budget tent

[TJ1888]

Looking for a new tent as the misses is wanting to come on my next trip so will need a bigger one, has anyone got experience of the gelert chinook 3, rocky 3 or vango soul 300 and could recommend any of them?, on a tight budget at the moment but it is only really to do us a couple of trips.

[sprintster]

I haven't used a Chinook but I've had other Gelert 1 and 2 man tents and they've been perfectly good for the money. If you can stretch the budget a bit I'd recommend a Berghaus Peak 3.3.

[thatweebirdie]

I've heard pretty good things about the OEX tents as well. I think they're Go Outdoors more technical range (hi-gear being the more basic range); our Explorers have some and have given them a proper battering as only clumsy teen boys can and they seem very good for the price.

I'm not sure about Gelert these days, we had a big Cadiz 7 years ago that was amazing; but I've heard that they've gone downhill. This may or may not be linked to them being 'saved' by SportsDirect. (I remember when Karrimor lasted more than three weeks, too). If you're looking at Gelert reviews on independent sites, double check the dates as I believe they were bought out by SportsDirect in 2012.

[TJ1888]

Thanks for the replies, ended up with the Gelert 3, unpacked it in house and seems decent quality wise, will report back with how it does in Arran next weekend

[thatweebirdie]

Yes, please do let us know how it gets on. I absolutely loved Gelert. When we bought our tent, it had half the inner missing (it had been an ex demo model) and when I phoned Go Outdoors about it, they couldn't have been less bothered. Phoned Gelert, they got the missing inner out to us free of charge within days. They were absolutely lovely.

That tent, the Gelert Cadiz, got put through its paces over ten years and was pretty faultless. We just outgrew it (you know how 2 parents and 2 children camping for a week actually need a 435 person tent?) and we wanted something with a bigger seating area in the middle and some windows to witness the driving rain; so we have a Vango Anteus for 'holiday' camps; and my Vaude Hogan and the hubbie's 20 year old Mountaincraft (YHA, I think) 3 man tent for our shorter trips.

A good tent is like a good car. Indispensable. Enjoy your trip!