I've been considering getting a new ground tent for a while. I have had my existing one for just on 16 years, so it's time. I did quite a bit of research and finally settled on an Oztent.
My biggest problem with ground tents is the damn hassle of setting them up. It is so nice to pull onto a spot and begin relaxing. I have tried it all. Pulling onto the spot, setting up my camp chair and getting a cold one out of the fridge and relaxing, setting up camp later. It doesn't work...you always have this chore hanging over your head so can't really relax.
Then I've tried pulling onto the spot and doing all the work first and then relaxing.....I get grumpy about not being able to relax.
So now I think I've got the answer. Uncomplicate the setup process. Here's how it goes.
Pull onto the site, set up my chair, crack the cold one and then give SO instructions on what to do.
no just kidding.
Pull onto the spot
1. unfold the green netted groundsheet, spread it nicely and peg the 4 corners down.
2. Unzip the Oztent bag, unzip the doorway, step half inside and lift. The interior frame clicks into place (30 seconds)
3. Peg down the two back corners.
4. Extent the two awning poles to the height of the back of the landy.
5. Reverse the Landy up to the tent awning, zip in the two awning side sheets
6. Roll out the other awning on the side of the Landy
7. Set up my chair and open a cold one.
The whole exercise tales about 10 minutes Max.
After the first cold one, I chuck the queen sized air mattress into the tent, plug in the hose of the onboard compressor in the Landy and crack the second frosty. When the mattress is just right I fold out the legs of the 2 night tables, plug the light cord into the power supply in the Landy and my job is done.
The entire process takes 30 minutes of which I'm sitting with the one or two frosties for 15 of them.
This gives me a 3m x 3m x2.5 meter high tent plus it's front 3x2.5 meter enclosed verandah with direct access to the back of the Landy where the fridge is. (Important). I have a wall to wall "carpeted" open air living room/dinning room under the Landy's pull out side awning, a very comfy queen size double bed with night tables and LED lights.
I can live with this and the most important factor is the ease of setting it up. When I'm ready to cook, I slide the stainless steel table out from the underside of the roof rack, open the drawer system in the back of my Landy where all the food and cooking utensils are in the right places and I become an instant chef, wine glass in hand.
2 onboard water tanks give me about 110 litres of fresh drinking water, so I'm good in that department for a few days.
