Yep, that's what I was going to say. Vango Banshee. Not huge money, and a decent tent. I'd love a Hilleburg, but who's got £800 lying around?! I love my RAB sleeping bag, but whilst down filling packs up really small, if it gets wet it's awful. Alpkit make good comfortable mats Snugpak probably for a hollow fill bag, or vango.
I just bivvi these days, no tent. Much nicer going to sleep looking at stars than in a tent. Alpkit bivvi bag was great but its lost in the house so just bought a cheapo black one in pic. Test it out soon. With a Rab 750 bag and thermarest, I can sleep anywhere. 2 weeks ago on bellever tor in Dartmoor. It’s ...OK...in the rain, but no beer as you have to get out and get wet for a wee. Wine therefore it it. one man tent? MSR Hubba...excess weight but Ok for campsites.
The hillebergs are crazy money now. I bought one about 10 years ago with a tax rebate I got (felt like free money). Needs to be used more, it’s a great tent! Just looked at the price of this tent now, £940! I paid about half that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was following this thread, it got me thinking about some winter camping, now that the Bus is tucked away until Spring, but the prices of some of the kit
A I said previously, had a clear out of my backpacking stuff a few months ago . I was amazed how much it went for !! It was all decent stuff but one used Alpkit down bag went for 45 quid more than I paid for it new ... Bonkers . Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
I was quite impressed by our old Blacks Stormshield tent we bought when we first got married (thats 34 years ago) - I got it out at Techenders September this year to use as a storage tent and I was amazed how light it was even with aluminium poles. It saw duty in the West of Ireland on a trip round random campsites, touring in a Ford Fiesta. But give me a bus to camp in - its a lot easier to set up in the rain. Like the other weekend when it was absolutely chucking it down and I went visiting relatives over in Kent, staying in the bus.
I got my Hilleburg from Cotswolds as part of their regular end of summer sale. Can't remember what the usual percentage off is, but it is generous and also any other offers apply. Came in at just over half price.
that's a lot of money, having looked at this thread and tent prices I see the Terra Nova Voyager I own would cost £700 to buy.
I’ve used a Vaude MkII and Vaude Hogan many times over the last 20-odd years. The mkII is more a two person tent and the Hogan a one or two person. I like a bit more space and I always find that subtracting 1 from the manufacturer’s stated person sizing suits my needs. What I particularly like about both is the design, which allows the inner and outer to be pitched together as one, suspended from the poles. The poles are assembled and erected on their own and the whole tent attaches externally to the pole frame easily once erected. This means very quick pitching in any weather leaving the inner tent dry as it’s attached already to the outer. Basically you peg out the combined inner/outer/groundsheet at each corner, attach the assembled frame and flex it into the fittings at each corner and clip the outer onto the frame with no faffing trying to push pokes through material sleeves or throwing the fly sheet over the top and trying to pin it down in wind. A few more pegs and it’s done. The inner stays dry and you’re inside and sheltered really quickly. The Hogan does come in different models and weights though, the ultralight being the best weight for single person camping under your own steam, although I think the ultralight design has the poles under the fly sheet not over. The Hogans have 3 corners and a single porch at one end so orientation away from the wind is best, the MkII has 4 corners and porches at both ends but is heavier and best split between two people if carrying. They’re well priced for the quality too. Weight varies between models and is reasonable, but they’re not the lightest tents available due to them basically being sized and marketed as spacious enough for 2. For car camping in comfort with a bike I got a cheap (£150) Blacks Omega 350 tent which is larger and has a massive porch large enough to sit under, cook easily and safely, and keep a bike and kit dry. Ample room for 2 or even 3. It’s not really one for hiking/carrying though as it’s larger and heavier.
