CAMPING TRAVEL STORE

This will sound quite a silly question but when we went to buy our karsten as i am quite tall thought it would be difficult to cook in the etended awaning on the 280, i was advised not to have a gas/petrol stove within the tent.

At this point i asked the question if these tents will withstand force 10 winds do you really think i am going to stand outside in those sort of wether conditions and cook food lol

we currently use a coleman triple burner petrol cooker in the awning and seems to work fine as long as we leave enough head room for the heat to get away

i just wondered what everyone else does and their thoughts on it

cheers

gavin & karen
norfolk

Hi gavin & karen

We went to Cromer for the first time at Easter, loved it and are back in the summer.

My take on your dilemma. Yes, you do need to be careful cooking in tents, not only for the obvious fire risk but also for the build up of poisonous gasses while cooking or leaking equipment when you aren't. The gasses can collect in the groundsheet as they are heavier than air and cannot escape because of the bathtub design. We take a utility tent on longer trips but when the wind is blowing a gale, we have been known cook on our coleman 424 in our large comfort extension, it doesn't have a zip in groundsheet so there is a little air movement and we also close the door on the sleeping pod. However, I was told when I bought our 350 that if you splatter any oil (sun screen etc) on the tent fabric it will let water in. So, cooking bacon is a no-no, but boiling up a dish of pasta or spuds won't do any harm if you are sensible. Then there is always the pub for grub in foul weather, at least you can be confidant that your tent will still be there when you get back.

Good luck,

Paul

hi guys
we have a windbreaker set up under the rain awning and are currnetly looking for a clear tarp to block the wind from which ever direction it's comming from. hope you can understand this garble. so in extends the tent but has ventilation and you haven't got to leave the tent.

ttfn
vonnie
(don't forget you can post questions on facebook aswell, i just happened to think about checking in on here, use fb alot)

We use electricity to cook inside the tent. No gasses, light or heavy. We use an induction hob, it is very safe because it uses a magnetic field to heat the pan. The heat is generated in the pan, so it is the pan that gets hot not the hob. A proper supply unit is required of course: with MCB and RCD protection, and the rest is common sense. If there is a lot of condensation about be prepared to unplug and eat at the pub.