Opinions on tent sizes for Camper Trailers - family of 4

[Boriscangocamping]

Hi fellow swaggers, We are getting close to hopefully purchasing a CT. We have been constantly searching through the classifieds looking for that perfect second hand CT (would love to buy new but the budget doesn't quite stretch that far and with all the options we want big $$$$).  We have narrowed it down to two brands we like - Camel and Customline.  We have one of each to look at this weekend.  One a 9ft tent with complete annex and other 10ft also with annex.

From your camping experiences and knowledge would these sizes be more than enough room for a family of 4?? We have been looking at the 12ft tents also. Obviously this size a bit harder to put up??

Cheers
Boris

[Fun Police]

We've got a family of four, kids 5 and 9.

We settled with the 10ft tent and it is plenty big enough.  Especially with the annex.

We looked at the 12ft one but the two issues there were the physical size in putting it up and the restrictions on some caravan park lot sizes, and we'll go to those places a lot while the kids are small.

10 x 10 is quite a large room.  It is as big as your standard bedroom in a new house.

Also think of the area you may need to set it up in after holidays, is there enough room??

[Andrew_C]

We are a family of four, kids 3 and 5 and we have a 9 foot tent, a good size for easy and quick setup but still roof for 4, we also have a kids room for longer stays but we rarely use it.

Have a go at setting up the tent before you buy, you will be amazed at the difference between a quality smaller tent and a larger tent of lesser quality.

Ours is 4 pegs to setup and slide out two poles ( southern cross canvas) with gas struts. The annex is 4 poles and 4 pegs.

No good getting a big tent that is a chore to set up that puts you off going away, also depends on the trips you do, if it is going away to one spot for weeks at a time, you can afford to spend more time setting up. Bigger generally takes longer.

[baz1]

We have been considering the same issue, we have just ordered the Emu SUV trailer and their 12ft tent. You might like to have a look at the Emu website, they have 9 and 12ft tents you can buy them seperately from the trailer, they are nice good quality tents, but they also have gas struts integrated into the tent so putting them up is much easier.

Another thing we considered, is that you don't go camping to sit inside the enclosed annex of your tent, more realistically you are going to set the bedroom up, and the roof of the annexe, but not the annex side walls. Therefore I reckon the larger the inside bedroom space the better, as more than likely this is going to be the only 'inside' space you are going to set up / have available.

For the Emu tents just look at www.mycampertrailer.com.au/semi-off-road-camper-trailer-package/134-emu-suv-roader-camper-trailer.html and www.emucampers.com

[Polyphonic]

Hi Boris

We are in the same situation and like yourself have come to exactly the same conclusion. While we would like to buy new the budget probably won't stretch that far and while we are not looking to purchase for a while I still check out all the classifieds regularly just in case an absolute bargain pops up.

We went to a few show rooms just to check the quality when produced new and thus compare that to when we are looking at a secondhand model. From this we decided that, with annex, 10ft was ample as we will only be sleeping in the main tent or the kids playing games and when we are at camp and not exploring it will be out under the awning. The only thing was, we determined we want a fully enclosed annex just incase the weather is bad.

We have also decided on similar brands, based on price, information on this site and wanting to buy an Aussie product we will be looking for either lifestyle, trackabout, camel or customline.

Good luck with the hunt and I will be interested to see what you end up with.

[db]

We have same issue, our first trailer had a 14 foot tent, it was a bit too big.  We now have a 12 foot rear fold, so it is narrower and a bit shorter.  Being a rear fold, its not an issue fitting on sites in caravan parks, and the tent design makes it quicker to set up than our old one.  Occasionally we have thought that a smaller one would be ok, but after nearly 10 weeks away in it this year, the little bit of extra space was appreciated.  The kids beds fit up one end, clear of the doorway.  It means that there is enough room for them too play on the floor if necessary, room for all the stuff that accumulates (clothes, towels, toys etc) and we don't have to worry about stepping on them in the dark. 

[MarkVS]

Boris,
there are 3 of us but we constantly take another with us so we end up with 4. We have a Vacation camper with 9ft tent area..and find that plenty. But a 10ft would be that little bit extra for not a lot of extra weight and effort puting up.
We stayed away from 12ft as it was just too much canvas, and too hard to put up on your own (for when I go away or my wife goes with daughter without me).

So I don't think you can go wrong with either...its just a case of when you look at the campers, which one is in the best nick, has the options you want, for the better price.


MarkVS

[ScottT]

Hi,

My family of 4 have just returned from a 2 week break on NSW Mid North Coast.

We recently (approx 4 weeks ago) purchased a 12ft Customline Deluxe Off Road 2008 model 2nd hand. Like you, we searched for a long time and decided for our first purchase, 2nd hand Aussie made was better for us.

Now, we tossed around the size issue aswell and agree that the smaller tent size is easier to setup, however, we found with our 2 kids 8 and 11, the larger tent would be better suited.

This being confirmed during our recent holidays, especially as we travelled with another family and had their kids visiting us aswell.

When weather turned nasty, is was great to have the extra room, which also included the full annexe (walls etc..

If your holidaying is lots of touring, that is 1-2 night stays, the 9ft or 10ft is better suited, but if you park yourself for a week or more and if you chose to holiday with friends, then the extra space will be smiled upon !

And don't forget, some kids don't see the appeal of sitting around the campfire and would rather be inside the tent at night colouring in, watching movies etc.....

We also found that we could squeeze onto most sites and after dropping into a few caravan sites on the way home, there appears to be a move towards larger sites to accommodate the 12ft Camper Trailer.

Cheers, Scott

[Matto]

We settled with the 10ft tent and it is plenty big enough.  Especially with the annex.

Quoted for truth. Also:

Have a go at setting up the tent before you buy, you will be amazed at the difference between a quality smaller tent and a larger tent of lesser quality.

Ours is 4 pegs to setup and slide out two poles ( southern cross canvas) with gas struts. The annex is 4 poles and 4 pegs.

No good getting a big tent that is a chore to set up that puts you off going away, also depends on the trips you do, if it is going away to one spot for weeks at a time, you can afford to spend more time setting up. Bigger generally takes longer.

Quoted for super-truth.

Boris,

We have a 10ft tent, in an extenda trailer (which makes the tent 2' longer as well - so 10x10 like Fun Police's), and it's brilliant. Like AndrewC, it's super-quick and easy to set up. The new Trackabout's with the swinging bow-kit are even quicker. Also, with teh straight walls of the Trackabout tent you get a lot more usable interior volume since you can push beds/portacots/etc right out to the walls. I can set it up quickly by myself while J entertains the little one if need be.

The in-laws have an OzTrail 9' tent on their camper, and it takes longer to set up simply because it's got a more fiddly pole setup (especially the annex, but that may just be because we're stupid and can't work poles). Also, with the sloping walls you lose a bit if internal space. That said, my brother has this exact same tent on his camper and they fit their 3 kids in it perfectly. They use the tent simply as a bedroom, and more often than not set up the annex walls as the "living room".

As MarkVS says - the camper you have (with whatever tent) is much better than the one that you don't have because you're waiting for the perfect one to come along. My preference would be for a 10ft tent, but quality of the overall rig is what would sell me.

[xmasbaby67]

We started out with a second hand 9ft tent camper trailer with 3 kids and then upgraded to the 12ft Customline that we have now, with only 2 teenagers at home now we still prefer the 12ft.  We had the 12ft with three teenagers in it and now only having the two girls at home we are really glad we chose the bigger tent as we can fit both king single swags in with enough room for all our luggage etc that comes with having two girls.....   And whenever we camp we can usually guarantee a storm or two so the extra room is a blessing. 

We have never had any trouble fitting into a caravan park spot and it is a breeze to put up, without the annexe is only 10 mins and with the annexe is about 40mins tops.

We find the 12ft Customline is heaps easier to flip over and put up than our old 9ft one we started out with.

Good luck with the test drives and inspections, looking forward to seeing what you end up with. 

[paz12ht]

We've most likely bitten off more then we can chew with the new build as far as tent size goes but i hate living on top of each other (family of 5).

This is just the main tent, also has annex same size (quickly put up just after we bought it to inspect).


The tent does offer a few different options as far as putting it up though, the right hand side does not need to be fully setup if not needed and obviously annex does not need to go up for over nighters.

[MarkVS]

WOW !!!  There are people out there with homes that would be jealous of all of that room....



MarkVS

[KingBilly]

Just back from 10 nights with our new Customline 12' CT.  We went the 12' instead of the 9' because I have two teenage kids sleeping on double height air beds (think normal ensemble bed size).  Couldn't fit two of these in a 9' and still move around.  If you can put a bunk bed against the end wall then a 9' would be fine.  Also when looking at different campers to suit our needs some of the doorways opened from different sides.  The Customline's opening is closest to the trailer so the kid's beds fitted better.  Others opened the other way and when going through the doorway, you had to push past the end of the kid's beds.  Little things like that make a difference to how enjoyable your camp can be.

No problems fitting onto our camp sites.  Our 12' is less than 6m x 6m with the annex up and from previous tent experience most CP sites are at least that size.

Good luck with your purchase.

[Davnrox]

We have a 12 foot tent and wouldnt go any smaller.  We have 2 late teens and a 2 yr old.  If the older too don't come we just don't put the annex up.

[Boriscangocamping]

Hi,

My family of 4 have just returned from a 2 week break on NSW Mid North Coast.

We recently (approx 4 weeks ago) purchased a 12ft Customline Deluxe Off Road 2008 model 2nd hand. Like you, we searched for a long time and decided for our first purchase, 2nd hand Aussie made was better for us.

Now, we tossed around the size issue aswell and agree that the smaller tent size is easier to setup, however, we found with our 2 kids 8 and 11, the larger tent would be better suited.

This being confirmed during our recent holidays, especially as we travelled with another family and had their kids visiting us aswell.

When weather turned nasty, is was great to have the extra room, which also included the full annexe (walls etc..

If your holidaying is lots of touring, that is 1-2 night stays, the 9ft or 10ft is better suited, but if you park yourself for a week or more and if you chose to holiday with friends, then the extra space will be smiled upon !

And don't forget, some kids don't see the appeal of sitting around the campfire and would rather be inside the tent at night colouring in, watching movies etc.....

We also found that we could squeeze onto most sites and after dropping into a few caravan sites on the way home, there appears to be a move towards larger sites to accommodate the 12ft Camper Trailer.

Cheers, Scott

Hey scott thanks for your reply.  Your purchase sounds great! Out of curiosity how much did you pay for the customline.  That's one thing I question is what should we be paying for these secondhand cts???

[@fnq4now]

We've most likely bitten off more then we can chew with the new build as far as tent size goes but i hate living on top of each other (family of 5).

This is just the main tent, also has annex same size (quickly put up just after we bought it to inspect).


The tent does offer a few different options as far as putting it up though, the right hand side does not need to be fully setup if not needed and obviously annex does not need to go up for over nighters.

We are currently 5 weeks into an 8 week trip using that exact tent. It takes some time to get it right but once you do it's a great tent. We utilize all the space. The annex is another monster all together?

[Boriscangocamping]

hey there swaggers

Really appreciating all the feedback being left on my thread, its definitely food for thought and will keep you all posted.  I really do believe buying a house is easier than buying a CT!! We are possibly making a trek tomoz to look at an offroad 9ft 2010 customline and a 10ft 2007 Beachcomber Camel.  I guess another questions is what should we be paying for these second hand CT's??

Cheers 

[fuji]

Hi fellow swaggers, We are getting close to hopefully purchasing a CT. We have been constantly searching through the classifieds looking for that perfect second hand CT (would love to buy new but the budget doesn't quite stretch that far and with all the options we want big $$$$).  We have narrowed it down to two brands we like - Camel and Customline.  We have one of each to look at this weekend.  One a 9ft tent with complete annex and other 10ft also with annex.

From your camping experiences and knowledge would these sizes be more than enough room for a family of 4?? We have been looking at the 12ft tents also. Obviously this size a bit harder to put up??

Cheers
Boris


Boris
We had a Customline and the space was plenty. Looked at them yesterday at the show and I think there is heaps of room in them. Good quality as well.
Wayne

[BigJules]

How big a tent you need will depend on some many things. I had a 9' tent and felt it was big enough for two kids and two adults. I like the 10' tents and especially on an extenda trailer, that is a mile of room. Got teenagers? Get them their own little tent or swag.

Ease of setup should still be a main consideration; if its too much hassle to put up or put away you will use it less, even if it seems perfect once erected. Also, like a big front box, the more space you have the more you will use/more stuff you will take.

[Polyphonic]

How did the inspections go today Boris?

[Tassie devils]

We have a 12ft tent love the space with 3 children but the 9 ft do seem easier to set up,

[xmasbaby67]

How did it all go Boris???

With the prices it all depends on what mods have been added to the base model and what sort of condition they are in???

A 9ft Off Road Deluxe Customline is only around $8500 new with no add ons.  It's only a 2010 model you were looking at so it's not that old and if it's in really good nick that is another plus, (they tend to hold their value if they are well looked after)  You could just use the calculator on the Customline site http://www.customline.com.au/cms-models/deluxe-off-road.phps  for a guide compared to what they are asking.  Not sure if Camel site has the same thing. 

Also you could have a look on the for sale section on here & also there is a good one on the Campertrailers.org site you could use as a bit of a yard stick also http://www.campertrailers.org/camper_trader.htm

If all that fails I'm sure there will be lots of help on this forum....all you have to do is ask the question and an answer will pop up.

[ScottT]

Hey scott thanks for your reply.  Your purchase sounds great! Out of curiosity how much did you pay for the customline.  That's one thing I question is what should we be paying for these secondhand cts???

Hi Boris,

We researched to death the 2nd hand market and were quite surprised to find what was out there. Some sellers were pinching pics from other adds and passing them off as their own, so make sure you ask plenty of questions and to see recent pics. And if the seller isn't willing to meet your reasonable requests, move on.

Our purchase was a little over $7K, the trailer is the full galvanised model. There is no kitchen, on board power or water. We wanted a robust camper first, the other luxuries we can do later.

Did we pay to much ? Probably, but we kept missing out on other CT's due to our "wait and see", but in the end this was a good thing as we/you don't want to rush this purchase.

Should you decide on a 2nd hand unit, make sure you get the seller to setup for you (preferrably with you there watching/helping), this way you can see for yourself how easy or difficult it is.

Cheers, Scott

[Mace]

IMO have a think about the type of travelling you want to do and what you want to set up inside.

You can put a family of 4 into a 9 or ten foot tent.   They can also completely fill a 15 foot one!

If you are into moving every day, go the smaller ones.  If you are into propping in one place for a week or more, think about a larger one.

You will have fun either way!

[V8100]

Ours is 11 foot we had it designed to our specs for ease of set up. works perfectly with 2 kids on stretchers.  And still room for bags etc.
Good luck.
and by the way it is for sale Lol
http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=25322.0

Eddy