I'm new to the forum. I've always been into camping etc but this year I'm going on my first long walk (7-10 days).
I've got most of my equipment sorted but I still need to invest in a tent.
My price range is between £60 - 110.
Narrowed my choices down to the Banshee 200/ 300 or the Tempest.
The tent will be used mainly by myself but occasionally there will be two people using it, and I've read reviews about the Banshee 200 been a bit cramped for two people, so I'm leaning more towards the 300 as it's only slightly heavier.
I've found the 2010 model for about £80 which seems like a decent deal, the only noticeable difference from the 2011 model being the hydrostatic head, which is 3000 instead of 5000.
I have used both the tempest 300 and banshee 300. The tempest is a good strong allround tunnel tent but a little heavy. The banshee is almost a tunnel but lower than the tempest. I am 6'4" and found the headroom a bit low on both but lower on the banshee,the banshee was also too short for me,I touched both ends.Neither are big enough for 3 people and kit.I found the tempest better for kit and could get myself and my kit in comfortably but it was a squeeze for two adults and kit.The tempest has the bigger and better porch.
I had the same choice and from getting in them all in the shop i'd say the banshee 200 is a one man plus kit tent. Two if you leave bags outside and get very cozy with eachother.
The banshee 300 will easily cope with 2 and some kit but is the same weight as the tempest 200 which can take 2 fine, has a much bigger porch and better angles so less chance of touching the fly and more headroom. The tempest 300 will be massive and heavy for 1 but very comfortable for 2.
I went for the tempest 200 as i dont walk too far and wouldnt mind using it for longer camps where the banshee would get claustrophbic. Its been ideal so far.
So really its down to whether you want a 1 or 2 man tent IMO, or get both
Leaving aside the design differences between the Banshee and Tempest ranges, you have already hit on the more general point - size. As you say, tents designated as two-person (often with '200' in the model name) will be spacious for one but cramped (often very cramped) for two whereas three-person tents (often '300') will usually be adequately roomy for two people and their kit.
You then say: The tent will be used mainly by myself but occasionally there will be two people using it. So I would say your choice of tent depends on whether you are prepared to take the hit in weight (and, probably, cost and packsize) of a larger tent when you go solo or whether you can put up with cramped conditions when there are two of you.
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