh panels in his tents! This current inner blurb suggests it is midge proof:

https://valleyandpeak.co.uk/products/luxe-outdoor-megahorn-iii-summer-inner

I'm 6'4" and like both the practicalities and aesthetics of tipi tents.

Out of curiosity, what is your proposed heating solution?

Honestly I'm not sure, I imagine it'll end up being what I have (Kampa Diddy, and a small oil radiator) and EHUs, but this isn't part of it I've thought through. E.g. getting a fire retardant/heat proof mat so sit stuff on.

I would assume that anything involving wood being burned is going to be way too much faff and space.

Cheers @montgomery

he went camping in the Highlands in summer – prompting a redesign of the mesh panels in his tents!

And LOL, that'll happen.

For a lightweight tent I got a Lanshan 2, more space than the 1 for v little increase in weight so that could be a good option. Easy to seal the seams too.

We got a 3m bell tent that's been great. Really nice and solid, held up well in some strong winds. We've potentially outgrown it though now with the arrival of our daughter last year so may be looking at replacing with a 5m one.

@DougD

How have you found the space in the 3m? I'm expecting some of the time it'll be me and the dog, in which case big enough. But when there's 2 humans and 1 dog I'm less sure.

Anyone that’s gone down the Canvas route, any comments on Canvas “GSM” weight?

Mate of mine bought a canvas bell tent to placate his other half who only agreed to go camping if it was as comfortable as possible.  It's one hell of a thing, but it weighs a zarking ton.  Carrying it from the car to the pitch site is ideally a 2-man job.

Quechua air seconds four 4. Good sized 2 man car tent. I've cooked in the porch. Easy one person erection as well. 😉

@DougD

How have you found the space in the 3m? I’m expecting some of the time it’ll be me and the dog, in which case big enough. But when there’s 2 humans and 1 dog I’m less sure.

It's ok with 2 adults + small dog, but if I was buying again I think I'd go 5m, especially if you've the space to store and transport it.

Based on the spec below, you get an extra 1m height with the 5m tent which would be good. The main challenge with the 3m one is that you get 2m height but with the pole in the centre you're stooping a bit if you're not right by it. I see there are some without a central pole which could be good, not sure if they're any harder to set up; I can do mine really easily by myself in just a few mins.

https://www.canvastentshop.co.uk/tents/canvas-tents/

For tent two just have a look at which Vango suits. We've had our family one for years and it's easy enough to put up on my own. Whatever you do, don't get a canvas bell tent, far too heavy, a pain to dry out (even with your heated room), only high in the middle and offer no discernable benefit over something more modern (unless you're terribly middle class and at Latitude Festival).

unless you’re terribly middle class and at Latitude Festival

Taps sign in the first post...

Form over function

Fair enough, in that case, treat yourself and enjoy lugging three tons of wet canvas around.

I think you need to let Mrs P select and buy tent #2. That way it can't be your fault when it's "wrong/not suitable"

Anyone that’s gone down the Canvas route, any comments on Canvas “GSM” weight?

Grammes per square metre? No idea, but quite a lot of modern 'canvas' is actually Polycotton, so faster drying than full-on 100% cotton - how much faster depends on the percentage that's polyester.

We has the loan of a nine-person Tenttipi teepee for a few months and it was ace as a summer camping experience - apart from the bit where my mates tried to set fire to it using the firebox while I was out on a lap at Mountain Mayhem. Drying it was a pain the backside though, partly tbf because it was quite large. Generally the easiest way to dry tents is to pitch them something dry and windy for an hour or two, but with big tents that's not always easy so you end up draping them over washing lines / bikes / whatever.

Alpkit does a bell tent btw, sometimes on sale:

https://alpkit.com/products/roundhouse?variant=32518434259049

That way it can’t be your fault

It can ALWAYS be my fault, I've been told.

When a pal and I bought a car camping tent to supplement our various lightweight options we went for one big enough to also act as a 'garage' 🙂

It might not look particularly big on the picture, but it's 'kin huge.

Also heavyweight and the poles are steel - one night we camped in The Peaks are we were one of the few tents that hadn't suffered from the overnight storm.

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/wild-country-homestead-5/548

20kg for a poled tent does suggest it's a fair size right enough

20kg for a poled tent does suggest it’s a fair size right enough

I had it delivered to work and when I got a call from reception to come and pick it up I said I'd be there in 5 or so.

Receptionist suggested I'd need to bring a 'friend' as it was a bit "weighty" 🙂

scotroutes

I think you need to let Mrs P select and buy tent #2. That way it can’t be your fault when it’s “wrong/not suitable”

Ah my sweet summer child, how naive you can be.

For tent 1 I'd just get a lanshan 1 or 2 depending on preference for space over pack size/weight. 2 gives a lot more space for not much increase in pack size or weight but if you don't need it it's still just excess.

Tent 2 is not something I've had to worry about for a long time now but people I know with big canvas and/or tipi style tents tend to use them far less than the people I know with big "normal" tents.

Tent 1 -

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/msr-freelite-1-v3-ultralight-backpacking-tent?v=325932&fc=GBP&utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=696205&utm_content=Shopping+Directory&utm_refererrer=search%20&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=696205&awc=69848_1738233869_af9efb3582c5ce8bacabd45720fb48f3

MSR Freelite - very light, within your budget, probably need a footprint as well, but packs really small. I have one for bikepacking.

just one thing to consider about bell tents - if they get wet can you dry them ? it's bad enough getting them into the bag and then into the car to get home, you then need to put it up outside or hang it somewhere

And yes this applies to contemporary tents too - but they weigh a damn sight less when wet and dry a lot quicker

personally I wouldn't choose bell tent, we have one but I don't rate them and I prefer borrowing my dad's tunnel tent

What ed just said. And for this reason we have sacked off big tents. As a family we had a polycotton outwell tunnel - comfy, but massive and hard to dry as it was too big to pitch in our garden. Anyway it got destroyed in a storm. Replaced with a polyester version of the same (hand me down). Lighter but still a hassle to dry. Now replaced with a 4 man Bergans Wiglo 4Lt. Combo single central pole/ hooped poles design. Big enough for 4. Can't quite stand up though unless under 5'6 or so. Low enough to shrug off bad weather. Well vented. Light (6kg) and easy to dry by comparison to the big tunnel tents. Done lots of nights in it now and happy with it.

Tent 1 - Wild Country Helm Compact 2

Ah my sweet summer child, how naive you can be.

LOL. Just wait until you hear Mrs Ps name 😀

Don't tell 'em they'll launch an intervention

And for this reason we have sacked off big tents. As a family we had a polycotton outwell tunnel – comfy, but massive and hard to dry as it was too big to pitch in our garden. 

Yeh, a Vango Mokala TC 450 has arrived on the list. Poled. I'm aware that inflatables tend to bounce back up in strong winds, but if it's that windy we'll not be camping. The two most frequented campsites are both tiny certified type places, not a great amount of space for a marquee sized tent.

Ok, I've taken a punt for Tent 2 with a Robens Fairbanks Grande at -40% sale price, it has it's issues. But is relatively light, polycotton, has enough space (probably, I'm sure it'll feel smaller with it's shape) quick to pitch and quicker to dry than canvas, but possibly a better material for hot/cold weather, and fits in the expected minimum pitch size, which is my parents garden. I'll have some tent to set it up somewhere clean and dry before it gets unreturnable.

I'm told I also need sandals and a beard...

Robens make good tents - good choice.
Here is my £50 Bargainlicious Arch 2.

I’m told I also need sandals and a beard…

Plus plaid shirt and Rohan trousers...

@matt_outandabout what’s the bug mesh like on that?

We've a Nordisk Utgard bell tent (rectangle) and the bags can be separated, so tent in one, poles in another and ground mat another. Reduces weight and helps with car packing. They go up quickly and are very good in bad weather especially wind.

We've been lucky in that the tent has been dry when packing away despite the odd wet night before. Ours hasn't got any heavier when wet as the water shakes off well. There will be a day when it needs drying indoors, but that's an issue with any tent. We have a good dehumidifier or two.