Hi so we are in the market for a new family tent (2 adults and a porta cot to fit) I'm wondering what everyone's recommendations are we are seriously looking at the blackwolf turbo 300 plus. Our main requirement is being canvas then after that ease of erecting the tent would be extremely helpful as this will be our first tent and experience isn't on our side. We also looked at rv5 but need to see it in the flesh to see if there is enough room to fit us all in plus bags etc. What recommendations do you knowledgeable people have and why buy it?
What family tents recomended
- Thread starter sammyi19
- Start date
JC807
Member
i bought a tent recently, a Coleman Instant Up 8 man tent. It takes 5-10 minutes to put up, depending on how much "help" you get from kids.
Its not canvas, won't last forever, but for what I wanted its perfect. 8 man tent sounds big, i know, but its square/rectangular shape means its easy to stand up in for multiple adults and we sleep 3-4 in it with enough room for luggage and crap.
After watching others take 30min + to set up their tents, I know I made the right decision for me.
Its not canvas, won't last forever, but for what I wanted its perfect. 8 man tent sounds big, i know, but its square/rectangular shape means its easy to stand up in for multiple adults and we sleep 3-4 in it with enough room for luggage and crap.
After watching others take 30min + to set up their tents, I know I made the right decision for me.
Rocket55
Active Member
I've got the Blackwolf Turbo 300 Plus in canvas and it's an awesome tent. Very high quality and strength and frankly I think it would stand up to just about anything Mother Nature could throw at it, well in this country anyway. It's relative straight forward to put up, bit more of a PITA to get back into the bag (they all are though). In the bag they are big and heavy compared to most others. 34 odd kgs. Mine has to go on the roof, and to get it into a roof basket on the top of a lifted rig running bigger tyres is definitely a 2 person job. Something that needs to be considered.
Albynsw
Well-Known Member
Rocket makes s good point about packed up size and weight
I had one and they are an excellent tent but I sold mine for those reasons
I am a bit of a fan of the canvas centre pole tents with the side pole upgrade
Easy to put up, very stable in bad weather and fold up into a more manageable size and weight
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I had one and they are an excellent tent but I sold mine for those reasons
I am a bit of a fan of the canvas centre pole tents with the side pole upgrade
Easy to put up, very stable in bad weather and fold up into a more manageable size and weight
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smitty_r51
Well-Known Member
Seperate tents 
Maybe one each for the kids depending on how we they get on :-D
On a more helpful note we have the Coleman 9cv still going strong after five years and three seperate rooms
Maybe one each for the kids depending on how we they get on :-D
On a more helpful note we have the Coleman 9cv still going strong after five years and three seperate rooms
Bendman
Active Member
Hey Sammi - nice to see another Earther from these parts.
The RV5s are brilliant for ease or putting up but they don't provide that much room for luggage etc. I think it would be ok for you and the build quality is right up there.
I have an Oztrail 300 which is a similar but budget design to the Blackwolf Turbo range which is also good. A consideration is the size of them packed up as mentioned by Rod and Albynsw. The Black Wolf/Oztrail is large and heavy but I can get it up and off the roof of the Prado on my own ok but unlike the basket mentioned previously, I have a flat Pioneer platform rack. You can't get them (Oztrail Blitz) anymore which is a shame but I bring this up to say I don't even use it anymore. After using it only twice, my boy has gotten old enough that we now bunk down in a double dome swag together under the awning or protable gazebo. If the wife comes also, I use my old single flat swag on a stretcher and she and the boy use the double swag.
I guess with a portacot, you may yet be a couple of years away from getting to this stage but mention this as a consideration as if you end up going down the same route, spending over a grand on a tent may not be money well spent... just a consideration for you.
The RV5s are brilliant for ease or putting up but they don't provide that much room for luggage etc. I think it would be ok for you and the build quality is right up there.
I have an Oztrail 300 which is a similar but budget design to the Blackwolf Turbo range which is also good. A consideration is the size of them packed up as mentioned by Rod and Albynsw. The Black Wolf/Oztrail is large and heavy but I can get it up and off the roof of the Prado on my own ok but unlike the basket mentioned previously, I have a flat Pioneer platform rack. You can't get them (Oztrail Blitz) anymore which is a shame but I bring this up to say I don't even use it anymore. After using it only twice, my boy has gotten old enough that we now bunk down in a double dome swag together under the awning or protable gazebo. If the wife comes also, I use my old single flat swag on a stretcher and she and the boy use the double swag.
I guess with a portacot, you may yet be a couple of years away from getting to this stage but mention this as a consideration as if you end up going down the same route, spending over a grand on a tent may not be money well spent... just a consideration for you.
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hiluxdriver
Well-Known Member
Dune Kimberly 9 plus could be another option. I have a Kimberly 9 and have found it to be awesome for extended stays.
Chatty
Well-Known Member
We bought the Blackwolf 300 turbo plus, but in synthetic not canvas. I went with synthetic primarily because of the weight and the problems with canvas if it gets wet. For myself, I have never seen the attraction to canvas - and I know that I am going to get flamed for that statement!
But if we all thought the same, the world would be a boring place.
Had a look at the Oztent, but didn't think the quality was quite as good as the Blackwolf, and our local shop (Snowy's) had some real horror stories about dealing with them as a company. Plus the Blackwolf was, to me, a better size and shape.
Never regretted buying the Blackwolf and I don't think you will either.
We recently got the Blackwolf Turbo 240 plus in canvas. Epic tent.....fits 2 adults and one kid perfectly, fast to erect, not to bad to collapse, sturdy, well made.....we could not be happier. Like Rocket55, the only drawbacks we've found are:
- Weight.....It's about 30kg, so getting it on a roof rack by yourself can be a mission.
- Physical dimensions when packed. Won't fit across the boot of my wife's current model X-trail and takes up half the luggage area of my Patrol wagon.
- Area under the awning isn't as big as we'd have ideally liked (not a big drama, as we use the awning off the fourby with it).
We can manage those things, so it works well for us.
We've had out in pelting rain and decent winds and it's been faultless. Gusseted windows and roof vents under the fly are gold. Tis to shelf.
- Weight.....It's about 30kg, so getting it on a roof rack by yourself can be a mission.
- Physical dimensions when packed. Won't fit across the boot of my wife's current model X-trail and takes up half the luggage area of my Patrol wagon.
- Area under the awning isn't as big as we'd have ideally liked (not a big drama, as we use the awning off the fourby with it).
We can manage those things, so it works well for us.
We've had out in pelting rain and decent winds and it's been faultless. Gusseted windows and roof vents under the fly are gold. Tis to shelf.
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cookie64
4x4 Earth Contributer
For myself, I have never seen the attraction to canvas - and I know that I am going to get flamed for that statement!
But if we all thought the same, the world would be a boring place.
Nah all good here, free speech and opinion is what makes this site
I like the canvas as it keeps the warmth in on a cold night, I found that I used to freeze with the light synthetic, get your point with the weather on canvas but just need to dry it out, mind I have had the unfortunate experience of unpacking a wet synthetic tent and the water had added an odour to the tent so needed to be dried / aired out anyway.
cheers
fourocker
Member
We have a Black Wolf turbo plus 300 in canvas, at 4.8m x 3.0m it's a good size and the quality is excellent, we sold our camper trailer before buying it and this tent leaves the camper for dead, it's quicker and more versatile.
As others have said at 1.5m and 35kg packed it does require some thought for carrying but any of the quick pitch style tents have this drawback to some degree.
Wall sections can be bought to close in the awning area if you want more shelter, we plan to buy one wall with a window to add to just one side to give a weather proof backing to our kitchen space it can be positioned either side so it's a versatile set up.
We checked out the RV5 but didn't find it suitable, 2.0m long packed, not a lot of head room and a pretty flat angled back wall just didn't do it for us, but they are a bit quicker to pitch and they appeared to be decent quality.
As others have said at 1.5m and 35kg packed it does require some thought for carrying but any of the quick pitch style tents have this drawback to some degree.
Wall sections can be bought to close in the awning area if you want more shelter, we plan to buy one wall with a window to add to just one side to give a weather proof backing to our kitchen space it can be positioned either side so it's a versatile set up.
We checked out the RV5 but didn't find it suitable, 2.0m long packed, not a lot of head room and a pretty flat angled back wall just didn't do it for us, but they are a bit quicker to pitch and they appeared to be decent quality.
Having done a recent trip in the Airvolution AT6, I'd say it might be a better bet than the blackwolf or OzTents..
Lighter (about 25KG's), but still pretty quick to erect and drop - 10 - 12 minute erection at a relaxed pace, to unfold, peg down all the corners and air-pol points, and pump it up. Deflates in seconds.
2 rooms (or leave center partition open for one LARGE room), good height, THICK bucket floor. It slept 4 in comfort for a 9 day camp, and my 16 year old son took it with 2 other mates for a 4-day near Charlie Moreland, and got it setup and packed away without any adult supervision.
Lighter (about 25KG's), but still pretty quick to erect and drop - 10 - 12 minute erection at a relaxed pace, to unfold, peg down all the corners and air-pol points, and pump it up. Deflates in seconds.
2 rooms (or leave center partition open for one LARGE room), good height, THICK bucket floor. It slept 4 in comfort for a 9 day camp, and my 16 year old son took it with 2 other mates for a 4-day near Charlie Moreland, and got it setup and packed away without any adult supervision.
Chatty
Well-Known Member
Yeah, looked at these too when I bought the Blackwolf - but after a try out in the store:
a) Just couldn't get my head around the idea of a pump up tent
b) Had concerns with punctures - especially slow leaks that would annoyingly show up in the middle of the night
c) Had more concerns with punctures with people walking on it when erecting/dismantling
d) Didn't think it had as much room as the Blackwolf
e) Really couldn't find out much about warranty and repair support
f) The thought of all that pumping at the end of the day, when I find putting up poles strenuous enough...
Most probably totally unfair concerns with what looked like an interesting tent, but I'm not sorry I picked the Blackwolf.
BTW their website quotes the weight as 33.6kg - don't know where you got 25kg?
Yeah - RE: puncture possibility ... you'd have to try pretty hard, but I guess time will tell.
Surprisingly, not much pumping needed - the supplied pump is super quick (pumps on both lift and press) - I was pretty impressed. Much, much faster than assembling, laying out (to sort the long from the short ones) and threading the 8 poles from our previous tent
on the weight front ... that's odd. Aussie disposals (Darche Air-Volution AT6 Dome Tent ) lists it at 26.7KG's - and to be honest, that feels about right. (i pick it up and throw it in the car myself without popping a disc).
Either way, after seeing all in the flesh, I don't think anyone would be unhappy with any of them.
Oztent - uber-fast erection. REasonably Roomy. Easy to add another and join 'em. Roof rackneeded (long).
BlackWolf - pretty fast erection. More room than oZtent. Heavy, but fits in car.
Airvolution - fast erection. FELT the roomiest of the 3 (to me) in the same price range (blackwolf has different sizes/shapes... their largest and more expensive may be wider, but has less overall headroom)
Best bet - check em all out in person, erected, then check the packed-up size/weight, to make sure that A) you can lift it, and B) that it will fit in your transport
80lover96gxl
Moderator
Do these air tents come with a plug kit in the event of getting a puncture ?
nightscale
Active Member
A blowup tent just seems weird to me hope there not like airbeds that alway get a leak a 1am
ALUX
Active Member
nightscale
Active Member
They sure do, on a side note should hopefully have my turbo 300 plus tent tomorrow