Thread: Easy Setup Tents

Originally posted by Kenjo



Are the family domes (approx size 4.5m x 2.4m) simple to set up?

That would depend if

a) you like fighting with your wife

its no blowing anything above 2knts

c) you dont mind the rest of the campground or group your with using you for entertainment.


I would go for a centerpole design, 4 pegs, pole in and shes just about done, I have a Freedom Camping Family Tourer, it can sleep 6 and you can stand up in it.

I ususally have it fully setup in 10mins tops and then sit down with a beer and watch everyone else struggle for the next 30mins

Only prob is it aint cheap 8O but worth every dollar :wink:

Good points Glen. The better half would chuckle if she read point a).
I had previously checked the Freedom Camping Family Tourer on the net and agree it sounds good but is no lightweight. What lent me towards the Black Wolf Turbo is the lighter weight and ease of set up, but I am not familiar with the modern dome tents. The little one I had years ago was simple to erect and no problem in wind – but it was small! I gather from your comments that you don’t think a new model larger dome is much fun.

Cheers,

Kenjo

I agree with Glen. Any 6 person or bigger dome tent will take time and effort to put up and will not be suitable for one or two night stays, unless you don't mind being single again! :wink:

I'd suggest the Oztent RV if you have a roof rack. They are super easy and fast to put up and doesn't take up space inside the vehicle. They've got a new model called the RV-5 if you want a 6-person tent. You can also purchase other options like side and front panels which will make it a monster for extended stays. I've had mine for just over a year now and its basically the best tent I've ever owned.


www.oztent.com.au

Nah dont like them dome tents one bit

Mine isnt that heavy, but then again aint all that light, prob about 15kgs with all the poles, prob less actually. Folds up to about a 1meter sq and about 200mm thick.

It remained standing in 110+ km/h winds in a mini cyclone at Elliot Heads, same storm had the entire campground 4-6" underwater, walking on the floor of the tent was like walking on a waterbed 8O my tables, chairs, eskies washed away, and not a drop of water inside the tent despite having a tidemark on the outside walls of the tent 6" up, I am still amazed at it 8O

The secret is in the spring loaded centre pole :wink:

No offense to Henry, I had a Oztent once and although quick to put up, I would never have another one, the scissor frame and size of the unit packed up turned me off them, oh and they are about the same price as the Freedoms I think.



BTW, I dont work for Freedom nor do I get any commision from them

Glen is correct .. the Oztent packs away in a 2m canvas bag hence the need for a roof rack. I suggested the Oztent because Kenjo has a Disco1 and as good a vehicle as they are ... they don't have a lot of room in the back so going up top will free up some space.

Not familiar with the Freedom tents but I'm a believer in any quick setup canvas tent ... just pick the one that works best for you.

Cheers,
Henry.

i've been using dome tents for the last 23 yrs. i've had some great ones and some real duds.
before my wife and i bought the last one, we did loads of research on them and lots of shopping around looking for a sturdy one, which we eventually found and bought.
it turned out to be very sturdy, very good in high wind and rain also. but with every plus there's a minus. while the build quality was superb and the structural design was brilliant, it was a real bugger to put up. the problem lies in the pole system as they have to be threaded thru continuous socks on the outside of the tent and the inside of the fly.
we eventually worked out the secret but we've found that loading the ute with the tent, sleeping bags, some sort of mattress, pillows etc takes up a lot of room.
we've found it a lot easier to roll the whole lot up in a swag and sleep in that. 5 minute set up, warm, dry and too bloody easy. only down side for me is when it rains, because it's a top entry job. to get past this hurdle i just run a tarp off the ute to allow me to get in and out without the rain turning it in to a canvas bathtub.
we've looked at the serengetti tents as an alternative to the swag, and so that our dogs can come with us. these are very easy to set up, pin the floor to the ground, fit the poles to the 4 corners then hook the canvas over the spring steel poles, throw the fly over and pin that to the corners and your done. of course then you got to do the bedding etc.
the reason i go for the domes is that you never get the flat canvas syndrome of water collecting on the near horizontal panels. if you don't get it off, it starts seeping through. i hate wet bedding.
now i know there are gonna be people on here that say "mine doesn't do that" but every one that i've been camping with over the last 30 yrs has had that problem to some degree no matter how well they are designed.

Go and hire a freedom sytle tent, you'll love them.

Southern Cross Canvas is the other good brand.
http://www.southerncrosscanvas.com.au/

Matt.

We have a kookaburra 4+2 person dome tent, it has an entrance part and a seperate compartment in the front suitable for gear or a couple of kids. Only takes 15 mins to setup and once up you can stand in it ( got sick up pulling the pants up while lying down ). Cost us $200 on sale and suits our needs, is also compact and will fit behind the seats in the rangie if needed.