IN this the year of the London Olympics it’s appropriate that Royal have decided to pay tribute to past host cities with their new collection of tents. So in addition to the 2011 success-story the Atlanta, their range now includes the Athens, Beijing, Barcelona, Montreal and this, the Tokyo.

The first thing you notice about the Tokyo is its brown and beige colour scheme. A couple of years ago tent manufacturers would have run a mile from this combination but times and fashions change. Personally I’m a fan of anything that differs from the usual greens and blues that tend to populate campsites. On the other hand, the internal styling (think giant brown and beige barcodes) is a bit harsh on the eye – especially when you add a matching carpet.

More importantly, the Tokyo has a spacious living area featuring five full-length windows that provide wonderful panoramic views from the front of the tent. There’s plenty of room for a large table and chairs, allowing you to sit with a glass of wine or cup of tea and watch the world go by, no matter the weather.

The two side doors feature mesh doors and rain canopies to keep the worst of the weather out the tent, while the large front door can be guyed open to provide a shelter from the sun (ever the optimist!).

At the rear of the tent is where you’ll find the sleeping area – two separate inner tents made using dark materials to keep out the light. Organiser pockets on the outside of the bedrooms provide useful storage for the sort of small items that can easily get lost in a tent, such as phones, chargers, torches etc and you could also stuff some smaller items into the space between the two rooms.


Camping says An easy to pitch, family-sized tunnel tent that is packed with interesting features and nice touches, including numerous vents and cable entry ports, not only in the living area but in the bedrooms. But for me, its main attraction is the panoramic windows that fill the large living area with light and allow you to watch campsite life unfold in comfort. The size of the living area makes it a tent that you would have no problem spending lots of time in.
 

MORE INFORMATION

Price £494.50
Packed size 95cm x 31cm x 31cm
Materials Outer Polyester with taped seams Inner Polyester Poles Steel and fibreglass
Waterproof 3,000 hydrostatic head
Dimensions Outer 535cm x 400cm Height 220cm
Bedroom 1 215cm x 180cm Bedroom 2 215cm x 180cm


Sleeps 6
Packed weight 32.6kg
Pitching time 35 minutes
Style Tunnel
Sewn in ground sheet


CONTACT

Royal Leisure
Tel 02476 466461 Web www.royal-leisure.co.uk


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