Author Topic: To new tent or not to new tent?!  (Read 3083 times)

lawz-22

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To new tent or not to new tent?!
« on: 15:00:30, 16/11/18 »
Planning on walking the Pennine Way next May 2019 with my boyfriend and I'm dithering about tent options. Currently we have a Vango Banshee 300 - great tent, never had any issues with it and up till now, it's coming with us. Despite this, I'm currently researching other tent options - the Banshee isn't the lightest of tents and there isn't really any storage space for bags etc. and I'm a little concerned that if it's blowing a gale and raining heavy, things are just going to get wet through. Also the thought of trying to sleep with 2 big bags under the feet doesn't appeal for 14+ nights in a row! (we've usually used this car camping). Even though it's not the lightest tent, I'm not wanting to spend (if at all!) more than £200. So, do we:


a) Stick with the Banshee - store bags outside wrapped up in bin bags if necessary to protect from wind/rain
b) Purchase a new tent with a bit of storage space, but with a smaller sleeping area
c) Buy a tarp to add to the Banshee (but obviously more weight!)


We previously visited Alpkits' store and tried out their Jaran2 - even though the sleeping area was significantly smaller than the Banshee, with us both laying down in it it seemed spacious enough. It was really this visit that kicked these thoughts off!! But we've decided against this tent as despite it being incredibly lightweight, even with a footprint, we didn't like the fact that it was an inner pitch first. I've been nosing around some of the Black Friday deals that have started already and seen these, although weight-wise some are pretty equal to the Banshee, but they do have a porch area:


Vango Scafell 200
Vango Tempest Pro 200
Wild Country Hoolie 2
Vango Nova 200




I'm flitting between options A and B at present, so if anyone has any advice or ideas we'd really appreciate them! Thanking you in advance  :)

gunwharfman

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #1 on: 15:25:29, 16/11/18 »
Depending on how much you will use the tent, if it was me I would seriously look at the Naturehike page. They are copies of well known tents at roughly a third of the price. If you look back on the Forum, it was only recently, someone wrote in with photos about them. I'm buying a new tent in the new year, I'm going for a Naturehike Targi.

zuludog

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #2 on: 16:38:42, 16/11/18 »
As mentioned, have a look at Nature Hike tents. They are fairly well made, and cheap. Unless you're doing anything serious in winter they would probably be OK for you.
The only problem is that they might be inner first pitching; sorry but I haven't checked if they all are
However, if you search YouTube for them you will see that the flysheet can be added over the top very quickly
Just to confuse you, they tend to offer the same tent in different weights & colours, and hence prices. But they are so cheap you may as well get the best combination.

Going a bit higher than your price range, have a look to see what Backpacking Light have. I have a few friends who use the Luxe Peak, in small & large - V4 & V6 - with and without an inner, and they're all very happy with them. Again, search YouTube for them
Backpacking Light sometimes have offers & sales; check their website

Be warned - manufacturers know that we now pay much more attention to weight, so they frequently list pegs, bags, poles & guys as extras, or only provide the absolute minimum needed to pitch it, but in the real world you will have to find or buy extras, which will of course increase the weight & price. If you read the specification carefully you will see that while it might not be illegal, it is, IMO, sharp practice

Ronin83

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #3 on: 22:51:33, 16/11/18 »
The Berghaus peak tents aren't that expensive, lightweight and outer first pitch.
I got the 3.3 and its great. Has a porch for bags too.
At £200 you could probably get something even better though.

taxino8

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #4 on: 07:42:13, 17/11/18 »
The Berghaus peak tents aren't that expensive, lightweight and outer first pitch.
I got the 3.3 and its great. Has a porch for bags too.
At £200 you could probably get something even better though.
I’ve just Googled these and the Berghaus comes in at 2.46 Kg, the Banshee Pro 300 at 2.8 Kg so not a massive difference in weight.

alan de enfield

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #5 on: 09:40:03, 17/11/18 »
I think if you consider the Banshee 300 (3 person tent) too small, then you will really struggle with a 2-man tent.
My 'lightweight' 2-man tent weighs in a 2kg by the time I have included everything (tent, flysheet, guys, pegs, 2x extra pegs, spare guy line, 'Footprint', peg bag, pole bag and overall bag)

If the tent is 'ok' in every other respect except space for packs, why not just buy a 'mini-tent' (Bothy) for the pack storage

https://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/002303-lifesystems-survival-shelter-2-people.html/661973/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping&istCompanyId=b238823a-59fd-4816-9c36-7dd47877f2a8&istItemId=xliwtlmiia&istBid=tztx&gclid=CjwKCAiAlb_fBRBHEiwAzMeEdoXL1UJA27LvohbkbxzjsHb6Y4FPb3wdRsXdiSExYnbKPWPw2O3XyRoCqg8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Put your £200 towards a couple of nights of 'luxury' B&B during the trip.


My tent is the Chinese copy of the MSR Hubba Hubba.

The MSR Hubba Hubba is RRP £425, the 'Copy' I got from Amazon at £75.
They are both EITHER fly sheet first, or tent first (whichever you find most convenient)

Have a look at the MSR Hubba Hubba - it is a good design and maximises space, but it is not a 3-man tent.
The 'Copy' is excellent quality and, actually a better specification in water resistance and material denier.

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/tents-shelters-c25/two-person-tents-c26/hubba-hubba-nx-tent-p2405


Comparisons :
                                                                      MSR                            Chinese Copy
Tent Sleeping area ‘footprint’            1270mm x 2130mm                1350mm x 2100mm
‘Porch’ size (2-off)                             760mm                                    700mm
Height                                                1000mm                                  1000mm
Fly Sheet                                            20D 1200mm HH                   20D 2000mm HH
Floor / Groundsheet                           30D 3000mm HH                   40D 4000mm HH
Weight                                                1.77kg                                     1.80kg
Pack size                                             460mm x 150mm                    470mm x 190mm

Price                                                    £379*                                      £75**

*Go Outdoors price with membership card.
** Amazon UK delivered price.
 
« Last Edit: 09:55:49, 17/11/18 by alan de enfield »

Ronin83

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #6 on: 10:12:56, 17/11/18 »
Hmm, if u want lighter, but the problem is space so you need a bigger tent then there's a contradiction there.


Yes the Berghaus is only a tad lighter, but its a 3 man with a porch.


For longer trips than 1 or 2 nights you will want a comfortable tent too.
I think the options are either get a bigger tent which will probs weigh the same or rough it with what youve got and maybe an extra tarp or something for your gear(more weight)

NeilC

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #7 on: 10:48:18, 17/11/18 »
I don't know the tents you listed personally but I'd be cautious about going to a two man tent. I don't know if you've ever tried two adults in a two man tent but personally I find them horribly cramped and many aren't even wide enough to get two mats in without some overlap at the foot end. Some might be more sensibly proportioned but you'd want to check carefully.


At least you're boyfriend/girlfriend so that makes the enforced intimacy isn't such a problem I suppose.




Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #8 on: 11:17:42, 17/11/18 »
I bought a lightweight  two man tent for hiking in the Alps many years ago. It had a large 2 entry porch, so my bag could be stored, and I could sit in the porch while cooking. It was great for ONE. I have shared the tent several times in the New Forest, the Gower, Snowdonia and the Lake District. This demonstrated to me that the Trades Description Act obviously does not apply to tent sizing. I suppose it does depend on the size of the ‘man’, but my camping companions have always been much smaller than me. Given a choice, I would always go for a bigger size tent. The comfort at night far outweighs a few extra grams during the day. If I really needed to carry less weight, then a diet would be in order. That could result in a much greater reduction in weight than any lightweight gear could achieve.  :)

richardh1905

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #9 on: 13:05:35, 17/11/18 »
Surprised that you can't get 2 people + bags inside a 3 man tent, to be honest.
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jimbob

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #10 on: 13:17:33, 17/11/18 »
The thing I don't understand is the weight issue in this thread.

Two people can divi up any tent package and be carrying a very moderate load., and with the correct choice of tent, pegs etc end up each carrying less weight than an average one man tent.




Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #11 on: 16:48:14, 17/11/18 »
Correct, I've seen couple sharing a 2 person tent load many times.

gunwharfman

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #12 on: 16:52:22, 17/11/18 »
I learned some time ago that I can erect my Marmot Pulsar 2 tent, outer first, then inner if its raining. A bit of a wiggle but it works well. My Marmot footprint allows me to secure the poles to this and from then on tent erection can be achieved without the inner tent getting wet. If you havent a footprint he poles can also be erected by using a couple of measure bits of string with small loops at each end.

taxino8

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #13 on: 18:41:42, 17/11/18 »
Correct, I've seen couple sharing a 2 person tent load many times.
I do that with my wife, she gets to carry none of it and I get what’s left!
She seems to think that’s fair and equality of the sexes doesn’t apply to this kind of thing in her mind but strangely it applies in a lot of others.

Ronin83

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Re: To new tent or not to new tent?!
« Reply #14 on: 23:56:02, 17/11/18 »
The equation is simple
Tent size = the number of people + 1
So for 2 people you really need a 3 man...just to clarify




 

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