Equipment: Six of the best ... tents
Monday, March 31, 2008
Summer is beckoning so it's time to start planning for camping trips. Andy Hillier looks at some of the tents on offer.
1. Vango Alpha 300
This rather fetching pink number is ideal for those heading off to festivals. The tent is reasonably light at 4.5kg and sleeps up to three in one main compartment. The outer fly sheet is breathable and has a good water-repellent rating, which protects the occupants during a downpour.
Price £35
Available from www.outdoorworld.co.uk
2. Easy Camp Cosenza 400
The Cosenza 400 has an enclosed groundsheet and two generously sized cabins, allowing it to sleep up to four people. There's also a porch and mesh screen windows to provide ventilation throughout the tent.
Price £129
Available from www.outdoorworld.co.uk
3. Vango Venture 500
The Vango Venture 500 sleeps up to five in one compartment, so is perhaps more suited to groups of people who get on very well together. The tent has been waterproofed on both the outside and inside to help it withstand the worst that the British summer can throw at it.
Price £75
Available from www.gooutdoors.co.uk
4. Two-person Dome Tent
Priced at under £9.99, this Argos tent is among the cheapest on the market. It weighs a mere 2.1kg, so it's easy to carry. But the outer fabric will struggle to cope with anything more than a passing shower, so it's only worth packing when sunshine is guaranteed.
Price £9.99
Available from www.argos.co.uk
5. Arapaho
This dome-shaped tent from Lichfield comes in three different sizes: four-person, six-person and nine-person. There is a central living area and sleeping compartments off to the side in the small and medium sizes, as well as to the back in the nine-man version. It also has a good water-repellent finish.
Price From £120 Available from www.lichfield-outdoor.co.uk
6. Comanche
The Comanche uses the same fabric as the Arapaho, but the tent is a tunnel, not a dome shape. The tunnel design gives the sleeping areas a higher head height, which allows for the tent to double up as a temporary base while attending events.
Price From £180 Available from www.lichfield-outdoor.co.uk.
