THE Montana 6 is easily Outwell’s most successful family tent and, if anything, its popularity seems to grow with each passing year. It’s rare to visit a busy UK campsite and not see three or four Montanas pitched, often fitted out with the optional extras like awnings and carpets. And you only need to speak to campers to get a sense of the affection and strength of feeling they show towards their tent.

The Danish company could therefore be forgiven for following the old saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, but after winning Tent of The Year in the Camping Magazine Awards 2011, the “Monty” has undergone a makeover for 2012, while retaining the features that have made it such a hit with families up and down the country.

The biggest difference you’ll notice with the new model is the introduction of panoramic windows. These allow light to pour into the spacious living area and allow you to take in the view – whether it’s a spectacular sunset or simply the campsite getting going in the morning. And thanks to another innovation – tinted windows – you don’t feel as if you are on public display yourself.

Those changes apart, this is easily recognisable as the Montana. If you haven’t seen it before, it’s a large, wide-bodied tunnel style tent with two bedrooms and a good sized living area, with plenty of space for furniture like cupboards and a table and chairs. The bedrooms are just about big enough to house three people each on sleeping mats, although they would be more comfortable for two, especially if you’re using airbeds. As you may have noticed, nothing annoys me more than tents that over-exaggerate their sleeping capacity. In fairness to Outwell, in the past they have given tents a Sleep Comfort rating, which provides a more realistic idea of how many people their tents will comfortably accommodate.

The rugged steel poles and wind stabilizing system provide the Montana with the sort of stability you’d want when the wind picks up. Outwell say the tent is tested to stand up to a Force Ten storm – which should be more than enough for a typical British summer. The poles are also angled in such a way as to maximise headroom, allowing you to make the most of the living space.

As well as the main front door, there are two side entrances to the tent, one of which has a storm porch where you can dump wet shoes and jackets before getting into the main body of the tent. Another cute feature is the small viewing window at ground level in the bedroom – which allows you to check on the weather without leaving the comfort of your sleeping bag. Cable entry points, loads of ventilation, storage pockets and secondary mesh doors add to the overall package.


Camping says This is a – arguably the - classic family tent and there’s always the danger that when you tinker with something so successful you might regret it. Thankfully for Outwell, that’s not the case with the Montana. The upgrades are genuine improvements and don’t detract from the qualities that have made the Monty so popular over the years. It remains a spacious, easy-to-pitch, sturdy, family tent, packed with interesting features. It’s by no means a budget tent, but if you’re looking for a quality product that will provide great camping holidays for years to come, then the Montana is hard to beat.
 

MORE INFORMATION

Price £749.99
Packed size Canvas 78cm x 35cm x 37cm Poles 19cm x 75cm
Materials Outer Outtex 5000 with taped seams Inner Breathable polyester Groundsheet Polyethylene Poles Steel
Waterproof  5,000 hydrostatic head
Dimensions Outer 585cm x 415cm Height 215cm
Bedroom 1 215cm x 180cm Bedroom 2 215cm x 180cm

Sleeps 6
Packed weight 39.9kg
Pitching time 25 minutes
Style Tunnel
Sewn in ground sheet


CONTACT

Outwell
Tel 0151 645 2278 Web www.outwell.com


This review was published in the March 2012 issue of Camping magazine. Order our latest issue.