 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
(This is a continuation of the now closed 'Anyone Know About Vango Force Ten Tents?' thread on this forum).
Does anyone out there have their original BLACKS PAKLITE lightweight tent from around the early 1980s? I believe this was a Vango Force 10 sold through Blacks with their own label on it. It's the one with a YELLOW rip-stop nylon fly sheet, optional A-Frame and ridge pole, and seven hollow interconnecting aluminium poles (four front and three back I think). It has a sewn-in groundsheet.
I bought mine in 1981 and I still use it even today - fantastic little tent. But unfortunately, at some point the poles got jumbled up and I no longer know which should go where and in what order (in those days the poles were not shockcorded and joined together, and regrettably it never occurred to me to put some paint dabs on the poles so that I knew which were which - I'm paying for that oversight now!).
So, is there anyone who still has a Paklite (or possibly a Force 10 of the same vintage) who could kindly measure the differing lengths for each of the poles front and back so that I can then accurately work out how mine should fit together?
Below is an image I found which shows exactly what mine looks like apart from the fly sheet being yellow and not orange (may not appear - had problems pasting).
Many thanks
Vango still do the classic Force 10 tents, so if you don't get a response here, maybe drop them a line? You can still buy spares etc also.
Thanks for that BWD. I think I contacted Vango some years ago but they were unable to help - said they didn't keep any of the technical specs regarding these tents. But in view of what you say - especially if they still do spares - I'll give them another go.
ATB
Right, my force ten is still spring loaded, so pictures are a bit clunky.
It's a MK4 ST, three man.
Legs are 3 poles each, bottom two identical except base has a plastic foot. The top pole is the same length but has a shorter indent/male part to go into the plastic triangle. See photo below.
The ridge pole consists of 4 poles, two end one are obvious due to the hole for the plastic triangle, middle two are different. One has two female ends and the other is identical to the two leg poles (ie the length of the indent/male bit) abut shorter by an inch in length.
See photo below.
I'm just sorting the links.
Edit to say I can't do this on my phone, too much effort, will do it properly on a desktop, the descriptions are accurate.
Thanks for trying Saccades but I don't think this is the one. Mine is a two person tent and there are seven poles, not six. Approximate lengths:
47.5cm
39cm
36.5cm
31.7cm
29.7cm
29cm
26cm
There are no plastic triangles - the 29.7cm and 26cm poles have a narrower profile at the top - the same indent as mentioned on yours - and these just go through the appropriate hole in the flysheet. So at least it is obvious that these are the top poles front and back (although which is which I'm not sure) but not where the others go.
Ironically, the ridgepole I bought as an optional extra IS shockcorded and joined in three sections, so no problem with that! Again, no plastic triangle to fit into - it just rests on top of the indented top pole at each end and then the flysheet goes over it.
Appreciate your efforts.
ATB
Ah, I did wonder from your description what was going on, with 7 poles I thought you'd lost an end or something.
Been a mad busy few weeks tbf.