Tents at competitions

nbuuifx

Member
I've done a few indoor shoots but plan on doing some outdoor tournaments etc. This year. I realise that a lot of people take tents to use as shelter. What sort of size is acceptable? I'm looking at getting a quechua base seconds pop up shelter which is 2.25m x 2.25m. Would this be ok?
 

Mark31121

Member
Ironman
Personally I think they're too big (unless you're camping as well), but they're the standard one that's used. I think Bimble has a pic somewhere showing the odd one out where only one tent on the line isn't a Quencha
 

nbuuifx

Member
My initial thought was that it would be too big but I thought I had seen something similar last summer (but I was new to archery then and wasn't really paying attention to the tents!)

So it isn't thought of as being anti-social to pop one of those up at an archery event then?


The reason for wanting the base seconds is that we have a camper van with a drive away awning and it is often a pain to put the awning up for just a night etc. So we figured that the base seconds would make a good short stay awning for the camper van and then could be used for archery as well.


I take it driving the camper van across the field to the shooting line would definitely be seen as anti-social! :mischievo
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
Personally I think they're too big (unless you're camping as well), but they're the standard one that's used. I think Bimble has a pic somewhere showing the odd one out where only one tent on the line isn't a Quencha
Popbivvys and that kind of fishing shelter are the order of the day.
A few years ago, fishing umbrellas were popular.
Considering regs allow 8-12ft between centers of bosses, you really shouldnt take more than 4 ft shooting line width with your campsite. People always want to camp front line, but you have to allow people behind space to get through to the shooting line.
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
Popbivvys and that kind of fishing shelter are the order of the day.
A few years ago, fishing umbrellas were popular.
Considering regs allow 8-12ft between centers of bosses, you really shouldnt take more than 4 ft shooting line width with your campsite. People always want to camp front line, but you have to allow people behind space to get through to the shooting line.
I agree with Mark and Ben. Although I think they should be banned :) or at least should be one row back as they are often errected right on the equipment line like a row of pre war terraced houses with no way through without a 60 yd walk to your shooting position :(
 

Mark31121

Member
Ironman
My initial thought was that it would be too big but I thought I had seen something similar last summer (but I was new to archery then and wasn't really paying attention to the tents!)

So it isn't thought of as being anti-social to pop one of those up at an archery event then?


The reason for wanting the base seconds is that we have a camper van with a drive away awning and it is often a pain to put the awning up for just a night etc. So we figured that the base seconds would make a good short stay awning for the camper van and then could be used for archery as well.


I take it driving the camper van across the field to the shooting line would definitely be seen as anti-social! :mischievo
I've seen camper vans on the tent line - admittedly he was on the end nearest the entrance and did check it was ok first.
 

lbp121

Member
This is my pet hate. Tents big enough to fit a family in close to shooting line and smaller tents (suitable ones) having to be fitted wherever they can go. Whilst there are no regulations, I'd like to see organisers recommend larger tents be positioned in 2nd or third row and single tents be allowed to be front row.
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
I think big tents are ok as long as you can share.
I did see a utility tent put up over the top of a popabivi once. That lead to a very confused archer who could have sworn he had a tent some where.
 

Corax67

Well-known member
I've seen properly huge 8 man pop-ups that several members of one club were sharing as well as a large gazebo with sides (also shared) but mostly it's a forest of smaller tents - I wish they were all banned as they are are a royal pain in the bum.

However I don't mind you bringing your camper to the line as long as you have a brew going ;)




Karl
 

bimble

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Personally I think they're too big (unless you're camping as well), but they're the standard one that's used. I think Bimble has a pic somewhere showing the odd one out where only one tent on the line isn't a Quencha
hehehe, yes I do!



I remember seeing a photo of the shooting line at Lilleshall from the JNOC one year and I swear it could have been used for an advert for Quechua base seconds... four-five deep across +60 targets...

They are great tents, but it does annoy me that people use a tent big enough for three-four people for just one person. If it didn't affect the overshoot, bring back the days where they moved the shooting line and not the targets!! ;)
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
Tents are part of the reason that I rarely attend target shoots these days. Target shoots used to be a sociable day out before the influx of tents, now people shoot, then retreat into their tent and it's become much more insular. If I had my way I'd ban tents from the line, and just allow them a long way back, if at all. Why can't people survive a day in the summer in a field without shelter?
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
I don't experience this, most archers spend the time standing around their bows having a good chat before they go up to the line to shoot, a few chasing scores will retreat and sometimes for good reason, as a lot of the banter about the days shooting and how it is going, that last end etc. can be quite negative.

I have used a fishing brolly and a small tent, in reality unless it is cold and raining cats and dogs, it just serves as a place for my kit and a shelter for the many ants nests. When the forecast is dry I just take a chair. I do think the quenchers are too big and create a barriers not just because of width but also height. At ?60 I could understand why they became popular but now at ?139.99...
 

nbuuifx

Member
At ?60 I'd have jumped at them.

At ?139 they still seem to be competitive compared to alternatives.

For us it will be dual purpose, the drive away awning that we currently have for the campervan simply takes too long to put up for an overnight stay. This looks ideal to give us that extra space we need whilst being quick to put up / down.

It sounds like it will be accepted at shoots although disliked by some, I think I'll go for one though. It will always be me and my daughter at the shoots so it will be used by at least 2 people!
 

ash

New member
don't count on that tent coming down in price, as i've stalked it for the past yr and theres been 0 change in price. so either pay or find an alternative.

as for anti social R U sur thr not just txting each other:)
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
Tents are part of the reason that I rarely attend target shoots these days. Target shoots used to be a sociable day out before the influx of tents, now people shoot, then retreat into their tent and it's become much more insular. If I had my way I'd ban tents from the line, and just allow them a long way back, if at all. Why can't people survive a day in the summer in a field without shelter?
I've only really noticed this if it is raining, and to some degree it can be social as if you don't have a tent people will invite you into theirs.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I shall bring our "tent" but be sure to make everyone a brew (there's also a fridge for beer)... the rear rack might be useful for hanging stuff from.

 

bimble

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I popped into the Decathalon store that just opened by me and spotted this much more tentline friendlier pop-up tent. In the hygiene section of the camping. 2m high, but only 1m x 1m floor space. Seconds Utility Tent
 

bimble

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and then, looking at some of the pictures, I suddenly realise there's a nice big hole in the top of the above tent, to let a shower head through... so nothing to see here!! :covereyes
 

BlackadderIA

New member
The change from the little green pop tents to these huge four-man things is probably the biggest thing I noticed coming back to competition archery after a ten year break.

Used to be rare not to be able to pop my little bivvy up front row and close to my target for the day. Second row was a rarity for latecomers.

Now three or more rows of tents are common and even arriving a good hour before registration is no guarantee of a spot by your target. If the organiser doesn't mark out some walkways then it can be a huge hassle (and these often get filled by chairs as people don't want to walk sixty yards to find a big enough gap to reach their tent on row three).

Tricky to sort - maybe premarked areas with a set bit of tent space for 1A, 1B etc. with tents that don't fit in the space being relegated to a back line?
 
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