Tent Advice

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by Lord Summerisle

strangly i dont remember it being that bad in 2006 - i was camped with the Pistonheads lot. Twas v.cold, but dont remember much wind
you sure you didnt have too many beans?

it was whatever day we set up - can't remember which day it was - probably Friday lunchtime as I think we went up early. The wind dropped a bit after the first night (from gale force to tricky to stand upright without lead boots ). I imagine you probably didn't arrive until Saturday and probably drank slightly more than I did? I think that was the year we had a safety car to rescue a tent that had escaped onto the straight? I may be confusing things though!

[CombeMarshal]

2p worth, if your doing the F1Gp get a cheap one, as it will probably get wrecked, then throw it away afterwards!

or, the back of an estate works well, no setting up, but don't shut the boot on the air bed, Doh!

[The Flagman]

Bought a dear Vango Hurricane about 10 years ago. It's withstood much abuse and is still in good order. If I calculate the rate per snug night the extra soon makes sense!

Alloy poles more expensive but more durable - fibreglass can snap in high wind. Double skinned essential to avoid condensation - mine pitches all in one so just needs pegs either end. Echo fellow campers advice about guying too - takes a bit longer but worth it when the worst happens.

Taller the tent the more windage - squat ones are more stable but you can't stand up. Make sure you can at least sit up comfortably otherwise you'll feel like a maggot.

I use an old piece of groundsheet to protect the built in "tub" - this has saved potential rips esp at Goodwood where there are some sharp stones.

Then a Thermarest mattress, a RAB down sleeping bag and a pair of earplugs and you're snugly immune to anything.

Just don't have too many beers the night before cos it takes an age to get out and get to the proper place..............

[Col_Rugby]

Thanks or ALL the advice. It's gratefully recieved. Google is going to take a battering I think.
Any other tips/advice on tents, what to do, what not to do, what to remember to take or essentials please keep them coming. I'm sure I'm not going to be the only one camping for the first time.

Col

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Col_Rugby

what to remember to take

Around £50 in cash so you have no problems paying for a B & B when your tent blows away!

[b1ackcr0w]

A couple of things to suggest after a few years camping....

1. Invest in a big heavy, indestructable mallett, and some hard ground resistant pegs. Regulars at Donnington and Rockingham can explain...

2. Thermal underwear is essential.

3. If you haven't already got one for trackside, then buy a good multitool (leatherman, toerags or suchlike) this is the model I've had since 2001 and I've lost count of the marshalling, camping and caravanning crises it's got me out of. http://www.knifeshoponline.co.uk/toe....html#maxitool

4. Have a car where either the seats fold flat or a hatchback or estate that's big enough to lie in. Just in case things get so bad that you have to bail out of the tent at 3am.

[Motorsportgirli]

Id suggest alcohol goes without saying, it helps you have a good nights sleep!
Also finding a nice friend with a 4 x 4 or a caravan, to shelter ya tent.

A good bet is a decent torch and battery powered light for inside the tent. There is so much more you could get, i think everyone has little items they take to make life much easier, its a case of going the first time and seeing what you have forgotten!

[Piglet]

Something decent to sleep on - we use the Fat Airic from http://www.alpkit.com/airic/ much warmer than an airbed and less far to fall off in the middle of the night (or is that just me!). A decent sleeping bag and a couple of extra layers, either blankets, fleece liner or similar.

As B1ackcr0w says, decent mallet & pegs,

also...A "tent first aid kit" duct tape, cable ties and parachute cord - you can pretty well mend most parts of a tent with these!

Another useful find has been "cling on's" http://www.clingons.co.uk/About.html perfect for adding extra guys, repairing guying points, making tarp shelters etc. etc.

[lynxlad]

try e-bay tentastic i bought one from there site no regrets.

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by lynxlad

try e-bay tentastic i bought one from there site no regrets.

I've heard some very very bad things about the seller and their products.

They do appear to sell some decent tents but I know of a number of people who have bought really shoddy tents from them that have died on their first outing. Their Ebay feedback may be good either because they bully people into not leaving neg feedback or more likely because people leave feedback way before they test out their tent.

I have bought tents on ebay but branded ones that I can see elsewhere, I wouldn't buy a brand I can't buy elsewhere from an ebay seller.

[Clive]

If you have between one and three tents, then i suggest you go see a doctor and keep taking the pills

[numbersix]

Buy one bigger than you need. A two berth or a four berth for one person. You'll use it.
Buy one with a small covered porch area to put wet boots in and also a citronella candle to keep the bugs out (you can buy mini-storm lanterns to fit these candles if you're a bit squiffy about a naked flame in a tent).
Cut up a large plastic dustbin liner and use it to go on the ground underneath sewn-in groundsheets because this keeps all the mud off the base of the tent and allows you to pack it away quickly. Also have a mini-groundsheet for the porch.
Have a small plastic bucket with a clip-on top to use as an emergency loo in the middle of a nasty night.
A head-torch is useful.
A spare claw-hammer inside the car is useful to extract difficult pegs or get a peg puller. Get a decent mallet.
Keep a bottle of aerosol tent proofer handy in case of leaks. Don't let anything inside the tent touch the outer flysheet.
Buy one with a cotton inner tent, not an all-in-one flysheet thing.
Absolutely try it out at home before first use to make sure everything works otherwise you may regret it big time.
Use a compass or learn how to find north. Set up the tent with the entrance facing south. Better still, check angle of trees and bushes to see direction of prevailing wind and face entrance away from it.
If you are using a flat-mat type of bed, see if you can create or use a slight hollow in the ground near your hips. It's more comfy.
Keep beer/milk cool by using the afformentioned pee bucket full of cold water with a wet cloth over the top, placed underneath your car in a draft.
Forget above and buy a caravan.

[aland]

look at lichfield tents, made by vango but cheaper variant. Mine stood up to 80mph gusts last year okay the car was sheltering it, only 1 snapped pole section. kipping in the car isnt advisable if you ae over 5'6" you dont get a good kip

best advice (cue slating from piglet) BUY A CARAVAN :-)

[Col_Rugby]

Deadsquirrel can you clear some space in your inbox please mate. Ta

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by aland

best advice (cue slating from piglet) BUY A CARAVAN :-)

Nah Alan, that's fine, you drag a shed round if ya fancy it

Actually for marshalling a caravan is great, if only we had money to buy one and somewhere to keep it!

[Col_Rugby]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Actually for marshalling a caravan is great, if only we had money to buy one and somewhere to keep it!

I would love the finances to be able to stretch to buying a caravan. I have a young family (2 under 5) so would be ideal for short breaks with them as well. Trouble is it's not just the buying the van it's trying to find somewhere to keep it & paying for that. Then there's also the extra fuel costs when pulling it. I know there's a lot of benefits from a caravan but it wouldn't fit under the stairs for storage.
Piglet what's the Kyham "rapidex" system like in your opinion, or anyone else's in fact?

[Alan Green]

The Rapidex frame system is what makes the Khyam different from anything else on the market - all the frame folds out from & back to one central 'hub'. For up to the Freelander size tent it's great, on the larger models it's a bit cumbersome to deal with, as you end up with a lot of 'canvas' and the frame to try and lift, roll, and squeeze back in to the bag in one.

On the Khyams with the Rapidex / Quick Erect system, there are two types of arrangements - the smaller tents have yellow fibreglass poles, the larger ones have jointed aluminium poles. Just something to think about when it comes to handling and weight.

Hope this helps,
Al.

[Piglet]

I know a number of people who have the Khyam Rapidex system and they are mainly very happy with them. It's about the only way of getting a decent sized tent that you can easily pitch without needing two people. I think there is a video on the Khyam website that shows how it works.

The downsides (I'm told) are cost, Khyams aren't cheap, bulk, weight (because it's an all in one and you can't lift just the poles or just the canvas). plus were you to break a joint the tent is pretty well scrap (but that's probably not much different to most modern tents). I also wonder how easy they are to dry - Marcosmantula and Al can probably help with that after last year!

One wouldn't be a bad buy, I'd just suggest you get something that you can stand up in if you're paying out for a Khyam, you don't want to replace it next year because you're fed up of stooping. Plus if you get a biggish one at a push you could use it with the family?

[Piglet]

Second post....I think this is probably the equivalent of what MM has http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/ac...Dome_Tent.html

It wouldn't be big enough for the family but the bigger ones are much pricier and aren't what you need for a weekends marshalling. Looks nice, you might find you can get it cheaper if you search around.

If you don't want to buy anything at the moment, I've just remembered we've got a Vango Venture 500 in the garage - it's a bit "tired" but when it went away it was fine (apart from the inner pegging point that had to be mended after Snetterton!). I could do with getting it out of the garage if you wanted something to "make do" with? It should be fine for another season - I can just about pitch it single handed so you should be fine and at worst you just need someone to help with the "ring and pin" which is a pain on your own. Let me know if you're interested.

[Alan Green]

Originally Posted by Piglet

I know a number of people who have the Khyam Rapidex system and they are mainly very happy with them. It's about the only way of getting a decent sized tent that you can easily pitch without needing two people. I think there is a video on the Khyam website that shows how it works.

Video for the Tourer200 which I used to have (and was too big just for weekends for me only): http://www.khyam.co.uk/video.asp?vid...640&height=480

Video for the smaller Highlander model (my Freelander is a similar concept, just taller and with the bedroom end as well as the living area dome): http://www.khyam.co.uk/video.asp?vid...640&height=480

Al.