Gear

Hello all,

 I recently saw this tent on Blacks website and on Vango's own website:

http://www.vango.co.uk/products/tentsInfo.aspx?productid=212&modelid=127&id=21

I was wondering if anyone has bought this tent and what they tink of it. I can't find any reviews of it but I do like the semi-geo shape and the extended porch which is handy for gear, cooking etc. I was considering a vango spirit 200 + or similar but liked the way this one is free standing. Anyone any thoguhts or alternatives for under or around £200

 Thanks for your help,

DS

Thanks for the reply, it is currently £144 with free delivery on Blacks website so it makes it a little better. What I'd really like is a ME Dragonfly 2XT but at nearly twice the price it's out of my budget.

I agree about the wieght, but it says the Alto comes with steel pegs so changing these to alu or titanium would help. It also has a ground sheet in the porch so that can be left behind. I'd say with some small changes you'd get the weight below 3kg.

 What I like about this tent is the semi-geo shape and the porch. Does anyone know of a good 3 season tent that has both of these (and more!) for around £200?

Hello

I have considered that tent, initially i was put off by it being exclusive to Blacks but I saw the price as you mention and I am interested again. Looks like a good layout to me, the porch area has a little more headroom than usual because of the semi ridge design. Have you seen the Vango Tornado 300, a bit unusual but looks good to me. I will try to see one in the 'flesh'.Even more 'ridgey' (spelling?) over the porch than the Tornado.. 

Like you I have been struggling to find the tent I need, despite there being so many out there. It is for motocycle touring 2 up.

I don't understand why there isn't...

- a dome/geo/tunnel type tent which can sit in the rain with the door open and not flood!

- a dome/geo/tunnel which has porch space enough for two to get wet kit off without soaking your bedding and can store the kit so it is no wetter in the morning. Oh and also space to cook up a brew or a meal while the storm is passing...

I toured with in a car with an extended ridge tent once. It was a modified Vango Force 10, half as long again as standard, a long porch area, and it was fantastic.  We were able to just sit in there with the door wide open when the weather was bad with the nice view of the wilds (the weather was mostly terrible), joking and having brews and meals, the weather never touched us. We had that comfortable feeling you get when you know you are protected, It can even make you laugh. I rarely get that feeling in a modern tent. Unfortunately it was modified by clever guy who isn't me. Trouble was it weighed about 15kg about 25kg wet!. But this was 20 years ago.. with modern materials isn't it possible to have this but lighter and more compact? Calling all tent designers out there...

I've started looking at modern ridge tents, there are some American classics by Eureka. The companies are on e-bay and the dollar is weak. Even if they do not offer the one you want on UK Ebay they will sell direct and simply send you a Paypal invoice etc...  Remember that you will get some charges for importing but these are not much and there is no hassle paper work it is all sorted out for you. Delivery can be amazingly quick. I had one delivery within 2 weeks! Though it is usually about 4. I have bought quite a bit of stuff very successfully from the US. Once all is done the prices work out slightly less than you would pay in the UK for the same thing if it were available, the choices and the designs are not available in Europe. Go for what you want.

Anyone any experience of the Vango Tornado 300?

Vango Alto 200:

 We bought one last week after finding it for around £112 at Blacks. Not bad. I've only put it up inside, but it's sturdy, made of good material, great seemless poles. The porch space is big, it's like another tent in itself. It's a good light weight and packs tightly.

 We're taking it back because: the way the inner tent is tapered means that the tent is not big enough for 2 rollmats or thermorests. The bottom end would be a real squeeze even with two of the tapered inflatable mats. I think you would even struggle with 2 three-quarter length themo rests cause it thins down very quickly.

 I think it would be a great tent if you didn't want roll mats or if you were on your own... or if you were both really short. As it is though... definately don't buy it until you've looked inside properly.

 It's also pretty short inside so you would probably have to curl up if you were 6ft+.

Hope that helps... back to the drawing board for us then!