Tent recomendations

[Twiggy2]

It is for me and a dog and I will be carrying it, am looking to use it for section s of the coast to coast and pennine way to start with, with a view to getting out and about asmuch as possible with it.
Any to look at or avoid please?

[Owen]

How much do you want to spend?

[Twiggy2]

I have no idea of cost to be honest. I want to buy one that will last, is light and won't let me down, is that doable for under £130?

[Owen]

is that doable for under £130?

No, light, durable, cheap. Pick any two. If it's durable it won't be cheap unless you spend silly amounts or it'll be heavy. If it's light and cheap it won't last. For £130ish look at the Vango range. 

[Woody]

For under £130 a Vango Banshee 200 would be a safe bet. I used one for the C2C, camping from start to finish and it did me well. I had a Hilleberg nallo until some mice took a liking to it which was well over 500 quid but to be honest I found so very little difference in usability / stability and build quality.
I've also got the forerunner to Blacks Octane 2 which i've had for 10 years now and have used it in all conditions on the fells and it's coped just fine.
Whatever you finally go for, make sure its got alloy poles and most tents come with rubbish pegs so spend a few extra pounds on upgrades like V shaped alloy tent stakes.

[Twiggy2]

Woody would you say the octane 2 is superior or of equal in quality to the vango

[archaeoroutes]

I love my Mountain Equipment Tadpole when I'm carrying it on my own. For longer stays in one place it is hard to beat my Mountain  Hardware Trango 2 for resilience and space (loving all the stash pockets).

[Twiggy2]

I love my Mountain Equipment Tadpole when I'm carrying it on my own. For longer stays in one place it is hard to beat my Mountain  Hardware Trango 2 for resilience and space (loving all the stash pockets).

Ouch at the prices

[Woody]

Woody would you say the octane 2 is superior or of equal in quality to the vango

I'd  say the Vango just pips it but only because I'm getting on in years and like the bigger side entrance rather than the front. Just makes it that little bit easier to get in and out of. But all things considered they are on par in my opinion.

[bricam2096]

why don't they make a tent where you can get into it through the top, not the side or front? It would be much easier unzipping it, stepping out of your shoes/boots and climbing in before zipping it up again. And, think how much easier it would be getting out in the morning instead of having to get out onto wet grass.

Incidentally, I'm actually joking but it would be a nice idea 

[Twiggy2]

Have managed to get a vango banshee 200 for £81.
Thank you for help an advice
Need to start threads for rucksacks and sleeping bags

[forgotmyoldpassword]

Have managed to get a vango banshee 200 for £81.
Thank you for help an advice
Need to start threads for rucksacks and sleeping bags

The Banshee 200 looks like a rebranded Coleman Cobra 2 to me.  Have good experience with that tent and is very solid in rough weather, although if you have a partner/are tall/both is can be a little on the petite side.  That said my other half has little interest in camping if it doesn't involve a music festival, so I'm usually in the clear.




I'd suggest buying a couple of dry bags to pack the tent separately, as the bag mine came in was quite oversize for what was in it, as well as a set of different pegs (I take a few different types, but you can ignore this if you don't intend to do any rough weather camping).


I don't know if we have any mods on this forum, but there is definite scope for putting a 'Find me a new rucksack..' and 'Find me a cheap/amazing/stylish sleeping bag..' thread at the top of the board.  So much solid, useful information in other threads which just gets buried, and I'm sure for people buying new gear it'd be nice to search through a large topic than try to find threads from months ago.   For for thought, anyway.

[fernman]

I don't know if we have any mods on this forum, but there is definite scope for putting a 'Find me a new rucksack..' and 'Find me a cheap/amazing/stylish sleeping bag..' thread at the top of the board.  So much solid, useful information in other threads which just gets buried, and I'm sure for people buying new gear it'd be nice to search through a large topic than try to find threads from months ago.   For for thought, anyway.

Good idea. There's a US backpaing site that does that. They have a Gear section with separate boards for Packs, Shelters, Sleeping, etc., etc., so one can go straight to the relevant one to look for information. As you rightly say, the old threads get buried on our site, and there's no guarantee the Search will find everything relevant to what you're looking for.

[Woody]

Have managed to get a vango banshee 200 for £81.
Thank you for help an advice
Need to start threads for rucksacks and sleeping bags

Nice one, hope you and the pooch have a cracking time 

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

The only thing one can recommend about buying a tent, is to buy the very best you can afford.
Vango, The North Face and other's manufacture high quality tents, but a good tent is only as good as it's construction and materials used.
Do your research, and if prices first appear steep for the tent of your dreams, save up for it.

Buying the very best quality tent will result in a piece of equipment that can outlast you.

My relative still has a tent they purchased way back in 1962, and the receipt is still in their posesion , £16.80.

That was an awful lot of money back then, but the tent has survived trips to Australia, New Guinea, and Norway, and still gets regular use, i believe it was used on a trip to the Paps of Jura last year.

Unless you invest in a very high quality tent, it's doubtful anything sold in Cotswolds or similar shop, will last over 50yrs of annual use.

Save your money carefully, and buy a top specification tent, in the longterm, it will pay for itself.