What tent.

Mrs JD and I have had a three-man Eurohike tent since before we were married (15 years in May), and it still works and has done kid camping duty and festival duty for friends many times since. It's been great even in atrocious weather.

It doesn't look much like this as this one has quite a cool a canopy, but this is probably what I'd get if I needed another:

www.millets.co.uk/brand/Eurohike/product/096673/EH-AVON-GREEN-0.html?att...

Mrs JD and I have had a three-man Eurohike tent since before we were married (15 years in May), and it still works and has done kid camping duty and festival duty for friends many times since. It's been great even in atrocious weather. It doesn't look much like this as this one has quite a cool a canopy, but this is probably what I'd get if I needed another: www.millets.co.uk/brand/Eurohike/product/096673/EH-AVON-GREEN-0.html?att...

We have got three tents which get used depending on circumstances. 

Vango Spectre 200 for solo camping trips and have had it for 3 years and around 25 nights in total - 15 of them during a car trip to Dubai with a mate who also had a one man ten (Wild Country).  Some horrible weather and never got wet.  

Vango Equinox 400 which we have had for about 15 years and have used almost every year for week long trips including the odd spell in horrendous weather!  Again, it's never let us down but I have had to do the odd repair and have also had to replace some pole sections as well as reproofing every year.  If I remember rightly, it was about £300 when new but that was a long time ago and prices for tents have dropped a lot since then.  However, It has been worth every penny.  It's a three person tent which, to me, means a roomy two person and is now used for shorter (2/3 night) trips.

Khyam Tourer which we have now had for a couple of years and has taken over from the Equinox as the main tent for longer trips.  This one is very large but also very sturdy.

We do quite a lot of camping both in UK and in Europe and one thing that I have always noticed is when the weather turns rubbish, it's always either the cheap tents or the better ones that have either been poorly maintained or poorly pitched that let people down.

Was I you, I would probably budget for £200 - £250 and get a tent that will last a long time if looked after and will also be able to stand up to most things that nature can throw at you - BUT be aware of it's limitations - that's why even small expedition tents can cost £500!!.  All in all a Vango at that price point will do the job.

Hope this helps

Don't go the canvas route myself, but a good friend who is an avid camper swears by Vango tents too. He has a large 4 room one as his main 'residence' and a smaller 2 man Vango which he uses to store stuff in or as a back up when the in-laws join them. His trip to France last summer was a very rainy one but I remember him telling me none of his family or his in-laws got the slightest bit wet.

Hi all we have 3 festival tents as we do reading and dowload every year we have  a monster vango aspen 700 a 7 man butcoul easy sleep12 a vango synergy 400 and a halfords 3 man all bought in 2005 and the vangos have been fantastic if you shop around you should be able to pick up last years modle for £100 odd enjoy your festival while you are down this way a visit to southwold is well worth while as would a visit to norwich:)

Cheers for your replies fella's. Sorry John i'm going to have to go with the majority and a Vango tent though by the sounds of it your has done vey well 

I've found an on-line seller who has the one i linked to for £80, done deal then!

Is Southwold your neck-of-the-woods then toyota man? Yes we had a look at Southwold and the beach looks stunning, lets hope the weather is to as we will defo spend a few hours thier and hopfully have a bit of lunch looking over the sea their, looking forward to it.

We've been to to Reading a couple of times 09 and 10, didn'y go last year but will be going on the friday this year. Never been to Download but did go to MofR 1998 with Iron Maiden headlining, is that at the same site, Donnington? 

Hi Shooter69 MofR = Download , and I live in Norwich a fine city and our local team are not doing to bad. £80 is about right for your tent hope you enjoy your visit I would not mind seeing Elbow good band good mix of styles I often find myself driving past the festival site near southwould and thinking maybe next year

I've seen Elbow at Camden Roundhouse and they we're very good, defo worth seeing. Not sure who we'll be seeing on the saturday, Elbow or The Horrors, we'll watch Bon Iver on friday so may have to punk out with The Horrors on the saturday, the beers will decide though :)