Family Tent

[BradCT]

Hi All,

Sure you're all pretty sick of the "what's the best tent questions," but.....

Our family has grown rather rapidly in the last several years (3 daughters below 6 and 1 more on the way) and we have officially outgrown our tent!
We are on a fairly strict budget (mouths to feed en all ) and could spend no more than R3.5K.
Obviously a 6 sleeper or more is a requirement and some shaded area aside from sleeping compartments would be a BIG plus! We are not looking to withstand any major storms etc but would not want the tent to fly away or leak on our heads in a standard WC storm.

Campmaster have some simple options, though minimal stock...
Any advise is much appreciated!
Thx!

[Hann]

Probably over extending advice here, and probably getting into deep trouble......


But may I suggest a cheaper solution?

[BradCT]

Yes, you wouldn't be the first to ask if I understand procreation.
TV sux and I love ...'practicing.' We fairly sure we have made practice perfect, so don't stress! no more kids!

Any tent advice?

[Nic Le Maitre]

Camp Master aka Camp Disaster

There is a good saying in Afrikaans: Goed koop is duur koop. And it is true with everything, including tents. Buy the kiddies a really cheap tent that doesn't matter if it disintegrates really fast and save your money until you can get a canvas tent. They are indestructible and last forever, a totally worthwhile investment.

[VaughnC]

Hi there

We've used outdoor warehouse tents for years.
Cheaper ones lasted about 5 years and then the zips started to give up, and the fiberglass poles needed to be replaced (http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/tents ... mping.html)

Slightly more expensive one we have now is looking good after about 3 years (http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/tents ... range.html)

Cheers

[Ghaznavid]

Good on you for taking your children into the more wild parts of the world

And as for the many children: "As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy, blessed, and fortunate is the man whose quiver is filled with them!" - Psalm 127:4-5 (amplified bible).

I agree on the multiple smaller tents idea. Maybe a 4 man for you and the 2 youngest (presumably the tent you currently have will work well for this) and a 2 man kiddies tent for the older 2. The bigger the tent the worse it'll hold in a storm. And I am yet to see anything that Camp Master makes that's much good. Outdoor Warehouse's 360 degree range is really good - their Cool Mountain II (which isn't what you're looking for) is probably the best hiking tent under R5 000 right now and at the same time its the cheapest tent that will survive on the Drakensberg Escarpment. I don't know much about their non-hiking tents though.

In my world a 3 man tent that weighs 3.5kg is an mansion that makes your backpack too heavy - so I can't really help you on the question of what type of tent to go for though.

[BradCT]

Thanks to all for the helpful advice! Doing my research....

Thanks "Ghaznavid." You give this proud dad a chance to brag....

That's our 4 year old, climbing un-aided @ Peers Cave.
Thanks again all. See you out there....

[Ghaznavid]

"Ghaznavid."

what's up with the "quotes"?

Are you not a fan of random empires which existed 1000 years ago in modern day Iran and achieved so little in their 300 year existence that basically no one in the modern world has a clue who they are? Everyone knows the Romans, Byzantines, Huns etc, no one seems to know the Seubi, Limiganti, Qa'ataban, Malukans, Hamdanids, Elamites or any other random ancient civilisation not famous for doing anything (well - the Elamites are mentioned in the bible - once). The Buyids and some of the other Dialami tribes are also good fun random people that no one talks about...

[Andy Davies]

Hey Brad - best thing to do is to visit a shop and check the tents out when they are erected (eish did I just say that?) I mean really oke, maybe buy one with only one compartment, if you and the wife have your own honeymoon suite you may feel tempted to go for a 5th! I checked them out at ODW and was reasonably impressed. However, I lost interest when I realised it wasn't just a tent, but mattresses, sleeping bags and heaven knows what else. So for now we will support the local self catering spots in Montagu, Cederberg etc