Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: Grace. on May 16, 2011
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hello everyone.
Me and my boyfriend are thinking of purchasing a Backpacking 2 man tent. Our tent at the moment is a Eurohike Cairns 3 man. Its a great tent just is super heavy and is not for the type of camping/walking we are hoping to get into over this summer.
Any suggestions for us? Under 150 would be great.
Thank you. Welcome to all suggestions.
Grace
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See this link to a previous discussion on tents. There are others if you use the search option.
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1716.msg16728#msg16728
I bought a Vango Spectre 300. Great tent for two with room for kit. Newest model has two doors.
http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/spectre-300.html You can get them for around or maybe less than £100
I'll add more details later.
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Thank you.
Shall have a look :)
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I think Redleader is selling a 2man vango, if it s not already gone..
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I did see this. Only thing is me and my boyfriend cant drive yet so it would be hard finding someone to give us a lift up to get it. :( Sadly. Otherwise I think we would have it :)
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the vaude taurus 2 (2.5kg) would suit you (might get one for £100 on ebay) but you could save a fortune by going for a gelert rocky 2 at 3.6kg (or 3 for extra space but 4.2kg)
vaude taurus:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaude-Taurus-Person-Tent-Green/dp/B000PPEBG4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1305558589&sr=1-3
rocky tents:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gelert+rocky&tag=googhydr-21&index=sports&hvadid=6400959006&ref=pd_sl_x5cpbgqw2_b
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Thank you. I like the look Vaude Taurus if I could get it on ebay cheaper that would be great though. When purchasing the cairns we looked at the Gelert rocky. At the moment ours weighs 4.7kg and I think we are just looking for a more backpacking light weight tent. Also I think Oisin wants to go for a more professional tent for his collection if you know what I mean. Will show him the Vaude Taurus though.
Thank you very much for the links and advice :)
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Definitely think it would be worth trying to find a way to buy RedLeaders Vango Banshee, might be worth sending him a PM? To be honest if I was going to recommend a tent for 2 person backpacking it would probably be either the Vango Banshee or the Vango Tempest. 2.5kg is grand when split between two people, and the Vango tents are both spacious and really well made. Add to that RedLeaders has barely been used and is around half price, I'd jump at it :)
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Yes me and Oisin really like the idea of trying to get up to get the tent though we did come across this North face rock 22 on ebay. Any suggestions on this tent?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NORTH-FACE-ROCK-22-2-PERSON-CAMPING-TENT-HIKING-TENT-/230596421125?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item35b09e2605#ht_1925wt_905
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Personally I haven't used a North Face tent before, but I think Mr. 6 Pack on here has one? On paper it looks like a good tent, although there is no real weight saving over the Banshee so if it was me I would go for the £50 option ;) Looks like the North Face might have a bit of a porch though if that's important to you, although I've always thought you could easily use a stick or walking pole to prop the door of a Banshee up and make a nice porch area for cooking etc. £139 is quite expensive mind you, and I can't help but think you are paying at least £40 for the North Face brand name alone. For example, after shopping around I was able to buy a Vaude Hogan Ultralight, which weighs in at 1300g, for £100 and it has SilNylon sheets etc.
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Very true about the brand name your really paying for. I put a post up on the tent for sale but he hasn't got back to it so I shall PM him about it. Only thing is there would be two backpacks :S would they fit in? Im sure we could fix up the tarp someway though to get some more cover I guess. At the moment the tent is really needed for the lightweight issue because we were hoping to maybe travel down south with it and camp so it would be trains and all the rest also because im only 5'2 I really need me backpack to be as light as I can make it compared to Oisin.
Grace
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I'm flogging the Vango Banshee 300 which is technically a 3 man tent. The 200 is lighter again at 2kg but tight for 2. Depends on what you're after, two people in a 2 man (light) tent is always a squeeze, as is 3 in a 3 man. However, if it's lightweight you're after sometimes the squeeze is worth it.
Either way, I'd recommend both the Banshee through experience and the Tempest as I've seen Suspectmonkeys plenty and he's always been happy with it. You'll get either in a 2 man brand spanking for <£100 I'd have thought.
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That would probably be even better, Stop Oisin complaining so much I've kicked him in my sleep as much. ;D Its a great weight for being a 3man though. If we can get it, it will be great -fingers crossed-
:)
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Only thing is there would be two backpacks :S would they fit in?
Best way to split a tent between two is to get a couple of dry bags, like those made by Exped (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product233.asp?PageID=98) or Alpkit (http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16316&category_id=295). You then stuff the outer sheet into one bag, and the inner into another. One person then carries the outer and pegs, and the other carries the inner and poles. You don't need to worry about rolling the tent up nice and neat, just stuff it into the dry bag nice and tight. This is also good as if the outer gets wet it keeps it separate from the inner.
I would say the Banshee 300 is more comparable in size to the Tempest 200. The Banshee 200 is definitely a much tighter squeeze than the 2-man Tempest, but around 0.5kg lighter.
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That's a good idea. We shall need to invest in a few more dry bags. Though I mean't could two backpacks fit into the little porch? Sorry I worded it wrong. :-[
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Though I mean't could two backpacks fit into the little porch? Sorry I worded it wrong. :-[
Opps, understand what you mean now! I wouldn't be sure of storage space in the Banshee, but the Tempest 200 I have has a porch that easily swallows two big rucksacks and boots. You will probably find with the Banshee 300 there is enough room to stick your boots between the inner and outer, and probably the rucksacks as well as long as there wasn't much in them. Truth be told by the time I've pitched my tent my rucksack is pretty empty as you end up taking the sleeping bag, sleeping mat etc. out anyway.
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Very true point there and food and stuff is consumed so dont need to worry to much about that. He said someone is looking at this weekend but if not he will find someway of getting it to us so thats great :)
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It would be tight between the inner and outer for a ruck in the Banshee. There's not much room!
Though I mean't could two backpacks fit into the little porch? Sorry I worded it wrong. :-[
Opps, understand what you mean now! I wouldn't be sure of storage space in the Banshee, but the Tempest 200 I have has a porch that easily swallows two big rucksacks and boots. You will probably find with the Banshee 300 there is enough room to stick your boots between the inner and outer, and probably the rucksacks as well as long as there wasn't much in them. Truth be told by the time I've pitched my tent my rucksack is pretty empty as you end up taking the sleeping bag, sleeping mat etc. out anyway.
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decathlon have a load of tents up in the car park so could for a browse round but mostly popups, did i mention i love popups,oh it was popup heaven :)
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Oh woah that looks like heaven to me lol. Pop ups were you being serious? Wait til the end of festival to watch everybody try get those back in the bag, falling out with partners due to it and then to end up chucking it in the skip . So frigging hilarious.
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i've got 3 of them, never have any bother getting them back in the bag, a quick look at youtube before a camping trip helps refresh the mind ;)
they had a coleman bedrock tent for £45, not much porch space though, but light at 2.5kg, also saw hammocks for £15, going back tomorrow with cash this time 8)
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Does the hammock have netting? Oisin wants a dd+ but just the price sets us back abit.
Ah you must just have the nick for it then ;D Coleman Bedrock is £34 on amazon with free p&p by the way.
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i always forget to check amazon :'(
hammock looks solid but didn't take it out of packet, says £25 on website, i'm sure it was £15 in store ??? maybe i'll buy 2 ;)
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rando-light-hammock-17406691/
(http://www.decathlon.co.uk/products-pictures/250/gd-asset_31461642.jpg)
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Will have to show Oisin this. Where is that shop?
Oh and kind of liking this tent. You know anyone with type? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coleman-c203339-Avior-TM-X3/dp/B000PJML2G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305742950&sr=1-1 :)
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www.decathlon.co.uk
Holywood Exchange Retail Park
Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9EJ BELFAST
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Oh yes I remember seeing this last time I was up in Ikea. :)
thanks
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got my hammock today for £15 :) and with the £10 i "saved" bought a waistbelt and a 10 litre pink rucksack (for my daughter of course)
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Haha very nice I'm sure she loved it :) Let know what the hammock is like when you get to test it out. Hoping to get up to decathlon in the next few weeks if all goes to plan. Do they do any camping clothing or anything? :/ I need to find somewhere to find cheaper stuff for the summer than Tiso and cotsworld.
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need to find somewhere to find cheaper stuff for the summer than Tiso and cotsworld.
TK Maxx is your friend! Can often find brand name outdoor gear at knock down prices. Also there are a few outdoor shops at the likes of Junction 1 and the Banbridge Outlet, although I've never had much success picking up gear there. Oh, Sports Direct is also good for a bargain from time to time.
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Thank you for giving me another reason to drag Oisin around shopping with me lol :P Cotsworld have a good price on a ladies north face fleece/hoodie at the minute 30 down from 55 but other than that all other clothing seemed pretty expensive.
Thanks for the ideas though. Shall have to get round to Junction one. Picked up my backpack from trespass there....regretted it so bad when I used it a few times though.
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One way of making shopping in Tiso/Cotswold more cost effective is to join Mountaineering Ireland (http://www.mountaineering.ie/membersandservices/viewdetails.asp). Your membership card then gets you 15% in both those stores, along with all the other added benefits of being a MI member. Well worth it, and the discount quickly pays for the cost of the membership. Just another idea ;)
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Thats good to know. Thank you. Shall have to tell Oisin he will be very pleased about this. thanks for the link and hint :)
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I did the same thing - joined CANI on a discounted first year of £20 which gave me 15% discount in Cotswolds. I'd made the money back the day the card came ;)
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Haha very nice I'm sure she loved it :) Let know what the hammock is like when you get to test it out. Hoping to get up to decathlon in the next few weeks if all goes to plan. Do they do any camping clothing or anything? :/ I need to find somewhere to find cheaper stuff for the summer than Tiso and cotsworld.
Check their website http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/women-s-hiking-68256618/
You may find it on promotion when you get in store ;D
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Thank you :D spotted some boots straight away. Now to get to Decathlon. Is there a train service runs this way from the belfast line?
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The Belfast to Bangor train must pass close by.
Thank you :D spotted some boots straight away. Now to get to Decathlon. Is there a train service runs this way from the belfast line?
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I see you're down in wonderful Larne as well ;D
Nearest train station would be Sydenham although you'd probably have to change at Central.
I'm up and down to Belfast pretty much every weekday; if I can help you and Oisin please let me know :)
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Yes the glorious Larne. The funniest of places to be ;)
Oh really? Maybe someday in summer we could catch a lift on your way up? Id pay the petrol for you. :)
Where abouts in Larne are you?
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There is a shuttle bus from the city centre to Ikea/Holywood exchange. Think it runs pretty regular.
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happy camping guys, enjoy the new tent, love that new tent smell! :D