Camping,Tents & Related Paraphernalia

My first tent was a Vango Force 10 mk2 costing me almost a week's wages in the early 70's and it saw heavy use all over wilds of Scotland and the Lakes. Bright orange cotton, heavy when wet but a passport out of the city through the year. The Nait 1 of tents.


The last one I brought was Terrra Nova Ultra Quasar - Lightweight, this to cost a weeks wages. This was used in the Dolomites, the Rockies, Vancouver and Queen Charlotte Islands and up on in to Alaska.

Happy days


Roy T

[This message was edited by Roy T on Thu 26 August 2004 at 21:07.]

No Roy,
I also had a Vango Force Ten plus the extension it's the 250 of tents, only now being superseded by the new fangled ones[ and I bet they will not stand up to conditions that the old Force ten did, and probably still does]
oldie.

Currently

A Sierra Designs Stretch Dome
3 person / 4 season

A Mountain Hardware Hammerhead 2 ( modified )
2 person / 3 season

Not a backpacker but week long canoe trips are my thing. (Swift Kipawa Kevlar canoe - 16'6" <50 lbs)

regards,

michael

[This message was edited by mykel on Fri 27 August 2004 at 3:29.]

I also have a Sierra Designs (one of the convertible models from the mid 90's).

I also used to do a lot of white water canoe tripping (classic Mad River Explorer Royalex).

Now I'm lucky if I get away for a weekend with my buddies once a year.

Jacksons of Old Arley in North Warwickshire would seem to be the best place ever to buy camping gear. It's this huuuge warehouse that does nothing but tents and all the gear to go with it.

I can't remember the name of my tent. It is a 6-berth with a porch and has two carbon poles that you assemble and they cross each other in the middle (aren't they all these days?)

As for accessories I've so far picked up:

A table and four chairs set that folds into a large briefcase.

An inflatable double mattress.

Two army-isue rollmats for when the above gets a puncture (or I forget the footpump.)

A rechargeable battery lamp.

A paraffin lamp + gallon of paraffin that will probably last a lifetime.

Citronelle to ward off mozzies and midges.

A cool box that can be plugged into the fag lighter.

A multi-purpose camping knife that cost me £2.99 from Texaco. The American branded versions that do just the same job cost £70.

A Camping Gaz stove that gets blown over in strong winds.

A flat gas stove that doesn't - you often see these used by waiters in Indian restaurants.

Regards,

Steve.

Freshly squeezed ice cold OJ with Parathern can be well recommended, though limes to add that extra touch if awailable, innit.

Fritz Von Itwasbrassomostly

quote:

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Originally posted by Berlin Fritz:
Freshly squeezed ice cold OJ with Parathern can be well recommended, though limes to add that extra touch if awailable, innit.

Fritz Von Itwasbrassomostly

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Next to HM Forces, I would say "Black's of Greenock", it's as simple and as expensive as that, innit.


Fritz Von Don'tforgetyermintcake

Interesting....

I have a Vango Force 10 MK2 STD and a Wild Country Quasar in the garage. Last time I used the Vango was on a dreary trip to the lakes. Crashed out in the late afternoon whilst it poured outside. Awoke an hour later as a fine mist was descending - INSIDE the tent.

Boy does that tent get heavy when wet! Still gets leant to friends occasionally.

The Quasar is the dogs nuts winters in Wales and Scotland summers in the Alps - fab bit of kit.

An upgrade path seems to exist from Vango Force 10 MK2* to Wild Country Quasar. . . Intresting.

This is my newly aquired camping setup:



and for anywhere I can't get using that I use a Vango TBS Micro 200.

Amazing what 11.5.9 upgrades can pay for!

quote:

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Originally posted by Roy T:
An upgrade path seems to exist from Vango Force 10 MK2* to Wild Country Quasar. . .

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If a Vango Force 10 is a chrome bumper 250, the Quasar is a new 250/2.

I still use an 26 year old Ultimate Phazor dome (something like an old NVA to extend the analogy to breaking point) held together with duct tape. I've also got a portaledge for those times when a B&B is not available.

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

I have a oldish Blacks own brand two man tunnel which has survived pretty well and has yet to blow away (though it often feels like ti will)is pretty wonderfully light.

Also a one man Terra Nova Solar Minor which has seen limited use but is pretty solid and very light, though still not sure whether I wuold have been better with a gortex bivi, can get away with no sleeping bag unless in snowy conditions.

Matthew

quote:

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Steven

Where do the servants sleep?

Tom

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In the porch - it leaks.



Regards,

Steve.

Intents stuff !

Candle lanterns- buy lots of candle lanterns. They're great.

Ludwig
Fan of the candle lantern

Ludwig

While I would agree they are fantastic - they do have a drawback - weight and mess. I have 2 candle lanterns, but alas, they now only do duty car-camping. For any trips I'm now fully LED. ( headlamps, tent-light and emergency flashlight )

regards,

michael

quote:

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Originally posted by Dobbin:
Amazing what 11.5.9 upgrades can pay for!

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We just finished one at the weekend as it happens, and we've got another three to do in the near future! Do you need one as well? :-)

quote:

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Originally posted by mykel:
While I would agree they are fantastic - they do have a drawback - weight and mess.

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Except neither of those were ever an issue in my personal experience. Are you one of those sloppy featherweight open water canoe trippers then?

The tent and all the other paraphrenalia doesn't matter, what you need is one of those portable little DVD players and a copy of Carry On Camping, which, of course, is the greatest film ever made, after Renoir's La Regle Du Jeu.

Kevin (New Order: Movement]

Lightweight yes, "sloppy featherweight" uh...no.

I fall in the middle somewhere. I do single trip a portage though and a couple of km's does not bother me. ( Primary place of play is Algonquin Provinical park - 7725 sq km with over 2000 km of canoe routes. About a 4.5 hour drive from where I live )

http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~crpalmer/algonquin/alg2.pdf

As for the candle lantern, I have carried one for many years and occasionally still do take a tea-light based version. The regular one I find is just messy. The wax oozes by the base plate and glues the spring and everything else together.

So whats your passion - foot or paddle?

regards,

michael