The Camping Forum

[bingobob]

Another vote for Cabanon from me

Just returned from 3 weeks in Cornwall, I had the pleasure of using my 2nd hand Cabanona Aruba which I got from ebay a few weeks previous, I paid £200 buy it now and concider it money well spent, it is like new, not a fault

It stood up to some heavy downpores too with out a problem, must admit though one morning when we got up I stepped out of the inner tent (bedroom) straight into a small lake which had formed on the ground sheet on investgation I found my sweet wife had used a spare bit of ground sheet to make a door mat which stuck out under the door of the tent so as it rain the water ran down the front of the tent onto the mat and inside.

My how we smiled as we mopped up.

The draw backs to such tents are weight, pack size, set up/strike times and the hassle if you have to strike camp when wet.

Canvas is KING

[nutgone]

I love my Cabanon.

Actually, the "Aruba" was going to be the one I recommended. It's a good sized tent for a family.

I don't think a canvas frame tent takes any longer to erect than a modern tunnel tent, it should be quicker. I can (just about) manage my 5 berth Chambord on my own, & I reckon the main body of the tent is easily up in under half an hour, you could make that 15-20mins with another person.
It just feels so sturdy once it's up, & the instructions tell you only to bother with the guy ropes (all 4 of them!) if it's going to get stormy! I always pitch them all anyway, regardless. I'm of the mind that all pegging points serve a purpose so ALL should be pegged.

I think any tent can be as easy or as hard to erect as you make it. It's always harder with a new tent. It's taken me about 4 goes to get my canvas, pods, curtains & liner all folded up correctly & rolled up together to get them back in the bag. I've always forgotten to put something in or done it some weird way in the past. I was so pleased with myself when I finally got it right last weekend.

Usually, after a few goes, any tent owner(s) get their own system together. Although that first pitch of the season, after the long winter break, can be a good one to watch.

[ValBarley]

Just won this cabanon latitude on ebay, taking it for a play this weekend

Hoping all the bits are there and no big holes in it

[rexgrant]

Just won this cabanon latitude on ebay, taking it for a play this weekend

Hoping all the bits are there and no big holes in it

Hi Val Hope you are well.
Am I correct in thinking that the latitude tunnel tent as three horizontal poles as well as the hooped ones
Regards
Rex.

[ValBarley]

Poles are more like an airfix model than a tent...

[Admin]

My word how long will that take to pitch????

[ValBarley]

My word how long will that take to pitch????

will find out tomorrow!

May waste a bit of time on the poles, but you tend to save on guy ropes with cabanons. They're usually pretty minimal (except the pyramids)

They are colour coded, just hope they're all there!

[rexgrant]

Typical Cabanon.
They don't make tents, they build them no rear end shunt with that frame.and should be easy to erect while on its knees. I still say for ease of setting up and safety when up the frame tent takes a lot of beating.
Regards
Rex.
Have a good camp this weekend.

[nutgone]

Well I managed to set up my Cabanon Chambord all by myself in the pouring rain & howling rain down in East Sussex this morning. It's been lovely all afternoon as well, but I had no choice as I was working this afternoon.

I'm off to set up my bed & spend the weekend in it now. It's about a mile & a half up the road at the Festival of Transport in Hellingly, East Sussex.

Have a good weekend all, hope the weather clears up down here, or I will never get my car out of the camping field & on to the show ground in the morning! (I had enough trouble getting out at lunch time! )

[Guin74]

We upgraded our old tent to a vango Zanzibar which is the polycotton version of the amazon 800. Although heavy, the difference was noticeable. Warmer, but also cooler in hot weather. Doesnt make as noise in heavy rain and wind. We downsized to a kampa holkham 6. Another polycotton, smaller but excellent quality. We have now upgraded to the cabanon Stratos trailer. Haven't had time to take it away yet but can't wait. Polycotton is a good substitute but if funds allow id go for canvas. We bought our cabanon second hand at half the new price. With it only being a couple of years old its in excellent condition and we got extra bits with it ie. Suncanopy. So check out used before you buy new

[ValBarley]

The Latitude was suprisingly easy to pitch (after initial gulp when i saw number of bendy poles), have colour taped them a bit better now as well, so next pitch should be a doddle!

Couple of pics of pitching it

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated my blog for this weekends trip as well, if anyones interested!

[nutgone]

What blog is that then Val?

I didn't know you had a blog!