Author Topic: Pitching a tent  (Read 10657 times)

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #50 on: 21 July, 2008, 09:50:25 pm »
Indeed but I'm nearly blind (literally, esp in the dark), often slightly drunk when camping, and a right clumsy oaf.  Having said that it's not me who does the toe-stubbing and relations can get strained when it happens ...  ;)

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #51 on: 21 July, 2008, 09:52:52 pm »
I think PB makes a good case, but yeah - generally, if you're walking over your guylines, you're too drunk.

Our guys are reflective.  Works well.
Getting there...

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #52 on: 23 July, 2008, 12:28:55 am »
So after speaking to Notsototalnewbie, a fairly last minute gathering was arranged with myself, and Clarion who came down to drop of his stove and show me how the big boys do it. Jane was also there dropping off some shoes.

So, apparently the tent packs quite small, but is somewhat heavy though still managable at just over 7kg (incl bag and pegs) according me scales. It went up quick and fast, it us about 15 minutes, that includes a lot of tea drinking and Clarion explaining how to do things and whats what and not to mention the separate groundsheet and inner. It all went smoothly and was idiot proof :) the pegs are decent sturdy stuff and there was even a few spare. It was fecking huge though. Easily fit about 6 bikes in the porch maybe more, or even 15 girls with the other five in the sleeping area hehe. Seriously though, it's quite large and I can almost stand up in it :) There be pockets in the inner room, dual doors, two windows with shades and loadsa vents :) Not a bad tent.

We left the groundsheet/inner attached so next time round it'll probably go up quicker than the stated time of 10mins.

PS - It's all black and red :D

Thankyou to Clarion for your help and the stove/gass and thanks to Notsototalnewbie for the venue and teas and biscotti :)
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Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #53 on: 23 July, 2008, 12:48:32 am »
More bent pegs are caused by people trying to push them in with their boots (on their feet) than any otehr way, I reckon.  Most places you can just shove the damn things in by hand far enough.  Remember you gotta get 'em out again.

But, the reason you're using your foot is because the ground is so hard, so if you can easily get it in the ground with your hands, then it won't bend, it's only when it's hard work that you use your feet and things can then go wrong... (iyswim)

I'll use my feet occasionally, if the ground is very dry and hard, carefully and allowing for rocks.  If I'm camping from the boot of a car, I've got a small rubber mallet that makes life easier.  To get the pegs out, you only need to get one peg out, turn it around and use it as a puller to get the others out.

The important thing is to pull them out systematically, so you don't leave one in the ground.  Both aluminium and titanium pegs are remarkably difficult to see against the ground (my new titanium ones have orange painted heads to aid finding them).
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #54 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:29:43 am »
Sam - glad you feel confident with your new tent now.  I didn't want to patronise, but there was a lot to mention.

It's a good tent - and excellent for a long stay somewhere, given the space inside.  Bit big for cycle camping, I'd say, but people do it with bigger/heavier ones!

Tim - that's all good advice.  But if the pegs aren't going in straight, it's better to get down on your knees and use some hammering device, cause you can see when it's starting to bend.  I always go for the systematic peg pulling (and I've taught Sam the same ;) ).  Worth mentioning that the person before you on a pitch may not have been so careful, so check your pitch for stray pegs before you lay your tent out.  I once tore a groundsheet courtesy of a forgetful previous camper leaving a peg behind :(
Getting there...

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #55 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:44:09 am »
I'd have had more than biscotti on hand if I'd know we were making quite such an evening of it, and fed you properly! Unfortunately I have not been home much lately so didn't have much food to hand.

You can come again when I get my tent for Mildenhall (after payday)!  ;D But I'm getting a significantly more dinky one than the Lurve Shack Sam had.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #56 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:50:10 am »
The Mobile Temple of Mojo TM is a very different beast from the tents we mere mortals use. ;D

Biscotti is goooood, as is tea ;)
Getting there...

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #57 on: 23 July, 2008, 10:41:23 am »
:P I'm sure I could arrange a slightly smaller tent too ;)
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clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #58 on: 23 July, 2008, 10:53:34 am »
Worth mentioning that we have tents we can loan to those who might not want to buy one, NSTN :)
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Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #59 on: 23 July, 2008, 11:51:14 am »
Thank you Clarion, but as I plan on getting into this camping thing a bit more I should probably get my own. Lusting after a super-light one. My bank manager probably wouldn't agree, but never mind.  :)

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #60 on: 23 July, 2008, 12:04:21 pm »
Super light isn't always better.  My super light one is more complex to pitch than my big one, and a lot more flimsy.  I have to be very careful with it, since the material isn't half as rugged, even the groundsheet feels noticeably thinner.  Of course you never wear shoes inside even a moderately lightweight tent.

Of course it also weighs <900g, so it does have some advantages over the 3kg Ultra Quasar!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #61 on: 23 July, 2008, 12:06:25 pm »
Yay!  Speak to Butterfly for tent-buying advice :)

Edit:  What TimO says about superlight.  Make sure you have enough porchspace, and that it's not a fiddle or flimsy.  Those are the compromises you make going beyond a certain point in weight-weenie-ing.

But there are loads of tents that would suit...
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Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #62 on: 23 July, 2008, 12:15:55 pm »
I quite liked the look of the Laser one wot Liz had when we were fleeing the Zombies. I would go for a quality one from the outset, I think, rather than fiddling about with an Argos special.

You know my feelings on hills etc. I want something well under 2kg, closer to 1.5kg. I am willing to be careful with something flimsier if this means I get to lose a kg or two on them lumpy things.

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #63 on: 23 July, 2008, 05:06:01 pm »
I love my Wild Country Ultra Quasar (now made by Terra Nova), but it's a bit heavy at 3kg or so.  It's a dead easy tent to pitch, and you don't actually need to peg it down (other than to keep the porch away from the inner door).  I've moved it in the past without taking it down, because of it's geodetic shape, you can just pick the entire thing up!  I can also sit up in it without hitting my head on the roof, which is not true of many small tents.

On the other hand, the Terra Nova Laser Photon is a bit fiddlier to put up (you do have to think a bit about the pegging), but you really can't beat it on weight (790g).  It was also a bargain at £200.  Supposedly it holds the world record from The Guiness Book of Records for the worlds lightest tent, although this does require the use of their stupidly light and flimsy ultralightweight titanium 1g pegs!  Needless to say, I've replaced them by a slightly more rugged tent peg.  Aside from that though the tent is quite practical, if a little more compact than the Quasar.

I haven't used the Laser in anger yet, so can't comment on exactly how well it works, but it seems a competent design.  The non-Photon versions of the Laser are probably a bit more rugged, and also have a bit more space (ie the Laser is quoted as being 2 person, whereas the Laser Photon and Competition are meant to be 1+ person which is possibly a bit optimistic, unless you're very good friends!)
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #64 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:16:05 pm »
I've just been pitching my Beta 250 in the garden. Worth doing - some tweaks I hadn't seen before, and there could have been a bit missing. Not quite sure about the porch being big enough for a bike, but I'm not taking one next week :'(

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #65 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:39:11 pm »
There's quite a good choice of lightweight tents available now, much better than 4 or 5 years ago.

All tent choice is about finding a compromise between weight, price, space, robustness (both in terms of not blowing down, and in terms of not wearing out too quickly), ease of pitching, packed size, and doubtless other factors too.

It's probably best to start a separate topic, but questions you should think about include...
Are you likely to want to accommodate a second person?
What sort of weather do you anticipate? Weekend camping, you can just not go if it looks horrid, but if you go off for 2 weeks moving on every day you have to take what comes. You may end up having to pitch the tent in strong wind and/or rain. If the latter, you may wish to avoid inner first pitching and throw-over flysheets.
Is there room for all your pannier in the porch?
Is there room to cook in the porch? (sometimes it's either that or eat/drink cold).

There are often two weights quoted for tents: packed weight and minimum weight. Packed weight includes the tent bag(s), pegs and guys, but may or may not include other things supplied, like spare pole sections, instructions, seam sealant. Minimum weight is the inner tent, outer tent, and poles. It does not include bags, pegs or guylines (often left behind or swapped for different ones).
 
A lot of the American lightweight tents have inners that have large areas of mesh. Coupled with outers that don't come right to the ground they can be quite cold. Nicer if it's hot though.

If you go too lightweight, you may find yourself taking a groundsheet protector, which rather negates the point of an extra light tent.


FWIW, I use a Hilleberg Akto.
It's much the same in layout as the Laser Competition or Photon, but hasn't been slimmed down to the same extent so it's heavier at 1.5kg. On the other hand I trust it to at least 40-50mph wind, and I can put it up in 30mph nearly as quick as I can in good weather. It also allocates a little more space to the porch, so I can keep 4 Ortliebs and cook under cover at the same time.
To my mind the lighter Lasers have been slimmed down too far, so convenience features like door tie-backs and extra sliders on the zips for top-down unzipping have gone. There's also the 1g pegs that anyone not racing will immediately swap for proper ones.

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #66 on: 23 July, 2008, 09:57:14 pm »
We used the MSR Velo in France recently when we were following the Tour (in the car).

The massive porch was really useful in Brittany when it kept raining on and off - with a bit of slouching we could both sit in there in our folding chairs while we sipped our G&T. However, the flysheet was always soaking in the morning and had to be packed separately - even when it hadn't rained overnight.

At over 4Kg it's a tad heavy for cycle camping solo but when the two if us go again, it'll be worth it for the extra space.

I'm looking forward to trying my Quechua Ultralight T2 Pro (snappy name eh?) at the end of August. It pitches really quickly (outer first or with inner attached) is just about big enough for 2 as long as you know (or intend to) each other well and cost £70. Oh and it weighs 2Kg and packs down small.

a great mind thinks alike

bikebagg

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #67 on: 29 July, 2008, 08:49:00 pm »


How difficult is a Vango tent to pitch up?

I have a Vango Equinox 4 which is the same as the 350 baby version of yours.

Very easy to set up.  Make sure all the doors are closed.  Check all the tension is off the flysheet straps. 

Put the poles in, Peg out the back end.  Walk forward and pull up the rest of the tent.  Peg out the front of the tent.  Make sure all the poles are in line on each side and peg down.

Dont put too much tension on the cross bracing straps inside.


For those interested my Equinox 4 (350) has been used 3 times and is for sale

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #68 on: 18 August, 2010, 02:09:29 pm »
My my this brings back memories. Pretty much a season pro these days lol. Tent still looks brand new despite having gone out to tens of festivals and camp meets. Starting to realise that it might be a little big after all but hey that has it's upsides and downsides.
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onb

  • Between jobs at present
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #69 on: 18 August, 2010, 02:14:48 pm »
We has a vango beta 35o ,its a doddle ,if I can do it anyone can.Great tent lots of room for 2



.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #70 on: 18 August, 2010, 05:27:16 pm »
Our Vango Tigris 400 is a bit of a pig to pitch really.  There's one corner where I can never get the fabric tight, and the bracing in the porch overhang, where it pokes into a pocket in the main shell, makes the fabric tight around the door zip.

When it eventually dies I'd like a Cabanon, because they go up without so much as a crease.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #71 on: 18 August, 2010, 05:42:22 pm »
I can't imagine anything is easier to pitch than a Vaude MKII Light.
External skeleton frame with tent suspended on shock-cord via hooks.Goes up inner & outer simultaneously.Self supporting thus needs guy lines only in extreme wind.Only needs a peg at each corner.
A porch at each end & bags of room for two.
Weighs 2kg IIRC.

Re: Pitching a tent
« Reply #72 on: 18 August, 2010, 07:41:55 pm »
Some good offers on solo tents at Field and Trek at the mo - the £75 Wild Country one would make a good backpacking tent though maybe needs a few more guylines.

With my Saunders tent I've got a few rock flaps that attach to the pegging points so you can weight it down with rocks rather than peg it out if the ground is unsuitable.  I used it the other w/e when I went to Coniston with a workmate - he spent £90 on 2 nights' B&B and needed to "chill out" with his corfee and smoke a cigaarette each morning after breakfast so we didn't start walking till late morning, I was up at 5:30 - 6 each morning, I had recced a good spot for the 2nd night along the lakeshore from the usual campsite (full of noise, cooking, flashing lights at past midnight), did some T'ai Chi, skinny dipping, cooked breakfast, magic.

The compromise is between lightness and stability, a heavier one eg semi-geodesic will have more poles and be self-supporting, hence only needing a rock in each corner as above, under 2kg will need to be pegged out well to be stable.