Northface Tadpole 23

I have spent months, like many people I suppose, researching tents. Finally I decided, after reading dozens and dozens of reviews of the tent I wanted, to put aside my intense dislike of anything but green or khaki coloured tents (orange and white in this case) and put aside the need for a full mossie screen door and get a Northface Tadpole 23. So I did. I got onto the internet to find the best deal and as we were traveling to Scotland anyway worked our routes to be able to pick it up. As it happens I found one only half an hour from my mother’s place for £148 so I bought it just before leaving for the Cheviots. We stopped off on the way and I managed to put the bloody thing up. No amount of tweaking would get the middle poles onto the ground and the flysheet was way too taught as a result and again, no amount of adjustment could separate the fly from the tent at the back end. So I carried it up to Scotland where it saw the sights from within it’s bag  instead of with me in it (sod you northface). I later checked the internet and compared my tent pegged out with the pegged out photos in the publicity – no comparison. The pole tabs were sewn in 4 inches too high. When I got back down south at the end of the holiday I took it back to the shop. They replaced it immediately with apologies and I took the new one home just as  immediately and even more immediately put that up too and blow me if this one wasn’t exactly the same as the last with the cross poles waving about 8 inches off the ground, so I took it back and got a refund.

Now I’m loathe to buy the thing off the internet incase I get another dud. So Northface if you get to read this what about  you sending me a tent you have checked and I’ll send you the money?