New Tent For Family Of 5: Which One And Why?

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I've been recommended Hi Gear, but which would you buy / do you have / would you swear by and which have you sworn at? :wink:
 
I got a Vango Diablo a few years back I'm no expert but It seem's like crackin bit of well made kit and got it on E bay for £150 result.
 
We have a Vango 'air beam'.

Supposed to be a decent bit of kit though it has not been used since it was bought last spring.
 
Just been in the garage.

It is an 'Infinity 800' and sleeps eight. Cost (i think) the better part of £800 rips or so.
 
The reason i bought an 'air beam' tent was the fact that it is easy to put up.

The missus and kids are keen and she would be going off on her own to put it up whilst i would be joining.....er...later on.

They tried it out in the garden and were VERY impressed. Putting the thing up was a doddle. Lay it out and pump it up. Loads of room and the adults are well separated from the sprogs at sleep time.

A lot of fishermen use the smaller air beam fellas as 'bivvies'.
 
Used one on Anglesey last summer.

A Hi Gear tunnel. We arrived around 9.30pm. Just going dark. Just starting to bucket. :roll:

With a bit of help (despite being a Scout Leader, I've never put up that kind of tent before) it went up very quickly and we were soon snug & dry.

Porch/ Cooking area then Living area then bedrooms with divider (3/2).

It was a heck of a night, driving rain and wind lifting the groundsheet. In the morning, most of the pegs were out (mind you, they are weedy).

Think I'll use earth rods next time!

But, overall, quite impressed.
 
The design of the tent means that it does not sound like a train when it is windy either.

Vango do a lot of R&D apparently.
 
The reason i bought an 'air beam' tent was the fact that it is easy to put up.

The missus and kids are keen and she would be going off on her own to put it up whilst i would be joining.....er...later on.

They tried it out in the garden and were VERY impressed. Putting the thing up was a doddle. Lay it out and pump it up. Loads of room and the adults are well separated from the sprogs at sleep time.

A lot of fishermen use the smaller air beam fellas as 'bivvies'.

So if it's so good, why have you only used it once?
 
...Er...i'm not a keen camper and last year was one of the coldest wettest on record. We did camp very early on, but this was with our old tent and early spring was much better last year.

They...er...we will be going again this spring. My wife has accumulated a shed full of camping gear and is always keen to use it. Mebbe after i get back from Portugal (golfing) on Easter Sunday.

But i will say this, if there were an easier tent to pitch, i would have bought it.
 
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