£15 Halfords solo tent

[Canardly]

Well what can I say? Anyone seen one in the flesh as it were?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_745497_langId_-1_categoryId_236902

[Canardly]

That is amazing 1.5 kg......ps dont tell Wowbagger about the weather station.

[Ashaman42]

I'm considering the Lidl one. I was looking at a Coleman Avior x2 (reduced to £50 from £180) given that it sounds like the Gelert Solo is going to be too small for me.

Lidl one is lighter and cheaper. My only worry is will I get too condensatey with it being a single skin? For the price though I think it's worth a punt. It's not like I'm going to be camping if the weather forecast isn't good (unless the bug really gets me).

I know buy cheap, buy twice often holds true but for the sake of £15 might be worth a go?

[Canardly]

For £15 you cant go wrong really not a lot to lose.

[Kim]

At that price it's probably worth a go as a fair-weather tent.

The Pro-Action one I bought a couple of years ago only cost about £20, and is pretty respectable in all but windy conditions.  That's a proper double-skin arrangement though.


Buy cheap, buy twice, have a spare tent. 

[Ashaman42]

That's what I'm thinking. My current tent is good but a bit bulky and heavy for bike camping. And I'm pretty sure my Mum's pop-up single skin tent was alright. Some condensation but I get that even now.

I think I'll go for it, watch them all disappear before I get there now 

Now to arrange a YACF camping trip that I can actually get to 

[Canardly]

Lots of us are going to that there York for the CTC cycling fest in June.

[Ashaman42]

Yebbut York, that means trains and stuff.

I'm thinking a SE YACF trip wot I can cycle to (actually I do intend to try to get further afield this year but still think a local trip would be aces).

[Butterfly]

Whereabouts in the South east are you?

[loadsabikes]

Yebbut York, that means trains and stuff.

I'm thinking a SE YACF trip wot I can cycle to (actually I do intend to try to get further afield this year but still think a local trip would be aces).

Best you arrange one then

[arry_b]

My only worry is will I get too condensatey with it being a single skin?

I've used one of those Lidl single skinned tents in one of their earlier incarnations. Also a Halfords single skinned tent. I know they're only fifteen pounds but really, they're toys for kids to play with in the garden in high summer. I've spent a couple of the worst nights camping I've ever had in cheap single skinned tents.

Honestly, just don't do it!

However, I've used a Pro-action 1 (I paid £17.50 for mine) and a couple of Lidl double skinned tents costing under £25 and they've been excellent. Also a Gelert Eiger 2 was very good, and cheap.You don't need to necessarily spend a fortune, but single skinned tents are a waste of money.

[Ashaman42]

Yebbut York, that means trains and stuff.

I'm thinking a SE YACF trip wot I can cycle to (actually I do intend to try to get further afield this year but still think a local trip would be aces).

Best you arrange one then

Well as I said upthread that's the plan    Need to work out when'll be best (I'm not doing it when we have the auditors in at work) so look for a thread soon. Is here best or in Rides and Touring?

Whereabouts in the South east are you?

I am in Eastbourne on the coast. There are a couple of good sites closeby. Or I'm thinking Lewes has a good one (according to my Mum), will have a look and work out what works well re trains and the like.

[loadsabikes]

Sounds good.
Pop it in rides and touring.
Seven Sisters comedy off road it is then!!

[AndyH]

single skinned tents are a waste of money.

I have a (very expensive at the time) Vaude Scorpion single skin tent somewhere in the loft.

You're right. It was a waste of money.

[mcshroom]

I did my DofE bronze with a single skin tent very like the Halfords one although mine was made by Freeman and cost £10 at the time. You can use them, if you don't touch the sides, but double skins are far better.

We also had some cheap single skin domes from a supermarket to augment our camper one year which were fine except that the zip couldn't withstand a French thunderstorm and we ended up bailing out (almost literally)

[Ashaman42]

You can use them, if you don't touch the sides, but double skins are far better.

See, this is why I think I might be ok, as it'll just be me in a two person tent. I just like a bit of room to move and prefer my bags in with me.

[Butterfly]

I am in Eastbourne on the coast. There are a couple of good sites closeby. Or I'm thinking Lewes has a good one (according to my Mum), will have a look and work out what works well re trains and the like.

There's one in Westham near Pevensey that has a field at the back that you can have groups in and that's an easy ride from Polegate station.

[arry_b]

See, this is why I think I might be ok, as it'll just be me in a two person tent. I just like a bit of room to move and prefer my bags in with me.

Two man in tent sales terms = One person + space for a toothbrush. Look at the dimensions on the Lidl site, those sleeping bags and the person in the diagram aren't to scale.... The chances of avoiding touching the sides are minimal.

Even http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-2-person-dome-tent/200-0497.prd?skuId=200-0497&pageLevel= for £20 is a far better bet.

[clarion]

Remember the height of your sleeping bag and mat at the foot end - that's where most of the touching happens.  Unless you're damn fool enough to sit up sharply and hit your head on the roof

[jogler]

Two man in tent sales terms = One person + space for a toothbrush.

written by an estate agent methinks

[Canardly]

Ignore the experience being related here at your peril thinks.

[Ashaman42]

Yeah, am getting that impression 

Shame I didn't get to the camping fair to see some tents in the flesh but by the time I'd cycled there the other day it was raining and I was cold.

Oh well, no rush. I've got a tent after all it's just a bit heavy and big when packed but will do for now.

[Canardly]

The Coleman Bedrock can be had at very reasonable expense and was my tester in getting back into camping after many years.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/bedrock-p150851

[Ashaman42]

Been having a ponder over the Bedrock or the Avior X2 looks good too.

[Doosh]

I don't think there's much to go wrong with these, at the money:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=%09+Lichfield+Treklite+200