Tunnel Tents

[mharky]

I think my club should get a new tunnel tent, some people in the club say they ain't very good and break. They are the only people I have ever heard say anything bad about them.

So, if you have one of theses tunnel tents (from Czech Republic, i think) is it good? Is it better than those awful "box" club tents? Would you reccomend getting one?[/i]

[redkite]

Our club bought a tunnel tent a couple of years ago. All things considered better than the old frame tents and certainly more user friendly when you can open up both ends.

However, at the VHI last Saturday the wind blew the guy ropes off the tunnel tent and we ended up having to have download from a car in the carpark. I think it was England who had a frame tent that withstood the wind, (althought the wind may have reduced a bit by the time the frame tent was put up)

[NeilC]

Our club has three tunnel tents, two of the Czech type and one heavy duty one. We use the heavy duty one for download etc, the lighter one at relays etc.

I like the tunnel tents, they provide a good amount of room yet are pretty light to carry.

Compared to the square tents they are more fiddly to put up and take a bit longer to do so - though more hands help. They are difficult to handle in high winds - ours survived the BRC at Penhale though and we would have struggled with the square tent.

We have had one case of the elastic breaking free from one of the collapsing poles but this was easily repaired in a DIY fashion. We also had problems with poles breaking in the square tents. To date no problems with the fabric tearing - something we did see with the square tents.

[DIDSCO]

Mharky > my dad is the uk agent for the tunnel tents from czech republic, you can only order through him, so give him a ring and ask him about the quality of the product. From what I've heard definatly more positive than negative, and alot better than the old style heavyweight tents.

[Gross]

Dids... I need some new poles... can you ask your Dad to email me?? I don't have his address!

Acui

[kedge]

The Czech tunnel tent that we have has been a brilliant buy and it gets heavily used. Yes, it can be a bit delicate in violent weather (it survived the Penhale relays but had a guy ripped off in a gale at Bovington last Feb),
BUT
a) we've can get minor repairs to guys, eyelets etc. done cheaply at a sailmaker in Poole and
b) if the poles break, which they do occasionally, you can easily insert a new one. We keep a stock of spares:they are all identical, and cheap to replace.

Our old frame tent has done yeoman service also. It can be erected by fewer people and is perhaps stronger in high winds if well pegged down. However, if it does collapse, and the frame units buckle, then it costs a small fortune to replace the poles.

All in all, the tunnel tent is roomier once erected and easier to maintain

[Tatty]

Having spent many frustrating days carting one of the old square tents around, the new Czech tunnel tents are far lighter and easier to carry. Worth it for that alone!! One person can manage alone.They are difficults to get up, but as more ans more people help to do so more know how to do it. Ous stood up to the gales at Penhale, although the poles were bent beyond repair. They were easily replaced. You can get a lot more people in a tunnel tent. Well worth the money. Get you logo put on the side too.

[Mr timE]

BAOC brought what was virtually the first tunnel tent to appear at O events in UK after we saw one at the Belgian 3 Day back in 90s. They are very good as a club tent if you can guarantee having at least 4 people around to put them up and you need a minimum of 15 mins to get it up if you know what you are doing. They are spacious and with side and end doors are good for download etc. they are prone to take off though in high winds and I well remember one Chiltern Challenge where we erected the night before and then found the tent in the trees at dawn. Fortunately easily repaired.
If you want a tent that one person can put up on their own then it has to be the Khyam screenhouse tent see http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk, where they are £110 for the cheap model. All 4 sides can be rolled up, they can stand the weather, ours also survived Penhale. A bit heavier to carry, but can be put up by one person in under 5 mins, my record is 2.5 mins, great for when erecting in bad weather, also comes down even quicker. You can also get them in non-square shapes if you want and plusher materials. To prove I am not biased, as EMITUK I am the UK agent for the square Regnly tents we all used to love and I don't promote them as they are expensive compared to the Khyam. It's lucky I don't sell jewellery either

[Seamus]

If worst comes to worst, you can put the tunnel tents by yourself. not the quickest or easiest thing to do.

[johnloguk]

What worries me is the mad prices of orienteering tents, probably for the same reasons as the high price of most O-gear, not enough volume sales.

We have a couple of the old style square club tents, hopeless for the money really, you couldn't make it up! We were looking at tunnel tents, but in the meantime used our own Blacks family tent at a couple of events and that worked fine. It is a big 4 pole crossover "dunnel" shape, with loads of internal rooms if you want them, but the fly on it's own is perfect for "O". It's much more stable than either the old box or tunnel designs and considerably cheaper because we got it heavily discounted as "last year's colour"! It has clear windows so you don't miss any action even in the worst weather, and curtains for privacy!

[Freefall]

NATO was supplied a tent by http://www.cwtents.co.uk in Newcastle (ask for Hilary Cooper from NATO who is involved in the business).

We have found it excellent and just possible for one man erection (as it were). Two is better. The poles push through with a bit of difficulty and it is better for one to push and the other to ease through the fabric.

It survived the gales at the British Champs at Simonside so anyone who was there will appreciate it is a strong construction.

[AndyO]

MAROC has had a tunnel tent for a couple of years now, which doesn't given any problems if it is put up properly. 2 people who know what they are doing can put it up easily, and it is roomy and stable in winds.

I'd recommend it

[sgb]

Having discussed the merits of tunnel tents to death, can anybody actually tell me how much they cost?

[redkite]

pretty sure we paid about £400 for a long one over a year ago

[Tatty]

Likewise, we paid about £400, that included the club logo painted on one side. UK contact is David Jenkins (senior) in York.