# Buying tents from overseas?



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Like Vango tents from the UK?
Anyone have experiance??

I really like this tent... which I think you can get here in the US. 
Clearoutgear.com: Vango Tents in the U.S.A and Canada Killington 600 6 or 9 person tents Killington 900

Input on what you think about it would be great.
Thank you!
Tami


----------



## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

It's all how you want to spend your money. Typically, you are paying more taxes (not just sales tax, but embedded into the price) and more for shipping.

I wouldn't do it unless I was in UK or oversees. Somehow it just makes more sense to buy locally or domestically because no matter the cost paying extra in sales and shipping doesn't apply to the product. I try to get as close to product cost as possible to exclude overages in unrelated costs.

Look at it this way, if you wanted French bread, you wouldn't order it from France if there was a local bakery that made it. You can even buy Japanese and German made cars made in the U.S. Why pay more for the imported versions to give to some tax man or shipping company.

Only buy imported goods when there is NO other choice. Just my take on how I spend my money.


----------



## thekamperman (Feb 26, 2011)

I don't think there are too many savings in it.... just imagine if it comes defective and need to return or exchange.


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

I had thought of that - but the tent is so big and so cheap for it's size...

Is it worth the risk? and Potential trouble?? 

Is there a comparable US tent that is near that price? (I've not found one...) :/


----------



## Merlin (Apr 14, 2011)

Tam631 said:


> I had thought of that - but the tent is so big and so cheap for it's size...
> 
> Is it worth the risk? and Potential trouble??
> 
> Is there a comparable US tent that is near that price? (I've not found one...) :/


Hi Tam
Watching the UK forums for the past ten years or so the vast majority of lightweight tents are made in China were QC is a (dirty word) and the retailers do not check them also. I would not be able to quote the return percentage due to defective tents,but it is far two high for you to risk buying this type of tent from the European market.
Tam this is just my opinion.
Regards
Rex. :no:


----------



## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

If you'd like, give us some time to find a local supplier for a similar tent. I can't imagine there isn't one available. Brands like Coleman, Kelty, Eureka should have plenty of offerings.

I'll take a look later this evening (got guests coming over soon) and I've got some cleanup to do and see if I can help you find something. For comparison sake, what was the price of that unit and what features are looking for. I am pretty good at locating needles in a haystack on the internet and maybe I can get you some ideas.

If you buy oversees, consider yourself stuck and when if and when it breaks, you'll need to get something else anyway. Even if they have a lifetime warranty, you'll need to pay to shipping and they get better deals on shipping that you do, so it will cost you plenty. Buying from a retailer in the U.S. means you can give it to them and they replace it immediately. This is what some of my other friends have done and one tent as over 20 years old, starting leaking, and they replaced it when he brought it in, no questions asked (Northface tent returned to REI).


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Thank you Merlin... I appreciate the experienced info.  good to know someone is watching what's going on overseers too.

Art... I'd love for you to look, if you have time. Our price range is around $200 - $300, for a tent that will hopefully last us 10 yrs. Thank you so much. 
Enjoy your dinner.


----------



## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

I finished the preparations! Yay, now I can search the web but before I started, I went though that website and read more on the tent.


First, the prices are 70% off retail (wow!) and are now easily comparable to a local purchase even with shipping. Other than these tents massive and you'll need lots of room to set one of these tents up, there are very few local tents that can provide all these features at the cost Vango is offering them. But that's because Vango is trying to "dump" the tents where they don't impact their core business (like U.S & Canada). There's nothing wrong with that and they do seem to be worth the cost and effort if they meet your need.

This is also a very unusual design in that first the Exterior enclosed fly is set up first, then several tent "rooms" are set up inside. This is also unusual because it's set up like an apartment, definitely not a simple design. Each tent is a separate bedroom. Talk about complicated, but if you don't mind the expanse and the number of people required to set this up (2, or 3 would be better), then the price can't be beat since a 70% discount will keep the taxes low and help defray the cost of shipping if you pick the cheapest shipping method possible. I hope you don't need it soon.

This type of tent is called an expedition tent. Meant for long term occassional use for a lot of people at a time. If this is what your family of 5 needs, make sure you thoroughly investigate where you are going to set this up. You'll need to ask for a site that can support a tent of that size. This is definitely not for the weekender style of camping (setting this up in the rain and you are gonna be wet by the time you finish - expect a long setup time.

For the price you get, do not expect future support. Shipping it back for a warranty repair won't be worth it. Try and take care of it best you can and leave it at that.

Sorry this has turned in to a review. My summary is it will work just fine for a family that wants to take their house with them, just know campgrounds might be hard to find but be sure the location knows you're coming and they can accomodate you. The rest of it - construction, features, materials, etc. all seem comparable, you just have more of it than most tents meaning when not used, will require a larger than normal storage area and it will be heavier than most tents. But it could be worse, it could be made with canvas and you'd never be able to lift that much material.


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Art, I appreciate the review. Sadly, I received an email from the outlet group, they are all sold out.  

Sounds like we'd need an expedition type tent, as we are staying in 1 place for a long time, a nd we have a lot of people to house for that time. As we are mainly setting this up at the church camp... We get an RV type of site with electric... I hope. 

Any idea where to get such a tent in the US?


----------



## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

At those prices, I'm not surprised....

How many people are you talking about? My recommendation is to not have more than 4-6 people per tent. More than that and it will be too crowded which increases the chance of too much debris and the tent being damaged from too much use.

It would also be better to have more smaller tents than one larger one to increase the chances of fitting within the sites and keeping the wear and tear to a minimum. 

Here's an example of a Coleman tent:

Coleman - Northstar X4 Tent -=

and a few from Eureka tents:

Eureka Camping Tents, Dome Tents, & Family Camping Tents

These tents can be purchased from their retailers, like Sports Authority, Big 5, Chick's, or Dick's sporting goods. Cabela's and other large sporting goods stores are another source of family tents.

Here's some things to look for or consider about tents:

1. More than two end-to-end poles to provide stability in any kinds of winds especially when you are sleeping.

2. A fly that goes all the way down to provide double walls in inclement weather.

3. screening to keeping the bugs out.

4. flaps to allow more air circulation.

5. Room for gear - Vestibules or if it's a 6 person tent, use only 4 or 5 spots, the 5th and 6th spot allow for storage.

6. a sturdy floor or use a properly fitted ground cloth or footprint.

7. Be prepared to invest in better stakes, the factory ones are always crap.

8. A cheap tent will yield cheap accomodations that need frequent replacing.

Since I don't know you very well, it might be better to find a tent and post the links for others to comment on. I have a lot of experience and can provide the good and the bad for just about any tent. It's about finding a good combination or price, size, and features that MEET your needs.

Try and do you own investigating, ask a bunch of questions before you purchase. Salesmen are very good at selling you what they've been told what to push or what gives them the best commission or bonus and will avoid what doesn't get the sale made. So watch out for those people?


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Thank you Art for all the info! 
I really appreciate it. The main reason I went looking for a forum - is because I do not feel qualified to make this purchase between my hubby and I.  So, We'll look at all the links you have given and will post what we find as possibilities... and hopefully you all can steer us right. 

We need a tent for all 5 of us. A 6'6" Hubby, a 5'8" wife (me) and 3 boys... aged 8, 6 and 4. Our Church Camp Meetings will always run for 14 days, hopefully we can use this tent for travels as well. (we'll see!) Last year we had a tent like - http://store.eurekatent.com/products/347395/Tetragon_1610_Tent (by shape only...) and besides leaking alot... it did not fit our mattresses... so I had to fit 2 boys feet to head on a single air mattress. So, I am really hoping for a bigger tent this year. 

I really like the look of the Coleman Northstar... if only it were BIGGER. lol!

Thanks again!
Tami


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

So, looking at a few options... (and trying to do my homework...)

And we're liking the look of these: 
Coleman - WeatherMaster 10 Tent - (not Double walled or full fly...??)
3+1 Rooms 8-10 Man XX Large Family Group Camping Tent | eBay (can't tell if the floor is one unit...)
Tahoe Gear Gateway 12 Person Deluxe Cabin Family Tent | eBay (also no full fly :/)
Elite Montana 8 Tent - Cabin Tents (liking the vestibule...)
Kelty Parthenon 8 Tent 8-Person 3-Season: Product Description, Reviews and Related Information (over budget... and can't find the size of the tent footprint)
Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 Tent + footprint 4 Season | eBay (can't tell if we'd all fit with beds....)
Amazon.com: Primus BiFrost Y6 Tent: Sports & Outdoors (Is the floor attached?)
Amazon.com: Cascade 3 Room Family Dome Tent: Sports & Outdoors (will it leak? No full fly)
Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 Tent - Camping Tents (Nice looking, but is that a full fly? and will it leak?)

So - Input and experiences welcome. 

Thank you!!


----------



## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Here's my opinions on these......[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Coleman - WeatherMaster 10 Tent - - Correct, it's a partial fly and won't keep you dry if the rain is strong.
3+1 Rooms 8-10 Man XX Large Family Group Camping Tent | eBay Each tent section (sleeping quarters) are enclosed, but the center area is not, this is like three tents in one. They claim the fly is a full structure fly, so this should be good. This is similar to the Vangos just doesn't look as structurally durable. I would only be concerned about its long term life – This may not be sturdy enough for two solid weeks living quarters if you have a “rambunctious” family. The price is low, too, hmmmmm. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Tahoe Gear Gateway 12 Person Deluxe Cabin Family Tent | eBay Yes, not full fly. Not for use in inclement weather for long periods
Elite Montana 8 Tent - Cabin Tents But it's a partial fly...... look at the Chinook Titan Lodge 8 instead... it's 10x14 inside. To me that's big enough but for you it might not be – it has a full fly
Kelty Parthenon 8 Tent 8-Person 3-Season: Product Description, Reviews and Related Information Other than the price, it meets the need.... it is 13x11 inside. The floor plan can be found on the www.kelty.com website under tents. I happen to know Keltys last a long time but you will pay for it. Look at it this way – if you keep a $400 tent over 10 years that's only $40 / year.... If a $200 doesn't last as long, you will have spent another $200 replacing it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 Tent + footprint 4 Season | eBay. These are high quality but very expensive. They aren't good for large families needing lots of interior room.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Amazon.com: Primus BiFrost Y6 Tent: Sports & Outdoors Looks like the floor is attached. Like the Vango it's a fly system, the tent compartment sleeping quarters are “installed” inside. I am not familiar with this design but with the fly going all the way to the floor, if might be okay. It houses a lot of people so cots and 5-6 should fit just fine. But it's pricey.
Amazon.com: Cascade 3 Room Family Dome Tent: Sports & Outdoors Like many others it has a Partial fly and might leak.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 Tent - Camping Tents Once again partial fly.... you might look at the Eureka Mansard 8 instead. It has the full fly, is taller than most, should fit 5-6, but will probably be pricey.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I hope this helps. The thing you have to keep in mind is paying a low price for a lower quality may not withstand 10 years of occassional 2 weeks of camping. But it sounds like you're starting to get the idea.[/FONT]​


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Wow, thank you Art. I truly appreciate you assisting me with this learning curve. 
It sinus like we will get the Cabela Disoc bunk beds this year and a camp fridge... And we'll probably stay the back of our friends moving truck. Lol. We'll save up and buy the tent next year. 

I really like the look of the Chinook Titan Lodge 8, Fiberglass Tent. And will share it with my hubby... Maybe by next year we can find it cheaper somewhere. 

Thank you again Art! I really appreciate it.


----------



## edwinjd (Sep 8, 2011)

Tam631 said:


> Like Vango tents from the UK?
> Anyone have experiance??
> 
> I really like this tent... which I think you can get here in the US.
> ...


Since you mentioned that it is available in the US, I'd suggest to look for a shop that sells that, if you're really set on getting that particular tent. Like what artmart said, the difference in the prices could be because of all the taxes and shipping costs. 

Beyond how it looks and the size, it's important to see whether you'll be able to set it up without a problem.


----------



## Tam631 (Apr 14, 2011)

Thank you for the reply.
The Campout gear reseller was sold out and we had to make another choice. I really did hope that this would work out. Art mart said was the best advice.


----------

