What Tent To Buy

[roundisland]

I brought a second hand vango tempest 200 off ebay and paid £45.00 used it this weekend on a short trip, its roomy for one and not so heavy.


Vango tempest 200 1
Vango tempest 200 2

 

[juliusfister]

Although tarp plus bivi is my favourite way to camp it isn't really much (if any) lighter than a lot of today's lightweight tents and if you're on a public camp site can be a right pain for privacy. Also isn't good if you're anywhere near midges.

I would maybe disagree on your point about weight (I have a very minimalist approach- 1x basha 4 x pegs - 2 x bungees and most importantly para-cord!) but midges can be a bit of an issue (understatement).

 

[saoirse50]

hah! I'm afraid I haven't yet.

Bought at the end of last summer in a sale for 60quid I think. I did compare it in the flesh with a Banshee set up at a camping show and remember thinking there wasn't much in it in terms of difference. Coleman is a touch heavier and has less 'features' but for cycle touring, I can live with that. Unfortunately though, I'll have to let you know how it copes when I do finally get around to using it but a quick test pitch didn't show any problems with it.

On a completely different note, have you ever stayed in Lochranza Youth Hostel? Your avatar looks similar to a woman staying there when we were there attempting our first mini tour with the boys. Probably not but I thought I'd ask.

Yes, I have stayed in Lochranza...several times. Just changed my avatar to one of me standing on the pier waiting for the ferry. If it was this trip, it might help confirm or deny.

 

[Crackle]

Yes, I have stayed in Lochranza...several times. Just changed my avatar to one of me standing on the pier waiting for the ferry. If it was this trip, it might help confirm or deny.

I'm afraid I can't tell from the avatar but of course I recognise the pier It would have been Aug 2011 if it was you and I realized you were cycling because your red top was a Rapha one. Don't know if that one is Rapha. I was there with my wife and two boys, heading to Islay the next day.

 

[jay clock]

If there is Decathlon near would be worth looking. I had a T2 ultralight pro weighing under 2kg and was under £100. Very comfy for one and adequate for two.

 

[Chris Swift]

Thanks all for ur posts.... im borrowing a brand new vango tent from work (dofe) my mate brought a banshee 300.

Defo thinking bout ur posts seperate tents the way to go.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I would maybe disagree on your point about weight (I have a very minimalist approach- 1x basha 4 x pegs - 2 x bungees and most importantly para-cord!) but midges can be a bit of an issue (understatement).

I've been planning (when and if I tour again) to use mosquito netting on my next tour, if I use my bivi, especially with chikungunya about to spread to the US.
I would agree, @Chris Swift , separate tents, if you are doing tents, are a great way to go. I just find it easier to keep things sorted and packed properly with everything kept separate, otherwise, you spend half the tour asking "Have you seen my...."

 

[Blue Hills]

[QUOTE="Crackle, post: 3084927, member: 1011]" Coleman is a touch heavier.[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily a bad thing. May make it tougher and longer lasting. A few more grams on a tourer will matter nowt.

 

[djb1971]

I had a banshee and sold it because it was heavy and a pig to put up when tired and dark. It was a good tent but I hated it. I bought a Coleman libra to replace it, a bit lighter and amazingly easy to put up. It's got big numbers 1-4 on it to show you where to peg first, very handy in a gale and darkness when it comes out of its bag all rumpled up. It's just been on Mull for a week of gales and rain, worked perfectly.

I can't recommend it enough, it's only a one man tent but it's got enough room inside for me and my kit and has two little porches to stick boots in etc.. The only thing I've done is replaced the pegs with a better quality.

 

[fluffkitten]

I've been planning (when and if I tour again) to use mosquito netting on my next tour, if I use my bivi, especially with chikungunya about to spread to the US.

Some form of bug netting is very useful. My love of sleeping under a tarp plus no netting is what led to me getting Ross River Fever when I was still living in Australia, not good.

More on topic: the Banshee 300 split between 3 people works really well.

 

[Chris Swift]

Thanks For all your replies