weight of tent

[willem]

If you cut down on your luggage enough, the rear panniers will do just fine. Not having front panniers and a lowrider saves 2-2.5 kg, and quite a bit of money better spent on lighter and better gear.
Willem

 

[JackE]

A 3 person tent is probably over-kill for solo use. My 2 person Hilleberg had acres of room for one. Try: www.alpkit.com for good quality down sleeping bags and their "Wee Airic" self-inflating mat is very good value. I would agree with Willem that if you can avoid buying the front panniers then you'll have more to spend on better quality, lighter kit.
www.theoutdoorshop.com have some good deals on tents around the £150 mark.

 

[rich p]

On another thread here someone mentions this one at 2.1 kg and blinking cheap!

 

[ontheroadtofrance]

I have just bought a Coleman tent weighing just 1.65kg, i have done this because touring you got to think light because your carrying it. I'm doing Geneva to Nice traversing the Alps so i'm putting them big long climbs in mind.

 

[JackE]

Terra Nova/Wild Country tents have a good reputation. On Ebay at the moment there is a WC Mistral 2 person tent (weight 2.9kg) and a TN Solar 1, a very roomy solo tent (weight 1.9kg).

 

[Amanda P]

also tents are often wet - you don't want that in the panniers

That's true. I have a "wet" rear pannier (tent, pegs, stove, pans, mugs, sandals other stuff that doesn't matter if it gets wet), a "clothes" rear pannier (only ever dry stuff like, er, clothes, books, maps), and then sleeping bags, thermarest etc go in the front panniers.

I keep the top of the rear rack free for extra water, shopping, layers peeled off during the day when I can't be bothered undoing a pannier, and so on.

But we digress...

 

[Cromcruaich]

Few points, regards cooking in a tent - those warnings are for noobs.

Nowt wrong with cooking in your porch with a proper camping stove. Just keep it away from the edges and take care. As to carbon monoxide, lol, aside from the argument about proper combustion, its a tent, not a hermetically sealed room.

As to tents, think youve got the jist, these days 6kg would get you a full geodesic base camp tent for Everest!

I've personally got an hilleberg atko for backpacking and cycling light (great bit of kit, very easy to erect but bit flappy in high winds), then a vango spirit 200+ (large porch) if with gf - bags of space for 1 person, or two if you get on well and arn't spending all day in there.

Mate has a lightwave trek t0, same function as atko, bit more fiddly to put up, inner first pitch, but solid as a rock in wind and cheaper than an atko.


Here is a thread elsewhere that might help:
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/forummessages/mps/UTN/19195/dt/4/URN/5/srchdte/0/cp/2/v/8/sp/

Don't spend to long deciding - it can become an obsession

 

[Brains]

As an aside an Englishman camping in Morocco last year died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Whilst agree this is unlikely in the extreme if you are just cooking, the danger comes if you are using the stove or similar for heating

 

[andym]

As to carbon monoxide, lol, aside from the argument about proper combustion, its a tent, not a hermetically sealed room.

Ignorance is bliss eh. If you can't see it how can it hurt?

backpackinglight.com have run an in-depth series of articles on the levels of carbon monoxide produced by various types of stove. Some are pretty low but a number of common stoves produced high levels of carbon monoxide: the MSR Pocket Rocket produced 240 ppm at low setting. The Optimus Crux produced 300ppm. To put that in context the limit for a 15-minute exposure is 200ppm, and 300ppm can lead to collapse.

If someone take the risk of running a stove in a tent are they really going to ensure there is proper ventilation.

Check out the articles (unfortunately you have to be a subscriber to read them - but you might find the subscription worthwhile). You might learn something.

 

[Cockney Scot]

ben listening to advice given and started doing research, favorite is the Vango tempest 200, went to a local camping specialist who had a large display of tents and the tempest sees to tick all the boxes for less than £80 and weighing 2.5kg. The tempest 300 also looked good, quite a bit larger and weighing 3.2 kg and at £100 on line good value. But bearing in mind that it is only me the 200 will sufice. Now looking at sleeping bags and rolls. Keep the advice coming.
Have been doing 30 = 40 miles each Saturday and Sunday to try and get me in shape, have to admit legs do ache and even though I have a good seat and padded shorts I feel like a steam engine (tender behind).

 

[Crankarm]

The New Forest is nice. Horses can be mischievous though. You're doing all the right stuff and most importantly listening to advice. Don't forget to do a bit of gentle stretching to relax you musles and keep them supple and pain free.
My choice of tent for solo touring was the Vaude Taurus Ultralight 1.85kg. It's probably pointless mentioning it as it is around the £200 mark and you have said your budget is around £100. Terra Nova and Hilleberg do yet lighter tents but are one person. They are quite pricey. For sleeping bag I got a Northface down 3 season bag I can't remember what it cost. All I can remember is I haggled hard for a good price. For mattress I have a Thermarest. You don't really need the lower third for knees so you can save weight by not getting a full size one. It is very comfortable given it is so thin. Don't bother carrying a mallet to bang in pegs. Push any pegs in you need, use a rock or use some one else’s.

 

[Crankarm]

..... then a vango spirit 200+ (large porch) if with gf - bags of space for 1 person, or two if you get on well and arn't spending all day in there.

I was looking at this tent primarily because of the extended porch. Unfortunately I have not seen one up. Blacks wouldn't put one up so have only seen it in pics. How large is the porch area and how practical is it to sit in for 2? Would the slightly larger 300+ be more practical for two as it is designed for 3 peeps?

Sorry I don't mean to hijack the OP's original thread.

 

[davidaw]

I was looking at this tent primarily because of the extended porch. Unfortunately I have not seen one up. Blacks wouldn't put one up so have only seen it in pics. How large is the porch area and how practical is it to sit in for 2? Would the slightly larger 300+ be more practical for two as it is designed for 3 peeps?

Sorry I don't mean to hijack the OP's original thread.

See Here for details of the Spirit range.

 

[Cromcruaich]

Ignorance is bliss eh. If you can't see it how can it hurt?

Thanks for the qualification, cooking in the porch aint gonna cause a problem with a flap open, this was what I was alluding to but should of been more strident.
--

Now back OT -
The vango tbs 200+ porch isnt bad for two, you can swap around in the space easy enough and have room to spread a couple of packs. I'm happy with it for what I bought it for - camping light with gf with a pitch as one (in a couple of minutes) tent. At the time I wasnt doing any cycle trekking - just hiking with some wild camping and sometimes pitching up at a campsite for some weekend fishing.

She doesnt come along too often, but if it was more regular and on cycle camping (where i wouldnt be so bothered about the weight in comparison to hiking - personal choice, i know weight is important to a lot of peeps on the bike) i'd probably plumb for the larger one for that extra bit of comfort.

I'll check if i've got a piccie of it pitched.

 

[Cockney Scot]

I have know bought a Vango Tempest 300. After reading reviews I chose this ten as T 3.2 kg has plenty of headroom and space inside, the 200 is 2.5 kg but several reports mentioned the limited headroom , so for the sake of 0.7kg have opted for the larger 300. Looking at several sleeping bags and mats at present. Thanks for all the advice and keep it comming as it is invaluable and very much appreciated.