The four man version of the Tigris family tent

When going away for the first time with your family, you want to get on with the serious business of enjoying yourself as soon as possible. Vango have developed an easy to pitch tunnel structure with a light and airy feel. Look no further than the Tigris range of tents. Within this range are flexible bedroom configurations and storage options aplenty. The Tigris range of family camping tents was the top selling tent in 2009. The range has a choice of three sizes, the 400 600 and 800, and is available in a choice of soft colours. The Tigris tent caters for four to eight persons depending on the model chosen.

The flysheet is fire retardant and is produced in Protex 3000HH taped seams polyester for extra waterproofing. There is also a storm skirt system to reduce drafts inside the tent and best of all you can keep the inners dry whilst you pitch outer first. The Powerflex fibre glass poles are colour coded for ease of set up. Another benefit is the vango’s own TBS II (tension band system) for improved stability in storms or typical English weather. The sewn-in groundsheet is 10,000 HH the sewn in construction helps keep out unwanted bugs and also keeps the tent warmer. This could be considered a disadvantage when folding down the tent to pack away but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages and this construction is proving popular in other tent brands and models. There are cable points for electricity access into tent and tidies inside the tent for the house proud.

Another added feature on the 2010 range is the new larger crystal clear windows with internal covers for privacy. The pelmet over the side door is also stylish and practical. The inner tents on the Tigris are also a breathable fabric for extra comfort in the warmer climates. There is also a roll back inner divider on the inner tent. The tent also has a parallel zip door and the king poles are included. All of the above comes in a very handy saddle bag. Other models in the Vango range to compare would be the Orchy. Or in other brands i.e - Gelert take a look at the Atlantis 400 or 500.

The largest member of the Tigris collection

Also one must not forget to purchase the extras with this tent carpets, footprints, canopies and canopy extensions and also matching windbreaks available. The footprint especially is a must to protect your purchase from stone damage and soiling. The footprint is shaped to go under the whole of the tent.
All in all a good solid family tent that has a lot of good reviews on websites such as CampingForum and UkCampsite, the Tigris collection of family tents is perfect for family camping during the summer periods.

Although tents generally last a few years, especially Vango ones, they are still having an effect on the environment as more and more people live this disposable life where they throw everything in the bin after one use (festivals being a fine example).

So much is made of carbon footprints and the environment in this modern age with more and more pressure from the governments and environmentally friendly groups to reduce our emissions. One outdoor company who has taken note of such changes is Vango, the new range of tents is designed using recycled materials to reduce the overall carbon footprint of campers. The Eco range of Vango tents uses recycled materials wherever possible:

- The flysheet
- Window covers
- Hanging storage areas
- Inner tents
- Carry bags

All these items are made from recycled plastic bottles, this reduces the amount of plastic going to landfills, less oil is used in plastic production and less energy is consumed overall. However not all of the materials are recycled, certain elements of the tent must be made from new materials otherwise the quality of the tents would be compromised. The zips and groundsheets are all made using new materials and the poles have to be new to ensure their strength is not compromised.

The tents in the Eco Collection from Vango include the:

Vango Green Tee 500 Dlx – the eco tepee that is more than ideal for the eco friendly festival goer. The tepee also features a newly styled porch with a skylight for those romantic weekends away.

Vango Green Bean 350 – the Green Bean tent will be ideal for the adventurers and touring campers who require a versatile tent that is quick to erect and set down.

Vango Green Wing 300 – the Green Wing is a direct copy of the Vango Icarus 300 tent but the only difference is the materials used in the production of the tent.

The eco friendly version of the Vango Icarus 500

The new collections of Vango tents are a step in the right direction, recycled materials make no difference to the quality of the tent and hopefully it will not be too long before we see more eco-friendly camping initiatives saving us resources and eventually, money.

The exponent lightweight ranges of tents use superb lightweight technology such as alloy poles.

Coleman have been manufacturing camping equipment since 1908, their selection of tents and outdoor accessories is second to none. All of the products within their ranges have been tried and tested in some of the most brutal conditions known to campers. There are a few ranges of Coleman tents that include:
Coleman Family Tents – the family tents are mostly ideal for summer camping in European weather conditions. The original best seller was the Weathermaster which took a huge step forward when it was introduced to the market by featuring the sewn in groundsheet. Many of the Coleman tents now seem to be weekender tents, these are ideal for those just wanting to get away for the weekend.

The lightweight yet price effective camping tent

Coleman Touring Tents – The Bedrock and Rock Springs are the most popular touring tents, these have been designed to perform on multi use holidays. They pack down into smaller sizes and both are easy to erect making them perfect for touring.

Coleman Lightweight Tents – the lightweight tents supplied by Coleman such as the Phad and Avior have become best sellers across the globe, with expeditionary groups benefitting from their lightweight low profile structures.

For campers who enjoy several short breaks or like to up sticks and move locations during longer breaks, the Bedrock is the perfect 2 person solution, due to its quick erect design and practical layout, it makes it very simple to put up in a hurry. They feature plenty of storage space and sturdy construction with a compact pack size that is ideal for touring.

PVC windows allow for increased visibility and enhanced lighting in the tent necessary when the aim of a camping trip is to get back to the outdoors! There is a little storage space for a couple rucksacks but as the tent is designed for those who are constantly on the move, storage is not excessive, this reduces weight and reduces the pack size.

Coleman are best-known for their family tents but they also make a range of low-priced backpacking tents that prove you don’t need to spend a fortune to be able to enjoy camping. The Coleman Bedrock 2 is a wedge-shaped tent that requires just one pole.

The best selling lightweight tent from Coleman

It is pitched inner-first with the single pole sliding through a short sleeve around the top of the inner. The pole ends are located onto plugs at the base and clips are then used to link the rest of the inner to the pole. The flysheet is draped over the top with a set of steel pegs stabilizing the structure. The guy lines are required for tension and hold it away from the inner and also to add a little more stability. The main bonus of the tent is the twin porches and entrances that extend down each side of the wedge. The inner and outer doors zip open and can be rolled upwards, where they are held in place with toggles. Plenty of ventilation for 2 people and a comfortable night’s sleep for on the go campers. One final point to mention is that this lightweight, spacious yet compact tent is at an excellent price, reduced down from £60 to £39.99.

New collections of Outwell tents include the smart tunnals and the fantasy tents

The camping trade is becoming more and trendier and challenging leading Companies such as Outwell and Vango to be more and more innovative. 2010 sees the introduction of lots of improvements to family camping tents and camping accessories. These two companies in particular are in the business of making family camping holidays come true. Outwell in particular continues to maintain steady focus on front-line design and superior craftsmanship to ensure that they provide the reliable quality that modern camping families expect from them in every detail. Outwell is at the forefront of developments in the camping sector with three brand new collections:

THE NEW FANTASY COLLECTION
THE NEW TOURING COLLECTION
THE NEW SMART TUNNEL COLLECTION

THE NEW FANTASY COLLECTION
The NEW Outwell fantasy collection is a dream in every sense of the word. It is both imaginative and innovative. Outwell’s own engineers have incorporated the popular kids room in three ranges of top-quality tents in a NEW eye-catching blue. Also added is the NEW game wall and game set for outdoor family games of basket ball, volleyball and badminton. An extensive range of colour-coordinated outdoor kids accessories enables families to personalise these tents in a way that will make them the envy of fellow campers.

THE NEW TOURING COLLECTION
The new touring collection consists of three motor home awnings for families who enjoy mobility of a van or camper. The awnings attach easily and securely to any camping vehicle with a wide variety of multi-functional connectors and ensure reliable stability and transition.

New pop up tents from Outwell, these tents pack smaller than your average pop up tent making them more portable.

THE NEW SMART TUNNEL COLLECTION
The third collection to be launched in 2010 is the new smart tunnels. They are amazingly compact whilst not compromising on size. These smart tunnels pitch in seconds and have the traditional features of pop-up tents- combined with reliable Outwell stability and comfort. The range is stylish coming in several trendy colours. The NEW vision tent with or without its removable hoop poles for smaller packing size and portability, this will make the range more ideal for festival use.

Avantgarde will remain the Outwell flagship with a new collection of tents in the extremely successful Mocha colour. These Outwell tents have attractive features such as drying rails in the large front canopy and a techno advanced flysheet and ground sheet for maximum all weather comfort. The Avantgarde range of tents features a subtle pattern on the flysheet.

The new Oakland XL is tipped for success in the family camping marketplace

If you are a deluxe camper also take a look at the Outwell deluxe range. These camping tents are deluxe in comfort as well as name. The collection now includes the New Wisconsin and NEW Oakland ranges as well as new models in the Michigan, Carolina, Nevada and Arizona ranges. One new Deluxe feature which will be a customer pleaser is the sealed in ground sheet in all models that eases pitching, protects against droughts and insects, and helps keep interiors tidy.

The new range of Vango camping equipment is as good as ever and offers the end user even more for their money.

Vango are one of the largest suppliers of outdoor equipment in the marketplace and they are exceedingly proud of their heritage and the close relationships that they have with their customers and end users. Due to the fact that Vango take feedback so seriously they have created every product around the end user and each product is packed full of experience, reliability, quality, innovation, design and usability. Their research and development is among the finest in the industry and for 2010 they expand further with new product and new distributors such as Argos bringing the brand into every home in the country.

Research and Development
Vango take great pride in their research and marketing their research and development work as this is what ensures their ever growing range of tents, sleeping bags, rucksacks, accessories and furniture evolves year after year around what the customers need and require. This allows them to meet and surpass the needs of the modern consumers whilst catching the eye of those who have never adventured in a tent or slept in a sleeping bag before.

The Vango 2010 collection of tents and sleeping bags raises the bar for innovation and development. So what’s new for 2010 that separates Vango from their competition?

The NEW Tied Arch System
Customers are always on the lookout for new and easier methods of erecting tents. The new Tied Arch System uses a combination of steel central poles with fibreglass arches to give the best combination of headroom, easy pitching and footprint. Any of the camping tents in this range can be pitched in 5 to 10 minutes depending on the camper, making them more than ideal for adventure camping expeditions.
Implementation of the Eco Range of tents
With so much noise being made about carbon footprints and saving the environment which is supposedly dying so fast, it is important for manufacturers within the industry to look to improve their product ranges to meet the needs of the ever changing consumer who is now conscious of their carbon footprint. There are four tents in the ECO range that make up the new collection. Each is made from recycled components wherever possible. Where quality would have been compromised, they have not used recycled materials which will prolong the life of your tent making it an even more environmentally sound proposition. This is on areas such as the groundsheet and the zips, these are common fault areas of tents, and therefore non-recycled materials were used in these instances.

Offering ultimate warmth and comfort, we challenge you to find a better sleeping bag

The new Thermal Embrace System – award winning stuff
Award winning sleeping bag collection, there are many new sleeping bags in the range of Vango, the Supernova and the down-filled Viper sleeping bags use this new thermal embrace technology.  Elasticated thread is woven into the sleeping bag lining, gently pulling the liner towards your body whilst retaining the freedom of your movement. As the lining is encouraged towards you, it increases the loft between the inner and outer layers resulting in greater insulation and more warmth. This makes these sleeping bags ideal for use on the mountains or at extremely cold periods of the year when the more basic ranges of sleeping bags will not suffice.

The outdoor industry and it’s camping equipment gets more and more exciting every year and 2010 is see even better improvements on 2009, a extremely successful year in difficult times of recession.

The boys collection of Outwell accessories is named the Dino collection.

The Outwell catalogue now includes an extensive range of camping equipment aimed at the children’s segment. From sleeping bags and tents to binoculars and flashlights, Outwell truly have thought of everything and have branded their Kid’s range into two segments, the Dino and the Flowies Rose collections.

The innovative children’s products by Outwell add an extra element of excitement for all the explorer boys and girls out there and also help to keep the children occupied during the more boring spells of camping, like when the weather turns against you and you are consigned to staying inside the tent. Children like taking care of their own belongings, and are proud of taking good care of them, and when they have their own gear, they can also join in the fun and excitement of helping Mum and Dad pack for the family’s holiday.

The Flower collection of camping accessories for girls.

The boys range consists of the Dino Explorer series which captures the real essence of adventure experienced by children when they go off camping. The range features the DINO chair which folds away in seconds and is lightweight and easy to carry, the table for fine dining after a hard days adventure, the pop-up tent which again pops up and folds down in seconds. There is also sleeping equipment such as the self inflating mat or the mattress for a comfy night’s sleep under your DINO sleeping bag!

The FLOWIES Rose continues to approach camping from a girl’s point of view with a series of complementary accessories that are sure to please the family’s young ladies. The range includes exactly what the boys Dino range features, chairs, table, pop-up tent, self inflating mat, mattress and sleeping bag. The range quite simply features everything that complements an Outwell family tent.

Other accessories available in the Outwell Kid’s collection are the Outwell kid’s room, tunnel tent and house tent. The Kids Room zips into the larger Outwell tents to add a special children’s area that double up as a play room. The kid’s room has been popular as it gives the child their own space and environment within the tent taking any feelings of homesickness away.

A kid's room has been designed for each model of Outwell family tent.

The Tunnel Tent can be used in conjunction with the House Tent which creates a further play area independent of the main tent or at home in the garden. It is also suitable for indoors use in the children’s bedroom in the family’s home, inside the family tent, or inside a Kids Room inner.
All the Outwell kid’s products are made to the exact same standard that the family tents are made to, a very high standard as anybody will know who has purchased one of the Outwell tents.

The best selling family tent on the marketplace today, the Outwell Montana 6 is a luxurious tent that has become massively popular in the UK.

The Outwell premium collection of tents for 2010 is stronger than ever. All three ranges of the Outwell Premium tent collection come with inner tents and a new complimentary green-green stripe that adds a special home-away-from-home feeling to these large and spacious, convenient and practical family tents.

Another customer pleaser for 2010 is the new awning in all three premium ranges that adds an attractive finishing touch of roominess and comfort. These tents are brimming with innovative and refined Outwell features, the Floridas, the ever popular Montana and Vermonts are designed to find favour with campers who value a tent that is clearly designed to meet the need of the multi-child family.

The features of the premium collection of Outwell tents, continues with a philosophy of designing and supplying the best family camping tents on the marketplace today. Outwell continue to gain market share by applying high standards and knowledge to this collection. Outwell use their own unique Outtex 5000mm fabric throughout all of this range and each tent comes in a handy Outwell trolley bag for added convenience and easy transportation. This impressive range has the following features for 2010:

Original Outwell colour design

Ring & pin system for easy set up

Colour coded poles for easy set up

Bottom-up curtains in the panorama windows

Mud valance on canopy area

Outwell sealed ground system

Pre-attached inner tents

Organiser pockets

Adjustable pegging points

Pre-attached luminous guy ropes

Outwell doormat to keep indoors clean

Large front canopy

Ventilation wall

The premium collection of Outwell tents 2010 is immediately recognisable by the innovative Outwell design of the trendy print interior. Inside the complimentary colours of the New and amazing green in green striped inner tents, other accessories add a new and pleasant sense of peaceful calm and well being of the entire unit. This range also incorporates a power stability system. The heavy duty steel poles provide the ultimate in stability on modern tents. These poles are manufactured from steel and galvanised to resist rust and corrosion. Additionally, there are many items of camping equipment designed by Outwell to match the family tents such as the carpet, footprint, windbreak and awnings. All of these tent accessories are designed to enhance the quality of the family camping experience, offering a luxurious camping experience.

The classy Outwell Premium Vermont XL offers families the most luxurious camping experience.

The two best sellers are the Florida and Montana ranges, these are popular amongst tunnel tent styles, and come with superb canopy extensions to create extra room and comfort. The ranges combine generous living space and excellent standing height and excellent ventilation. This range of tents has the luxury of panoramic windows and roll-up curtains. This range of tents are attractive inside and out, easy to pitch and comfortable in all types of weather conditions. If you are an avid family camper, then purchasing an Outwell family tent is the only way forward, but don’t just take our word for it, see camping forums and advice centres for camper feedback.

One of the popular Vango pop up tents, the Dart is ideal for any festival situation.

Pitch and Go tents in the Vango range are the ultimate in fast pitching, stylish tents. You just make the decision to choose from single skin products or for more weather protection a double skin like the stylish Vango Dart DS available in a two or three man. These Vango tents can pitched in minutes and provide good protection from the elements. They are produced in a good choice of bright colours and modern patterns making them ideal for festival camping. This range of Vango tents appeals to the festival lover, fun loving families and groups of friends. First time campers and those who are only spending a couple of nights outdoors will appreciate the quick and simple pitching methods, giving more time for relaxation and fun. Most important at the end of a trip, the Dart range of pop up tents fit easily back into a carry bag quickly leaving you with nothing but good memories.

All of the Vango Dart ranges of pop up tents have a Protex flysheet waterproofed to 2oooHH. The polyester flysheet absorbs less water than the nylon alternative so the tent will not sag as much as nylon when it gets wet.

Vango only uses the highest possible grade of fibreglass poles and all the sections are shock corded for ease of pitching.

All of the Vango Dart ranges have a handy lantern point conveniently positioned to hang a lamp or torch. All Vango tents are taped seams to seal any holes on the seams during the needle stitching process in manuafacture. The flysheet on the Vango Dart tent ranges have all been treated with fire retardant chemicals in accordance with CPA1-84. However, please note that these tents are not fireproof and that they will burn if an ignition source is placed adjacent to the fabric.

The Vango Dart Tents are available in 2 sizes the 200 and 300 in a single skin and DS a double skin. The retail price ranges from £34.99 to £59.99 and is comparable to the Gelert pop up range. The Dart 200 will comfortably sleep two people and is able to accommodate a double airbed inside. The Vango Dart 300 will comfortably sleep 3 people. All of the Dart tent ranges come with pre-attached guy ropes. You just take the tent out of the bag and it simply pops up into a dome style tent with a small porch.

Simply peg down and you are ready to have fun. For comparisons look at the Outwell tents and Easy Camp pop-up tents.

A fantastic range of comfortable sleeping bags which will keep any camper warm and snug.

With a wide range of sleeping bags on the market which one do you choose? There are some great brands out there, Vango, Outwell and, Gelert to name the top three. If you want to have a good nights sleep and have nice dreams the temperature rating is all important. We reviewed the Outwell Camper range; hugely successful in 2009 this range is growing in 2010, with lots of new added features. Outwell is striving to achieve sweet dreams for everyone with their superb range of sleeping bags.

The new Camper sleeping bag range is filled with comfy isofill and come in 4 lines featuring colour-coordinated stripes that compliment their AvantGarde and premium tents. With a two- layer construction and isofill filling, the new contours come in five different sizes. There are roomy new Coastal featuring a single layer construction in junior as well as adult sizes. All Outwell sleeping bags comply with European standard EN 13537, and have a user-friendly icon indicating seasonable suitability.

All four sleeping bags in the new Camper series are lined with Mocha stripes and have a two-layer off-set construction. This construction ensures reliable night-time comfort by minimising cold spots, making the Camper Lux and Camper Double suitable for temperatures ranging from +20 C all the way down to -14 C. The new Outwell Campers come in four different insulation weights – including one double model – and have a polycotton shell and soft cotton flannel lining. All of the single models can be opened for use as a blanket or zipped together, while the easy glide zip system opens two ways, and is protected by a full length baffle that prevents heat loss along the zip.

There are 4 models available to suit different needs;

THE CAMPER
THE CAMPER LITE
THE CAMPER LUX
CAMPER DOUBLE

All four models cover the temperature rating spectrum visit www.outdoorworlddirect.co.uk for more information on each model. Don’t just take our word for it, look on all the camping forums for advice on the choosing the correct sleeping bag for you.

The four man version of the Orchy tent

2009 brought with it a global recession and lots of doom and gloom. But this recession has had it’s spin-offs for the camping and outdoor industry, with the industry reporting up to 30% growth in demand for products that will cater for a cheaper family holiday in the UK. Outdoor Companies such as Vango, Outwell, Gelert,Coleman and Lichfield to name but a few have benefited from an upsurge in demand for outdoor equipment. Companies in this industry are expecting similar growth in 2010 whilst recession lingers on with high unemployment and poor exchange rates.

One of the main growth areas has been reported in family tents and camping equipment, in fact Vango have increased their family range to cater for demand in this market. As the population explore the glorious countryside in Great Britain as opposed to higher costs of flying and package holidays in Europe and beyond, they will demand the right equipment required at the right kind of money. So what is the ideal family tent at the right kind of money?

Take a look at the Vango Orchy tent range. Luxurious colours and eye catching design are available in a range of different models and styles. These tents are of great design with 3000HH waterproofing, sewn in ground sheets with hard wearing fibreglass and steel poles. The Orchy range of Vango tents offer flysheet first pitching, colour coded poles, taped seams, and electricity hook-up supply access and mesh doors allowing a cool breeze in but keeping the bugs out.

Drop down ground sheets at doorways of the Orchy tent allow easy wheel chair access and grass and dust can easily be brushed out of the tent. Vango have thought of everything for the 21st century camper. Fitted Carpets made to measure for extra luxury and a footprint groundsheet to protect the tent from soiling and damage on stony ground are all part of innovative design. Canopies, premium extensions, and windbreaks are also available as an extra add on to make your trip more luxurious.

The Vango Orchy range is designed for families and groups who want a great value, stand-up tent with no compromise on living or sleeping space , this tent offers all that and more. Also worth a mention, this tent offers a new cross over point and extended front pole creating even greater height, spacey feel and stability in the front porch. The tent comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a premium family tent with prices ranging from £ 170 to £220. A great tent for so little money that is available in three models.

Vango Orchy 400 – will house four people
Vango Orchy 500 – accommodates five people comfortably
Vango Orchy 600 – the largest member of the collection will sleep up to 6 people.

However, don’t just take our word for it, why not check out all the reviews for the Orchy tents that have been posted on camping forums by experienced campers. Find plenty of useful and accurate information in this camping forum, UKCampsite.co.uk