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8 Aug 2010
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I'm amazed that you've got no response from Robert Saunders. They're a long established name with a reputation, not one of the "pile em high, sell em cheap" far eastern copy mall imports.
This is a quote from their website - "Our policy is not to have a dissatisfied customer"
On the same page they offer a repair service.
Maybe your email just got lost in the system - give them the benefit of the doubt and contact them again. It might just be down to whoever happens to read it.
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8 Aug 2010
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I'm amazed, mine's now worn out, never a problem but it is old, things change, manufacturers get a good name then perhaps take advantage of it and let things slip. I'm sorry to hear it and think I'll be looking elsewhere for a replacement.
I've been in an exposed site in Scotland with rain driving horizontal for the best part of 24hrs, no leaks just a enormous bloody racket!
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8 Aug 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by backofbeyond
I'm amazed that you've got no response from Robert Saunders. They're a long established name with a reputation, not one of the "pile em high, sell em cheap" far eastern copy mall imports.
This is a quote from their website - "Our policy is not to have a dissatisfied customer"
On the same page they offer a repair service.
Maybe your email just got lost in the system - give them the benefit of the doubt and contact them again. It might just be down to whoever happens to read it.
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I have spoken to them on the phone in the past and, TBH, they were really condescending and "oh, what the hell do you want?" to the point that I almost told the speaker to "F-right off" at one point. Considering they'd got just under £300, I think humouring even what they may feel is a stupid question is not too much to ask for.
I agree that small specialists need to make sure those they sell to are happy as word of mouth goes a long way for the small business, but I think the quote above, in my experience, is probably translated as "we want people to be happy with our tent" which I was, rather than "we will be happy to help you if you have problems with our tents".
In any case, they would not last long if they wrote:
"our tents are very good, if anything goes wrong or is unclear to you, the buyer, then you are obviously an idiot..." even if that was the tone they actually used...
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8 Aug 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
Of course I've also used cheaper tents, although they don't usually belong to me. They tend to leak unless seamsealed laboriously and repeatedly, and they ooze water through their floors. They also tear and puncture more easily, and they often photo-degrade more rapidly. There are various grades of nylon, polyester and other materials (mylar, for example) used in tent manufacture, different ways of sewing seams, and various grades of waterproofing treatments. Some work better than others, and some last longer.
Just something to consider. YMMV.
Mark
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My £9.99 from the supermarket dome tent that can be erected without pegs is still serving me well after seven years.
As for after sales service, not been needed, probably would just buy another, it would be cheaper than a spray can of leak sealer.
Perhaps I have been lucky ??
Does anyone make a sat nav that actually works ???
Not too impressed with my Primus Omni fuel stove. may just take my 12 year old Camping Gaz stove with me or get a real 1950's primus stove.
Panasonic TZ7 camera is ace.
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28 Aug 2010
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Well, I cut the footprint down to size, I sprayed the inside and outside of the ground sheet with the Nikwax spray and went camping for a night in the Estonian woods, enjoying their pleasant state campsites.
It rained all night!!!
No leakage that I could tell, but I did find a moist patch at my feet so that even my sleeping bag was damp.
But I could not find the source: the footprint was dry underneath, so perhaps it was condensation that dripped down from the flysheet, onto the tent, and then in: don't know.
However I can live with that even if I'm not thrilled.
Still no answer from the manufacturer despite a turse email following up the first: clueless as far as customer services are concerned... 
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28 Aug 2010
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Do you tend to thrash around when you sleep? Could it be that you are tossing and turning and your feet are pushing the inner tent against the fly, causing the condensation to soak onto the sleeping bag?
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28 Aug 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steved1969
Do you tend to thrash around when you sleep? Could it be that you are tossing and turning and your feet are pushing the inner tent against the fly, causing the condensation to soak onto the sleeping bag?
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Thrashing around!!
I have an image of me doing a Houdini straight-jacket escape impression in my sleep!!
I probably do move around a fair bit, but maybe not enough to produce the situation you describe and it would not explain the clammy groundsheet floor...
I'm erring toward condensation dripping because on some muggy nights I have been woken by a drop of water right in the eye from one of the tent seams above me and I can often seen droplets nestling on the tent roof above me in the morning...
It may be that this tent does not ventilate well. Even on the driest night, the inside of the flysheet is often damp...
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28 Aug 2010
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My groundsheet in my old tent was leaking (I did burn a few holes in it, on some winterexpeditions) and I tried several things to waterproof it, but to no avail), so, at a sale, I bought a footprint, for a larger tent, and had a parachute repair shop change the whole bottom of my innertent, so now its completely new and watertight.
Footprint 10$
repair 200$
but the tent was 500$ from new.
Poul
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28 Aug 2010
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chuk it - and get a Hilleberg- last u a lonnnngggg time
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28 Aug 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shroom21
chuk it - and get a Hilleberg- last u a lonnnngggg time
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I hope it would last a little longer than the bank loan needed to buy it!!
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2 Sep 2010
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As much as I hate using a footprint it actually saved us twice when the old tent broke in Scotland before we could find a new one. The groundsheet was leaking and for the life of me I couldn't find out why. It all seemed perfect but was completely wet in the morning. Not so with the footprint that we didn't even bother cutting in shape - we just folded it so it fit right underneath the inner tent. After we did find a new one (Coleman Avior X3, very light but unfortunately also very small) we kept using the footprint just in case.
However, I've had that same experience with the new tent as you, Warthog - even on dry nights everything is damp or even wet in the morning, from sleeping bag to the inside of the fly sheet. Gets even worse when it's raining and starts to drip occasionaly. Might be insufficient ventilation
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14 Sep 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warthog
It was not condensation: there was a flim of water under my Thermarest and my sleeping bag was wet at one end...
To test it I later pitched the tent and tipped some water into it!! Left for 5 mins then tipped it out. I then checked underneath: droplets were coming through. Now OK that was a fair amount of water (2 gallons?) but still it is clear that the base is not impermiable. It was general moisture especially at a taped seam so not punctures.
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Same experience with my 2 old Vangos a Micro 2 and a Micro 3. The groundsheets become porous with age and wick the water up through under the thermorest.
My solution has been to make a footprint from the very cheap closed cell foam used as underlay for modern wood laminate flooring, a big roll can be purchased from a builders merchant for a couple of quid. It's waterproof and makes the tent a good few degrees warmer, nice when you have a tendency to slide off the mat in the night. It weighs nothing (well very little) but is more bulky than the standard footprint. 
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15 Sep 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
My experience is that a top quality tent will not leak, ooze or weep water through the floor. Quality is expensive (although expensive doesn't guarantee quality).
I now use Hilleberg tents. Neither one has ever leaked any water through floor or elsewhere.
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+1 Hilleberg 
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21 Nov 2010
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I've nothing but good things to say about Hilleberg. Bought one years ago on my Dad's recommendation (serial hardcore lightweight camping nutter). He and my brother gave his tent a lot of heavy use and the groundsheet layers seemed to separate and peel. He sent it back to Hilleberg who replaced it and sent it back for free. I've bought a Hilleberg footprint and had no problems. Had a close call in the Rockies in an unexpected snow storm a couple of years back and it got us right out of the ****. I'll buy nothing else.
BTW, my first post, nice to be here and I'm finding the forum tremendously useful. Thanks to everyone.
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21 Nov 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tima
I've nothing but good things to say about Hilleberg. Bought one years ago on my Dad's recommendation (serial hardcore lightweight camping nutter). He and my brother gave his tent a lot of heavy use and the groundsheet layers seemed to separate and peel. He sent it back to Hilleberg who replaced it and sent it back for free. I've bought a Hilleberg footprint and had no problems. Had a close call in the Rockies in an unexpected snow storm a couple of years back and it got us right out of the ****. I'll buy nothing else.
BTW, my first post, nice to be here and I'm finding the forum tremendously useful. Thanks to everyone.
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Welcome Tim! See you at the Ripley meet in June 
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