Top 5 Family Tents 2009

With the pound still offering little hope for many UK holidaymakers who want to escape to the Eurozone this summer, many of us are eager to take a holiday in Britain this August. After comparing holiday reviews and travel prices, more money can be saved by camping. Here are my top five family tents for 2009:

5. Eurohike Sandringham
For a family of four, the Eurohike Sandringham is a competitively priced and simply designed tent. There is ample living space and large windows, as well as a partitioned sleeping area. The Sandringham has proven to be easy to erect, and watertight - but some users may be put off by the intimacy of the sleeping quarters.

4. Coleman Wyoming
For bigger families, the Coleman Wyoming is available to sleep up to 6 people. The design features a spacious (400cm by 360cm) living space with two three-person sleeping modules attached. Unlike the Sandringham, low ceilings in the Wyoming mean you can't stand up in the sleeping area - but for the purpose of saving space and material, this design aspect seems justified.

3. Outwell Idaho
The Idaho is essentially an updated version of an older model by Outwell. It can sleep eight in total, and boasts two separate sleeping areas with standing room. The living area may be considered small for eight people, but the tunnel design does incorporate a practical porch. There are also abundant storage quirks including hanging cords and pockets.

2. Wild Country Homestead
For a large family (i.e. 6-8), non-modular tents are rare nowadays. The Wild Country Homestead brings design simplicity back to the 21st century with its Armadillo/tunnel type design that is even said to be able to fit 14! Abundant space offers a lot for storage and also.

1. Vango Diablo
The Vango Diablo grabs the number one spot not only for its great design, but also for the sheer number of positive comments it receives in reviews. Currently available as a six berth and a nine berth, the Diablo incorporates spacious sleep modules, a good-sized living area - and a porch that doubles as extra living space if you need it to. The tent is frequently commended for its durability.

T Roberts writes about family, holidays and camping. For holiday (http://www.reviewcentre.com/consumer_reviews12.html) and travel reviews visit Review Centre.