Cheap one man tent/sleeping bag and whether to get ground protector?

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rm90

Member
So can you recommend a cheap one man tent that's fully waterproof and also sleeping bag/mat.

Any tips on camping in the rain including condensation, can't be much worse than having a wet inside tent also condensation an be a problem I seem to remember.

Also is it worth getting a group sheet protector?

And to save a new post also what's best way to sanitise water, Iodine or Choline tablets, how do you do it, is it safe to take water from a stream/lake?
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
there seem to be quite a few decent looking tents very cheap these days, so although I am a bit of a gear snob I can't really argue with some of the cheap stuff. But, you need to make sure you're getting a cheap camping tent not a kids garden play tent.


Biggest clue is it must be double skin - ie an inner tent, with a seperate fly sheet. This is a tried and tested design which reduces the need for either layer to be all that waterproof and reduces condensation. Beyond that - you need to ensure it's big enough that you don't touch the sides / ends - if you do you will get wet. Also it's vital that the inner and outer din't touch - this is down to care in design and care in pitching it.

In use don't zip all the zips up fully closed - there needs to be ventilation else you get condensation.

A week point of cheap tents (and some expensive tents) is the waterproofing of the groundsheet. Water soaking in is a real issue - so look carefully at this aspect.

Other than that I can't really recommend makes, but suggest a trip to a shop selling "good" tents - eg Hilleberg, wild country, vaude etc - then you are better placed to evaluate the cheap tents. If a cheap tent has a feature (eg self errecting) ,not found on a pukka tent - you have to wonder why?

Groundsheet protector - well a polythene sheet is cheap enough, but risks you pitching the tent in a mini pond by holding water rather than keeping it out. I do have a protector under my tent - but still...dunno

Regarding water supply - in highlanda of scotland or snowdownia I'd happily drink from streams - in a populated area, perhaps less so - depends.

various substances can be used to purify water - I seem to recall using an iodine mix (iodine dissolved in Potassium Iodide solution I think)
some years ago. I recall something about silver nitrate being used. Please check up on this though and dossages / toxicity etc. Another approach is to put water in a clear plastic bottle and leave it in the sun - UV supposedly kills the bugs - again do check up if this is right.

But again many uk or northern europe wild areas, streams are generally just fine to to drink
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
I would worry about that flock of sheep upstream, myself, but in the US we have a lot of Giardia in running water, and have to worry about algae and other things in the water naturally. You can:
A- Boil the water at a rolling boil for 5 minutes (cheap, time consuming.)
B-Filter the water through a pump and filter system(expensive, but convenient.)
C- Use Iodine tablets-(cheap, but the taste takes a lot of getting used to.)
D-Unscented chlorine bleach-8 drops per gallon if water is clear, 16 if cloudy. (Cheap, effective, but be careful to get the amount right. Bleach will not remove chemical impurities.)
 
Firstly no tent is fully waterproof its just some are less waterproof. As to condensation, depending on the difference between the inner and outer temperature, depends on what degree of condensation you will suffer. less so in the summer more so in the winter, and that applies to cheap and expensive tents. In the late spring through to mid Summer you can get away with a single skin tent, winter time having a inner tent helps keep the condensation from dripping onto your sleeping bag, however you will still suffer some, as your breath condensates on the roof of the inner.
If you purchase a lump of a cheap tent the groundsheet are often made of a heavy waterproof material, and so don't suffer being penetrated from stones or sharp objects, where as a expensive backpacking/mountain tent will have a thinner groundsheet which will be waterproof, but more easily penetrated, normally the manufacturers supply a separate groundsheet (Footprint) that you can use if you so wish to put under the tent.
Currently Blacks outdoors are holding a sale of lightweight tents and sleeping bags, personally I would recommend buying a 3 season bag, whilst it might be a tad warm mid summer, by late summer early autumn it will keep you toasty, nothing worse that spending a night in a sleeping bag that not l keeping you warm.
Take a wander around your local outdoor shops, as the staff your questions, hopefully you will get to speak to someone who knows more about the subject than yourself.

As to purifying water, I believe Iodine has now been banned in the EU for water purifying water, Choline tablets are ok but leave taste, personally in the UK I cannot remember using either, I happily drink stream water, just need to ensure there are no dead bodies laying upstream. Anyway I have never had must of a problem just asking at a house if I can fill up my water bottles.
 

andym

Über Member
Decathlon's own-brand stuff is very good.

Groundsheet protector? Personally I've never bothered as it's easy to repair any holes you make. But if you do decide you want one then go on eBay and buy a sheet of 'Tyvek' and cut it to size. Make sure to buy it wide enough: it would be worth cutting it big enough to cover your tent porch as well.

If you're going to western Europe then you aren't really going to need to worry about purifying water - unless of course you are really going into the wilderness and you carry a sensible amount to start with. I have a LifeStraw for emergencies but I've never needed it.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
I don't think there are many places worldwide that don't have bottled purified or mineral water. Just be carful to buy with the seals intact.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I can tell you the makes of lots of cheap tents. But I cannot tell you any of them that were any good. Cheap usually means crap.

My only advice is whatever you get, make sure it is double skinned. Because if you get anything single skinned you will wake up wet even if it has not been raining.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Going for a 2 man tent makes sense as you will need somewhere to store gear.

The Phantom 200 looks good at that price but maybe a little bright if you are Stealth camping. You need to do as many review searches as you can on both tents to make a decision.
 

tadpole

Senior Member
Location
St George
I would worry about that flock of sheep upstream, myself, but in the US we have a lot of Giardia in running water, and have to worry about algae and other things in the water naturally. You can:
A- Boil the water at a rolling boil for 5 minutes (cheap, time consuming.)
Waste of fuel, once water has reached boiling point, it's as safe as it is going to get. (dependent on altitude of course, anything about 1500m above sea level and I'd use tablets as well.)
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
Well I don't suppose anyone here can really comment on either of these tents unless they've used them, on sale and seem to get good reviews?

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/147977-easy-camp-phantom-200-2-man-tent-green-grey.html

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/09668545-eurohike-backpacker-tent-green.html
Going for a 2 man tent makes sense as you will need somewhere to store gear.

The Phantom 200 looks good at that price but maybe a little bright if you are Stealth camping. You need to do as many review searches as you can on both tents to make a decision.

very heavy though. Whilst size / weight are interchangable I'd not want to lug a 4.7kg.tent around.

Both look plausible design wise
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
The tent he is looking at is 2.7kg.

But even so, I would personally get rid of a KG elsewhere than stick myself in a one man tent with no place to put my gear if it is lashing down.
 

cnb

Guru
Location
north east
Depends what you mean by cheap..Never used one myself but the Vango Banshee 1 or 2 seem to get good reviews and they can sometimes be picked up in sales..Wild country do a similar style tent..Coshee i think its called...Condensation is just about guaranteed in any nylon tent at some time..Stick a sheet of plastic on the ground go back next morning and the underside will be wet..Vents help a little especially if its breezy..Look out for decent gap between inner and outer
 

Low Roller

Well-Known Member
Location
East Yorkshire
I once went camping at Beadnell Bay in the sand dunes. All I had was a sheet of polythene, a small bag of digestive biscuits and a half a crown. I didn't have a shoe box though. It was a good trip.
 
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