Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent Review - Super easy to pitch & lots of space

We like to think of ourselves as camping veterans and have owned or stayed in all sorts of tents over the years ranging from pop up tents at Glastonbury to bell tents at Druridge Bay, Yurts, Tipis, 4 man tents and larger family tents - we have covered them all. This year we really needed to replace our old 8 man tent for family getaways as it was looking rather worse for wear. It turns out this was perfect timing as we were sent this Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent to review. We took it on it's first outing to the Corbridge Festival and put it through it's paces this July. 

CON: I will start with a con, the tent bag is VERY HEAVY (27.3 kg to be precise). We needed two adults to carry the bag from the car and me being a wimp I needed to stop for a rest twice. If you aren't camping near your car you will definitely need a trolley, wheel barrow or a couple of strong bodies to carry the tent. 

PRO: A pro however and one of the reasons I loved this tent was that it was so EASY TO PUT UP. You do need two people but it only took us about 30 minutes on our first attempt. I reckon we could get this down to 20 minutes with a bit of practice. Simply lay the tent flat as shown, then feed the 5 fibreglass poles through the corresponding loops and clips before pegging into place. Simples!

Sometimes when it's raining, or rain is imminent (which lets face it is often in the UK) you do need to pitch pretty quickly and the Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent is the second easiest tent (after the pop up tents) we've ever had to pitch. Perfect for beginners!

PRO: We've never owned a tent with a porch but it really makes all of the difference, whether this in somewhere to sit with a few drinks when the kids are asleep or where you put a box with your outdoor shoes in, a porch really enhances your space. You also get a groundsheet for the porch included however the ground was in very good condition so we didn't need it during this trip. 

PRO: There is just SO MUCH SPACE. At 205cm tall it feels super spacious and there is no need to crouch at any point. There is an internal bedroom which sleeps 6 should you need it which is easily attached via a toggle system (so easy that the kids could do it). This in turns divides in two although the wall divider in very thin. We could easily fit all of our equipment, furniture and more in the space provided. 

CON: The bedrooms are large enough for 6 people however I feel they could do with being a tiny bit longer. I'm 5 ft 7" and as I lay down my head touched the side of the tent and my feet just about touched the bedroom door. I would have appreciated a tiny bit more space in the bedrooms which I think could have easily been taken from the generous living area. I could stretch out fine but I think if you were much taller this may be an issue and you might have to use the bedroom without the divider. 

Toggle system to attach internal bedroom

PRO: There is so much ventilation. You have your main door but then two side doors too and windows. All of the doorways/windows also feature mosquito nets to keep bugs out.

CON: We camped on a very windy evening and although the tent was sturdy and stayed put, we did have an issue with the wind feeling like it was blowing the tent around (even if it wasn't). At one point the side of the tent hit me in the face as a gust of wind caught it as I was sleeping! Maybe this was just a particularly windy night or maybe this is an issue because the tent is so large - time will tell! 

PRO: One of the biggest pros was that the Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent was SO easy to pack away. It took us around 20 minutes (and this was our first time). There was no trying to squeeze it all into the bag, it all just fit and couldn't have been easier! It's now ready for our next camping adventure :-)

The Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent comes with a carry bag, repair kit and everything you need (pegs, ropes ect.....). It will comfortably sleep 6 people and when it comes to rain, you are protected up to 5000mm which is one of the highest waterproof ratings you can get (most family tents are only protected up to 3000mm) and will cope with anything that British weather can throw at it. The groundsheet is sewn in (and has waterproof seams). The tent measures 650 cm x 400 cm and is available to buy from Amazon (current price £349.93 - price checked 10/7/16)

I would 100% recommend this tent if you are a family of 4-6 with school aged children who are looking for a quality tent with the highest grade of waterproofing that will last you a good few years. The fact that it is so easy to put up and take down and comes with soooooo much space means that it's a real winner for us and this tent is perfect for longer trips away. Saying that, because it is just so easy to put up and take down, it's perfect for just one night too. Just make sure you have a couple of strong bodies at hand to help carry the tent from car to field. 

You can by the Skandika Kairo Six Man Tent here  (afflilate link)

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