Suggest me two different tents

Anyone that’s gone down the Canvas route, any comments on Canvas “GSM” weight?

Mate of mine bought a canvas bell tent to placate his other half who only agreed to go camping if it was as comfortable as possible.  It's one hell of a thing, but it weighs a zarking ton.  Carrying it from the car to the pitch site is ideally a 2-man job.

Quechua air seconds four 4. Good sized 2 man car tent. I've cooked in the porch. Easy one person erection as well. 😉

@DougD

How have you found the space in the 3m? I’m expecting some of the time it’ll be me and the dog, in which case big enough. But when there’s 2 humans and 1 dog I’m less sure.

It's ok with 2 adults + small dog, but if I was buying again I think I'd go 5m, especially if you've the space to store and transport it.

Based on the spec below, you get an extra 1m height with the 5m tent which would be good. The main challenge with the 3m one is that you get 2m height but with the pole in the centre you're stooping a bit if you're not right by it. I see there are some without a central pole which could be good, not sure if they're any harder to set up; I can do mine really easily by myself in just a few mins.

https://www.canvastentshop.co.uk/tents/canvas-tents/

For tent two just have a look at which Vango suits. We've had our family one for years and it's easy enough to put up on my own. Whatever you do, don't get a canvas bell tent, far too heavy, a pain to dry out (even with your heated room), only high in the middle and offer no discernable benefit over something more modern (unless you're terribly middle class and at Latitude Festival).

unless you’re terribly middle class and at Latitude Festival

Taps sign in the first post...

Form over function

Fair enough, in that case, treat yourself and enjoy lugging three tons of wet canvas around.

I think you need to let Mrs P select and buy tent #2. That way it can't be your fault when it's "wrong/not suitable"

Anyone that’s gone down the Canvas route, any comments on Canvas “GSM” weight?

Grammes per square metre? No idea, but quite a lot of modern 'canvas' is actually Polycotton, so faster drying than full-on 100% cotton - how much faster depends on the percentage that's polyester.

We has the loan of a nine-person Tenttipi teepee for a few months and it was ace as a summer camping experience - apart from the bit where my mates tried to set fire to it using the firebox while I was out on a lap at Mountain Mayhem. Drying it was a pain the backside though, partly tbf because it was quite large. Generally the easiest way to dry tents is to pitch them something dry and windy for an hour or two, but with big tents that's not always easy so you end up draping them over washing lines / bikes / whatever.

Alpkit does a bell tent btw, sometimes on sale:

https://alpkit.com/products/roundhouse?variant=32518434259049

That way it can’t be your fault

It can ALWAYS be my fault, I've been told.

When a pal and I bought a car camping tent to supplement our various lightweight options we went for one big enough to also act as a 'garage' 🙂

It might not look particularly big on the picture, but it's 'kin huge.

Also heavyweight and the poles are steel - one night we camped in The Peaks are we were one of the few tents that hadn't suffered from the overnight storm.

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/wild-country-homestead-5/548

20kg for a poled tent does suggest it's a fair size right enough

20kg for a poled tent does suggest it’s a fair size right enough

I had it delivered to work and when I got a call from reception to come and pick it up I said I'd be there in 5 or so.

Receptionist suggested I'd need to bring a 'friend' as it was a bit "weighty" 🙂

scotroutes

I think you need to let Mrs P select and buy tent #2. That way it can’t be your fault when it’s “wrong/not suitable”

Ah my sweet summer child, how naive you can be.

For tent 1 I'd just get a lanshan 1 or 2 depending on preference for space over pack size/weight. 2 gives a lot more space for not much increase in pack size or weight but if you don't need it it's still just excess.

Tent 2 is not something I've had to worry about for a long time now but people I know with big canvas and/or tipi style tents tend to use them far less than the people I know with big "normal" tents.

Tent 1 -

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/msr-freelite-1-v3-ultralight-backpacking-tent?v=325932&fc=GBP&utm_source=awin&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=696205&utm_content=Shopping+Directory&utm_refererrer=search%20&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=696205&awc=69848_1738233869_af9efb3582c5ce8bacabd45720fb48f3

MSR Freelite - very light, within your budget, probably need a footprint as well, but packs really small. I have one for bikepacking.

just one thing to consider about bell tents - if they get wet can you dry them ? it's bad enough getting them into the bag and then into the car to get home, you then need to put it up outside or hang it somewhere

And yes this applies to contemporary tents too - but they weigh a damn sight less when wet and dry a lot quicker

personally I wouldn't choose bell tent, we have one but I don't rate them and I prefer borrowing my dad's tunnel tent

What ed just said. And for this reason we have sacked off big tents. As a family we had a polycotton outwell tunnel - comfy, but massive and hard to dry as it was too big to pitch in our garden. Anyway it got destroyed in a storm. Replaced with a polyester version of the same (hand me down). Lighter but still a hassle to dry. Now replaced with a 4 man Bergans Wiglo 4Lt. Combo single central pole/ hooped poles design. Big enough for 4. Can't quite stand up though unless under 5'6 or so. Low enough to shrug off bad weather. Well vented. Light (6kg) and easy to dry by comparison to the big tunnel tents. Done lots of nights in it now and happy with it.

Tent 1 - Wild Country Helm Compact 2

Ah my sweet summer child, how naive you can be.

LOL. Just wait until you hear Mrs Ps name 😀

Don't tell 'em they'll launch an intervention

And for this reason we have sacked off big tents. As a family we had a polycotton outwell tunnel – comfy, but massive and hard to dry as it was too big to pitch in our garden. 

Yeh, a Vango Mokala TC 450 has arrived on the list. Poled. I'm aware that inflatables tend to bounce back up in strong winds, but if it's that windy we'll not be camping. The two most frequented campsites are both tiny certified type places, not a great amount of space for a marquee sized tent.

Ok, I've taken a punt for Tent 2 with a Robens Fairbanks Grande at -40% sale price, it has it's issues. But is relatively light, polycotton, has enough space (probably, I'm sure it'll feel smaller with it's shape) quick to pitch and quicker to dry than canvas, but possibly a better material for hot/cold weather, and fits in the expected minimum pitch size, which is my parents garden. I'll have some tent to set it up somewhere clean and dry before it gets unreturnable.

I'm told I also need sandals and a beard...

Robens make good tents - good choice.
Here is my £50 Bargainlicious Arch 2.

I’m told I also need sandals and a beard…

Plus plaid shirt and Rohan trousers...