Help needed on tent purchase

I have recently bought the slumit cub 2 that I'll be using for a Scotland trip in May, it seems very good as long as you are happy with it on the back seat.. It is a bit short inside though, but most tents I looked at were.. I got it for under £60 posted.
 
Hiya,

I use a Wild Country Hoolie 3 ... I managed to snag it as a bargain in the Cotswold Outdoor sale for £100. The actual Wild Country website shows them as a) £230-ish and b) out of stock anyway !

A quick Google shows it to be around the £150 mark; they do a smaller Hoolie 2, which is about a tenner cheaper. They do models of each with an extended porch, with an 'ETC' suffix.

I've been thoroughly impressed with mine, it goes up and down as one so you don't have to worry about the inner getting wet. Plenty of ventilation if it's warm, too.

It's a tunnel design and is meant to bend with the wind, so it might not initially appear as stable as some dome-type tents: just make sure you use all the pegs and guy-lines.

Any faults/niggles ?

The front/middle guy-line seems to get in the way, but then again I'm large and clumsy :blast

The pegs are a bit weedy, I need to replace/straighten mine.

Can be put up quite quickly, I've got it down to about ten minutes including fannying around with the guy-lines, which are an OCD of mine !

Small and light when packed. Seperate 'footprints' are available too.

If I was buying again I'd go for the Hoolie 3 ETC.

Hope this helps, and apologies if a bit long-winded ! :blagblah

https://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/Wild-...zc2fD9q7CweuPRObDbtbTzILAEQ5PvPxoCWbwQAvD_BwE

https://youtu.be/wij9FPTYvZk
 
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I used a Vango Omega 250 last year in Iceland and thought that it was good. Two man tent with a vestibule and plenty of room for me and my kit.

And there's one for sale on this very forum! £50 plus postage (around £6). Its been around (Norway, Spain, UK, Germany etc) but still a perfectly good tent for touring.
 
Just thought I would mention Hyter Huts, available at most, if not all campsites! It's still a good idea to have a tent for Nordkapp. I used both the above, hyter huts are more expensive but not over the top! If your tent is wet when you pack it, it's going to be wet when you pitch it again! I'm talking from personal experience, the cold can play its part in decision making. Nordkapp can be cold all year round! Norway is fantastic for biking, enjoy.
 
Camping in the Dolimites

I used to go to the Dolimites aboute 7 times a year as its only 5 houres down the road from me
When I choos a tent I choose one that will stay up with aut using any guede lines or pegs as you will find camping in Itally or kroata is verry stoney
But once some of your kit is inside it wont blow away and for handling I dont do panyers just a roll.strapt on the back I have allmost killed my self a few times with Panyers 😨
I’m considering going to the Stella if not this year next, later a trip to the Nordkapp and it appears camping will be hard to avoid.

Years ago we used small lightweight tents for the IOM TT that were a PITA to erect and pack up. So my requirements are

Easy and quick to erect and put away
Two man, although it’s only for one, but I need some space
Compact and lightweight when packed
Robust and waterproof enough for say a week on the IOM

I’m less worried about, brand, price and colour.

I’d prefer to buy new and it be usable more than a couple of times.

What do folk recommend
 
I’m considering going to the Stella if not this year next, later a trip to the Nordkapp and it appears camping will be hard to avoid.

Years ago we used small lightweight tents for the IOM TT that were a PITA to erect and pack up. So my requirements are

Easy and quick to erect and put away
Two man, although it’s only for one, but I need some space
Compact and lightweight when packed
Robust and waterproof enough for say a week on the IOM

I’m less worried about, brand, price and colour.

I’d prefer to buy new and it be usable more than a couple of times.

What do folk recommend

Just a quick comment on going to nordcapp
We went last year planning on camping so took our tents, we actually only put them up 3 times, there were 3 of us and it made renting a cabin on campsites quite affordable!e, if theres only a couple of you or you are on your own maybe not so affordable,
I swear by my khyams for ease of use, I've had a dome for about 18 years but am finding the door a little bit low as I'm getting older, I also used a freelander for years with the missus touring so we had somewhere to sit in inclement weather, I'm thinking of getting a biker plus this year to replace the dome just to have a little more space and headroom, they do pack up a little large though
 
There are so many tents to choose from.

It may be helpful to write down exactly what your going to do with it - and be realistic.
Will you use it in cold, harsh weather?
Will be be going on a light bike, through difficult terrain?
Will you use it at least once a month all year round.

What are your needs/requirements?
Are you fit and agile enough to get in and out of a small tent?
Do you pack light or do you like to camp in Comfort?
Would you prefer to stand up to get changed in the rain?
If the weather turns nasty are you more likely to try to find a hotel or hut etc...

I did this simple exercise and it helped me to be realistic and buy the tent which best suited us. It may also save you some money - better spent on a trip.

Good luck with your choosing :thumb
 
I would not rule out a classic Vango Force 10. The orange classic ridge tent. £100 should get a good 2nd hand one. I have had mine for 20 years. No condensation, very fast to erect and pack. Bombproof. Spares available everywhere. One drawback is the mk4 (sold as 3 man) is approx 6kg so quite heavy...
 
I would not rule out a classic Vango Force 10. The orange classic ridge tent. £100 should get a good 2nd hand one. I have had mine for 20 years. No condensation, very fast to erect and pack. Bombproof. Spares available everywhere. One drawback is the mk4 (sold as 3 man) is approx 6kg so quite heavy...

I love these tents. I think I could still put one up blindfolded after 20 years of not using one.

Brilliant bomb-proof tents. If you need it to be a bit lighter, get one with a nylon flysheet. :thumb
 
normal_Ullapool%20Jun%2007%20001.jpg


Mine and a mates in Ullapool a few years back. The MK4 is a peach. Big enough for 2, sold as a 3-man (very squashed) or perfect for 1, with your panniers, helmet etc inside with you :thumb \mines the one on the left next to the Land Rover - i recently sold it in perfect condition for £100 with years of life left in it.

The older (Scottish built) ones are better than the new (Chinese) ones. I bought a new Mk5 recently (next size up) and had to send the flysheet back to Vango because it leaked :confused: Buy one a few years old...lots better :cool::cool:
 
Slumit Cub 2 or Gobi 3. Quick erect/pack, I've only used it for two years now so can't comment on heavy, continuous use - will find out this summer when I take it on a longer jaunt.

I have the Gobi 3. Used in Scotland a few weeks ago and did a good job, even in pretty strong rain and winds. Flashframe is super quick to put up - genuinely takes longer to get it out of the bag than to put it up. Taking down again is easy but fitting it back into the bag can be awkward. Still only a 5 minute job though. It's fairly heavy and long, but it's still shorter than the width of the panniers if putting across the seat. I have it in a big dry bag with an Exped 10 mattress.

I also have an Omega 350, and to be honest that's a better quality tent, with a bigger porch area. I've had that 7 years and I doubt the Slumit will last that long. Takes a lot longer to put up and down though - not an issue in good weather, but the flash frame of the Slumit Gobi really comes into it's own when you're pitching in the rain.


IMG_3358 by Dave Wrightson, on Flickr

IMG_3431 by Dave Wrightson, on Flickr
 


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