Non-motoring > Cheap lightweight tent ideas Legal Questions
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke Replies: 38
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 17:08 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
I have upto around £40 to spend on a cheap tent, as if the we get any more nice weather and I have a couple of days off I am just going camping as its cheap.

I currently have this tent, which I have used twice now without any problems, but its a bit too cramped inside and it doesn't like condensation. I paid £7.50 for it in the half price sale.

tinyurl.com/6jhq9y3

I want something slightly bigger so I am not as cramped, but also I need to carry it around, so it can't be too heavy. A pop up one will be useless as I can never get them back up.

It will be for warmer weather, so space and weight is more important than weather proofing.

The ones I have seen so far are a bit too heavy at 4kg. Mine weighs just above 1.8kg.
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 17:12 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - R.P.
Have a look at the Cotswold site - they have a Rock Bottom branch in Betws y Coed, if you're coming to Wales I'll pick one up for you, I can get a 15% discount on shop prices (non sale items only)
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 17:20 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Fursty Ferret
Nip into Rock Bottom on Oxford road. Great staff and a 10% discount if you're a member of the BMC. Also applies on sale prices (unofficially...).
Last edited by: Alfa Floor on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 17:21
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 17:27 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Yeah there are several Cotwold stores in the city centre. Also millets etc.

www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.detail/code/73110114

A bit more than I wanted tot spend, but I am guessing it will be more stable and more comfortable? I will probably go for three days this time. Last time I went for one night, met my cousins and then had to be back in Manchester for the pub, so it was rushed.

But I would not have wanted to spend another night in that £7.50 tent, it was too cramped.

I am guessing a £55 tent won't heat up quite so much in the sun, and will also keep the warm in better?
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 17:28
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 18:01 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Fenlander
Why not turn to Ebay to get a really good one but within budget?

I'm just selling a year old tent with a retail around £280 - £300 and will be happy if it makes anything over £160 on ebay. Only been used for about 4 nights at home for kids sleepovers & like new. Someone will get a bargain.

I'd try and get a similar as-new bargain in what you want.
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 18:09 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Isn't their a risk of things like poles being damaged though buying second hand? What about postage?

I would also need something by this time next week, as I need to set off with very short notice. I need two things, no jobs, nice weather.

I will certainly have a good look though, as I said I don't need anything too fancy, just something better than the £7.50 one I bought last year! That said I've had so many tents, so it will be nice to have something a bit better.

Not sure I like the idea of a second hand tent, but I suppose I can easily clean it down.

I suppose if I get something second hand I will be able to get something made out of more exotic materials to keep the weight down. Ease of putting up is an important factor too. Ideally less than 10-15 minutes with one person.
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 18:10 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - sherlock47
>>I am guessing a £55 tent won't heat up quite so much in the sun, and will also keep the warm in better? <<

If you use the 3 person facility and sucessfully pull x2 I would suggest that it will definitely feel warmer. Going to Rhyl again?
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 18:15 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Never bother with Rhyl, it is like Liverpool on Sea. I tend to go to the Red Wharf Bay as there is a small town/village next to the campsite and you have views of blue sea and the Snowdonian Mountains. It is the only campsite I know which you don't book either, it so big you just turn up, and the fields go right to the edge of the cliff. A girl actually drove her granddads car off the camp-site straight into the Irish Sea a couple of years ago! Since then it now warns you to park sideways.

It is still Liverpool by sea, but at least there is lovely views. I always like to be by the sea as well, living in Manchester I can feel a bit closed in (although nothing compared to how Brummies must feel!) so I always prefer to take short breaks by the sea side as the air is so much nicer.

Edit also a two man tent with a porch area might be more better.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 18:15
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 22:18 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Harleyman
>> Edit also a two man tent with a porch area might be more better.
>>

Definitely. It'll keep the rain out when you're climbing inside, give you somewhere to sit if it's pouring down and also you don't have to cart your boots, rucksack etc into the sleeping area, always a PITA if it's wet. Having a barrier area twixt your sleeping area and a wet field makes all the difference.

I've been camping on motorbikes for over 30 years, so I hope you won't mind me offering a few tips Rats;

1) Don't buy a budget tent. Like everything else, you get what you pay for. Vango, Lichfield or similar are all good makes, and have a traceable customer service system. My current Vango Beta 350 has given me four years of use.

2) Take a spare fibreglass pole, cut to size if necessary, and also a length of garden wire to thread it with. Takes five minutes to repair a broken pole, better than a miserable night if one breaks; and they do!

3) Take a cheap packet of baby wipes. The long-distance lorry driver's best friend, with a thousand uses!

4) Try to get a tent with decent headroom. Those little maggot covers used by serious hikers might be light and easy to erect but they're no good for sitting in.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 22:21
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 22:25 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
1) Yep don't intend to get a budget one

2) Yep got some :) I always take spare pegs too.

3) Always do :) It is essential when camping really.

4) Yep an issue with my current tent, its too cramped.

So I need a 2-3 man tent with decent head room too. Might go to town in the next few days and have a look in some shops.


Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 22:25
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 22:26 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - PhilW
Have a look here
www.gooutdoors.co.uk/camping/tents/1-2-person-tents

- there's a Vango (used to be a good brand) which is very cheap
www.gooutdoors.co.uk/camping/tents/1-2-person-tents/vango
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 22:55 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
What is all this inner and outer business, I thought it was just the most expensive tents which have that. Do I need a double skinned one? What is the benefit given that I will be camping in fairly warm weather?
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 23:05 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Roger.
Camping is for masochists!
The last time I camped was in late 1954, during my commando course at Bickleigh. It was December, on Dartmoor: the "tent" was a bivvy made up with two groundsheets: the location was on a steep hill under some trees.
In the morning (VERY early) I woke up halfway down the hill and covered with frost.
Camping is definitely for masochists!
(P.S. I passed the course and got my green beret!)

Last edited by: Roger on Mon 4 Jul 11 at 23:06
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 23:14 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
That is why I don't go camping in winter. For me it is purely because I love walking out of a dent to see mountains and blue sea all for £7 a night. You would pay £100 a night for a hotel with that view.

I also like the fact tents have no electricity and there is no 3g signal, i.e no internet.

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 Mon 4 Jul 11 23:18 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - CGNorwich
'Camping is definitely for masochists!"


Was it was something like this Roger? Doesn't seem too bad.

www.jollydaysluxurycamping.co.uk/luxury-tents
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 23:28 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Harleyman
Do I need a double skinned one? What is the
>> benefit given that I will be camping in fairly warm weather?
>>

Put simply, double-skinned tents tend to be more waterproof. The outer sheet (flysheet) deflects the rain and stops the inner getting wet. It follows that if the inner's kept dry, water cannot percolate through, which will inevitably happen with any porous material no matter how often you treat the material.
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 Mon 4 Jul 11 23:34 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Not a major issue then, as I I can plan for the weather give and take, it is not like I know when I am going, it all depends on the weather. And my old Gelert tents have got wet in normal rain fall without too much of of an issue. My very cheap tents though were a disaster in the wet, one was so bad I had to sleep in a MK3.5 Fiesta.

Just found this on ebay

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vango-Alpha-250-NEW-2010-2-Berth-Dome-Tent-Excalibur-/160498061066?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_HikingCamping_Tents_JN&hash=item255e6e0f0a

tinyurl.com/3tycz99

Might be exactly what I am looking for, as it is just for casual use, and I can stick my bag and shoes in the front.

Have looked on ebay for used examples, but the bargains tend to be in the bigger family sized tents which cost £600 new, where small two men tents only cost £50 new anyway.

The Vangos seem to be a step up from the Litchfield/Gelert/£7.50 B&Q value ones I am used to.
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 00:06 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Just seen this

www.singersoutdoors.co.uk/catalogue/vango-alpha-300-weekend-tent-2011-p2930.asp

I think I have made up my mind that I want something of half decent quality, so will look at Vango but not too fussed about a double skin as rain shouldn't be an issue, I do want a sawn in groundsheet though, as they are so much easier.

Also as I like to camp by the sea it can be quite draughty, so a built in groundsheet will help with that.
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 07:46 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - sherlock47
Vango is now a brand name aquired by the AMG group - historically Vango were a manufacturer with a very credible reputation. Whether this reputation has been carried forward with the current range of products is something that you will have to determine. Their website says all the right things....................... but so it should, that is why AMG acquired the 'brand' :)
Last edited by: pmh on Tue 5 Jul 11 at 07:47
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 08:20 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - R.P.
I have a three year old Vango - a small one to fit my need of being packable on a bike. I fit into it along with my bike gear - and that is comfy. The tent survived my hard-core February trip on the Dragon Rally where it blew a hooly. I was dry and snug. Many others in my vicinity weren't. Seems well made and solid.
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 09:22 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Bromptonaut
Son has a small 2 man Vango, Spectre 200 IIRC, acquired for backpacking. DofE etc. Cost around £100. There's a 3 man version as well. Seems well put together and easy to erect. Not quite the qiality of our 20yo Saunders spacepacker but wel suited for the lad.

No direct experience of their smaller products but our Khyam family tent is up and ready when owners of other similar products are still threading poles through fabric. They also do smaller tents with a quick erect system www.khyam.co.uk/products.asp?s=Quick%20Erect Too heavy to carry any distance but just the job if camping from the car.
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 09:31 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Bigtee
tinyurl.com/6f3dhvs - links to tesco.com

For £25.00 and 4x person gives you plenty of room for the double air bed and your bag, plus you can cook in the little porch if it rains.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 5 Jul 11 at 09:39
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 09:33 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Zero
www.premierinn.com/en/
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 18:47 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
I think my favourite is now the Vango Alpha 250, it has a sawn in ground sheet and I have seen one errected at Cotsworld on Deansgate. It is £45.00.

It is a lot bigger than the one I have, the only downside is it weighs just over 3kg. It is double skinned too.
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 18:55 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - CGNorwich
£35 at Amazon
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004ZELQ3C/ref=asc_df_B004ZELQ3C3475433/?tag=googlecouk06-21&creative=22134&creativeASIN=B004ZELQ3C&linkCode=asn
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 Tue 5 Jul 11 19:09 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Plus £4 shipping, so thats £39, so I would probably rather go to the shop and buy it. I can help keep staff in a job and it is much easier to return if there are any problems. I am quite old fashioned though!

I do want in black though, as it will keep the light out better in the morning. So if my local Cotworld stores don't have it in black, Amazon it is.

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 Wed 6 Jul 11 10:29 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - neiltoo
Won't a black one get very warm in the sun? Even with a double layer?
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 Wed 6 Jul 11 20:08 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - R.P.
www.touratech.com/shops/008/product_info.php?products_id=6270&osCsid=d7b0ce473c6564482e1b5de5b02a3f07


A tent for a lifetime ?
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 Wed 6 Jul 11 20:31 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
I wish, but I think right now I would have to be bonkers to spend that much on a tent :). Sadly it looks like the only thing I will be spending £1k on this year is an outright insurance policy for my car to try and help with the cash flow.
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 Wed 6 Jul 11 22:59 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Fursty Ferret
Second Zero's suggestion of Premier Inn. It'll either rain or you'll be eaten alive by midges; you'll need a load of other crap to go with it; and no matter how much you spend EVERYTHING smells of "tent" after a day or two.
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 11:41 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - CGNorwich
I suspect Rattle is looking for a slightly more economical accommodation than paying £70 per night for a room at the Premier Inn.
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 11:50 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Fenlander
Travelodge for £19 then??
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 11:53 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - CGNorwich
Where in North Wales in July? £69 to £90 more likely
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 12:01 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Fenlander
Ahh for £19 I was thinking near the A1 at Wyboston for a change!

North Wales will only cost £40 a night if he's flexible on dates.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 7 Jul 11 at 12:01
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 11:34 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Bigtee
The larger of the two bell ends can be used for
cooking www.touratech.com/shops/008/product_info.php?products_id=6270&session=true


Oooo i say how rude.
Last edited by: Bigtee on Thu 7 Jul 11 at 11:34
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 11:59 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
It is £7 a night camping :).

And with any hotel you can't get the stunning views you can camping.

I do hate waking up in the mornings though and having to emerge out of my tent, for some reason it is so hard to do.
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 Thu 7 Jul 11 23:45 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Ended up buying a Vango Zetes 200, got it for £28 at a camping shop I found behind the back of the Mersey in Northenden. Is a brilliant place with lots of tents already up for viewing and they sell trailer tents too. They have a massive shop full of caravan stuff too.

My tent is a tunnel design but hopefully it will be ok. The build quality is good but I have not been able to erect properly just because of lack of space.

www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Vango-Zetes-200/1102

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 Thu 7 Jul 11 23:56 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - Ted

Camperlands, Mill Lane. Closed on Wednesdays, though, Rattolicus !

Ted
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 Fri 8 Jul 11 00:07 
 Cheap lightweight tent ideas - RattleandSmoke
Yep as I found out yesterday on the way back from Burnage. I always wondered why that car park on Mill Lane was so busy!

Been up your way a bit today, on the tram :). Took me 12.5 minutes to get from Chorlton to Deansgate :).
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