Tents - Which Ones?

[Angus]

Hey everyone.

Who camps a lot?

I want to buy a good tent suitable for 2-4 people.

Ray and Graham has these awesome ones that literally just sprang up at Lenthalls which was cool. But i dont mind tents lower to the ground.

Any Advice would be appreciated.

Cheers.

Angus

[Brian D]

Well Angus, I don't camp much any more but I used to. You've seen my tents, the ones with external poles. THey are heavy, bulky and a pain in the ass to erect (in the rain anyway), but once up they are great.

I priced the Graham OziTents models and a 4 man is about $900 but they just about erect themselves. Still a little bulky.

If I was buying camping gear again I would buy a 6 man dome tent. Light weight and cheap ($200). Great for the ocasional trip.

[shaggy]

Angus,

have been using a mate's one lately on our way too infrequent camp's.

It's a basic one room dome, 6 man, with a very comfortable screen house attached to the front of it. Especially comfortable with a cold can in the hand.

It's a good start up outfit, but I wouldn't want to be out in it when it's pi%%ing down, handles normal rain no worries though.

Saw them in Big W for $149 last week, think normally about $200, the brand escapes me. Can find out if you want.

[Bud]

Angus. My wife daughter and myself do a lot of camping, about 2 months every year. I've had the dome tents and under heavy wind and lots of rain the cross bars tend to snap leaving you with a torn fly, wet and very embarrassed. About three years ago we decided to splurge and spent about $900 on a coleman northstar 8. Comfortable for four but as the name suggest holds up to eight. We have been through some horrific storms in it..even one year the caravan next to us blew over and apart from worrying our asses off we survived and so did the tent. I reccomend Coleman camping gear to anyone. Coleman also has some cheaper options. Look around mate. Camping sure is great fun. You gotta try camping at Lake ainsworth as last chrissy I realised that the lake we camp in front of (that supposedly has no fish life as it is a tea tree lake) is packed full of stonker bass.

[Bud]

I would definately choose one with stiff external bars as this stops any movement in the wind. Also look at the floor and see how much rain you can get before the water is going to start lapping over the sides and really make you cranky.

[Angus]

Karma to Bud, cheers.

Where is lake ainsworth?

Angus

[Bud]

Thanks angus;)

Lake ainsworth is in Lennox Head in between Byron Bay and Ballina. Lovely spot and greeeeeeaaat fishing....

[FISH_mad_POM]

hi ya mate !

we camp alot in the UK and with us we have sevral tents depending on type of trip and duration of stay.

If its an over night stay for fishing theni just go light with a small lightwieght dome tent which goes up in a matter of a couple of minutes , but if its with the missus and for several nights then we take a 5/6 man dome made by wynnster ( pheonix 6 model ) which has 2 integral bed areas as well as a large comman area to sit and chill should it rain ( normall does in UK ).

I would look at the usage and duration before making a decision on specific models.

Fish_Mad_Pom

[Aaron H]

I have a weekender 4+ (its actually rated as six man but I would say that is pygmies) It was one of the BCF ones and its easy to put up its a dome which ends up being a lot easier than the A frame tents. Had a big storm hit us down at Texas and it didn't leak so I give them a thumbs up

Bud that Lake Ainsworth is that the Ti tree lake, I camped there on my way up from Melbourne for three days and caught my very first bass ever there oh the memories:laugh:

[jeff f]

can you put a boat in there or is it bank only?

[Aaron H]

Jeff,

I think only canoes and kayaks its not a very big lake

[Bud]

Yes it is the ti'tree lake and no no boats only paddle power and wind power allowed. It is only small though it takes about 15 minutes to paddle from one side to the other.

[Oztrav]

got a dome tent fits 3 people from memory i got cahnge from $50 its also handy to set up a tarp on poles and then even put your tent under this as well as having shade during the day you have somewhere to hide when it rains and not be stuck inside a humid tent

[Troy_79]

hey angus, if your still looking for a tent let me know. my mate is the manager for a very well known camping company and i could get u a tent at cost price no problems at all. this is my tent cost me $140. 2 rooms sleeps 6 people took it to moreton a few months ago [img size=499]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/Picture_001_AFO.jpg

[Troy_79]

another pic [img size=499]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/Picture_002_AFO.jpg

[Troy_79]

If u want i can post you there catalogue. it has all there products from 1 man tents to 16 man tents plus heaps of other camping gear.

[Angus]

Thanks Troy!

I am making more and more progress with the \"convincing the mrs camping is a great idea\" mission.

So hopefully not to long now

Angus

[Oztrav]

take her somewhere nice and scenic that still has showering and toilet facilities then slowly wean her off into fully fledged ruffing it

dont feed her too much burnt meat

i ussually burn it cause im blind drunk and forget i have food on:silly:

its enough to make me not want to go for awhile

apparently the body doesnt digest charcoal that well:sick:

[Bud]

Hey angus you can always have a lend of mine and that way if the missus doesn't get into it it doesn't cost you a fortune. If she does then hey you have tried one tent and can look at what you want from there.

[bootyinblue]

Just going back through some threads and offering information, not sure if you have made your tent purchase yet.

Here is a post I posted on the 'other site' a while ago about my tent choice. Its in relation to this tent

/>http://www.oztrail.com.au/tents/classic4vplus.php

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bootyinblue

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Re: Oztrail v Coleman

I have used the tent several times now and have had no drama with poles, collapses or anything, even the Easter winds aand rain at South Straddie.

I did my homework and decided on this one as it has a fully screened in front room where you can open it right up during the day and be out of harms way to flys, mozzies and the sun and then close it at night time and sleep more people.

The other tent I was comparing it to only had a fly mesh section in the open end with like a straight through breeze way that was not meshed.

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Hehehehe.... you like the BANNED bit under my username. Ummm ahhhhh....

[Bud]

I have had several oz trail tents and they are a good tent for the not so serious camper. They are ok in light storms but if you get a beauty they tend to break poles or just weaken them and then next time you set up they tend to crack. At the end of the day you get what you pay for but you don't want to pay a lot of money if you are camping once or twice a year on weekends. I'd definately go bigger if you are taking the missus for obvious excess luggage reasons.

[Bud]

Angus: if you are still interested in purchasing a tent then K-mart has a stockman weekender wimmera 8 person tent which looks like a very sturdy one for $229.50 which is 50% off. worth a look anyway mate..if you are keen and can save $230.00 then that is a bargain.