Need a new tent

Barnoe

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I know its a subject that comes up lots.

I recently sent back 2 Vango Tay 400 tents.

The first one arrived and i erected it in the garden and found 2 holes in it!!
so sent it back

Second one arrived seemed ok, went to Scotland camping and found the stitching around the midge net coming away
after putting the tent up and down 3 or 4 times i noticed all the stitching coming away around where the tent pegs go in on the little tag bits.
so ive sent that back too, and told them not to bother sending another as i have no faith in the brand.

First time I've bought Vango and last.

I have an Outwell family tent that we have had many years and is still like new... no holes rips or crap stitching, but its way too big for bike travel.
on the back of that i looked at Outwell first, but they dont do the kind of tent i need,

Brand new or second hand off ebay, im not too bothered
I'm not really clued up on tent brands, what brands should i be looking at and which do i avoid?
ideally I'm looking at a tent for me and the wife with all our gear, so 3-4 man and easy to put up and pack away.

any recommendations?
 
Have a look at Coleman tents. I had a Phad 3 which was a good tent at a reasonable price.
 
Hilleberg. :thumb2
Not cheap but the quality is second to none. :thumb2

I will also say I’d does depend a lot on what you’re gonna use it for and where you’re going. Some people like a lot of room, be able to stand up, big vestibule, lightweight etc. It’s a blooming minefield. :D
 
i've got 4 . different tents for different things

https://khyam.co.uk/collections/tents-for-sale-for-camping
Mckinley (nla) weighs 7kg big bulky sleeps 3
used for 3-4 nights in 1 place , paid £140 ,20 years ago.

https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/brand-home/terra-nova-new/

voyager
my poshest tent , needs a bit of wind . not good if more than 6"2" 1+1 good friend . less than 3kg paid £180 ( half price brand new not used. ) off ebay.

https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/brand-home/wild-country-new/

aspect 1 (nla ) sleeps 1 , and some kit , used for 1 night stopping only , less than 3 kg. paid £60 , half price WC sale.


QUECHUA from decathlon , t3 ultralight , 4 kg ,£30 off ebay never used by previous owner , still had tags. this is used the most.
 
Kyham biker. Used Kyham for years and never had a problem.
 
Hilleberg. :thumb2
Not cheap but the quality is second to none. :thumb2

He's looking at 80 quid tents, he might get a Hilleberg footprint for that!

Somewhere in the middle is where the best value lies.
 
I bought an AVON DLX 3-man tent from Blacks, used it 6 times, works well. I was advised to get a tent with decent headroom and which can pitch as one Tent and fly together.

https://www.blacks.co.uk/15986796/e...qlJxrM80dVioEJcjipgaAgSXEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I bought a groundsheet in Halfords, to keep the built-in groundsheet clean and dry.

Would prefer if rain did not land in porch when front flap is open but harmless really.

Takes 10 minutes to put up and take down. Depends on the pitch more than on the tent.
 
Lone Rider Mototent works great for bike camping. Well made, spacious and packs up to a fair size to strap on top of a pannier or across the back of the bike.

It's not £80 though.
 
Kyham biker. Used Kyham for years and never had a problem.


...^^^^^^^^:thumb2.....Got to be 15 years since I bought mine (possibly longer, I'm an old git) I've used it on numerous tours all over Europe. Easy up, easy down, waterproof, just works...

The end.
 
i dont mind spending a few quid if its gonna last.

I paid £120 for the ones i sent back which tells its own story.
I've learned that tents under £150 must me shit lol
So ill try doubling my money and hopefully get double the quality

stever1
My mate has a couple of Coleman he swears by, a cotton orange one i forget the name of, and i think the other is called epsilon??

Udders your right, it is a bloody minefield.
Hilleberg look good but over a grand, i will give that a miss... might as well stay in a B&B at that price lol

Lone rider moto tent looks ok, but realistically id be wary having a 250kg bike so close in high winds and soggy ground.
Sounds like an accident waiting to happen lol

The 2021 Kyham biker PLUS tent, is favourite so far, the older version looks too small, but the new taller version looks good.
just need to see how quick it goes up.... if its only up for 1 night at a time on a long journey it might become a pain.
 
i dont mind spending a few quid if its gonna last.

I paid £120 for the ones i sent back which tells its own story.
I've learned that tents under £150 must me shit lol
So ill try doubling my money and hopefully get double the quality

stever1
My mate has a couple of Coleman he swears by, a cotton orange one i forget the name of, and i think the other is called epsilon??

Udders your right, it is a bloody minefield.
Hilleberg look good but over a grand, i will give that a miss... might as well stay in a B&B at that price lol

Lone rider moto tent looks ok, but realistically id be wary having a 250kg bike so close in high winds and soggy ground.
Sounds like an accident waiting to happen lol

The 2021 Kyham biker PLUS tent, is favourite so far, the older version looks too small, but the new taller version looks good.
just need to see how quick it goes up.... if its only up for 1 night at a time on a long journey it might become a pain.
I had a Kyham Biker Plus for sale on here a while back. Brand new with a footprint, not even out of the bag. Had it up for £125 cheaper than out of the shops. No one interested. Didn’t sell but no longer available. People are weird.
 
I had a Kyham Biker Plus for sale on here a while back. Brand new with a footprint, not even out of the bag. Had it up for £125 cheaper than out of the shops. No one interested. Didn’t sell but no longer available. People are weird.

Oh you tell me this now!!!
£379.99 in the shops..
When I'm at Portsoy in September with all the other tossers and I'm sleeping under the stars in just a sleeping bag and no tent i hope you feel guilty :D
 
i dont mind spending a few quid if its gonna last.

I paid £120 for the ones i sent back which tells its own story.
I've learned that tents under £150 must me shit lol
So ill try doubling my money and hopefully get double the quality

stever1
My mate has a couple of Coleman he swears by, a cotton orange one i forget the name of, and i think the other is called epsilon??

Udders your right, it is a bloody minefield.
Hilleberg look good but over a grand, i will give that a miss... might as well stay in a B&B at that price lol

Lone rider moto tent looks ok, but realistically id be wary having a 250kg bike so close in high winds and soggy ground.
Sounds like an accident waiting to happen lol

The 2021 Kyham biker PLUS tent, is favourite so far, the older version looks too small, but the new taller version looks good.
just need to see how quick it goes up.... if its only up for 1 night at a time on a long journey it might become a pain.

I have the Biker plus, purchased on here new

First time to get up about 20 -30 mins, but i was taking my time, and it was the first time

likewise putting it away,

like any tent it gets easier with time

one thing i have found, the smaller the tent, the more congested it becomes with all your clothing, wet or dry panners etc

hence the biker plus for me
 
Oh you tell me this now!!!
£379.99 in the shops..
When I'm at Portsoy in September with all the other tossers and I'm sleeping under the stars in just a sleeping bag and no tent i hope you feel guilty :D

THere were actually 2 for sale, i got the other one :D

yes £379 seem a lot but look at it as A) an investment B) any tent is better than a fucked tent when your miles from anywhere and it starts to rain ;)

then the £350 tent becomes good value

have a look at the slummit range if you dont want to spend that much

or havea look at the vango airbeam, they were £125 odd reduced end of season stuff
 
I've just bought an MSR Elixir 3, RRP £330 but from Go Outdoors with the £5 discount card it's £254 approximately. Three man tent, they seem to have a good reputation and reviews. It only weighs 3.2 kg's & easily fits on the GSA. I'm looking forward to my first camping session, hopefully next month.
 
When you look at a tent check the dimensions to be sure it will fit into your luggage setup. Some have poles too long for your roll bag or the tent fills a panniers rolled up etc.
I bought a Marmot Limelight for bike trips because Marmot is a good reliable brand and it fits perfectly into my roll bag. I also bought an Exped tent for when the wife is with me on the bike, again good quality gear and it fits into the packing system. Their attention to detail is worth the extra cost over cheaper brands.
https://www.exped.com/nepal/en/product-category/tents
And Hilleberg if you can find one/justify one.
 
Another vote for Khyam. Bought my first in 1991, and although I’ve now retired it to the loft, it’ll still do the job. Currently using a Khyam Nimbus if staying for several nights in one place, and the Nimbus Mini if on the move.
 


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