Author Topic: Best budget tent for wild camping  (Read 6806 times)

brendan

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Best budget tent for wild camping
« on: 13:08:35, 27/02/20 »
Hi,
I'm about to embark at the perfect act of 69 on some wild camping, but I live on a basic pension and am looking for a good four season (I'm very optimistic!) tent. I'm looking at the Vango Banshee Pro Max (I'm over 6'1") for £109 at Amazon. Has anyone any advice about this? Any alternatives in that price range?

kinkyboots

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #1 on: 14:11:09, 27/02/20 »
This might be worth taking a gamble and making a cheeky offer to try and save a bit of cash? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vango-Banshee-Pro-200-Max-2-Person-Tent-Green/124098086775

If it doesn't work out or it's not what you expected you can just sell it on.

A four season tent is one which can stand up to gale force winds and is capable of taking/supporting a snow load on top. At best the Banshee is a 3 season tent.

brendan

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #2 on: 16:22:26, 27/02/20 »
Many thanks - may well consider an offer - considering new with warranty is only £55 more if no more bids - postage is around £7. Question still is - how good is it? There's new terra nova sololite for £175 also on ebay. I know the sololite is discontinued (as is the Banshee) but I have heard good things about it.  I'm prepared to get a good, light 4 season tent if it's excellently reviewed, good for wild camping and not really expensive. Big decision really but I take your point re selling it on.

gunwharfman

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #3 on: 16:30:20, 27/02/20 »
Have a look at the Naturehike online page perhaps? If you end up not being interested in their brand its a pretty good site for deciding the type of tent you might or might not consider when you do decide to buy one.

I have a Zepyros 1 for sale but I don't think this is a 4 season tent, rock solid through.

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #4 on: 16:54:45, 27/02/20 »
Might want to take a look at https://www.millets.co.uk/tents-camping/tents/2-person-tents/


Some excellent value to be had there.  Obviously if you want 'true 4 season' you'll have to pay for it - on your knees..


The Grampian 2 looks good value if you want to bimble off to Scotland and car camp in the middle of the glens somewhere where you don't have much walking with it to do, likewise the Scafell 200 might offer some snow/wind shedding at a fairly competitive weight considering the space.




Birdman

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #5 on: 18:56:26, 27/02/20 »
I have wild camped in a Vango Banshee 200 that costed £89 at the time. It's a good tent (3 season). Of course a polyester tent like that is a bit heavier than expensive silnylon tents, but it is just as functional. I've camped in pretty rough weather with that tent and it performed very well. So no need to shell out lots of money if you don't mind carrying a few hundred grams extra weight.


My travel and walking reports: https://www.hikingbirdman.com/

titch22

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #6 on: 20:44:17, 27/02/20 »
Got all my info on wild camping from the facebook site...wild camping Uk. Highly recommend. (68 year old starter). Good luck. Hope it goes well for you.

richardh1905

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #7 on: 07:15:03, 28/02/20 »
I'm still sorely tempted by a Nordisk Svalbard. I was going to go for the more expensive SI (silicone) version, but the PU version is cheaper and certainly looks as if it would stand some tough weather. Think that I am going to make do with my cheapo tunnel tent this summer, and wait until next autumn, though.

https://nordisk.co.uk/svalbard-1-pu/dusty-green/p/82/700

Still talking £160-170 though.

EDIT - found the PU for £144 - https://www.uttings.co.uk/p131346-nordisk-svalbard-1-pu-tent-dusty-green-122026/#.Xli-OW52tXI
« Last Edit: 07:18:51, 28/02/20 by richardh1905 »
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #8 on: 08:35:29, 28/02/20 »
I'm still sorely tempted by a Nordisk Svalbard. I was going to go for the more expensive SI (silicone) version, but the PU version is cheaper and certainly looks as if it would stand some tough weather. Think that I am going to make do with my cheapo tunnel tent this summer, and wait until next autumn, though.

https://nordisk.co.uk/svalbard-1-pu/dusty-green/p/82/700

Still talking £160-170 though.

EDIT - found the PU for £144 - https://www.uttings.co.uk/p131346-nordisk-svalbard-1-pu-tent-dusty-green-122026/#.Xli-OW52tXI


Funny you mention that, I saw a good deal on it and -almost- bought it on Wednesday.  Then realised I already have too many tents anyway and only get to use one at a time.


It's graded for high wind and almost perfect for UK conditions by the looks of it, although I'd buy the Sil version 100% due to resale and lack of absorbing water issues on longer trips.  Still think they could have made it with a solid inner, having a highly wind proof tent means little if it just cuts all the warmth away from the person in the mesh inner.  But perhaps this is a particularly UK problem.


Certainly isn't a four season tent but for the weight seems competitive.


At the moment tent-wise I'm deciding when it's time to bite the bullet and buy a Hilleberg Unna once I sell my dome tent, since I like the way you're more present in the outdoors, solid inner allows four season use, however losing a vestibule seems a deal breaker for UK conditions.


Would love to see a sil version of a similar tent to the Svalbard except with a solid inner and perhaps a tiny bit more vestibule space 

brendan

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #9 on: 09:50:36, 28/02/20 »
many thanks for all advice - I'm now leaning towards the Svalbard 1 PU - however would like to know more about the  advantages besides weight of the SI version. I'm attracted to the Svalbard because it seems (a) quick to put up and (b) robust enough if these pesky gales keep coming. Re mesh inner - is this just the door part?
I looked up the Hilleberg Unna - had to lie down for a while after seeing the price!

brendan

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #10 on: 09:54:12, 28/02/20 »
Sorry, Ricardh1905 forgot thank you for sourcing the Svalbard so cheaply! Could well be the deal breaker!

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #11 on: 12:01:32, 28/02/20 »
many thanks for all advice - I'm now leaning towards the Svalbard 1 PU - however would like to know more about the  advantages besides weight of the SI version. I'm attracted to the Svalbard because it seems (a) quick to put up and (b) robust enough if these pesky gales keep coming. Re mesh inner - is this just the door part?
I looked up the Hilleberg Unna - had to lie down for a while after seeing the price!


In general - PU tents are cheaper to produce than Sil because you're bonding a waterproof layer to the fabric, which is easy and cheap to do in bulk.  However Sil tents last longer and it would likely see you 10 years with little to no degradation.  In contrast, PU tents get a bit of a 'funk' if stored with a bit of moisture and I'd tend to move a tent on every few years before I have to deal with it becoming worthless or failing totally.  Sil also reinforces the tear strength of the fabric which makes it better handle the wind.  Biggest killer of tents is always UV though, so don't leave it out on a sunny day!




Essentially dual-sil (manually applied on each side of the fabric) is the ideal for a tent used in wet and windy conditions and what you'd look to find in quality tents, and if you're buying a decent brand (which Nordisk is) then I'd spring the extra 30-40 quid and get the Svalbard Sil for 3.5 season conditions in the UK. 


As to the mesh question, you're right, ideally it'd be a solid fabric inner with a mesh door but appears the fabric is mostly mesh - they probably went this way due to how low the flysheet drops to the ground with the intent of reducing condensation, but be aware if you're out in a gale this may want testing and you may find yourself wanting something like a SOL Bivvy to put your sleeping bag in (as it'll cut the heat loss to the environment).






brendan

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #12 on: 14:40:19, 28/02/20 »
Just seen that Uttings are selling the Terra Nova Laswer Copetition 1 tent for a large discount - any one has any experience of these and how they compare to the Svalbard 1 SI?

watershed

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #13 on: 15:07:27, 28/02/20 »
 Hi Brendan
Wild walking has some excellent reviews in his Blog that should be of some use to you.

I was lucky enough to purchased one of new 2019 model Lightwave S10 Sigma single-wall 1 person, 4 season tents a few weeks ago. I was planning to review it during my Scottish National Trail and Skye Trail walks in April and May. But I've had so much interest in it that I've done an initial review of the tent. I'll be wild camping in it, nearly every night for 2 months. Links to the review and walk are here:


https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/02/08/lightwave-s10-sigma-tent-review-new-2019-model/

brendan

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Re: Best budget tent for wild camping
« Reply #14 on: 15:19:01, 28/02/20 »
Many thanks watershed, I'll check it out.

 

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