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Looking for tent suggestions for my nephew for overnight stops when climbing mountains, or general purpose young person outdoors stuff. Not too expensive, sub 3kg, able to withstand mountain weather.
Looks like Go Outdoors have a Berghaus Quasar knock-off that looks sturdy.
What's the scenario here - valley use, or 'up in the hills' use? UK or abroad?
I've been looking at the Alpkit Viso3 in recent weeks, albeit probably for a valley-basecamp tent - granted it's a little heavier than your 'sub-3kg' ideal, but currently on sale at £150. There's also the Viso2 which is a bit smaller & lighter.
If it's the Grampian2 you're looking at on Go Outdoors, that says it's 4.24kg.
I have a viso 2. Ideal for low-level stuff. It's not a 4 season mountain tent though and I don't think not expensive/sub 3kg/4 season mountain tent go together. Quasars and the look-alikes are usually over 3kg and not that cheap. Eg the Alpkit Kangri is £400 and 4.3kg.
I think that Berghaus Grampian 2 is a 3 season tent, so not really a Quasar-alike.
I'm with Yak, not expensive, sub 3kg and 4 season is a big ask. Just 4 season and sub 3kg is enough of a consideration.
F10 Xenon UL 2 from Vango? but you are into £300 plus dependent on sale prices. The vango quasar knockoff hits the 3kg but is £450ish
I went ebay for a macpac minaret for £60 that hasn't ever been out the bag to get round the same issue, not fully 4 season but pretty robust and with a much thicker ground sheet that you get these days
Vango have a factory shop which sometimes has bargains?
The scenario is camping overnight in the valley, most likely with a car but not necessarily. Needs to be relatively compact to be portable if using public transport etc but not necessarily backpacking light. Would be used year round, possibly in foul conditions, but yeah perhaps true 4 season isn't necessary.
I like the Visio 2 tho. You could spend all evening in there in the rain.
The scenario is camping overnight in the valley, most likely with a car but not necessarily. Needs to be relatively compact to be portable if using public transport etc but not necessarily backpacking light. Would be used year round, possibly in foul conditions, but yeah perhaps true 4 season isn’t necessary.
I've used a Terra Nova Voyager for that sort of use for neatly 30 years. It's 3kg but split between two that's not a problem for backpacking. Getting a proper inner first geodesic tent mean it'll stand up to pretty much any UK conditions. It's been fine in gale force winds that flattened a couple of other tents, and usable in snow as long as you knock it off the roof regularly.
If I was buying something now I'd probably look at something like the Alpkit Kangri and put up with the extra weight. https://alpkit.com/products/kangri
I have a barely used Vango Mirage 200 with additional awning tarp sat here doing sweet FA.
No longer need it, more than happy to part with it if you want to save a few quid?
I like the Visio 2 tho. You could spend all evening in there in the rain
Yeah, it's good for space with the extended bell. We had previously done 3months straight in a TNF 3 hoop tunnel (can't remember model) around mountain areas in Europe in a long summer and that was great, but the flysheet was done after that period then an incident unfortunately destroyed the rest of it before I could replace the flysheet. The viso is similar, but cheaper and a little heavier. Still not heavy though. I have a homemade footprint too for it. Mostly the viso is used for car-camping trips, mostly related to biking somewhere. I also used it as a solo tent when I was a section assistant on Scout camps. No issues, even in bad weather, but it's always pitched in a campsite, not a wild mountain spot.
I have a barely used Vango Mirage 200 with additional awning tarp sat here doing sweet FA.
No longer need it, more than happy to part with it if you want to save a few quid?
Sent you a PM, I'd be interested if OP isnt.
Pick most of the Vango backpacking range for that kind of use, size and weight. UK made, really practical and generally great value and quality. I've found them better sewn and fabric than 'posher' brands.
If on a campsite I would go extended porch area and inside - so Scafell 300+ at sub £200 and 3.2kg...
noone-s mentioned naturehike mongar 2 yet. is there a reason for this?
it looks a lot like the msr hubbahubba which impressed melast year for looking like itwould be the last tent to blow away at the campsite
I have a Mongar 2. Not totally convinced of it's robustness. Granted I've only pitched it in the garden. Felt the flysheet cut a bit high for driving rain and high winds. Ended up buying a Nordisk Svalgard silnylon as my bike touring tent. . Exact same design as the Argos Pro Action 1 but better quality materials. The Argos withstood a few stormy nights no problem. 1.9kg. Around £200.
The Savalgard comes in pu and silnylon version. Comparison here.
Wind tunnel test here to 90mph. Of course steady not gusting and not side on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nPrvXpDSsg
But at around 2kg I wouldn't say either of the Svalgards or the Mongar 2 are mountain tents.
For valley camping for 1 person the Savalgard has excellent headroom. I'm 6ft3 and there is space above my head sitting up straight. Not a big porch. But for a 1 person tent for a tall person that can withstand winds and pitches quickly it works for me. Like with my Argos I've modded it by adding three extra guy points on the bottom of the flysheet. More secure in wind.
I'm v/happy with my Wild Country Panacea 2. Single pole that the flysheet clips onto, so quick and easy to put up/take down, plenty of vents, with two doors and porches. Can also use trekking poles to add extra support inside the tent, if the weather gets really blowy.
@irc - is the mongar the one with 2 short poles coming sideways off the main poles, which you have to hook the outer up to?
my son got one, it was a real hassle trying to put it up, in the wind,with 2of us. It was good and spacy inside, and i thought he'd got the 3man version of the cloudup3, but the design is completely different to my cloudup2.
I told him to set it up in his garden before using it, but did he listen, and he went off up snowdonia to pitch it, but came back with it 2hours later
And you can get an awning for the mongar for £56
@alric That'sthe one. A very big spacious tent for the weight. While easy to put up I thought that cross pole and the bits of the tent clipped to it were under a lot of strain. Perhaps an issue long term. Not sure. I'm keeping the Mongar for car camping. The Svalgard is a couple of hundred grams lighter, packs smaller, and is a better design IMO for bad weather.
Another recommendation of Vango here, the Banshee 200 or 300 would fit the bill
I have a Mongar 2, which I think is a rip-off of a MSR Hubba Hubba. Only used it the once on a solo bikepacking trip, but it seems pretty good. I can put it up on my own and it's spacious for a 2 man.
My main criticism would be that when you open the outer zip, rainwater/condensation drips straight into the inner. Also, the inner is almost entirely mesh, so not ideal for cold nights.
While easy to put up I thought that cross pole and the bits of the tent clipped to it were under a lot of strain
I found this too. Took a hacksaw and cut ~10mm off, which seems to have reduced the strain. I noted that it works best with the cross-pole on top of the main pole.
Probably a Vango. Quite a fan of their arch/tunnel tents with TBS.
Whether your nephew is a race jockey or rugby player in size may well be relevant as some designs are pretty snug. Used to share a Trisar with a friend and one of us would have to sleep on a side to fit and for door zip to work.