[leadin]Field Candy is a British tent brand about to make a push into the American market. We’ve never seen anything like it.[/leadin]
The brand designs and manufactures tents and accessories in the United Kingdom, and they range from classy decorations to downright zany.
Want a cow on your tent? That can happen, and a whole lot more.
These aren’t cheap tents. We have not yet seen them in person, but Field Candy models range from around $300 to over $600 for top-tier, two- or three-person tents.
The construction is basic, and some of the designs downright absurd, but in a market long dominated by understated design and function over style, the brand is a departure from the norm.
The company has been around since 2011, but it is making an appearance at the Outdoor Retailer convention next week, signaling a move into the U.S. market.
The tents come in double- and single-wall designs, with double walls making up the more expensive Explorer series.
Explorer Series
These tents break the bank at more than $600 for some models, so they better be awesome.
Like all the brand’s tents, these have a digitally printed, polyester outer fly that displays the creative designs that set this brand apart.
Some can be customized with names or words for an additional $50.
The Explorer tents have a double-wall construction and the company calls them “four season,” although the basic A-frame design doesn’t look suitable for serious mountain storms or snow.
Festival Explorer
The Festival Explorer tents are less expensive single-wall structures designed for use by two adults (three with a squeeze). They cost about $300.
The digitally-printed, polyester skin is waterproof, according to the company, and it has a large vestibule and waterproof, builtin ‘bucket’ ground sheet.
Ventilation is accomplished with an insect mesh inner door and rear vent. The ventilation looks limited to us from online perusal, but again, we haven’t seen these in person yet.
Children’s Tents
The brand’s Little Campers line is designed with kid-specific appeal.
The child-size tents are still waterproof, but they have a smaller footprint and teepee setup that allows short campers to stand inside.
There are about a dozen child-friendly themes in the line, from dinosaurs to Hello Kitty, each ranging from about $200 – $300.
Camping Accessories
The brand makes all kinds of accessories for camping, and it looks like it could make a splash in the U.S. market.
Many add-ons — vestibules, camping pads, even solar-power packs — are sold by the company.
Beyond tents, Field Candy makes sun shades, wacky travel pillows — shoot, even a wacky Can Stand beverage holder.
It will be interesting to see how the product is received in the United States. We’ll be meeting with the brand at Outdoor Retailer to check out the quality and see new releases for 2016.
We may have not yet held these products in our hands, but one thing’s for sure — Field Candy has grabbed our attention!
