Just over a week into the trip seems like a good time to review some more stuff and think about whether our opinion of the tent has changed.
The tent - Outwell Newgate 5
So far so good. No damage to report and only minor fading, despite the lovely weather we had last week.
The layout suits us well, especially now we have a bit more space than we did in Spain so we can sit outside to eat. We've lost a big corner to storage with the clothes rail but even so we still have plenty of room to move about without falling over each other, as long as we stay disciplined with tidying up. There lies the challenge!
The porch area at the front is probably my favourite feature. It fits two kitchen stands in very well so we don't have to cook inside or leave everything outside to get wet if it rains.
No doubt the tent will feel like it's shrinking as the weeks go on but so far we have no complaints.
I needed two kitchen stands that are small enough to fit in the porch, will provide enough storage and will also be weather proof if they do end up staying outside.
The Regina was the obvious choice for the bigger of the two. I've had one before and thought it was easy to erect and a great size. The problem with my old one was that the top wasn't waterproof and has been damaged by rain over the years but the new version has a bamboo top, which is far more weaterproof and looks good too. The built in cupboard is a good size and zips up to keep the critters out so is great for food storage.
It's a fraction too big to have two though so I went for a Creston for the other side. This is smaller and lighter than the Regina and sits very well either up against the front of the tent, or sideways as I've chosen to have it. It's a perfect size for the stove and comes with a windshield, plus a cupboard (smaller than the Regina) and a wire rack for the bottom. The cupboard is a bit fiddly to attach and is open at the top so it's not as useful for food storage but I found it good for storing plates, pans, etc. This week though I'm leaving the cupboard off as the kitchen storer bag fits well underneath so I'm going to see if that works better for me.
The beds - Dreamboat 12cm and 7.5cm
This was the most important thing to get right as we all know that a bad night's sleep leads to grumpy campers.
We got our first Dreamboats last year (7.5cm) and found them significantly better than any other SIM, airbed or camp bed we've ever tried. They provide good insulation, are ridiculously comfortable and pack away to a decent size so we thought we'd found the ultimate solution. Until I tried the 12cm version in February. I had to have one straight away but they're not cheap so I tried to con the kids into believing there was no real difference. I failed and after a few days of arguing relented and ordered another one for Amelia, meaning that Isaac now has two 7.5cms ones stacks and actually wins!
A week into the trip we have no complaints and the only thing that's prevented a good night's sleep is the heat. We're not craving real beds yet!
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