where to garden test…

[alecstilleyedye]

…when the tent is too big to erect in the garden?

our soon to arrive tent is an 8 man and, while we could just about squeeze a 6 man tent onto the lawn, i doubt we'll be able to get the bigger tent in, even without guy ropes.

do i just assume all is ok and find out if that's the case on first proper use, or should i try it in the local park in a quiet corner or somesuch?

[corshamjim]

If it were me, I would assume it's ok, but I would take some extra tent pegs and cord just in case there aren't enough with the tent, or if some guy ropes are missing.  It might be worth checking all the poles are there before you go too.

I saw a huge tent today in someone's front garden.

[iakobski]

Yes, if it were my daughter she'd assume it's all there, despite being told many times to check it and only find out in a Welsh field there's a vital part missing (the outer!)

At the risk of getting a few strange looks, why not go down to a nearby playing field and set it up - passing dog walkers will probably assume you're setting up for some public event they've not heard is happening. I've seen people do this.

[alecstilleyedye]

no poles to count

i guess i can get it out of the bag and look it over to a degree…

[rr]

We test pitched ours on the open space in front of our house:

[David Martin]

If it were me, I would assume it's ok, but I would take some extra tent pegs and cord just in case there aren't enough with the tent, or if some guy ropes are missing.  It might be worth checking all the poles are there before you go too.

I saw a huge tent today in someone's front garden.

Might have been my brother drying my tent out if it was in Corsham..

..d

[corshamjim]

Might have been my brother drying my tent out if it was in Corsham..

..d

It was in Ivy Field.  This morning was a bit drizzly in Corsham so not ideal weather for drying tents, but I guess it would be better there than wet & festering packed up in its bag.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I'd go to the local park and put it up.

[alecstilleyedye]

finding a patch that is neither a kiddies' playground, a steep gradient, or used as a dogs' lavatory may be tricky of course…

[perpetual dan]

If you still have the six person tent why not book a weekend away and take both? If there's a problem you can always scavenge bits / get the other one out and pretend you meant to do that all along.

[alecstilleyedye]

If you still have the six person tent why not book a weekend away and take both? If there's a problem you can always scavenge bits / get the other one out and pretend you meant to do that all along.

nice idea, but couldn't fit two tents in the car, without leaving the kids behind …

[1gear]

Can you not half put it up?
Do one half with the bit not up tooked down on the grass. Take that side down and then put up the other side.
Should be enough of a test, it doesnt all need to be up at once. If it wont stand half up then put guy lines on it to stop it falling over.
I normally take a load of extra pegs and rope anyway so besides checking everything is there i would just go somewhere local-ish. But if you want to get it up then it might be worth doing it in halfs. Or just getting it all out and inspecting it. Check theres no tears, everything is there and go. Its what we do with the used awning we get in. Just get the canvas out, check it over. Get the poles out and check them over. Put it back in the bag and go.

[alecstilleyedye]

fitted ok in the end.

not much more of a footprint than our old tent (now on ebother)

[PaulR]

harrumph

intended to do a test pitch of the new gelert solo

I got the stuff out of the bag, stared at the "instructions", realised that it was a random collection of five of Keith Haring's early works, started getting eaten by the mozzies (again!) and came indoors to watch someone pitching the tent on youtube.

[Tim Hall]

When we got our Kyham, it had a VHS (remember those, children?) instruction cassette.

Play video.
Pause
Run outside put up bit of tent
Run inside
Play
Pause
Run outside
ect
ect


The backing music was reminiscent of a 70s porn movie. Or so I've been told. I told The Boy  if he ever heard that sort of music playing he should leave the room.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

vango have instruction videos on their website, which is fine if you're pitching in a free wi-fi zone…

[rusky]

vango have instruction videos on their website, which is fine if you're pitching in a free wi-fi zone…

That's what I did with my Tigris 800. Except a mobile phone isn't the best way to view it!

Getting it back in the bag is another story!

[alecstilleyedye]

isn't it? the infinity range is based on the tigris, so i know the pain.

some tents happily go back into their bags (our vango diabolo 600 did), and others seem to be impossible. i've one tent which i relocated to a holdall once i got fed up of trying to squeeze it into a bag which was clearly not big enough…