# Who's used a pup tent with their motorhome?



## 107925 (Oct 27, 2007)

We'll be using a pup tent for our two teenagers in the warmer weather to supplement the limited accommodation of our panel van conversion. I've checked the rules with the likes of CC and C&CC and see that, essentially, the pup tent has to be sited close to the motorhome and must be a specified distance from those occupying the adjacent pitch.

Such rules aside, what I'm wondering is the realities of using a pup tent when the usual preference from the motorhomer's perspective is a nice, flat hardstanding. However, gravel isn't ideal for a tent base and I'm not sure if tent pegs can be embedded therein anyway, should the campers not complain about their stoney base. Is a grass pitch the only answer?

So, what have you done to get around the issues associated with motorhome + pup tent?

Cheers,

Shaun


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

we use large pegs with the green or orange plastic tops and a air bed
chapter


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## 107925 (Oct 27, 2007)

So, no-one's used a pup tent alongside their motorhome, then?

Shaun


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## Exdudcotion (Sep 28, 2007)

We live fulltime in a LWB VWt5 poptop and often use a pup tent as a pitch marker, store tent, washtent, guestroom etc. Never any problem, tiny when packed, would not be without one. Cheers. Colin.


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## Exdudcotion (Sep 28, 2007)

We live fulltime in a LWB VWt5 poptop and often use a pup tent as a pitch marker, store tent, washtent, guestroom etc. Never any problem, tiny when packed, would not be without one. Cheers. Colin.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

We very often use a pup tent for our 14 year old during the Summer months.Although he's got a very comfy double bed to himself inside the van he prefers to sleep in a tent. :roll: 
We have never had to pay extra for the tent or had any problems.
We always have a grass pitch when we are using the tent.
As someone else said, they are a good pitch marker when you go out for the day.


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## kbheal (May 25, 2007)

we've just been away for the weekend to Keswick and the kids wanted to sleep in their small quick pitch tent despite the wind and rain, we did not have to pay extra and were on the Camping and Caravanning club site, when I asked if we could put one up they said it had to be behind the motorhome ensuring it was at least 6 meters away from the next unit, fire regs I think. We were on hard standing but with grass around.

hope that helps , and have fun

karen


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## beagle (Sep 25, 2005)

I was considering getting a storage tent, this one seems ideal.

What I want to do is be able to quickly put away folding table, chairs and lloungers, as I spend more time erecting and then packing them away than actually using them!


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi Shaun - just a reminder as to what happens if you venture across the water to France. We have 2 friends who join us for a week with their tent (a bit big to be called pup - more a full grown). When we ask how much extra they just charge us for the adults. They price it on the pitch rather than how you use it. On the rare occasions we have done the same in this country, it varies between full price for tent and adults to just the price for the adults. The sites we prefer are grass pitches off tarmac access "roads", usually municipals.

Not sure that we agree with you on the preference for a hardstanding. So long as it has not been too wet, we prefer a nice grassy pitch where we can sit outside on a relatively soft surface either here or abroad.

Sue


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## 98316 (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi, whenever we use the pup tent for my 17 year old son we either have a hard standing that backs onto grass and put it up on the grass or we use storm pegs to peg the tent down onto the hardstanding. As we have a rather large motorhome (well its 24 ft which is large for us!) we don't like venturing onto grass pitches unless its been exceptionally dry. The only thing with pitching it on the hard standings is to make sure you have a good base such as an old duvet under the airbed before inflating it, or some of those thermal mat things you can buy.


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

We have a Vango MK 10 which we use with our Hymer when one of our daughters brings along a friend. We have never had any problem. Some site rules seem to be very elastic. You are charged for the pitch,ergo pitch what you like within reason,but no some charge extra fo a tent. It has only happened once and the owner/warden was such an ignorant pratt we left as soon as we could and put in a damming report to the organisation it was registered with. There were other factors which made it a less than pleasant stay.


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## 107925 (Oct 27, 2007)

Some interesting responses; thank you. I limited the tent to pup-type because the two clubs I've just joined - the CC and C&CC - have fairly strict rules on tent size, where it's incorporated within the overall pitch cost, ie, no extra charge. There are specifics as to where the tent can be pitched (close to the motorhome and not more than a certain distance from the adjacent pitch), and that they should only be occuped by children for additional sleeping accommodation (yeah, right, I won't put anything else in there, then). As the children have already been charged for in the overall cost of the pitch, the fact they're sleeping in a pup tent then doesn't add to the cost. 

As has been mentioned, once away from CC & C&CC, there are lots of different charging permutations, so we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

My preference for a hardstanding is purely based on the fact they tend to be nice and flat, with no risk of getting stuck should we have a summer like last one. However, for those long, dry spells, I agree a flat grass pitch would definitely be preferable for sitting outside - noisy gravel underfoot just isn't the same.

After reading various posts on a different thread about motorhome pitches being nicked when left temporarily empty, I reckon the pup tent is worth putting up, first as a very obvious marker that the pitch is taken and, secondly, as somewhere to put bits and bobs you don't want to pack away every time you venture out with the motorhome.

For some reason, pup tents are stupidly inexpensive at the moment - I've just paid £25 for a package consisting of the tent, two sleeping bags and two foam underlay things. That's the same cost as our weekly chinese takeaway. Soon, pup tents will be free with a packet of cornflakes.

Shaun


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