Alternative to Vaude Hogan tent

Tim Cullis

Tim Cullis

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I have a Vaude Hogan tent which is compact, lightweight (sub 3kg) and easy to erect. But at only 90cm hgh at the entrance, it's a real pain to crawl in and out of, and there's not much storage space.

So I'm looking for another tent and I happened across two tent exhibitions today. I looked at the Khyam McKinley and appreciate it's relatively quick to erect, but actually preferred the design of the Vango Gamma 350 which seems slightly higher. Yet the Vango Gamma is about £60 against £140 for the McKinley. Are there some downsides on the Gamma that I haven't seen?

Tim
 
I've got a Vango tunnel jobby....looks justlike the 350 but it hasn't got the clear panel in the porch section.

It's been a good tent....you have to be very carefull pitching it though because if it rains the outer sags onto the inner and it wicks through badly...

Great for space though....used to use it for camping with the push bikes...they'd both fit in the porch and there was still room for kit and us......

Also used it in conjunction with a smaller vango tent for the kids that I pitched with its door into the porch of ther tunnel so the kids had their own space but had to come through ours to get out.

It's held up well, but after a couple od very wet weekends I've stopped using it in preference for the ease and speed of erection of the Khyam.


You can get them cheaper than that BTW.....have a good look around ;)
 
Visited the Cotswold Outdoors shop tent exhibition at Bransgore a couple of days ago and there was a tent that was three berth and tall enough to stand up in yet weighed less than 8Kg. Don't know the packed size but you could have held a small reception in the vestible area. Not that I would recomend the tent, having no experience of using it, but it is an interesting alternative to the usual crawl in style tent.

Robens Sweet Dreamer
 

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Jaybus...that's £250 squiddlies though!!!

With that big flat front end, I can't see it lasting too long at Princetown or Land's End ;)
 
I have the Vango 250, great tent, is a little heavier at 5kg and quite bulky if your putting on the bike, fine if not. Really find the space in the porch very usefull to store everything away during trips out and nights..

The one thing I would say and why I chose to buy a new tent to go away with was I found the Vango did get a little blown away at times. Due to the tunnel construction theirs little to stop the centre section from deforming in strong winds, but thats really my only gripe!

Hope this helps!

Nik
 
vango 250 I have one of them as well not a bad tent plenty of room to put your gear into front porch I found packing away on bike ok
stood up to some rough stuff -7 in Belgium

I was going to sell it to get a mckinley but the postage would cost more to the buyer
 
I used to have a Vaude Hogan like yours and have always regretted changing it.

I now have a Hilleberg and a McKinley, both of which are a real pain to put up (especially the McKinley). The Vaude was so quick to erect in comparison and stood up in numerous winter storms.

However, I never tried using it with bike gear on....
 
Exped - Venus 11 or 111

Tim -- Speak to Les @ Travel-Dri about these tents . I bought one due to my increasing difficulty in crawling in and out of low set tents whilst wearing bike gear . However , I did not want to lose the performance capability of a "mountain" set-up . Eventually I opted for the Venus 111 ; after much soul and wallet searching , I made the right choice - even if my wallet is still in shock !
All the best ,-- Jim .
 
Re: Exped - Venus 11 or 111

James Bryan said:
Tim -- Speak to Les @ Travel-Dri about these tents . I bought one due to my increasing difficulty in crawling in and out of low set tents whilst wearing bike gear . However , I did not want to lose the performance capability of a "mountain" set-up . Eventually I opted for the Venus 111 ; after much soul and wallet searching , I made the right choice - even if my wallet is still in shock !
All the best ,-- Jim .
Click to expand...

I psyched myself up to swallow the cost of an Exped when I went to speak to Les, as I have similar requirements to Lord Bryan of York. To my delight and surprise Les had the measure of me and decided full-on "Mountain" ready gear was beyond my reach or need, he reckoned on my needs being best suited by a tunnel tent and nothing from the top drawer of Exped (Andromeda) or even the 2nd drawer of Vaude (Ferret III) and instead pointed me towards Vango's high end products and specifically the Equinox 350, now I just have to find one in the real and try it for size.

Anyone got one and any views on them?

p.s. Les is a top chap :thumb
 
I guess your little trip to Gillingham wasn't fruitful this afternoon then Judgeypoos?

I'll dig out me Vango tommorrow so you can have a frolic in it......you can put it up on the green outside your gaff and get little miss judge to pour water on you ;)
 
Did I say TravelDri Les was a good guy?

Above I mentioned how he had steered me away from the products he sells towards another tent, well here's part 2 of the story...

Les showed up on the Friday night at Beaulieu and asked if I had got sorted with a tent. I pointed out though I had seen plenty of on-line offerings I hadn't seen one in the flesh or seen how easily it erected etc...

OK says he I spoke to one of my trade contacts and have bought with me a Vango Equinox 250 just in case. The reason it was a 250 rather than a 350 is this was the older model 250 which is bigger than the current one and represented a considerable saving over both the current 250 and 350.

Duly Les brought it over and pitched it for me I had a good look over it and was impressed enough to do the deal. He left the tent with me and I caught up with him on the Sunday.

I handed over the full amount and it will be going straight to the other vendor, yep while Les could have added a consideration for his efforts he did not. Top bloke :thumb

What he has got though is a new customer. TravelDri-Plus is now my first port of call for all my camping requirements.

Surplus Kyham McKinley will shortly be arriving in FS&W ;)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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