Camping Thread - Tents/Motorhomes etc

I just picked up the Vango Iris Air 600XL off ebay for £300 - https://www.inflatabletent.org.uk/product/6-person-tent/vango/1009/

They were selling for £500+ even on eBay but this lady was pickup only from Devon and nobody wanted to go and get it so I got my mate to go and pick it up. I just need to visit him in Bristol now to get it :sunglasses:

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travelodge… maybe a premier inn, they’re all fine, and the toilets smell less.

Pot noodle for the cooking.

Job done.

Job done.

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I have the Vango Aribeam 300 and it’s perfect for 2 of us. Was recommended by a serial camper who has the bigger version. I’ve been impressed with it.
He recommended the Vango ebay outlet for ex
Demos & that’s where I got it. Dont remember the name but I’m sure you could find it with google.

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Found the seller its nearlynewtents. & mine was the Vango Capri 400 air beam.

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have to say that when we were in Oz doing a couple of campervan hire trips, I was getting envy at some of the Oz popups and caravans all geared up for the off-road/off-grid life. much better range and on board facilitiescompared to those you see in Europe

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Camping this year during storm Francis perched at the top of the hill I believe I had a good assesment of tent quality :joy:.

We had Vango with poles and an add-on extension. Faired well in the high winds (force 9) until the extension clip came off one side and it ripped right across.

Friends had a Vango airbeam and it deformed a lot in the wind and finally ripped across the front.

Other friends had an Outwell (airville 6sa?) which was brilliant. It has ridge air beams as well which stopped a lot of the deformation. The tent itself is really nice quality as well.

After the Vango airbeam ripped we realised we were fighting a losing battle and depitched the lot and waited out the worst of the weather, repitching in the evening…this was obviously much easier with the air beams :+1:

So my suggestion would be an Outwell with air beams across the ridge…you can probably get vango’s with that as well.

Edit: I would add the air tent are much larger to transport around…so may need a bigger car, roofbox or trailer or all of these :joy:. They are quite heavy too, 45kg upwards… especially the polycotton ones.

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Thanks all for the advice so far. Some good leads to follow up on.

Deffo want airbeam, as I hated mucking about with poles when it was just the two of us, no way I’m trying that with two crazies as well! :joy:

Tent trailer things - lovely idea, absolutely nowhere to store it. And I don’t really want to have to keep it off site, then go get it every time etc. Can’t be bothered with that.

Really doubt we’ll be out on terrible weather unless we get really unlucky with a trip we’ve already sunk £££ into. Next year will be just the odd domestic weekend to begin with, then as the kiddos get older I’d like to drift into Europe (if we’re allowed by then! :joy:)

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It wasn’t planned! :joy: You live in the UK…expect crap weather :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Crap isn’t terrible though (I hope! :joy:)

I was really impressed by the rooftop tents on the 4x4/SUVs when we were in Oz. Not sure my Peogeot would tolerate one of those quite so well.

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Plus with a lack of snakes, scorpions and spiders in the UK, no real need to sleep on the roof. :grin:

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:smile: There is that. We were travelling with a caravan up from Perth to Coral Bay with a couple of stops, incl. Monkey Mia. It was winter but the weather in the North was sunny and pleasant (by UK standards) the sea was cold. Amazing how far we travelled and stayed in the same state.

It is a big country, that’s for sure. i’ve never been to Monkey Mia, it was all the rage when I first moved there but like climbing Uluru, soon became the thing ‘not to do’.

I liked Monkey Mia,.nice restaurant where I had an excellent bit of kangaroo. We had a great time at Coral Bay doing SUP and kayaking. We tried snorkeling out off a boat but the weather was terrible, really windy so they called us all back to the boat. My daughter was only 9 and so brave. Loved the Aussie pub there, beer, decent food and live music. Simple pleasures.

They still hand feed the dolphins there though, right?

They do but they’re very strict about who is allowed in the water and where you go, etc.

I see. It was a bit of a free for all when I first moved to Oz and got a lot of bad press.

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Chopping wood isn’t very ‘tactical’ :wink:

I’m booked into a site next week near Brecon; it will be my first proper tent camping trip with the kids! I bought a Vango tent last year (poles) when it was hugely reduced, but only had it up in the garden once so far! I have started putting stuff aside and have a list in my notebook…you always need checklists. I just use my work notebook, so when stuff springs to mind, you can note it down.

I’m going pretty light tbh, as it’s only 2 nights. BBQ one night, and local pub for food the other. It’ll probably be cool enough to just leave some UHT milk outside, or just buy fresh from the Site shop.

I wouldn’t spend a fortune getting everything to start with, ease your way in…learn on the ‘job’. If this looks like a longer term prospect, I would definitely get a decent gazebo/event shelter, which would be my next purchase if the kids like it. Taking the Kayak obvs!

Do it before the kids become teenagers!

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