Camping Luxury (Outwell Wolf Lake 5 Tunnel Tent)

Member Name: Goldberg81

Product:	Outwell Wolf Lake 5 Tunnel Tent
Date:	10/08/09 (138 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strong, waterproof, roomy

Disadvantages: Expensive, heavy

When I was considering buying this tent recently there were very few reviews online, so hopefully this will be useful. Although this is one of the more expensive tents on the market I felt it would last us many years so would be worth it in the long run. Having used it a few times now I am glad I splashed out.

If anyone has visited a tent sale or seen one of these tents up at a campsite they will know of its quality. The tent material is Outtex Airtech Polycotton, which is much heavier than polyester but has a number of benefits. It is breathable in hot climates, so no waking up in a sweaty, condensation-filled tent. It has strong UV resistance which means it will be protected from the sun for many years. And perhaps most importantly it stands up to heavy rain, which I can vouch for because I have survived a few thunderstorms in this tent. Furthermore, it is quiet. Polyester tents seem to 'rustle' in the wind but this is virtually silent, a godsend when you're trying to sleep.

The PVC groundsheet zips in separately and is much, much thicker than in a normal, cheaper tent. For me this feels so much more secure and I know it would take a lot to rip it. You can even buy a carpet made for the living area which feels very luxurious in a tent!

It is bright and airy as huge windows with full length mesh provide ventilation. As well as the doors at the front there is also a side door which can be opened up to create a small canopy, again making the tent seem really spacious and open. However, in the evenings when everything is zipped up you really notice the quality of the fabric. It feels really cosy and warm.

This 5 man tunnel tent is so roomy, 215 cm high (I can't touch the top-I'm 5'3"), 640 cm long and 360 cm wide. There are 2 bedrooms and a main living room. You can easily get a table and 4 chairs in the living compartment, plus other furniture. Although there are only 2 of us we wanted a decent-sized area, which it certainly provides. One of the bedrooms is larger than the other. We used the larger one to sleep in and kept our bags in the other.
There are a number of pockets, some underneath the windows and some on the outside of the bedroom compartment. These are great for keeping the tent tidy, but not really to keep anything heavy in because they can sag.

The zip-off porch is an excellent size, and provides enough room for a double-burner cooker and 2 chairs. It means you can still sit outside when it's breezy or drizzling because you are so well protected. There are also large windows in the porch so you don't feel cut off.

Now for the bad points:

It weighs an absolute tonne! Actually, 53kg but that's a lot for a tent! It's very bulky too so you really do need a decent sized car, or trailer/roof rack. We have a Focus and with the seats down we only just manage to cram everything in (including camping chairs, sleeping bags, etc). The pack size for the tent is 34 x 110 cm, for the poles 25 x 105 cm.

Because it is so heavy it is definitely a 2 person job to put it up. With a bit of practice we can now do it in 60/90 minutes, and that is in good weather. You do get a DVD with instructions so it's best to study this before you set off. Packing up is again time-consuming. The groundsheet zips out and has to be folded separately, as do the bedrooms and the porch area. We were a little jealous of people who just pulled onto the campsite and set up in 15 minutes. I think for this reason we probably would not use the tent for one night stays.

A further disadvantage is that you really don't want to have to pack the tent up when it is wet, as the size and weight increases significantly. Obviously you then have the ordeal of drying it off at home which is a bit of a chore.
The tent costs around £800. When you think you can get a tent for 1/10th of that price, it can take a while to get your head around the cost. But you really are paying for quality. If you want a tent that will last for years I would definitely recommend the Wolf Lake 5. On campsites so many people have commented that it's one of the best, most luxurious, warmest, sturdiest, attractive, comfortable tents they've ever seen.

Summary: Great tent, it's an investment!