Khyam Tourer 400 Tent
Product Review & Walking Gear Test

	Tourer 400 Tent Vital Statistics: Weight: 18.6 kgms SRP: £325.00

Tourer 400 Tent

Vital Statistics:

Weight:
18.6 kgms

SRP:
£325.00

Khyam says:"A step up from the Flexi-Domes the Tourer has a large living space but is still light thanks to the telescopic aluminium poles using the unique Rapidex® pole system, the only quick erect tent pole system that works. Tourer 400 is perfect for car based family camping . . ."

Features to Note:

4 berth
Flysheet:2 oz polyester 185 T WeatherWeave 5000 with Flame retardant coating. Taped Seams including PVC windows
Hydrostatic Head: 3,000 mm
Flysheet Features: Family dome with generous living area. Front canopy door with full window and privacy curtain (1 set of canopy poles provided). Large bedroom sections with rear guy out vents. Internal roof hanging point for lightweight items (gas lights not recommended). Tri-Guy system on all main poles. Adjustable main corner webbing pegging points. Double looped shock corded intermediate pegging points.
Main Poles: A combination of 16 mm Aluminium and solid 13 mm fibreglass poles utilising the unique Rapidex® joint system - 2 manual joints & 1 auto joint operating around a central Rapidex® hub. The lower aluminium sections have QCP system and are telescopic.
Bedroom Poles: Dual diameter shock corded fibreglass poles (11mm / 9.5mm / 11mm) with QCP & Ring / Pin systems are quick to assemble & give increased headroom in bedroom area.
Inner Tent(s): 2 x Breathable Nylon inner tent with robust Polyethylene sewn in groundsheet. Berth Capacity - 4 (2 each) and large entrance door for easy access. 4 Inner tent pockets for handy storage. Inner tent rear mesh panel & secondary mesh door on inner tent main door for added ventilation.
Dimensions: External height - 185 cms. Packed size 93 x 27 cms.
Strong Polyester fully zipped Carry bag
Flysheet Colour: Khaki/Dark green/Pistachio trim

In-use Test:

As with most other tents in the Khyam range, this model features the superb Rapidex® Quick Erect System. This is basically a pre-assembly system which has the main structural poles of the tent pre-inserted through the tent sleeves.

The poles themselves have two different types of joint. In the Tourer 400 the top and bottom joints are locked into position manually using an easy-to-use locking collar. The mid joints lock into position automatically when the poles are fully extended.

Once the poles are in place, you simply clip in the inner tents and then peg-out the guy-lines and the tent is ready to use.

This system works really well and means that even the bigger tents in the range can be erected - and taken down - remarkably quickly.

This Ridgi-dome tent was tested during a wet and very windy night in March in the Shropshire Hills. Courtesy of Khyam's Rapidex® Erect system, (and a couple of 'practice' runs in the garden first) I can get this 4 person tent from car boot to fully erect in about 5 minutes all on my own.

The telescopic main dome poles mean that the tent packs down into a relatively short length so it takes up less space in the car boot.

The internal accommodation - based on a Vis-a-Vis style layout - is plentiful for 4. Each of the two sleeping bays - one at either end - offers a generous amount of room for two people and all their kit and the 'bath-tub' floor kept out all the rain during a prolonged torrential downpour.

The central living area does not have a ground sheet (one is available from Khyam as an extra) but is high enough for all but the tallest individual to stand upright.

The conditions on the night meant we were also able to experience the tent in high winds - during which it felt reassuringly stable.

There are 3 vents - one at each end and one in the main door opening which also has a clear 'window'. During our test there was no discernible build-up of condensation.

Each 'bedroom area' has storage pockets for smaller items like a torch or car keys and the two sleeping compartment entrances both incorporate mosquito nets useful in hotter conditions and/or midgey Scotland.

Taking the tent down again was also extremely easy. I did this on my own in less than 10 minutes - and most of that time was taken up compressing the package down small enough to get it back into its storage sack.

Overall, this offers a really good level of accommodation and performance from a tent that is supremely easy to pitch and take down.

If it has a downside - then it might be the weight. At 18.6kg (40lbs) you will need two people to carry it very far. On most commercial campsites though you would expect to pitch your tent close to your car so this is not a problem.

Buying Advice:

Good level of accommodation and performance from a tent that is supremely easy to pitch and take down. If you have ever tried to 'thread' poles through tent fabric in wind and rain you will just love speed and simplicity of Khyam's Rapidex® Quick Erect System. It is just a pity all tents aren't his good.

This is an excellent option for a family touring by car, pitching and repitching on several different campsites when the Rapidex® Quick Erect system really comes into its own.

What do you think?

Have you got a Khyam Tourer 400 Tent?

We would love to hear what you thought of it - good, bad or indifferent. Perhaps you simply disagree with the verdict above - or feel an important feature has been negelected.

Let us know by clicking this link - What I think of Khyam Tourer 400 Tent - so we can publish your important views below.

• We've used the khyam tourer 400 for a number of years now. We own about 5 tents (including a trailer tent) and use different tents for different places. The Khyam is without doubt the most versatile of the lot. It stands up very well to extreme weather - we've reproofed it twice over the years, both times when we've arrived at the campsites - quick spray round and it's done. It is very quick to erect once you know how (make sure you pack it away so that the guy ropes are untangled on arrival at the campsite though!) Plenty of room for standing up even if you're tall. We use it as a 2 berth and put our stuff in the other sleeping area. Not sure what it would be like with any more people in it though. All in all a great versatile tent and one of our favourites.

Camperfan , Dunstable