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I'm looking for a tent to replace my 30 year old North Face (it does smell a bit!). Bought it soon after my first full pay check.
Two man, but not too small, and with the ability to cook in a sheltered position. Want it for base camp use ie camping over before or after a race. Used to a bomb proof tent and would favour that even if a bit pricier.
Any suggestions?
Me and my brother have had this for over a year awesome tent with room at front http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/tempest-300.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by wycoller
this is what we nearly bought - http://campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?ModelID=7077
This is what we wanted ;) http://www.hilleberg.se/products/tarra - the £700+ price tag put us off!
Vango Spectre 200 might do you:
http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/Ge...o-Spectre-200/
can pick em up for £75 online
just got mine, not pitched it yet, but everyone seems to think it's the best tent you can get at that price
This Berghaus tent from Blacks is meant to be good. Only quite recently out I think:
http://www.blacks.co.uk/product/096378.html
Worth a look.
Mmmmm tents. I love tents & have one for every occasion - my favourite tent is my Vango - can't remember what sort it is, but it's probably too big for what you would want anyway... In my opinion though, it's hard to go wrong with a Vango!
I love tents too and am currently trying to convince myself that I don't need that Berghaus!Quote:
Originally Posted by OneHillWonder
But agree about Vango. My Banshee 200 has been very good, although the floor did let some wet in for the first time in quite extreme rain in the Lakes recently.
Vango Omega 350 for me. Very lightweight, the newer version i.e post 2010 has extra tension straps on the inside which are a great assett as discovered last weekend in those howling gales! The only difference I wasn't sure about is the ground sheet in the front living area is no longer sewn in but detachable. I didn't realise this at first as bought it online as a replacement to my ancient one and was initially a bit perturbed. However on reflection and giving the extreme inaugral outing last week it proved a real boon to be able to detach it to clean it!
Plenty of room for cooking inside
http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/omega-350.html
Another vote for Vango from me too. excellent quality for the price I've always found. Had a Vango Hydra that lasted 18 years of abuse before it had to be semi-retired due to some of the seam tape finally coming loose in a few places (I'll get round to fixing this one day!).
I've got a Vango Tornado 200 currently, which is great. Large porch and very very stable. It's got windows too, so you can check out the weather easily! It's also discontinued so you can pck one up for not much more than £100...
Wouldnt buy Vango personally... Vaude get my vote for something that isnt crazy expensive, but works excellently (ie.you can put it up in the dark, in the rain while drunk).
I have an old school Vaude Hogan- but theyve made them a bit heavier these days- perfect if you aren't looking to run with it (hiking is fine)
if you REALLY dont care about price, and want a totally and utterly bombproof tent, regardless of weight as well, Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 is the way forward. Loadsa space, 2 end entrances, geodesic, doesnt rattle around in the wind. But a tad pricey
I'm looking at one of these, £35 & less than 700g:
http://www.factsurplus.co.uk/product/85
go outdoors has a gr8 sale on at the mnute if theyres one near you id venture along :) reasonable choice on offer
I've been having a look at the Vaude Hogan tent online. Looks great, but seems to have a very small porch area. Probably doesn't provide much shelter for things like cooking I'd imagine? Interested to hear if it's a problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by zephr
Interested to hear what Wycoller went for in the end as well!
Terra Nova Quasar or the Robert Saunders origional. Bomproof roomy durable
force ten tents are really your only choice if your serious about camping. Theres a reason everyone has them at everest base camps.
My dads just sold his old A frame one..Absolutly bomb proof they are top tents!Quote:
Originally Posted by fellrunnerreuben
Thats not a tent!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by southernsoftie
Another vote for the Terra Nova Quasar. I can't remember how long ago I bought mine, must be 15+ years (just after they bought out Wild Country I think) and have used it in all kinds of bad weather situations, it's never let me down and is still sound.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graeme
A totally brilliant tent.
Mine is pushing 20 years old it is badged Wild Country / Wintergear, still going strongQuote:
Originally Posted by fellgazelle
If you have a primer stove like a whisperlite it gets a bit fun. The door has 4 zips on it, so you can open it on either side, or from the middle (that makes sense, right?) but if you're using a little stove like the pocket rocket, thats generally fine.
I've not had problems with mine, the porch area isnt as big as, say a 1 man tent with a porch the entire length- or the MSR hubba hubba (which is a pretty damn good tent as well- 2 porches- definitely enough room to cook in- but pricey).
Actually, if you havent looked at that one, it might be a thought.
Missus and I bought a Hilleberg Nallo gt + footprint, 3 years ago at about £425, now gone up by about £200 :w00t:, which is silly money. But I would buy another even if I had to rob a bank first.
Brill tent and worth every penny to us. Plenty of room with the bigger vestibule for base camp (used it in New Zealand and Tasmania) but also plenty light enough to backpack with (check out the stats).
If you have the cash, and will get the usage, buy this.
The blurb helpfully suggests that you attach it to "stationary objects". Please take note of this, SS, since committing the elementary error of attaching it to two moving objects could result in serious sleep disturbance.Quote:
Originally Posted by southernsoftie
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tussockface
..and it won't keep the midges off either :w00t:
For campers not into backpacking there's some cheap camping acoutrements on sale at Aldi this Thursday. I quite like the look of this
http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers...uys3_19231.htm
"Includes an armrest cup-holder and seat-back magazine holder " :cool::rolleyes:
What about one stationary object and one moving object? Like a tree and a train.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tussockface
That probably wouldn't be so bad. Just like when your duvet slips off a bit at night.
I've gone off the Berghaus a bit as the water resistance of the groundsheet is 4000 ml. Suppose you get what you pay for basically. I've had a couple of experiences of damp floors in heavy rain in the Lakes so think it's definitely worth spending the extra to have the peace of mind of not getting wet.
Interesting thread! I've been a tent freak since I was a young lad and have had more tents than is sensible, right from my old Blacks Wren ridge tent in the 70s to more modern geodesic stuff ..... I'd love a lightweight Terra Nova but the price tag just frightens me. For what it's worth, I also think the modern Vangos are pretty good value for money - I think someone mentioned it earlier - and I can recommend the Omega 350 for a good, solid tent with plenty of space and a good weather-resistant capabilities. I spent one of the wettest weeks I can remember [Wasdale] in one last year and it didn't even hint at letting in water. I've also got one of those Spectre 200s and it's a good option for the money, very stable in nasty weather and enough room for two backpacking. I suppose you get what you pay for in the end ... you won't find titanium pegs bundled in with a Vango!
I'm going towards the Vaude Hogan as being relatively bombproof and not massively expensive either. Couldn't bring myself to spend more than about £250 on a two man tent really.
Jsut seen some Marmot tents on the internet at half decent prices. Abode and Aura, 2 person tents.
Anyone got any experience of those?
I think I might not have the best grasp of how the waterproof ratings work as these tents are around £250, but they say the tent floor material is 3000mm. Thought that was quite low for a quality tent.
10000mm hh would be good for both head and floor. dont buy something for the price is somethings to dear save for it and wait. it will make a huge difference when you actually come to use it.
http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/images/p...9_enlarged.jpg if that link works that tent is bullet proof.
http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/product.php?product_id=3480 try this one too, i have seen them cheaper if you shop around too.
Have just sold my Vango Banshee 200 on ebay and bought a Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2xt for £300.
A lot of money, but think it'll make an excellent base camp sort of tent. And with the porch I'll never have to cook in the back of my estate again!
Hoping for the best, but it seems a great tent.
I have that Mountain Equipment tent too - love it - as you say, the porch is tremendousQuote:
Originally Posted by L.F.F.
That's good to hear. Can't wait to use it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich1
Will report back although might be a little while.
Set up my Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2xt tent for the first time yesterday, in preparation for the weekend.
First impressions are that it's absolutely great. Had a real quality feel to it and for a two-man tent it's massive inside, has a great porch for cooking in, so easy to put up... Can't wait to use it for real.
I have a hogan ultralight - nice and compact and light but in anything apart good weather I find myself cooking inside it, there just isn't room inside the porch and it gets to be a bit of a pain over longer trips. I still use it if I have to carry it instead of my bike having to carry it (or for shorter/good weather trips, or if weight is critical) but I have since bought a Vango tornado 150 which was quite cheap if a bit heavy but has a great porch with a door on each side - room to cook, spread wet gear out etc. Sadly vango dont seem to make this anymore but there is a similar gelert one. It has three poles and a semi geodisic design and seems very robust - it survived the storms on Jura in the week before last years race when two of the three tents next to mine were ripped and damaged.Quote:
Originally Posted by L.F.F.
Vango seem to do some of their tents as 200 (2 person) 300 (3 person) but as far as I can see they no longer do 150s, which at least in the case of mine are plenty big enough for two of you with less weight penalty and very luxurious for one. I agree that vango seem to be good solid tents for the price but I dont think they are necessarily up to the standards they used to be, which is perhaps an unavoidable by product of newer lighter materials. I had a force 10 for 30 years, I dont think my Tornado will last that long, hopefully I might (just about) but at the price I would be happy to replace it every five years or so.
I have a Big Agnes seedhouse SL2 and found this tent excellent and done many bike trips. My son has just bought the Big Agnes copper spur UL2. This tent has side openings so has 2 porches so plenty of room to cook. these tents are really well made and are the lightest 2person on the maket. 1.5-1.9kg
Have a look at the Hike-Lite web-site
You can tell yer mates you've slept with Big Agnes
Not quite. Terra Nova do the Laser Photon 2 at under 1kg and the porch is a reasonable size; certainly enough for cooking in. Of course you could fit two at a squeeze in the Laser Ultra 1 at a mere 560g... though you might need to crack the piggy bank open for the £700 it'll cost you!Quote:
Originally Posted by Masham Man
Having used the Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2XT tent properly now (a weekend a couple of weeks ago), I thought I'd say what a great tent it is.
Anyone looking for a good solid base would do well to have a look at this. Great porch for cooking in or storing things, feels really well put together, really simple to put up and nice and spacious for one person especially.
Just thought, only small criticism is that there is only an opening on one side of the porch. It just means that steam doesn't escape so easily when cooking and also it limits where you can camp if you want the door to face a nice view - eg sloping ground, head wants to be up, but that might mean the porch opens onto a view of a fence.
Presumably that reason is that some other bugger is carrying them. If you want a full spec mountain geodesic, like the Terra Nova Quasar or TNF Mountain 24, but don't fancy the price, have a look at the new alpkit.com range.Quote:
Originally Posted by fellrunnerreuben
Something else on the Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2XT tent - had only used it twice when one of the front loops for pegs came clean off. But Mountain Equipment have been great and are currently repairing it free of charge (apart from what it cost me to post it to them).
Great service.
A note on the Vango Spectre 200 - find it hard to get the flly sheet between the two arches fully taught. And virtually zero sheltered porch-space for cooking etc. But still quite happy with it for the price.
I've got this little tent as well and thought the same thing - it's as if it needs an extra tensioner either side of the "long" axis. Still good value though, has withstood some foul weather too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
ah, OK well that's 'good' to hear: I thought it might be because I messed up pre-bending the poles, managed to over-bend them in the middle so they are pointy-arched rather than a nice semi-circle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Martyn P