The Ellis Brigham team use the gear they sell, in the field and on real trips. Kampa have been making durable camping kit since 2007. Together, they have launched a tent collection designed to match you to the right shelter for your adventure, whatever that may look like.
The outdoor gear market is unforgiving. Buy the wrong tent and you’ll find out somewhere between a weather window and a loch shore in the dark. What you want is advice from people who have already been there. And at Ellis Brigham, that’s not a figure of speech. The company has always supported store teams with opportunities to test out gear so they can get first hand experience of performance and recommend the right product to every customer.
Ellis Brigham began as a custom hiking boot workshop and was the definitive address in 1930s Manchester for a perfectly fitted boot. Over the years they became one of the first British retailers of nylon climbing ropes and fiberglass skis, growing from that single workshop into a network of stores while remaining a family-owned business that has stayed genuinely close to the gear it sells.
That closeness extends to how the stores themselves work. Ellis Briham pitch tents in-store, so you can get inside one before you commit. It sounds obvious, but in a market where most tents are bought on spec from a listing, being able to check the headroom, test the zip action, and confirm whether your kit actually fits in the porch changes the decision. The same staff who have tested the gear and been trained are on hand to help you find the best option for your specific trip and need, not just the nearest one on the shelf.
It’s that approach that makes the partnership with Kampa the right fit. Kampa have been a fixture of British camping since 2007, and this year they’ve relaunched with a new range and a new look which keeps the qualities that built their reputation (high-quality, durable, no-nonsense construction) while pushing the designs forward.
Two tents sit at the heart of the new collection: the Stargazer 02 and the Mossborn-K 03, each built around a different kind of adventurer.
KAMPA STARGAZER 02
We’ve all had evenings in the wild where we sacrifice our comfort for a hard-earned view. Sometimes the weather forces the issues, sometimes you simply need to lie down. Either way, zipping the tent door on a view you’ve earned is a small defeat. Kampa have designed the Stargazer 02 with exactly that in mind. It’s a tent from which the view is always in reach.
The headline feature is the door system. Both the front and side panels open to the full height and length of the tent, giving unobstructed sight lines in two directions and the side opening carries a canopy to deflect rain without obstructing the view. The Stargazer 02 uses aluminium poles and ripstop siliconised polyester, and its A-frame design gives it a standing height of 130cm, making it roomy for a tent in this class. Berth widths are generous, which is a recurring trait across the Kampa range. A dry-bag stuff sack makes packing down straightforward, and leaves more time to make the most of wherever you’ve pitched.
MOSSBORN-K 03
The’K’ in Mossborn-K stands for Kampa’s own spec upgrades, and they show. The Mossborn-K is a semi-geodesic tent for two or three people. The K series spec uses light, sturdy aluminium poles and packable 68-denier polyester coated silicone for weatherproofing. It packs down into a compact footprint, but inside you get two doors and porches, an enclosed inner tent that blocks sleep-disrupting winds, and plenty of sleeping space per person. The balance between packability and comfort is where this design shines.
Visit ellis-brigham.com, or in store, to try the range. Full Kampa collection details can be found at kampaoutdoors.com.
ALSO IN THE RANGE
MOONGAZER 23 XL
A three-person A-frame with a full habitation zone, a Kampa logo-shaped window panel for panoramic views, and a front canopy. The pick for those who want a roomy base to return to at the end of the day.
PINEVEIL 04
A lightweight tipi-style tent with roll-up sides and a zipped in and removable groundsheet that doubles as an open shelter or sun canopy. Integrates with the Kampa Kite canopy to extend the footprint. Available in two- and four-person sizes.
MOD 250
The basecamp option. A modular drive-away awning and tent system, sold in bundles by use case, that sleeps up to 12 with three bedroom annexes attached. Details and configurations can be found at kampaoutdoors.com.