tents

[Blue Hills]

I cycled across the US last year and top of my list for accommodation were the three fire stations and a church. And the fire stations cooked for us (one even drove to Walmart to buy ingredients for Jambalaya)! And two of the fire stations we slept inside anyway

Yes I have heard this about the states - seems curious to brits.

Also camping in parks as mentioned above.

What sort of parks are we talking about?

The only parks I can imagine freecamping in in Britain would be wild/semi-wild ones like "country parks" - anything approaching a town park I'd be concerned about mischief in the middle of the night.

 

[jay clock]

Yes I have heard this about the states - seems curious to brits.

Also camping in parks as mentioned above.

What sort of parks are we talking about?

The only parks I can imagine freecamping in in Britain would be wild/semi-wild ones like "country parks" - anything approaching a town park I'd be concerned about mischief in the middle of the night.

It is such a big place. A village that in the UK would be 300 yards long with 100 houses in the USA will be 3 miles long. The "city Park" will often be several acres of playing fields etc

 

[Gravity Aided]

I shall try and get pictures.

 

[Blue Hills]

I shall try and get pictures.

of what?

 

[Gravity Aided]

City and county parks

 

[andrew_s]

Phreeranger I think is its name. Meant to be two person but ideal for one. Has an outer and inner plus single hoop.

Trekkertent are making a replica of the Phreeranger, in 3 fabrics - normal (1250g) or light (890g) nylon, or Dyneema/Cuben fibre (740g, £££)


I use an Akto

(showing the kit for saddlebag touring mode)

 

[Blue Hills]

Nice tent, not too keen on that campsite though - would rather freecamp for a night. Reminds me of a pitch i endured on a bank holiday in the lakedistrict. Didn't seem like camping.

 

[iandg]

I used to have a Phreeranger that I used for mountain marathons back in the 80s. Sold it along with a cotton Vango Force 10 when my kids came along and my marathon partner emigrated to Canada. Use a Wild Country Zephyros now.

A copy of the Phreeranger is still available http://www.trekkertent.com/home/home/32-phreeranger.html

 

[bygone era]

I used to have a Phreeranger that I used for mountain marathons back in the 80s. Sold it along with a cotton Vango Force 10 when my kids came along and my marathon partner emigrated to Canada. Use a Wild Country Zephyros now.

View attachment 456563

A copy of the Phreeranger is still available http://www.trekkertent.com/home/home/32-phreeranger.html

how do you find the zephros for room im 6ft 1 would it be long enough inside

 

[iandg]

how do you find the zephros for room im 6ft 1 would it be long enough inside

Sorry, it's the Zephyros 2. I'm a skinny 6'2", it's long enough but you can't sit-up straight. It's 'cozy' with kit. It would be a push to get 2 people in

 

[eversorich]

I went for the Vango Banshee Pro 300, 3 person. Believe me, that extra room is wonderful as it'll be my home for a year. I'm 6'1" and can sit up ok and fit my gear inside. The Pro 200 would suffice but I'm not a fan of being cramped especially if I'm stuck inside and it's raining!
Both the 200 and 300 aren't superlight BUT not heavy either and the price is superb. The only issue would be that they're not freestanding.
I did consider the MSR Hubba but the Banshee is so much cheaper and good quality for the price.

 

[Blue Hills]

Is this for single person camping eversoich?

Always get confused between Vango's Pro and XD models - I have a Halo 300 XD.

Is the Pro tougher poles and flysheet than the base model?

It does sound a clever move by Vango - take a well established well-proven well-liked tent and boost it/make it tougher - and sod a bit more weight.

Many other companies of course make their premium models lighter. And I can't help but think often more delicate. And often for sure with a hefty price hike.

Not being a weight weenie I prefer Vango's approach.

Enjoy the tent - I myself have come to prefer free standing tents though - liberation from guy lines, drunken falling over them, ability to pitch on "funny" pitches.

PS - do you have a personally weighed weight for that tent? With the pegs you will be using. I know companies often quote two weights but this makes little sense to me.

edit

found this:

https://www.millets.co.uk/tents-cam...VDlXTCh1f-w7YEAQYASABEgIv_vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That weight sounds fine to me.

I like the look of it - and that feature which allows you to use a walking pole to make a porch awning - very clever - and thanks to Vango's discount outfit having a couple of goes to send me the correct undamaged poles for the Halo 300XD I have such a handy extra pole.

 

[DooLY]

I use 1-person Kodiak Canvas Swag tent.

And it's not a regular nylon tent we got used to have, it is 100% cotton duck canvas, it weighs about 18 lbs!

But I swear to God there is nothing outdoors that can tear this tent or wind can blow it out. Guess it is also may work for cold weather camping but I have tested it in July and have to confess it less breatheable than nylon tents.

It is also pricey $230
you can try canvss tent only if you are going to windy or cold area.

 

[Vantage]

My new toy!

As if anyone didn't know, it's a Wild Country Zephyros 2 Compact.
The "compact" bit being that WC shortened the poles so it isn't as long when packed up. The first gen models were quite long.
They redid the ventilation too because of reports of condensation in earlier models. It seems to have worked.
I don't think the tent is made anymore as its no longer on Terra Novas site although the much pricier Lazer Competition which it was based on I think is still going. Shame really as its a bloody good tent.
I've only had it up 3 times in the garden and taking my time I've had it up in 10 minutes.
I tested it overnight during Storm Ciara. I don't think I slept a wink that night as the tent took such a hammering from wind, hail, rain etc that I thought I'd be taking flight in a very Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz fashion. That's why the tent looks a bit saggy.
Zephyros and I survived unscathed which frankly, amazed me.
Get one while you can folks.

Correction! The tent is back on terra novas site and there is now a 2020 version with 'improvements' .
Apparently the new tent has the inner and outer pegging loops connected together (a plus) but have gone back to using glass fibre end poles which fold. (a minus)

 

[Baldy]

You can still get Phreeranger's they're now made by Trekkertent. It's a one man operation so they do take a while to come. I love mine.