Tent recommendations

[dessiato]

What should I look for in a tent?

I need something that can comfortably sleep two people, but is light enough and small enough to carry easily. I don't want to spend much as it is something that will only be used for three or four nights a year. There is no fixed budget.

What should I expect to pay for something like this?

 

[HAL9000]

The key issue is where you're going to pitch the tent. In places like california the ground is harder than concrete. So

• You either have a light weight tent and carry a light mallet and some stakes.

or

• Some sort of dome/ pop up tent which will be heavy / difficult to carry.

The cost depends on how light you want it to be

lightest tent is (these light weight tents have siliconized flysheet)

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/terra-nova-laser-pid860.html (if you replace the pegs it'll weigh 1.3 - 1.4 kg, pegs are rubish you'll need to buy some stakes or pegs)

&

Vaude make nice well designed tents, this tent is a slightly bigger 2 man tent but that's reflected in the price and weight

http://www.venturesport.co.uk/venturesport_product.asp?parseid=4938 (1.8 kg )


Heavier tent (may be difficult to sit up and get dressed inside the tent, but it is a lot cheaper)

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/vango-banshee-tent-200-pine-pid6094.html (says 2kg, might be correct because the tent is only 85 cm high)

 

[dessiato]

The key issue is where you're going to pitch the tent. In places like california the ground is harder than concrete. So

• You either have a light weight tent and carry a light mallet and some stakes.

or

• Some sort of dome/ pop up tent which will be heavy / difficult to carry.

The cost depends on how light you want it to be

lightest tent is (these light weight tents have siliconized flysheet)

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/terra-nova-laser-pid860.html (if you replace the pegs it'll weigh 1.3 - 1.4 kg, pegs are rubish you'll need to buy some stakes or pegs)

&

Vaude make nice well designed tents, this tent is a slightly bigger 2 man tent but that's reflected in the price and weight

http://www.venturesport.co.uk/venturesport_product.asp?parseid=4938 (1.8 kg )


Heavier tent (may be difficult to sit up and get dressed inside the tent, but it is a lot cheaper)

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/vango-banshee-tent-200-pine-pid6094.html (says 2kg, might be correct because the tent is only 85 cm high)

Thanks for this, but here in Portugal they seem not to be available. I might just get a supermarket one and see how it goes.

I was thinking of using it on the beach on some of the Atlantic Islands in Spain. It is half way between wild and camp-site, there are some toilets/showers and a cafe/restaurant. But there is nothing else and after the last ferry has gone there is only you and your tent.

The ground is sand.

 

[HAL9000]

You might be able to get a Vaude tents in Portugal, its a German brand. Since you can buy these tents in the UK, they might be available in Portugal. I used a 1 man Vaude hogan tent when I was in Australia (they have 2 man versions). Failing that look for a tent with a silcon coated fly sheet, very light weight tents use this material.

My current tent is a terra nova tent, very expensive, bit cramped but very light

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61808487@N00/2562088393/in/set-72157605510125285/

Supermarket tents are fine make sure you peg out the tent well when its windy. Main issues with these tents are, there heavy, bulky and have a reduced life span due to UV damage (if you're only using a few days years then thats not an issue). My dad used a cheap Eurohike dome tent (£30) for car camping in the USA

Investigate the peg options, see if you can get special pegs for digging into sand.

 

[dessiato]

You might be able to get a Vaude tents in Portugal, its a German brand. Since you can buy these tents in the UK, they might be available in Portugal. I used a 1 man Vaude hogan tent when I was in Australia (they have 2 man versions). Failing that look for a tent with a silcon coated fly sheet, very light weight tents use this material.

My current tent is a terra nova tent, very expensive, bit cramped but very light

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61808487@N00/2562088393/in/set-72157605510125285/

Supermarket tents are fine make sure you peg out the tent well when its windy. Main issues with these tents are, there heavy, bulky and have a reduced life span due to UV damage (if you're only using a few days years then thats not an issue). My dad used a cheap Eurohike dome tent (£30) for car camping in the USA

Investigate the peg options, see if you can get special pegs for digging into sand.

Thanks for the information.

I'll look for the peg options. I guess that having your tent fall down in the middle of the night is something you don't want to experience too often!

The last tent I used regularly was made from canvass, and was a heavy ridge tent. It was in no way user friendly, but worked perfectly.

 

[chilango]

You still in Portugal?

Decathlon is good value for tents (so long as you not doing anything too rugged with it like using it for alpinism or winter camping)

Something like this might suit your needs?

We've acquired a 3 man pop-up and were skeptical at first (having already got a bigger, good quality tent for longer trips and a great tent from Alaska for when we need to go light and fast) but its actually ok.

Good size for two people and bags. Very easy to put up, decent ventilation and coped fine with rain. Awkward shape to carry if you're back packing, but its light enough and has carry straps.

If you want something that packs more conventionally Decathlon also do non-popup tents too.

Good value for money ime.

Be wary of super market tents. We very breifly had one, but th ventilation was awful and in the Summer tents can be like saunas and the supermarket one was dripping with condensation!

 

[dessiato]

Thanks, we are still in Portugal. The tent you link to isn't available in Maia, but they seem to have some bigger ones. They look OK so I'll maybe pop into Porto at the weekend and have a look. My wife likes the idea of pop-up. I guess one of these with some good sand pegs would work well enough for the Atlantic Islands. I'll have to make sure that I pitch out of the wind though!

 

[fractionMan]

I've got a vaude and it's still going strong 20 years later. They're light, durable and you can put them up in the rain without getting the inside wet (poles are on the outside). All round awesome and recommended.

It's a vaude hogan: http://www.venturesport.co.uk/venturesport_product.asp?parseid=4937

 

[dessiato]

I've got a vaude and it's still going strong 20 years later. They're light, durable and you can put them up in the rain without getting the inside wet (poles are on the outside). All round awesome and recommended.

It's a vaude hogan: http://www.venturesport.co.uk/venturesport_product.asp?parseid=4937

Looking at their website they seem very very good, but since they are not for sale in Portugal....

 

[dessiato]

Is this one any good? It is quite cheap, is it too cheap?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00322QRPA/ref=pe_39251_20759591_pe_epc_t5

 

[fractionMan]

It's massive and heavy if you only want it for two people. 6.3kg

 

[fractionMan]

It would help if you said what it's for. ie. festivals, hiking, carrying from the car to the beach, going up mountains in the snow etc

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

 

[dessiato]

What should I look for in a tent?

I need something that can comfortably sleep two people, but is light enough and small enough to carry easily. I don't want to spend much as it is something that will only be used for three or four nights a year. There is no fixed budget.

What should I expect to pay for something like this?

Thanks for this, but here in Portugal they seem not to be available. I might just get a supermarket one and see how it goes.

I was thinking of using it on the beach on some of the Atlantic Islands in Spain. It is half way between wild and camp-site, there are some toilets/showers and a cafe/restaurant. But there is nothing else and after the last ferry has gone there is only you and your tent.

The ground is sand.

It would help if you said what it's for. ie. festivals, hiking, carrying from the car to the beach, going up mountains in the snow etc

Do these two earlier posts help?

 

[ill-informed]

ok, it's not cheap, but it's the newer version of the one i got in 1988, which has had loads of use, withstands any weather and because i'm still using it i'd say it was pretty good value.

Fairydown tent

 

[jusali]

Another Vaude fan here! We have the mk2.
Taking the boy out in it for a bushcraft weekend next weekend.

Also have fairydown sleeping bags got them in NZ ace things!

 

[not-bono-ever]

bump

Might be doing route 1 Iceland in late september. Wild camping is verboten now, so I need to get a 2 person tent - there are options to rent in Rek IIRC, but might be pressed for time . Looking for an EASY TO PUT UP tent that could posibly fit in a rucksack with sleeping bag etc. I know that pop ups are great and shit but think they might be too big for the plane. ideas ?

 

[A380]

bump

Might be doing route 1 Iceland in late september. Wild camping is verboten now, so I need to get a 2 person tent - there are options to rent in Rek IIRC, but might be pressed for time . Looking for an EASY TO PUT UP tent that could posibly fit in a rucksack with sleeping bag etc. I know that pop ups are great and shit but think they might be too big for the plane. ideas ?

Can’t go wrong with a Vango of the size you need. Not the cheapest. If you want to walk and carry it then maybe their Banshee 200?