Tents for Possible bug out!

[Winklebury]

Here is a short video on this tent. I cannot find a longer, better review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBk2QPGSXvE

The tent is much firmer when pegged out, he hasn't really finished putting it up in this review, with loose guy-lines all over...

[J23]

Hi

For 2-3 adults, or young family I would recommend the Mormot Widi 3P (three persons)

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/index.cf ... duct/30353

I have one of these, and I bought one for my brother for Christmas. It is a classic! They briefly stopped making them, and so I imported one from the USA (for my brother) in case they didn't bring it back.

It is a little on the heavy side, at 4.1 kgs, but you have to think about what you are getting.

Firstly, it is a tunnel tent. I used to be sceptical about thee preferring geodesics (double-domed for extra rigidity). However with a little practise, (2 put-ups) I now manage to have it tighter and more ridged than any of my summiting tents!

Secondly, It is a 3 person, and you could squeeze 4 in at a push. Very roomy sleeping area.

Thirdly, As it is a tunnel tent the internal volume is amazing! You can sit up in it for three metres in the sleeping area, and over 2 metres in the vestibule (not only in the very centre as with a geodesic / dome designs)

Fourth, It is designed to be a touring tent, so the vestibule is almost as large as the sleeping area (only about 6 inches shorter). This means you can have a huge amount of kit in there, out of the rain, and meaning you don't have to have a second tent to store in, and you can have room for cooking or whatever (be careful cooking inside the vestibule - NEVER in the sleeping area) but it gives you a huge amount of flexibility.

Fifth, It is a simultaneous pitch, so the inside stays dry. You can take the inner down first to pack away dry in horrible conditions.

Sixth, the materials are fantastic! It is an American made tent, and a lot of tents from the USA suffer for three reasons in the UK / European market. Firstly they LOVE inner pitch first. Generally with inner pitch first you get more volume of internal space for the pack size and weight. But it leaves you to getting the inner wet in the rain. This is simultaneous pitch (which you have probably gathered from USA tents is a rare thing). Secondly, the water proof materials are great - European standard rather than American. This is because, generally, in 'camping season' they get a lot less rain than us. However this tent has great specs. 5,000mm hydrostatic head on the outer, and 10,000mm on the 'bath-tube' ground sheet (the ground sheet curls up around the perimeter of the sleeping area, to stop excess water coming in from the sides). Thirdly, they tend to make their tents is really bright, garish colours. Fortunately this is available in dark green.

Seventh, fully taped seems.

Eighth, the tent comes with a great storage bag (described as a 'burrito' bag, which has a hang point inside the tent, which is greatfor storing and organising. It also comes with a good repair kit, including an aluminium 'splint' for broken sections of pole. If a section were to break, they can be replaced by the manufacturers very cheaply. Also glue, and patches for all the differing fabrics of the tent.

Ninth, the ventilation of this tent is very good indeed, meaning less damp in the morning, and not nasty smells!

Seriously, a lot to take in, and at 350 pounds its not the cheapest available, but it is fantastic. You can fit bikes, dogs, kit, loads in the vestibule, it is strong, with DAC aluminium poles, rip stop fabric, etc etc.

Seriously these will last years! Not only different league to the Outwell tents (to quote Pulp Fiction) its in a whole other sport!

NB You can buy a 'foot print' for this tent - it doubles up under the bathtub, and gives you a layer in the vestuibule (which otherwise is open to the ground. I haven't invested in one, but I might.

NB The Cotswold website here describes it as a 2 person, it is not, the Widi 2P is, the Widi 3P is a 3 person.

PS I used to work for Cotswold, but not now, and in all my recommendations, are based purely on experience and knowledge, no financial incentives whatsoever.

Don't get me wrong but 350 for a tent for average earning person is too much. I bet it's good price for long term shelter but not for 3-5 campings a year

[Devonian]

Don't get me wrong but 350 for a tent for average earning person is too much. I bet it's good price for long term shelter but not for 3-5 campings a year

I guess it depends really, to me £350 for a 'quality' tent is (easily) worth it, even if only for limited/occasional use.

Also if you compare it against what "some" people waste on a night out or on cigs/booze or gambling or on computer games, then it may not seem so bad.

[Winklebury]

Don't get me wrong but 350 for a tent for average earning person is too much. I bet it's good price for long term shelter but not for 3-5 campings a year

Anything less than 100 pounds for a tent, is basically a toy. 350 isn't too much. A decent sleeping bag is over 100, as is a stove, a tent has to cope with being packed and erected, wind, rain, UV degradation etc etc. It is a solid piece of kit. Not flashy, just good.

If you would like a comparison, there is a similar tent from Hilleburg, who make possibly the best tents in the world. The Nallo 3 is their alternative. It is in about the 800 pounds range.

350 is a good price for a proper tent.

[lalzyboy]

The tent I sorted out for my familly is a luxe megahorn its ideal for me and the misses and 3 kids, 8,6 and three with kit its a comforting space which the kids need in a event where caose is all around and yo can use a frontier stovein it, worth looking at.

[Iacobus]

I've currently got one of these Vango Banshee 300's which I've found pretty decent so far. Not tested it in strong winds yet but it's seen a fair amount of heavy rain and hasn't faltered at all.

http://www.vango.co.uk/gb/3-person-tent ... e-300.html

I also plan to pick up a tarp just to keep in my bag for when I need to travel light. Should the need arise I can then leave the family in the tent somewhere relatively safe and then go out foraging knowing that should I get stuck I have a shelter for myself too.

[Darktide]

I've got a 5m bell tent and a smaller 3m bell tent. Addmitedly, they weigh a tonne but in terms of comfort they're great. My daughter and I camped out during the hurricane last year and the 3m one held up very well and was totally dry and comfortable.
In the event we have to leave home and use these as temporary accomodation, I'm sure they'll be fine

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[SoCal92057]

I recall backpacking and camping with a friend in a forested area. We made a point of having our gear be green, brown, black or camouflage in color. We established a camp site consisting of 2 small and low tents, about 10 yards off a trail. During daylight hours, we watched in amazement as about a dozen hikers walked past us and never noticed our camp site nor us. We simply sat quietly as we heard them approach and noted the hikers were looking down due to the irregular terrain. As straight lines do not exist in nature, if we had been interested in improving our camouflage we would have added some cut vegetation to break up the outlines of our tents. I can never understand why people buy brightly colored tents unless they are concerned with becoming lost and want the tent to be seen by a rescue party.

[Holomon]

I've got a Khyam, it's fantastic. You can throw it up really quickly, and it packs down fast when you need to get moving.
I have this one;

http://www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=754 ... Freelander

A friend had one and demonstrated it while we were away once, and I was hooked. Theirs had been used repeatedly for 4 years (multiple times a year for festivals etc), and was still in great condition, and mine seems to be just as well built.

I agree with SoCal too - definitely woodland colours that you can add to for camouflage. No point bugging out of somewhere and then being discovered by the rampaging hordes when you think you're safe. I'd rather have the choice of whether I signal for help rather than hiding inside a brightly coloured bullseye.

[grenfell]

My canvas tent I use for re-enactment is white which makes it very visible except when it's in a field of other white tents but I do agree with the comments that generally tents should be more muted or camouflage colours. The same goes for caravans , why are they white? Even from a non prepping just a holiday view getting away to the countryside to then cover it in white and orange boxes and triangles just seems daft to me. Only vaguely related I know but I've even repainted my cement mixer in camo colours . They are useful but hardly nice to look at so why are they supplied painted orange?