A MUM was asked if she really went ”camping” if they ‘took their entire home’ – after showing off their 24ft-long £1,000 tent along with sofas and even BUNK BEDS.
Chloe Runciman spent two weeks at the Vale of Pickering campsite in Scarborough last month with her husband, Gregor Runciman, 32, and their three sons during their annual camping trip.
Despite forking out just under £1,000 for an Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 700 Air Tent – which is a giant 360sqft in size – and an extra £800 on other equipment, the 28-year-old says it still works out ”cheaper than a hotel”.
The stay-at-home mum took to TikTok to share a clip of her family’s spacious and comfortable tent captioned ”this year’s tent tour”, which has now gone viral with more than 6.1million views.
In the clip, Chloe shows off the impressive shelter, which includes an outdoor canopy, a kitchen, a lounge equipped with blow-up sofas, a mini fridge and emergency toilet, as well as a bedroom decked out with a bunk bed and double camping bed.
The 24ft-long ”tunnel” tent is split into three zones including a commune area, a seven-person bedroom and an enclosed front porch area.
However, social media users questioned if the couple’s set up was ”still considered camping” and were puzzled as to why they didn’t opt to ”just get a caravan” or even a hotel.
The mum-of three, who lives in Peebles, Scotland, said: “We’ve got everything we possibly need in a tent. Even a toilet. Just for emergencies in the night. The little things make it so much easier and keep everyone happy.
“That initial cost is big. The tent we have is just under £1,000. The equipment and everything else we gathered over time and it cost £800. It will last such a long time.
“It might cost a bit to start up but once you have it you only really need to pay for a campsite. Now we have it all, it’s not going to cost us much every year.
“The campsite this year cost us £400 for two weeks. That’s all you have to pay to stay somewhere. It’s a lot cheaper than a hotel.”
The couple have been taking Mason, two, Theo, four, and Oscar, six, camping for the last three years and Chloe revealed she bought them bunk beds to ”save space” and allow them to be close together.
Chloe said: “They’ve got bunk beds like they do at home. The three boys like to be together. At home they have a shared room, they’re very close.
“The idea of having them altogether helps as well. It’s a comfort. Everything’s such an adventure. It gives them more room in the tent and it saves space.”
The 28-year-old admitted she has never been a fan of camping but after her husband convinced her to try it, the pair have gone on multiple trips and love the ”freedom” it gives their family.
Chloe said: “I prefer it to a hotel. I’ve got three little boys, that’s a lot of noise. When they’re out in the field, they can just run around and just have that freedom to do their own thing. It helps so much.
“You can go anywhere you want. We try to find an area where there’s loads to do for the kids, loads of different places to visit and it just gives them loads more freedom than just being trapped inside.”
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
The avid camper admitted she was ”shocked” by the criticism she received after posting the video and defended the couple’s decision to camp rather than stay in a caravan or a hotel.
Chloe said: “I was quite shocked by it all. How people can be so critical. I find it quite funny because people just don’t get it if you’ve never done it.
“Camping is a holiday. Especially when you’ve got kids it’s so much fun for them which makes it so much easier.
“You’re basically outdoors with just a bit of material with all the stuff you’ve got with you. You can make it what you want it to be.
“You can create your own holiday in a way. It’s your choice what you bring and make it your own.
“A lot of comments are ”why don’t you just get a caravan”. We did a motorhome this year for a week. But it’s not even remotely the same. It’s a different holiday.”
Many users took to the comments to question the couple’s expensive camping gear.
One user said: “Just get a caravan at this point.”
Another user said: “Why would you want that instead of a house or a hotel.”
A third user said: “What is the appeal? You basically are spending a huge amount of money to take your own home and put it outside. I don’t get it.”
A fourth user asked: “Is it still considered camping at this point.”
Another added: “I nearly choked when I saw the price of the tent.”
However, other users defended the family’s set up.
One user said: “Lovely set up, don’t understand the negative comments.”
Another user said: “All these people hating on camping, so sad they have to miss out on the fun.”
