We got one of the 3 man Constellation ones from Blacks this year and used it last month for the first time. It was pretty easy to put up, even when half cut at one in the morning in my better half's auntie's garden with all her relatives looking on with tent envy.

Something likethismight suit?

And it has a 3000mm hydrostatic head. That's what you want.

Kayte R. wrote:Seriously just go buy a tent.
I'm sure it will be fine.

pretty damn false.

you can go to some big box store and get a huge, heavy plastic thing which won't keep rain out, won't vent moisture, and won't last three camping trips, or you can spend slightly more at a proper camping supply house and get a lightweight, well-designed piece of equipment with ventilation options which is easy enough to set up solo in the dark and will last 10 or 15 years.

-

i have had great luck with the sierra designs brand. not sure if they're available in the UK.

I'm a big fan of Eureka tents. I've never gotten even slightly wet in one, save for the time I used a plastic underlayment that was too large and allowed water to pool under the tent.

I have a Timberline and a Tetragon. Both are awesome, and the Timberline has survived for over 25 years, having gone on two Grateful Dead tours with my sister (yes, it stinks) and numerous trips with me.

http://www.eurekatent.com/filterTool.aspx?cID=6

Those two compartment tents are crazy expensive though.

jayryan wrote:

Kayte R. wrote:Seriously just go buy a tent.
I'm sure it will be fine.

pretty damn false.

you can go to some big box store and get a huge, heavy plastic thing which won't keep rain out, won't vent moisture, and won't last three camping trips, or you can spend slightly more at a proper camping supply house and get a lightweight, well-designed piece of equipment with ventilation options which is easy enough to set up solo in the dark and will last 10 or 15 years.

-

i have had great luck with the sierra designs brand. not sure if they're available in the UK.

I've had the same cheap tent for probably 12 years. There's never been a problem. It's used on 2-3 trips a year. I have no idea what the brand is or anything, I think it's probably from a sporting goods store.
Unless you're camping in the mountains or under some sort of extreme conditions why isn't this kind of tent fine?

When I saw the title of the thread I had a really good joke.

Then I opened it and saw that the tent is for you and your family and not you and 3 other men.

No more joke.

Peripatetic wrote:When I saw the title of the thread I had a really good joke.

Then I opened it and saw that the tent is for you and your family and not you and 3 other men.

No more joke.

someone else made the joke for you.

As far as what tent you should get, go to a decent store that specializes in camping and outdoors equipment, like a U.K. equivalent to REI or Eastern Mountain Sports, and just talk to someone who works there, telling them your needs, what you're looking for, and your price range. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

don't go to a Walmart type store. The selection will suck, and no one there will be knowledgeable enough to help you select the tent that will work for you.

I've got one large tent, which I think I've used only twice. I much prefer the smaller 1 and 2 man tents I own. I think they are Sierra Design tents, they are much more useful for my needs. But, for a family, a larger tent with more height to it, and possibly a divider wall in it, is probably the way to go.

anything kelty,northface,mountain hardware,marmot,REI, etc


all make very awesome tents and I have prob two tents of each company. Why? I am a fucking camp gear aholic. It is a curse

There have been some good suggestions in this thread (although I personally have never liked Eureka stuff and I don't think Kelty is what it used to be), but I'll add the following:

-I know you say you want more than one "compartment", but believe me when I tell you that there's a strong correlation between more "rooms" in a tent and a reduction of quality. If I were you, I would get a nice squat dome tent (if you want to fit 4, get a 5-6 man... you'll thank me later) with a rain-fly vestibule attached. If you lay a tarp underneath the tent, vestibules are a great place to store your stuff. Just make sure you do it right or it will get wet. PM me with questions.

-REI is really great about hiring knowledgeable employees. If you can get to one, they'll answer any question you have and probably point you in the direction of a great tent better than most other people.

-I've camped a good amount, and in many different tents, and for your situation I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend an L. L. Bean tent. Check into it. They're all 100% lifetime guaranteed and the one I have has never failed me. I'll look at some that might suit you and post in a minute. Cheers!

I have also had great luck with a ~$40 Eureka Tetragon (2 person). Nice 'n' cheap but easy to use, dry, sturdy in the wind. I've had it for 9 years with zero complaints.

This one looks nice. No vestibule(s), but it has fiberglass poles which I much prefer to aluminum. Also only $230, which is pretty damned good for a 6-person.