Advantages: Logical to put up, spacious to be in
Disadvantages: Bit big for the odd weekend!

...names you'd know... Vango, Outwell, Khymer, Coleman, and of course, Wynnster. During our previous visits we'd always seem to spend more time in the Mercury 9 than any other. We never understood why, but there you go. There were bigger and flasher tents around, but it just caught our eye. Maybe it was the shape. Or the layout inside, or the little touches that impressed us. Obviously, we bought one, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this!! LOL!! Just a note: We bought our's in 2003 for £300. They have updated the tent a bit since then, including a different colour scheme. However, looking around the later versions, there seem to be only minor differences between them other than colour. What you get: Actually, quite a lot. As well as the outer and inner tents, obviously, you also get a repair kit, all the guy ropes, a full kit of tent... Read review

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Advantages: spacious family tent
Disadvantages: fits 6 easily, 8 would be uncomfortable

...When my husband first suggested camping, I suggested a divorce, but I was amazed at just how much I enjoyed it. Of course it does help if you've got the weather, but also perhaps most importantly a tent like this really helps. The Wynnster Cambrian tent, is a real good family tent, When stating how many people tents will hold, I personally think these are a bit over the top if you want to be comfortable, If you've got a family with 2 or 3 kids, I would suggest a tent such as this 8 man tent, as the extra space is a good advantage. Standing height in the main living area is 210cm, which is ample room for the average person. Its weight is 25.65 Kilo so is quite a weighty item, and definatliey not one for the average backpacker, But I found fits comfortly in the boot of the car, after all it is a Family tent. This is a dome... Read review

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Advantages: Great family size, compacts into a reasonable sized bag,
Disadvantages: Could be more ventilation

...We bought this model for its size and practicality - imagine three adults (us and the sales guy) stood in the centre of the hexagonal living space, with two young kids running round the remaining space. The hexagon and three sleeping pods mean you don't have to worry about which way round you set up, but be prepared for some envious looks from other campers on rainy days! First time we used it, took about 30 minutes or so to put up - the colours used for coordinating the poles could have been better, but you cannot get them mixed up for size. Due to the size of the tent, you have to get the poles into place before locking them to the eyelets - the dome of the living space is simply too big to get away with slotting one into place afterwards! The floorplan is slightly misleading, as any of the three doors can be used as the porch... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to erect, large, simple construction
Disadvantages: Heavy to Carry

...The tent that's more like a home away form home A BIT OF BACKGROUND TO START WITH: One spring afternoon may other half and I decided to take our first holiday. We booked for 4 days and 3 nights into a hotel in Paris. 4 days and 3 nights later we were back at our respective homes, still talking to one another, still happy together and with no blood spilt, talking about how we really ought to do it again. Now I'm no fan of beachy type holidays, going to bed at 7am and getting up at 5pm, preferring instead to be a bit more down to earth and peaceful, for me a holiday should be about recharging the batteries, seeing some interesting sights and enjoying good food and drink (not grabbing a quick kebab on the way home from a night drinking vodka cocktails although this approach does have a few merits occasionally). What better way... Read review

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Advantages: A fantastic story
Disadvantages: Quite female focused, not really a bloke book.

...When (if) you read the bible, you often come across characters that pop up only once, and are in the spotlight for a moment, and then disappear again... but you suspect they have more story to tell than is recorded. For example, the story of Joseph (and his 'technicolour' coat) is famous, but what do you know about his only sister? Nothing? Yeah me too! Until I read this fantastic book. Anita Diamant takes the story of Dinah, mentioned only in passing in the bible, and develops it. The result is largely an imaginative work of fiction, however, it is deeply rooted in information from other sources. For example, Joseph's time in Egypt is included, and other stories about Jacob, such as his difficult relationship with his brother Esau. The Red Tent is therefore deeply plausible as a narrative. There are no details that jar, or suspend... Read review

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Advantages: Can stand up in it! Quite Big, pegs!
Disadvantages: Problems with condensation, groundsheet

...Coleman Bi-Space 300 This tent is ideal for two people - for three it might be a bit pushed for space! It features a tall living space - which comes with a groundsheet and a lower smaller sleeping area. The tent is fairly easy to put up! we have even done it in the dark, the poles and loops are colour coded so you know where to thread each rod. The rods fit together nicely and have no trouble getting them through or taking them out - remember to push the rod and not pull otherwise the connections with come loose! Once all the rods are in place you can see the shape of the tent - pegging it down is very time consuming, there are lots of peg loops and a skirt which runs right around the tent...this can be folded up in the day to let air in, we tend not to use it because of all the pegs, but its comforting knowing your... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to erect
Disadvantages: Can be dark inside

...The Coleman Savannah is a 6 person frame tent. It has an iside height of200cm high which is ample height for the average family! The tent is a kind of octagonal shape with the bedroom area taking 1 half & living area the other. We found the tent very easy to erect with colour coded steel poles which feed through from the outside of the tent, then legs attatched to lift the flysheet & place the tent in positon ready to be pegged down. There is then a groundsheet for the living area. The inner bedroom tents have an integral groundsheet & the whole thing is hung inside with colour coded hooks. What we particularly like as well is that there is a separate 'storage' area like a zipped up compartment where the cool box & bags ect can be stored. The bedroom has a removeable divider across the width which is a good idea if like us, you... Read review

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Advantages: Easy and straight forward to erect.
Disadvantages: Not suitable for a larger family.

...Not- is the continuation of the title, especially when its your first time camping with them, Callum 2 years 8 months and Lucy 10mths (fast crawler!). This was also the first time my husband had put up this tent, and it was late and we were both tired hungry and irritable and so were the kids. Now add windy to this scene as well and me having to hold on to the tent whilst hubby knocks in the pegs and if I had been watchinh instead of doing then I would probably have been in hysterics. The tent though, getting back to the subject on hand, is a brilliant design it goes up very easily and this was the first time my hubby had put up this tent it was very straightforward and he reckons that he will be bale to do it on his own next time, which is good news for me. Anyway let me describe this marvellous item to you it has: UV nylon... Read review

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Advantages: easy to put up, quality, size inside, price
Disadvantages: size when stored, no porch.

...I already own 2 "normal" tents, but went on a 7 day bike race where i needed to put up and take down the tent 7 days in a row. I splashed out £45 for a "pop-up" tent. The thought of it errecting itself was very appealing!! Sceptical at first, I popped the tent out of it's bag and pegged it down with 4 pegs.....job done......in about 60 seconds. I couldn't believe it could be so easy!!!! Once the tent is up it is like any other, with an inner and outer sheets (don't go for the cheap single skin ones). It has vent to help reduce condensation, although some did form, but then i've never been in a tent where there was no condensation!!! The one I have is a 2 man version which accommodates 1 person + luggage with ease and would accommodate 2 people with some luggage. This tent took on some heavy rain and wind in the 7 days i... Read review

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Advantages: Lightweight, robust, colour coded poles, reflective guy ropes
Disadvantages: It's not true 4-season, small cooking area, lack of headroom

...I bought a Tadpole 23 three years ago and use it for wild-country back-packing, rock-climbing and winter mountaineering. It is an ultra-lightweight tent that weighs less than 2kg, designed for two people, in three-season conditions (However, I have used it for winter mountaineering in the UK, which it is fine for if you have a good sleeping bag and air mattress). It does all the standard tent stuff - like keeping the wind and rain off you and your kit whilst allowing you to cook and sleep, but is much more sophisicated than a standard tent. When you first see it up, it looks a bit flimsy, but it is actually very resistant to the wind and The North Face have made every effort to reduce its weight as much as possible without compromising on the strength. It is easy to put up on your own (even in the dark when you're tired) due... Read review

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