Has anyone used one of these tents or know about them?

Hi Guys,

Looking at getting a new tent for campinga and will suit touring down the track. I used to have a great 6 man canvas tent but after 25 years the canvas has got to the point of letting water through as it was thinning etc. Also I was thinking of weight/size etc in its packed down shape and not wanting to go too big. I really like the look of the Black Wolf Turbo 300 but the weight and pack down size are a little daunting, also the cost is a little prohibative for me just now thought I have seen them as low as $999.

Saw this one through Rays Outdoors but cannot find much on the maker etc
http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/onlin...ecommendations

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

My mate has a RAYs pyrimad tent ,paid $199 he did not get a pole kit with it. so easy as 4 pegs one pole
season it from new and it should last a long time

My partner and I bought the below tent from Anaconda before a two week trip to Tassie. We setup/packed up daily, and it takes less than 5 minutes for one person to setup, and just over to pack it back up.
Don't have any complaints, we endured some freakishly strong winds while on the West Coast, we had no shelter except the tent - it took a beating and loved it. We had no water come through the canvas, the only issue we did have was that the wind was so strong it basically pushed the rain up the canvas and into the window mesh, so we had a bit of a leak from the windows mesh... To be honest, I can't really fault the tent for this though, it was freakish weather - other than a zip at the bottom of the window, or a full strip of Velcro, there's no stopping it (and then you'd have zero airflow).

http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90028981

That's the tent, once again, I love it, best tent I've ever owned. We got it for $350 on special and it comes with the side pole kit.

Not sure if Cuppa is still selling his Southern Cross number.
No Doubt he'll see this and have some input

I have the same tent as in Throbbin's (mind out of gutter Clunk) link. Have had it several years and is a great tent although a little bulky.

Got it from Anaconda as well when it was out for $300 and haven't looked back. Easy to set up and pack away and the side pole kit is a must as it opens up the usable space heaps and great for short or long trips.

Well worth the money spent on it.

I have a pyramid tent, Aussie made with heavy canvas and floor. Setting up is easy, there is plenty of room with the two pole kit, and it has withstood storms and gales force winds.

My gripes with the design are as follows: The front awning is useless at keeping rain out of the tent and it also tends to let water pool in it. You have to shorten the poles to allow the water to run off and to one side. The window flaps are inaccessable from inside, so if it rains during the night, you end up getting wet anyway.
We have had to add canvas to the bottom of the door, (ours uses two zips and velcro at the bottom).

check with winnie and AB they have some sort of tent like that

Do you need that extra room at the back of the tent ??
just two of you ATS
Having the external pole kit is a winner I feel to
keep you central and not up against any walls

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Originally Posted by Throbbinhood

My partner and I bought the below tent from Anaconda before a two week trip to Tassie. We setup/packed up daily, and it takes less than 5 minutes for one person to setup, and just over to pack it back up.
Don't have any complaints, we endured some freakishly strong winds while on the West Coast, we had no shelter except the tent - it took a beating and loved it. We had no water come through the canvas, the only issue we did have was that the wind was so strong it basically pushed the rain up the canvas and into the window mesh, so we had a bit of a leak from the windows mesh... To be honest, I can't really fault the tent for this though, it was freakish weather - other than a zip at the bottom of the window, or a full strip of Velcro, there's no stopping it (and then you'd have zero airflow).

http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90028981

That's the tent, once again, I love it, best tent I've ever owned. We got it for $350 on special and it comes with the side pole kit.

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Sounds more like standard Tassie weather to me, after living here for 5 odd years nothing surprises me weather wise. My better half hikes the far South West coast in summer and the weather can be very unpredictable.
Cheers for the link and feedback

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Originally Posted by threedogs

Do you need that extra room at the back of the tent ??
just two of you ATS
Having the external pole kit is a winner I feel to
keep you central and not up against any walls

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Not really, I like a 4 person one for us as it keeps us away from the walls in crud weather so no wicking so yes external would be better & gives us room to have gear inside if we need it. Saying that a centre pole may be good to stop the wife thumpimg me when I snore or at least maker her have to work for it!

seems those GEO style tents are out of fashion a bit lately
pack up small nice and light weight , but fiddly as all get out to put up.
Especially if its windy

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Originally Posted by threedogs

seems those GEO style tents are out of fashion a bit lately
pack up small nice and light weight , but fiddly as all get out to put up.
Especially if its windy

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Year, I was looking at one of these as I had seen some good comments/opinions on them and they pack up nice and small but liked the thought of one that goes up & down easy in more windy/wet weather. \http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90033261

Leaves you only two options really one is one of the many styles of Pyramid tents
or the 30 sec tent and all its knock offs, Drewboyaus just brought one. quick set up.
Only downside I see its 2mtrs long so up on the roof rack it goes
then its down to value for $$$$ spent,
any AUS or NZ tent will be well made for our conditions, YKK zips are a given
no-see -em mesh and a decent thread count canvas like 14oz

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Originally Posted by SonOf

Hi Guys,

Looking at getting a new tent for campinga and will suit touring down the track. I used to have a great 6 man canvas tent but after 25 years the canvas has got to the point of letting water through as it was thinning etc. Also I was thinking of weight/size etc in its packed down shape and not wanting to go too big. I really like the look of the Black Wolf Turbo 300 but the weight and pack down size are a little daunting, also the cost is a little prohibative for me just now thought I have seen them as low as $999.

Saw this one through Rays Outdoors but cannot find much on the maker etc
http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/onlin...ecommendations

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

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There seems to be a few of these that appear to be almost identical.

About 8 years back I purchased the Diamantina brand, and paid around the $230 mark at the time.
I was pleased with the tent. The negative side was that it was bulky and the front awning needed adjustable poles so the water/ dew would not gather in it.
Two poles that hold it up & two for the awning.
Went up quick and wasn't too bad in wind.
When I got the Diamantina the colour was blue and looks identical to the Oztrail brand.

We now have a Coleman Instant tent.
:cheers:

I've had my Roman tourer 2.4x2.4 single pole for about 10 years and rate it highly as one of the better quick setup/pull-down tents around. 5 min max as its only 4 pegs and 1 pole and a couple of posts for the small awning which I usually tie off at the side of the car or the car awning

The single pole in the middle is a bit of a pain but you get used to it and make sleeping arrengments fit.

I say go for it but I have seen a lot better price! You can get same for under $300

All I can say is season it well and check for leaks after that.

Winnie and I have similar tent, we got the tourier and by not seasoning it we found out the hardway in the middle of nowhere heading up to the Simpson.

That was officially in my top ten worst camping nights!

We got one from Annaconda about 6 months back and used it at least a dozen times. 2 adults and 2 kids. Decent quality and spot on in crap weather. Easy to put up up and down but need a little bit of strength to do it. Don't think wifey could do it. Bit of weight to throw on the roof. http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90043420
It says 10 X 10 but it is 10 X 14(typo). We bought it 50% off. $450 at the time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by threedogs

Not sure if Cuppa is still selling his Southern Cross number.
No Doubt he'll see this and have some input

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No, I had a buyer but when I unpacked it found that it had been sitting in a damp spot & the canvas had rotted past the point of repairability. A real waste of a great tent.
No idea about the quality & material in te tent the OP linked to, but it is a great design.

I got the Blackwood Turbo 300 plus.
Real easy to put up, little harder to pack up.
But great tent.
In Yarrawonga this year we lost 4 tents to the 100k winds that swept through, seriously our tent didn't move.
Love the gable awning on it too.
I have bought the side walls and front walls too, for when we need a little extra space.


Attachment 56492

Were very comfortable when camp. Lol
I even have to bring the green grass for the missus.

But I need to throw it across the whole back seat when taking it camping or the roof rack.
Doesn't fit in the back.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by threedogs

Do you need that extra room at the back of the tent ??
just two of you ATS
Having the external pole kit is a winner I feel to
keep you central and not up against any walls

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Yes that style of tent is awesome, used mine for just over a year and love the style. So easy to set up and plenty of room inside for me, my girlfriend and my dog.

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Originally Posted by AB

All I can say is season it well and check for leaks after that.

Winnie and I have similar tent, we got the tourier and by not seasoning it we found out the hardway in the middle of nowhere heading up to the Simpson.

That was officially in my top ten worst camping nights!

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Yeah shit night... Though I had seasoned my tent and seasoned it well... I have since completely painted it with brush on water proofer and also put seam sealer over every seam...
Doing a week long trip through NSW with rain every day saw us getting a fair bit of water in towards the end... It is just cheap canvas.
Since then I have bought a well made Australian camper trailer with Aussie canvas, spent a weekend with heavy rain non stop for 24 hours, the inside of the canvas was bone dry.

My advice is to save the pennies and spend twice that amount on a good quality tent. My mate has the same style made by outback campers with Aussie canvas and it is sensational

there's also this style http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/, which there are now a number of derivatives from the likes of Oztrail, Anacondas Dune Eyre (which I have, link can be found here http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...lus-10x14-Tent), I'm very much liking mine, plenty of room for 5 of us on stretchers or self-inflating mats

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AB

All I can say is season it well and check for leaks after that.

Winnie and I have similar tent, we got the tourier and by not seasoning it we found out the hardway in the middle of nowhere heading up to the Simpson.

That was officially in my top ten worst camping nights!

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Originally Posted by Winnie

Yeah shit night... Though I had seasoned my tent and seasoned it well... I have since completely painted it with brush on water proofer and also put seam sealer over every seam...
Doing a week long trip through NSW with rain every day saw us getting a fair bit of water in towards the end... It is just cheap canvas.
Since then I have bought a well made Australian camper trailer with Aussie canvas, spent a weekend with heavy rain non stop for 24 hours, the inside of the canvas was bone dry.

My advice is to save the pennies and spend twice that amount on a good quality tent. My mate has the same style made by outback campers with Aussie canvas and it is sensational

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Good point, My tent is pretty heaavy canvas and never seen a drop inside so when buying one make sure you get HD canvas and not the cheap light stuff

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Originally Posted by Covo71

We got one from Annaconda about 6 months back and used it at least a dozen times. 2 adults and 2 kids. Decent quality and spot on in crap weather. Easy to put up up and down but need a little bit of strength to do it. Don't think wifey could do it. Bit of weight to throw on the roof. http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90043420
It says 10 X 10 but it is 10 X 14(typo). We bought it 50% off. $450 at the time.

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Ahhh just spotted your post
The 10x14 is called a Dune Eyre Plus

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Originally Posted by Nisshead

Good point, My tent is pretty heaavy canvas and never seen a drop inside so when buying one make sure you get HD canvas and not the cheap light stuff

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Yep you get what you paid for...lol

I've been in the rain with that tent after that trip and not leaked but if you had solid heavy rain for hours the cheaper canvas can fail.

Yep, I bought an Oztent RV4 recently and it is seriously awesome. At 2m long, it has to go on the roof but setup and pack down is ridiculously easy and the quality is outstanding.
Highly recommended and I got mine with the floor saver and fly for under a grand new.

I also used a Black Wolf Tuff Dome Plus from time to time (until I bought the Oztent) and that has been a great tent too. I got it for under $500 from Anaconda and with 2 people it takes about 15 minutes to set up and would withstand a cyclone. Being Black Wolf, the quality is also a cut above. Pack down is pretty good too. Also highly recommended.

As some others have alluded to, much better to spend some extra coin as there's nothing worse than a horrendous, wet nights camping.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Had use of dads RV5 for a few years and I'll certainly be buying one when i find a special somewhere.
Best tent I've ever used. Simple to set up and no need for pegs and ropes if its a calm night.
30 second tent hands down.

On the topic of good canvas ..... two stories.

Our first trip away in our Southern Cross centre pole tent - we were pretty new to the Australian bush & made the mistake of pitching camp in a dry creek bed. Of course it P*ssed down with rain. Woke in the morning to find that the tent was sitting in the middle of a flowing stream, about 5” deep. The tent floor moved like a water bed. Not a drop of water got into the tent!

Our current Shipshape rooftop tent. Sat outside, whilst it was packed up, a heavy storm. I forgot about it for several days & then checked it. I found several inches of water pooled in the middle. We didn’t have the doona in there at the time, so the pool was deeper than it otherwise may have been, but nevertheless I was concerned that the water would have soaked through the canvas & wet the new innerspring mattress. Opened it up to find everything inside bone dry. Not a drop had seeped through.

Good canvas is heavy & expensive, but when the weather turns to cr*p it’s very reassuring to have. Combine it with good design & it’s a cause to smile ever time you use it.

Ive got an Oztrail Mitchell double swag. It might not be the most expensive but its got pretty heavy canvas. I've been caught in 3 horrendous storms one which lasted 2 days and not a drop inside. There's something magical about being inside knowing your protected.

My brother just spent $2500 on southern cross to completely redo the entire canvas on his old jayco pop top.

Expensive but wow!

Their quality canvas, zips, Velcro etc is just worth every penny.

Better then what jayco did ;)

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Originally Posted by Throbbinhood

My partner and I bought the below tent from Anaconda before a two week trip to Tassie. We setup/packed up daily, and it takes less than 5 minutes for one person to setup, and just over to pack it back up.
Don't have any complaints, we endured some freakishly strong winds while on the West Coast, we had no shelter except the tent - it took a beating and loved it. We had no water come through the canvas, the only issue we did have was that the wind was so strong it basically pushed the rain up the canvas and into the window mesh, so we had a bit of a leak from the windows mesh... To be honest, I can't really fault the tent for this though, it was freakish weather - other than a zip at the bottom of the window, or a full strip of Velcro, there's no stopping it (and then you'd have zero airflow).

http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...t/p/BP90028981

That's the tent, once again, I love it, best tent I've ever owned. We got it for $350 on special and it comes with the side pole kit.

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You wasnt camped towards Granville Harbour by any chance? strong winds no shelter gives the area away LOL

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Originally Posted by Rickie3

You wasnt camped towards Granville Harbour by any chance? strong winds no shelter gives the area away LOL

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The night that we really copped it was at Conical Rocks, not much shelter that way haha

Nice tent testing weather all over the state in the last couple of days hey.

Snowys have currently got a tent sale on http://www.snowys.com.au/Tents-Shelt...=1&sc=3&ssc=12

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Originally Posted by Doggy

Snowys have currently got a tent sale on http://www.snowys.com.au/Tents-Shelt...=1&sc=3&ssc=12

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Some really good deals, thanks.

Old thread I know, but......

We had a Darche AT-4 Airvolution Tent. Loved the idea and ease of putting it up and taking it down, but the quality is crap, so after the second replacement tent developed holes on the mesh seams, we're getting a refund (still waiting). As we're new to camping (but old in years) we're looking at a two room tent as a replacement. Need somewhere to store stuff when we go exploring instead of packing the car everytime.
Been looking at this:
http://www.snowys.com.au/Tents-Shelt...1&sc=1&id=4553

Has most things we need, warranty is 3 times that of the Darche, floor is a bit flimsy compared to what the Darche had. Doesn't weigh too much which is important as it has to travel on the roof rack and I'm no spring chicken....

Anyone have any experiences with Outdoor Connection tents, or is there something else that might suit us? Money is a definite factor, as is weight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clubbyr8

Old thread I know, but......

We had a Darche AT-4 Airvolution Tent. Loved the idea and ease of putting it up and taking it down, but the quality is crap, so after the second replacement tent developed holes on the mesh seams, we're getting a refund (still waiting). As we're new to camping (but old in years) we're looking at a two room tent as a replacement. Need somewhere to store stuff when we go exploring instead of packing the car everytime.
Been looking at this:
http://www.snowys.com.au/Tents-Shelt...1&sc=1&id=4553

Has most things we need, warranty is 3 times that of the Darche, floor is a bit flimsy compared to what the Darche had. Doesn't weigh too much which is important as it has to travel on the roof rack and I'm no spring chicken....

Anyone have any experiences with Outdoor Connection tents, or is there something else that might suit us? Money is a definite factor, as is weight.

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We are going to look at the Jet tent (oztent) Maverick at the next caravan camping show in brisy in June, these pack up relatively small and set up to around the same size as an RV4, does take a little longer to set up though and looks like no walls etc can be bought for them either. We want something to be able to put into the patrol not up on the roof racks like our RV4 has to be (and 23kg).

Hi Mate, I have worked in a couple of camp shops and there is nothing wrong with those tents and even the likes of the more expensive Colemans. They downside to the lighter tent is they are generally a pain to put up. I know no bloke really likes to ask for too much help but the guys there if they have put one up and if there are any tips. If not and I know it sounds stupid but follow the instructions. Would be worth checking what they are like because some that I have seen half written in chinese,,,Good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clubbyr8

Old thread I know, but......

We had a Darche AT-4 Airvolution Tent. Loved the idea and ease of putting it up and taking it down, but the quality is crap, so after the second replacement tent developed holes on the mesh seams, we're getting a refund (still waiting). As we're new to camping (but old in years) we're looking at a two room tent as a replacement. Need somewhere to store stuff when we go exploring instead of packing the car everytime.
Been looking at this:
http://www.snowys.com.au/Tents-Shelt...1&sc=1&id=4553

Has most things we need, warranty is 3 times that of the Darche, floor is a bit flimsy compared to what the Darche had. Doesn't weigh too much which is important as it has to travel on the roof rack and I'm no spring chicken....

Anyone have any experiences with Outdoor Connection tents, or is there something else that might suit us? Money is a definite factor, as is weight.

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