Tent needed - don't know where to start!! Recommendations?

[jep]

Yep, I looked seriously at these when I was upgrading my kit last year. I was about to buy it when a mate pointed me in the direction of the Sunncamp Shadow 800 polycotton instead. It's the pretty much same size and layout but as it's polycotton it's more insulating than the Wichenford. I got mine from Norwich camping, but this factory second is an absolute steal at £230. If you haven't guessed, I heartily recommend you take a good look at the Sunncamp!

[tenohfive]

bungle said:

Lots more to consider, which I will follow up. Thanks

Was looking at this last night, http://www.jacksonscamping.com/the-wichenford-2-0/... , based on comments re easy to put up (not having to put inner up first), tunnel tent, vis-à-vis, getting it oversized etc.

Thoughts good or bad on this?

I don't claim to be the last word on camping but I've never heard of the company that make it. That would make me wary.
And a personal thing, but I won't be buying a fibre glass poled tent again - the poles perish with age and it's a massive pain replacing them. Or trying to shore one up when the wind picks up and the poles start snapping.

Money is tricky but I'd consider looking second hand at that budget. But for a point of reference, I bought an end of season (but that years) Kampa Croyde 8 for £350 new, so a decent deal second hand shouldn't be difficult. I wouldn't think twice about buying a second hand Kampa or Outwell.

[Big Pants]

And don't over-worry about the weight of it. In places where you can't pitch next to your car... festivals, mainly, in my experience... you're still going to want to lug at least one coolbox as well as all your other gubbins. Factor in the cost of something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavy-Folding-Festival-cam... (a better one, I'd suggest) and be the envy of most other festival goers struggling under the weight of their kit.

[mrtwisty]

This might be of interest to you op:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/tents/outwell-nevada-mp-5...

Plenty more where that came from too.

[Chrisgr31]

mrtwisty said:

This might be of interest to you op:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/tents/outwell-nevada-mp-5...

Plenty more where that came from too.

they are great tents.

[boyse7en]

Possibly over budget, but this is a great tent and should last you for years. Not a bad price for new.

http://www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/camping.aspx/tent...

[tenohfive]

boyse7en said:

Possibly over budget, but this is a great tent and should last you for years. Not a bad price for new.

http://www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/camping.aspx/tent...

Good shout, and given the extortionate prices tent manufacturers charge for carpets having one thrown in is handy. But I'll chuck this in the mix - comparable quality (there's nothing between the Kampa and Outwell tents I've seen/owned) but with the advantage of a built in awning for cooking/shoe dumping etc - something Outwell will charge you another £100 or so for with most of their range.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kampa-Croyde-6-Tent-2014...

I'd still push the Croyde 8 instead - the extra room is really nice, and mine has taken a real battering from heavy winds without incident - but it's another £200 on current deals. Like I say, it can be had for the same money but not right now so it depends how soon it's needed.

One thing I will say OP - manufacturers footprints are a con, don't be sucked in if you see a package deal with one. They're useful for protecting the groundsheet from mud and sharp stones but a builders tarp of the right size does exactly the same job but at a fraction of the price. Just make sure you've got something either slightly smaller than the tent, or a bit bigger and fold it back so it's just underneath the tent (you don't want it sticking out as it'll trap rain between the footprint and groundsheet.)

[doolie]

Definitely get yourself along to Go Outdoors, they usually have a good number of tents pitched. Walking around a few, you'll soon realise which ones work well and which don't, space wise.

And yes, size up. I wouldn't have smaller than our Vango Maritsa 700.

Outwells are a good bet