The Camping Forum

[BrandNewDay]

There are plenty of sales, now, but surely there will be more, later?

We have a while, not in any hurry, although I feel very impatient. We are looking to get ready to do a nice camping holiday next year, although I wouldn't mind doing a bit of weekend (one night) stuff nearby. We live near Loch Lomond and there are plenty of places 'round here that we could check out.

To that end.... would it be worthwhile to buy something really cheap, just to see how we like it?

Specifically, I was thinking of this:

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?a ... egories%3C{9372012}/categories%3C{9372022}/categories%3C{9622013}/specificationsProductType%3dtents&fh_eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=lister&ts=1280188908908&isSearch=false

I notice that they don't mention the ground sheet, and it's even concealed in the photo, so I assume it's not attached. But, it is very, very cheap and if we are doing something very local, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the weather was terrible.

[Rob-merlin1973]

Hi
These kinds of outfit are very cheap but there are a couple of things to take into consideration.

The airbeds will be fine (they are airbeds) but the sleeping bags are going to be very thin and as such you would need a lot more insulation otherwise you may find the old teeth a chattering even on a summers night.

The tent will not have a sewn in ground sheet and only has a Hydrostatic Head of 2000 and also is quite small.

This means that the tent will be draughty and if you get a good solid downpour and the tent is not pitched perfectly then there is a good chance it may leak. The upshot of this is that you may be cold wet and generally unhappy, and never want to go camping again.

If you are seriously thinking about making camping your main holiday choice then you need to make sure that the gear you have is up to the task and then i can almost gaurentee that you will enjoy the experience more and more.

I resonally think now is the best time to buy, we are half way through the season and stores are doing all they can to clear there stock down for next season. you may get a few better deals in the winter but there is every likely hood that they will be out of stock of a lot of things you want.
If you have a budget in mind we may be able to help point you in the right direction

[BrandNewDay]

If now is when the sales are, then we may have to wait until next year to buy. No way will my husband buy anything now. He likes to take his time and deliberate and we're not very flush right now.

If I buy anything now, it's going to be something very cheap, just to try it out for a weekend, somewhere nearby.

I'm now thinking about that Vango Juno tepee. It looks like a decent weekend tent. I've considered using very cheap pop-up tents as internal sleeping pods for added warmth at night, and those can be stored in the car during the day, leaving us a lot of living space.

Since it's so easy to set up, I think we'd likely enjoy having it as an extra tent either for just afternoon picnics or should we get something bigger and better... it would make a nice family room/extra space.

[The CampN Shop]

Now (really!)

This time of the year you've got a few retail places that have big shows, there are two within 10 miles of each other near us (Big show at Wokingham and a tent show at Winnersh)

And as for retailers, you'll start seeing end of season offers now - If you buy something now, you're unlikely to regret the price you paid for it as long as you shop around for the best deal

I'm now thinking about that Vango Juno tepee. It looks like a decent weekend tent. I've considered using very cheap pop-up tents as internal sleeping pods for added warmth at night, and those can be stored in the car during the day, leaving us a lot of living space.

:O - That's a stunning idea!

[BrandNewDay]

I'm glad you think it's a good idea. I like it because it's cheap and flexible. I know the Juno is thin, but it has a high HH rating, a sewn-in groundsheet, and an awful lot of space. The cheapest pop-ups I've found have been about £20, and I know three of them should fit in comfortably (one for each adult and one for my small kids.) This also means that if someone wants to sleep outside the tent (when the kids are a little bigger), they can do so.

I'm also interested in finding some sort of very basic tarp set-up so that we can have some sort of awning to cook under. I suppose it could be done with poles and a tarp, but surely somebody sells a cheap and simple open shelter type thing?

[OutdoorWorldDirect]

Being a retailer i would personally say it depends on the retailer and their current business situation such as stock etc. Last year the season was so strong we didnt really discount at all because we didnt have enough stock to do so. This year things are a little different.

However most prices are low now through till october. I would buy before next year if i was you - if you look at whats happening in china with wage costs rising i would say there will be an increase in prices next year. Also we are due a tax increase on the 4th Jan. I think we will see a lot of price rises next year, i might be wrong but from what suppliers have told me about current working conditions in China it sounds as if the workers are demanding a lot more money.

A lot of suppliers had issues earlier in the season getting stock into the country because a lot of the chinese workforce did not return to their warehouse jobs after the chinese new year because theu could earn better money in offices and on farms etc.

Cheers

David

[GOoutdoors]

As far as our sales go, anywhere from now (our 50% off sale) Through to our end of Summer sale (around August time) is likely to be the cheapest you’re going to be able to buy a Tent from GO. We try to keep the prices low anyway, but if you're looking for offers - now is your time to bargain hunt, really.

As has been said, this is seasonal clearance as soon enough we will be getting ready to bring out the Autumn and Winter stock in a couple of months.

Suppliers have struggled to keep up with the demand, I’d highly recommend grabbing a tent this year if possible because 2010 saw a price increase in last year’s tents and with the current climate and situation 2011 may see the same again.

[BrandNewDay]

That does make sense! I thank you both for your professional advice.

I'm pretty sure I know what I want, and I'm very keen to get my husband on board with it ASAP.

[GOoutdoors]

No problem, if you need any tent advice don't hesitate to get in touch.