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Tent for bagpacking for 7 months???

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  • 18-06-2011 3:59pm
    #1
    sarahmccarthy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭


    Hey

    Im going travelling on a trip called UK-to-Oz overland I will be travelling for 7 months going through 23 countries. The weather will vary from extremely hot to freezing in China. The majority of the trip will be in hostels but I will be also camping for a lot of time too. I was advised by others who have done the trip before to get a free standing tent. I have never been camping or on anything like this before. I wanted a tent the was very easy set up. I went in to my local outdoor shop and they recommended the vango dart ds 200 pop up tent.

    Link for pic: http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/dart-ds-200.html

    Has anyone used this before and how suitable will it be? Will it be strong enought to last 7 months?


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    #2
    Donny5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,827 ✭✭✭Donny5


    I wouldn't say any pop-up tent would last very long, and they are impossible to repair. They are also massive when packed, usually a gigantic awkward to pack disk.


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    #3
    preacherman
    Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    My advice would be to ask the tour operator for recommended makes and models of tents that would be suitable for the trip. They will have seen and used many types and should know the best one for the job. You may need to buy it online but if its based on a solid recommendation from experienced users then there should be no problem.

    Personally I wouldn't go for the tent you have linked to because the inner is fixed. For the trip you are going on I would look for a tent that pitches inner first. That allows you to leave off the fly sheet in really hot countries which will give you good ventilation but still keep the bugs out.

    Without knowing your budget it's hard to link to specific models but sticking to Vango in the price range you linked to you could look at http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/alpha-250.html

    Hope this helps

    Andrew


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    #4
    feck sake lads
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    although expensive the hilleberg akto cant be beat .set it up in jig time weight around a kilo packs small bomb proof plenty room for one person.probable the best tent in the world ;)
    there was maybe still is one for sale in adverts at half the price you would pay new.
    good luck with the trip sounds amazing ;)


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    #5
    preacherman
    Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    feck sake lads wrote: »
    although expensive the hilleberg akto cant be beat .set it up in jig time weight around a kilo packs small bomb proof plenty room for one person.probable the best tent in the world ;)
    there was maybe still is one for sale in adverts at half the price you would pay new.
    good luck with the trip sounds amazing ;)

    Is the akto a free standing tent ?

    Andrew


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    #6
    feck sake lads
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    preacherman wrote: »
    Is the akto a free standing tent ?

    Andrew
    no it's not free standing just the one pole is all thats needed to pitch it.
    btw the akto is still for sale on adverts you might just get it at a fantastic price if i were you i would snap it up.;)


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    #7
    Donny5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,827 ✭✭✭Donny5


    feck sake lads wrote: »
    no it's not free standing just the one pole is all thats needed to pitch it.
    btw the akto is still for sale on adverts you might just get it at a fantastic price if i were you i would snap it up.;)

    It is freestanding. The Akto is very expensive for what it is, but the one on adverts is a rip-off at €300. It's three year old tent that was one for sale for £300. They only reason they're still being sold for silly money is that they aren't available new anymore. It might be a deal for €150, if you can go see it set up.

    For the OP, something like the Vango Preacherman recommended would be fine, and a damn sight cheaper. You also get a shop to bring it back to if something goes wrong.


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    #8
    sarahmccarthy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭sarahmccarthy


    Tanx everyone for answering!! This weekend I got to see a pop up tent by vango it was simple to put it up you just take it out and it pops up which I really liked, wasn't as easy to pack it up do but with practice I imagine it would get easier. Is the http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/alpha-250.html recommended by Preacherman a free standing tent?

    Do ye all believe the pop up tent is a definitely not suitable for what i'm doing?


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    #9
    preacherman
    Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭preacherman


    sarahmccarthy wrote: »
    Is the http://www.vango.co.uk/tents/alpha-250.html recommended by Preacherman a free standing tent?

    Do ye all believe the pop up tent is a definitely not suitable for what i'm doing?

    A free standing tent should be able to stand up on its own with the poles in place without having to be guyed out. The vango I linked to is free standing. As far as I know the akto needs to be guyed out to be stable which makes it a tough tent to pitch in soft sand for example. They are a classic tent but not suitable in my opinion for your trip.

    I'd definitely keep away from a pop up tent. They are fine for the odd night out but I wouldn't want to rely on it for long term.

    The tent I linked to should do you fine. I wouldn't buy it in black though, might make it very hot inside. If you can stretch your budget a bit more you might get something a bit more durable but I would stick to a classic dome shape for easy pitching and stability. Basically with tents, if you are only going to use it twice a year at festivals or the odd wkd in the summer then a cheap 30 - 40 euro tent will do but if it's going to see a lot of use then its worth investing a bit more but no need for an expedition tent either. I also like to buy a tent thats bigger than what is recommended if I don't have to hike far with it so if it's just myself I bring a two person tent and if there's two of us then we bring a three person tent. It's worth the extra bulk and packed weight for comfort in my experience.

    Hope this helps ... have agreat trip

    Andrew


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    #10
    feck sake lads
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    Donny5 wrote: »
    It is freestanding. The Akto is very expensive for what it is, but the one on adverts is a rip-off at €300. It's three year old tent that was one for sale for £300. They only reason they're still being sold for silly money is that they aren't available new anymore. It might be a deal for €150, if you can go see it set up.

    For the OP, something like the Vango Preacherman recommended would be fine, and a damn sight cheaper. You also get a shop to bring it back to if something goes wrong.
    it is not free standing ,you still can buy them new £450 sterling and they are regarded as probable the best one man tent in the world .
    check out any of the camping forums .


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