Average amount to spend on a tent

[Timme]

Hi, i've been to a few festivals before but have always been in a group where we have shared a 4-6 man tent so i've never had to worry before. This year i'm getting my own tent and have been looking around the internet at different ones, so i was just wondering what everyone spent on theirs. Is it worth paying over £100 for a decent one or would you get away with a cheaper one?

[*Stevie B*]

Long as it's not single skinned, then most tents are fine. You have to decide on the investment, i.e do you plan to keep using it for years on end, or just the odd festival?

I spend £24 on a tent from the clearance section of Millets a few months back. It was originally worth £60. Higher the value, the longer it should last.

[Bisque]

A friend said... "If it costs more than £50 then it'll do you for years at fests"

Or something like that.

[TheNewUnion]

Yeah, I'd say so. Paid about £65 for my Khyam, older version of this one My Tent it's done about 5 years now and is still in great shape, just a bit ducty after last year, that's all!

Incidentally, at £49 this is a bargain of a tent.

Edited April 24, 2011 by TheNewUnion

[cejx]

the only tents I buy are Khyams... brilliant. Just checked the website, and this is a bargain.

http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=362

Quick erect, and you'll be ready to go in 30 seconds.

[Chocscoffer]

There is no doubting that most tents £50+ are decent. However, I am also aware that there is a stronger chance of somebody falling into my tent, tripping on guy ropes or just falling over drunk etc which can lead to the tent getting damaged. I would love to get a Quechua Base 4.2 and take it to Glasto but at nearly £160 I would be gutted if somebody fell into it, walked past it with a lit cigarette and burning a hole in it etc.

I take my Outwell Nevada S which I got for a bargain £80. It weighs a ton but that is what the sack trolley is for

[HurrahBrother]

If it is just you and you have a millets near by, their Dart, Tamar or a Ness tents are going to give you your best "bangs per buck". The Ness has a front porch as well (good for storage and taking off muddy boots). All being pitched outside first which will mean that you won't suffer if you don't pitch em just right and you can get away with not using the guy ropes (which you can't usually do with inner first pitched tents).

Most Eurohike tents I have had will last 4-5 years (and that is 3-4 times a year, each year) without any special care.

All of mine have been 'killed' by the actions of other people (broken poles and rips from someone trying to walk through it, and in one case some idiot with a lit wax flare burning a hole in it). So you don't want to spend too much.

[mandypants]

Keep an eye on places like Go Outdoors, I've had a couple of absolute bargains from there, a 3 berth tent for £25 and a huge 4 berth with massive porch area for about £35. Both good makes (Gelert and their own brand), both double skinned and they've both survived heavy weather so they're well worth it. Most tents are 1500 hydrostatic head or above, the higher this number is, the more water resistant it is, so keep this in mind. Even if you don't buy, try to go to a store where they have tents put up on display so you can see what size they are and can figure out what suits you best.

[pie_and_a_pint]

As Mandypants says, Go Outdoors is BRILLIANT for good quality bargain tents. We've got a Eurohike 3-man dome that we paid just £39 for from there - it would have been at least double that elsewhere.

[mkgirl1981]

this is my tent, i love it cos it has big porch so i can leave all my stuff in there and have enough room for a double blow up mattess in the tent to sleep on

i also have a vango alpha 200 which i used at glasto 2009 i didnt use the guy ropes on that it lasted through a thunderstorm on the sunday night, only downside with that one is its on the smallish side so i had to sleep on one side of tent and all my stuff had to go on the other, it doesn have a little porch though for you wellies and stuff

ive always found vango tents to be pretty reliable and easy to put up

Edited April 24, 2011 by mkgirl1981

[hashcity]

Does this bad boy seem like overkill for 5 people?

http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Coleman/Coastline8ComboPack.aspx

It's plenty big enough, just wondering how it will hold up to festival abuses.

[cejx]

Does this bad boy seem like overkill for 5 people?

http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Coleman/Coastline8ComboPack.aspx

It's plenty big enough, just wondering how it will hold up to festival abuses.

[simes]

Does this bad boy seem like overkill for 5 people?

http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Coleman/Coastline8ComboPack.aspx

It's plenty big enough, just wondering how it will hold up to festival abuses.

[hashcity]

Its massive/ You're better off getting a couple of 3 man tents. Far easier to slot in.

[James Bolivar]

Does this bad boy seem like overkill for 5 people?

http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Coleman/Coastline8ComboPack.aspx

It's plenty big enough, just wondering how it will hold up to festival abuses.

[hashcity]

Looks good - if you are prepared if lug that huge weight on and off site, but that is too expensive, try:

http://www.charliesdirect.co.uk/products/coleman-coastline-deluxe-8-man-person-camping-tent

This is a local, Shrewsbury, shop and so buying from there will save you money and help my local economy.

[Spindles]

I've been using a eurohike avon I got in the millets sale in '07 and it is still going strong (although it is starting to show wear in a couple of places and probably only has a season or 2 left in it) and I got one in the sale again this year, the shiny new one is lovely (although mine was missing a rain cover, but discovered that in plenty of time to sort it out, I hope). Both times I paid less than £40 for a decent sized 3 man with a porch that is easy to assemble and pack down and has proven up to the task of a couple of storms in '09 and a few less intense, but longer periods of rain at smaller events.

The £49.99 vango posted above looked exceptional value to me, for £57 including postage you'll get something that will do 3-5 years but won't break your wallet if someone crashes the poles in or whatever. Looks very high quality to me.

[ukslim]

My first 2 man Eurohike dome lasted me 10 years, and could have gone longer.

You really want a double skin. Otherwise, cheap is fine. A British festival is not like being on the side of a mountain in a blizzard or a gale.

That first dome tent of mine didn't have a porch area -- they're nice to have, especially if it's muddy, when you can attempt to make the inner tent a mud-free zone.

[James Bolivar]

My main camping tent is Norwegian and designed for Scandinavian winters - goes up in minutes, weighs very little and cost a lot. For the festy I'll be at the weekend before Glastonbury (where I'll be in CV) I will be taking my step-daughter's ancient, cheapo, Lichfield, cos in a valley, in Summer, you really don't need anything better. The main hazard is people tripping over your tent and my lovely Hilleberg couldn't take that any better than a cheap tent.

The advice here is sound - go double skin, 1500mm hydrostatic head and sewn in ground sheet (that everything that isn't a child's play tent, basically). Don't buy a single-skin goretex, they may be fantastic, but they are too expensive, avoid 1-man hiker tents as they are too small and people will fall over you. Try to get one in a bright colour - light reflects heat better and will be easier to spot too. For one person, I'd aim to spend £50 or less.

[ukslim]

The main hazard is people tripping over your tent and my lovely Hilleberg couldn't take that any better than a cheap tent.

[MikeyB37]

Does this bad boy seem like overkill for 5 people?

http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Coleman/Coastline8ComboPack.aspx

It's plenty big enough, just wondering how it will hold up to festival abuses.

[hashcity]

It's a Coleman, it'll last forever! Can't praise them highly enough, mine's got me thru Glasto 05,07,08 & 09 + multiple other fests & camping trips no problem. I did give in to temptation last year and bought a Quechua Base Seconds 4.1 but i'm seriously thinking of going back to the Coleman this year... we've been thru a lot together

or a flaming sky lantern were to land on it like happened to me (when i was asleep in it) last year :angry:

[hazey_jane]

I've been using a eurohike avon I got in the millets sale in '07 and it is still going strong (although it is starting to show wear in a couple of places and probably only has a season or 2 left in it) and I got one in the sale again this year, the shiny new one is lovely (although mine was missing a rain cover, but discovered that in plenty of time to sort it out, I hope). Both times I paid less than £40 for a decent sized 3 man with a porch that is easy to assemble and pack down and has proven up to the task of a couple of storms in '09 and a few less intense, but longer periods of rain at smaller events.

[hazey_jane]

So good, I posted my recommendation twice!

Edited April 28, 2011 by hazey_jane

[Chocscoffer]

or a flaming sky lantern were to land on it like happened to me (when i was asleep in it) last year :angry: