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I need a tent and need some recommendations please. I would like to take my kids camping so 3 person required and I will most likely have to carry it myself for a few years so the lighter the better. However I don’t want to spend more than £200 or so. I would also like it to be freestanding and have a rectangular sleeping area, not tapered at one end.
I’ve been looking at Vango Nemesis but it’s pretty heavy.
Thanks
Terra nova/ wild country have some cracking deals at the moment but be warned, their customer services is woeful. I am waiting nearly three weeks for a response to a warranty problem
I like vango stuff...
https://www.blacks.co.uk have a sale on
This catches my eye
https://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/090863-vango-helvellyn-300.html
Blacks have a sale on
I ordered some stuff from Blacks on the 27th of last month. Gave them the benefit of the doubt on delayed delivery etc. and didn't chase it up until last Friday - they just cancelled the whole order (not just the items that were now out of stock).
Ideally with tents, the formula for an easy life is n+1 where n is the number of people camping. For 2 people, a 3 man tent is a more comfy option.
If you are camping in good weather, a 3 man tent will be good enough for 3 but think about standard UK weather...
I've got one of these https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/camping-equipment/1126-omega-350.html which is what I use for Scottish winter campsite trips by myself. The advantage is that it has a large, usable porch to get changed in, to put low camping chairs in, to cook in, to sit and read in and to put a small hot air heater in.
3 people in a tent gets old really fast when it rains...
I’ve been looking at Vango Nemesis but it’s pretty heavy.
I have a Nemesis 300. Excellent tent, not sure I'd want to carry it anywhere though.
https://flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/26319475416/in/album-72157664697554023/
3 people in a tent gets old really fast when it rains…
Indeed. My 3 man is just for me 🙂
Not knowing the age of the kids is it possible they could each carry something ?. One gets poles, which alone arent that heavy, the other the pegs, again on their own not too bad, but likely makes up a fair bit of the overall weight.
Thanks everyone. Kids are 6 and 8 so unlikely to carry too much at the moment.
Nemesis is down to £140 on amazon at the moment. There is a replacement which is marginally lighter (Cuillin 300).
ali-express have knock offs of most of the lighter, more expensive tents.
Strong light cheap pick two. At that budget you will struggle
All of my tents are multiples of your budget - sorry I cannot help Maybe a trekkettent drift 3? More dosh that you want tho but light
Free tents in Glen Etive on a Sunday Afternoon after good weather. Might need to wait until next easter though at the moment.
Worth a look at Alpkit, they have some reasonably priced tents. Viso 3 looks like a good option, decent sized porch. Though not lightweight, wouldn't want to carry it too far.
https://alpkit.com/collections/tents/products/viso-3
I'd be tempted by the Aliexpress route, but of course shipping times may rule that out.
Looking at 2.6kg-3.1kg rather than 5kg for the Vango. Depends how far you're walking!
That helvelyn is what used to be a mirage (which is still a tent that vango make which is completely different)
I have one its ten years old its a great tent.
Easy to put up.
Withstands tent flattening winds.
Outer goes up first or all in one.
The entire front of the tent can be tolled away into a pocket. Actually my one criticism is that the inner door can't be fully opened to reveal a mesh for a fastasic view you have to peek out the mesh window. Or you can just sleep in the outer as a shelter.
Because its front loading its easy to get out without disturbing everyone.
Edit: missed out the but!
Its great if a bit heavy. What it doesn't excel at is prolonged comfortable camping the only place you can really sit is in the inner. The porch is no shelter.
You could buy an Alpkit Ordos 3 for £270, which is £70 over budget, but is about as light as you're going to get for a three-person tent at a reasonable price - 1600g claimed - and will save you a bunch of weight over a £200 middle market tent. Good people to deal with too ime.
Mates have the Ordos 2 and it's a very good lightweight tent, basically it's a repurposed, more UK friendly version of an old GoLite tent - they went bust, Alpkit bought the excess stock from the factory then redesigned newer versions.
Edit: I guess it doesn't meet your freestanding / rectangular stipulations, but anything that does is going to be either much more expensive or much heavier.
Like Badlywireddog, I was going to suggest to spend a little more and go lighter, you imply you will be carrying it (bike or hike) so that's important.
Ordos 3, Nearly double the price of the Nemises 300, but well under half the weight and considerably smaller pack size.
I'd like an Ordos 2 but price is an issue, looks to have been as low as £200 in the past so I'm hoping Alpkit decide to have a sale soon to get rid of unsold stock.
Terra nova/ wild country have some cracking deals at the moment but be warned, their customer services is woeful. I am waiting nearly three weeks for a response to a warranty problem
Warrenty ha. You'll be charged like the rest of us.
Had a pole snap on the first outing of my hoolie 2 etc and tear through the fly. .
They charged me to repair it. I had it fixed and it
Used it a few times Restored confidence and then flew to Canada
3 days into a 3 week tour during daily jnspection of the crimped spigots and cracks were forming directly from the crimps.
Not happy. Wild country have not even had the decency to respond.
By contrast my Vango taurus ultra lite lasted a good 10 years including a final fling riding round New Zealand and Australia for 6 months when I eventually wore out the ground sheet.
-and when one of the wife's Vango tents she runs a fleet of for doe failed they replaced it with in days with a brand new tent. (Zip failed within a year)
So next time I'd be tempted to take the weight penalty for a company that at least stands behind their equipment. .....
Have things changed again at Terra Nova - can't believe how bad their service is now! I know they and Wild Country split production etc many years ago but I contacted them probably 8/9 years ago about pole issues on a then ~15 yr old Quasar - they responded quickly and offered free repair.
Having recently bought a Hoolie from them I'm just hoping it doesn't break...
My issue was broken pole on Hoolie the first time I put it up. I know my way around tents so it wasn't user error. This was three weeks ago. I actually got a reply today saying they will send out a replacement pole. Regretting buying it now, should have gone for vango.
I'm actually considering returning it under distance selling regs as I don't have confidence in it, is this justified. If so, who pays postage?
We have a Hyperspace from c1996, it had some repairs early on and Terra Nova were brilliant, helped too that they're 20 minutes from us so could drop off etc. Emailed recently about a new fly and it took 3 weeks to respond, follow-up question about a zip repair and was told the workshop isn't in so couldn't help. Definitely not what they were. Shame as it's been a brilliant tent. But suspect we've had our monies worth now. Looking at new ones for when our son finally gets out to do his DofE and take on hols. TN were at top of the list, but not so sure now. Vango always look like the ones to go for, BIL has a couple and he's very pleased with them.
Vango heavier but having seen then take a beating from the kids with little respect and they way they dealt with the consequences ......we enquired about having a new zip fitted knowing kids are kids ....and they replaced it foc.
Won't be giving my money to t-n / w-c again. And their lack of response was nothing to do with Corona virus in my case.
Tent not fit for purpose. Heaven forbid it saw any rough weather -aforemwntioned vaude tent survived the raasay rumble which says alot given many tents tried to escape to the firth.
I have a vango 400 In green someone can collect for free in N London near M25. Its well used but not torn and is waterproof, needs new pegs and a couple of the loops have torn.
it’s 4 person one end, with a large 6ft high porch with either side doors and a window, Quite like the current Skye 400 except with a big window up front.
I too have a vango Omega 350..
It's the better version of their Beta 350 model.
The tent can be split into a few bundles: poles...canvas...inner, so all of you can carry something. But light enough to carry yourself.
The porch is AMAZING... can cook/dress/put stuff in it.
Such a good tent!
DrP
Have things changed again at Terra Nova
Yes. A lot.
At the lower end of the cost, Vango spank TerraNova on quality, design and warranty. We have some for DofE, I've run upto 50 tents before at the outdoor centre, and I'd take a few hundred grammes more of Vango every single time.
If for personal and a smidge more budget, the Alpkits do seem good. I say that as the owner of a near-dead Alpkit Delta which was never right from day 1, but they honestly sold it with warning for £50. I've made a few adjustments.
It's now 8 years+ old, done gold, silver and bronze dofe and canoe trips each year, and as a 900gramme(!) tent has stood the test.
Thanks going to go with the Vango Helvellyn.
I will also need a stove, what’s a decent option here, safety being my number one concern with the kids running around.
Trangia, with a gas burner attachment would be my choice, esp if kids around. Stable, flame is contained. Just perhaps a tad more bulky than some options.
I would like to take my kids camping so 3 person required and I will most likely have to carry it myself for a few years so the lighter the better.
Thanks going to go with the Vango Helvellyn.
Before you do, take a look at the Vango Nevis 300. I use it for bikepacking on my own and with my two kids, and it's been great. Light (2.5kg I think), small enough to go on the bars, and stood up to storm Hannah last year. Obviously you'd need something a bit more durable for regular high level use. Downside is that the sleeping area isn't rectangular and I would say that three adults would struggle to fit. It's fine with me and two kids though.
https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/camping-equipment/1124-nevis-300.html
Careful with the Nature Hike tents linked above. I have the 2 man version with one transverse pole over the front and one front to back pole. Happy with light weight and quality of construction but the tent is a bit flappy in the wind. Good space for weight though.
This one.
https://www.naturehike.com/cloud-up-2-ultralight-two-men-tent/
Trangia for sure if you are making meals rather than heating noodles. I'd pick the normal burner over gas because i enjoy it but the gas is convenient.
We have the Vango Omega 350 as well and it is a great tent. If you want slightly smaller and lighter then the Scafell 300 or Nova 300 look similarly constructed but a size smaller.