If you happened on this awful piece of television you may have thought that you were watching Eastenders which has in nearly every scene somebody crying, well this was no different.  The documentary is based on Ed Wardle who has a “lifetime ambition” to be left alone in the Yukon for 3 months and live off his wits.

The premise of this documentary – is it possible to survive in the wild- is quite an interesting one but Ed made it a tear-fest.  He cried about not having any food, he cried about being alone, he cried about the bears, he cried about being tired and he cried about being tired.  Riveting?

At the end he gave up because he could take it any more, Ed I couldn’t take it any more.  What sort of survival training did you take?  I am sure the ample Ray Mears-who obviously likes his food- would have doubled in size in the Yukon with the amount of food available.  So what made you any different from a bloke down the pub who fancies being on his own for a few days?  Answer – watch his film and you’ll see that the only difference is that the man in the pub would be properly trained in foraging and survival skills etc. and not bubble like big girl.

Leave a comment if you disagree.

Vango Icarus 500

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£139.99	£139.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£149.99	£155.96
	In Stock	Free	£139.99	£147.22

The Vango Icarus 500 & Vango Icarus 400 offers weekend campers a tent which is quick and easy to pitch, a good size living area and flexible sleeping arrangements.   Once you familiarise yourself on how to pitch the Vango Icarus you’ll have the tent up in no time, in about 10-15 minutes.  The flexibility of the sleeping area of the Vango Icarus 500 allows for it to be divided into two smaller sleeping pods or used as one large sleeping pod.  Also the living area of the Vango Icarus is large and can be extended using a canopy.

Under the hood of Vango Icarus500

The fire retardant flysheet of  the Vango Icarus 500 has a hydrostatic head rating of 2000mm, which means that it will cope with pretty poor weather conditions.  The fabric is also treated so that it will not suffer from UV deterioration as badly as some other tents manufacturers.  Another design feature of the Vango Icarus is that it is well ventilated which means that when the sun is out it is cool and when it is raining condensation is kept to a minimum.

The clever people at Vango have designed a system called TBSII, Tension Banding System  The Vango Icarus being a large tunnel tent can some times caught by side winds and sway about.  The TBSII supports and stabilises the hoop structure  by creating an internal bracing system for each hoop.

Vango Icarus 500 – Our View

If like me you don’t like spending ages putting up a tent just to bring it back down two days later then you’ll like the Vango Icarus.  We do like how easy it is put pitch, made easier due to it only three poles,  which makes this an ideal weekend tent.  Other features we like are the storage pockets  which are great for storing essentials like toilet roll and the like.

Compare Price for Vango Icarus 500

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£139.99	£139.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£149.99	£155.96
	In Stock	Free	£139.99	£147.22

The Vango Icarus 500 would suit couples or small families although if you didn’t take too much stuff I am sure this tent would be comfortable for longer breaks.

Vango Icarus 500 Specifications

• Colour: Sage or Blue
• Flysheet: Protex® 2000, hydrostatic head 2000mm, tape sealed seams, Fire Retardant
• Groundsheet: polyester, tough and durable
• Poles: Powerflex poles
• Weight: 10.5kg
• Pack Size: 75x24x24cm
• Pitching Area: 620x460cm
• TBSII: Tension Banding System

Sale of Goods Act

Your rights are can be found in  The Sale of Goods Act 1974.  This old piece of legislation has been amended over the past 25 years to strengthen the consumers’ position.  Basically you should expect your purchase to be as described and of satisfactory quality.

If your purchase does not conform to this then you can either ask for a full refund within a reasonable timescale or a reasonable amount of damages or compensation.  Your rights don’t stop here you can alternatively ask for a repair or replacement of the goods.

So how does this translate into a problem with a piece of camping equipment.  Well you may have bought a tent which claims to stand up to gale force winds but falls apart in a breeze or a sleeping bag which has a tear inside it.  In these circumstances you should contact the retailer and assert your rights, its up to you what you ask for.

When you complain about your product the retailer may say that there was nothing wrong with the goods when he sent them out to you.  Under the Sale of Goods Act, for the first six months, the onus to prove that the goods were faulty at the time of purchase is on the retailer and not you.  After six months is is up to you to prove  this.

How to complain?

Getting angry is pointless.  You have been unlucky and so losing your cool will not help.  The most important thing to do is ensure you get a remedy and the best way to get a resolution you are happy with,  is to negotiate.

Now this negotiation doesn’t mean excepting less than you are entitled to.  No, it means  understanding the cost of what would happen should the retailer be stubborn about your situation.  The last thing you want to do is to take legal action against him in a court but that sanction is available to you at a small cost which you need to make clear if you are not getting any satisfaction.  This is part of the negotiation, you hold all the cards!

So speak to the retailer, let him know that you know your rights.  Explain clearly what you want (don’t go asking for any more than you are entitled to) and the timescales you want them achieved in.  More often than not many retailers “backs are put up” by the angry consumer trying to get their pound of flesh so remain calm and reasonable.

Don’t send off your item unless you get a some form of written consent from the retailer that he will refund you the out of pocket expenses and pay in full should he lose the item.  Also take plenty of photographs of the damaged item and send the item off recorded delivery.  All this will back up your case should your item “get lost”.

Unsatisfactory outcome, what next?

You have tried to negotiate with the retailer and he is unwilling to satisfy your demands so your next step is to take him to court.  The Small Claims procedure (England and Wale up to £5k, Scotland up to £3k) is relatively easy and cheap to lodge a claim and is designed for this type of small dispute.  You’ll find that many retailers will find the cost of defending the claim not cost effective so they’ll probably settle before it gets to that point.

You could also post your problem below, don’t mention the company, for free advice and help as one of our contributors used to be a Trading Standards Officer.

Next the Distance Selling Regulations

With many things in life you get what you pay for and with the Vango Viper range of sleeping bags you are investing in your own comfort.  These sleeping bags may appear at first glance to be not as cheap as other bags.  However, having spent a lot of money on your tent why would you skimp on your own comfort at night?  A good nights sleep is worth a lot and can make or break a camping holiday so make sure you buy the best sleeping bag around – the Vango Viper.

The Vango Viper has three bags in its range, the Vango Viper 500, 750 and 1000.

Compare Prices for Vango Viper 500

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£89.99	£89.99
	£5.00 off when you spend over £75.00 code: 5offsep	£3.94	£89.99	£93.93
	In Stock	£3.95	£95.00	£98.95

Compare Prices for Vango Viper 750

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	£3.99	£94.99	£98.98
	In Stock	£3.95	£113.99	£117.94
	In Stock	Free	£119.99	£119.99
	£5.00 off when you spend over £75.00 code: 5offsep	£2.96	£119.99	£122.95

Compare Prices for Vango Viper 1000

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	£4.95	£119.99	£124.94
	In Stock	Free	£139.99	£139.99
	£5.00 off when you spend over £75.00 code: 5offsep	£3.94	£139.99	£143.93

Additional features of the Vango Viper sleeping bags range are;

• Omega shaping—the is larger at the top than at the bottom.  This keeps your body warmer by reducing any excessive air spaces within the bag.
• ATC – Advanced Trapezoid Construction—angled chevron baffles prevent the down from moving and increases thermal efficiency by slowing heat loss comparable to similar rectangular shaped baffles.
• 90/10 550+ fill power down—excellent quality providing maximum loft, warmth, performance and durability.
• Differential fill—insulation where it counts.
• Independently tested—temperature ratings independently measured in accordance with EN 13537:2002.
• Polair® Micro RSN shell—micro-ripstop, soft, downproof, water resistant and washable 3-panel, 3D hood with multi-cord closure—allows maximum adjustment.

Vango Viper – Our thoughts

We think the Vango Viper is a quality product and this is reflected in the price.  The Vango Viper 500 is a good all rounder and will keep the UK camper warm at night from mid spring right through to late Autumn.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, nights during the summer don’t really get any warmer than 20 °C which is ideal for the Viper 500, although we think that the Viper 750 and 100 would be too warm for use in the summer months.

This tunnel tent is available in three sizes; Tigris 400 (4 man tent); Tigris 600 (6 man tent) and the largest Tigris 800 (8 man tent).  The Tigris 400 has two sleeping compartments, at on end of the tent.  The Tigris 600 has one extra sleeping area at the front of the tent which sleeps two and the Tigris 800 has four sleeping areas, two either side of the living area.

Vango Tigris 600

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£229.99	£229.99
	In Stock	Free	£219.99	£219.99
	In Stock	Free	£280	£280

Vango Tigris 400

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£179.99	£179.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£189.99	£194.94
	In Stock	£7.95	£189.99	£197.94

Under the hood of the Vango Tigris

The Vango Tigris flysheet is fire retardant, breathable and has a hydrostatic head (HH) of 3000mm.  The hydrostatic head mean that it will withstand very heavy rain storms so your family will remain dry throughout.  As many of you will know there is probably no waterproof fabric which is totally breathable and to this end Vango Tents have taken measures to avoid the build up of condensation by ensuring that the tent is properly vented.

As family tents go the Vango Tigris is very easy to pitch help in no small by the colour coding of the poles.  The flysheet first method of pitching means that if it is raining the inner tent will remain dry.  The sewn-in groundsheet is a bathtub design and has a hydrostatic head of 10,000 which means that not only will it stop the water penetrating from the ground but also stop any wee bugs.

Other features worth mentioning about this the Vango Tigris are -- it has a lantern point for hanging your lights; cable access point and tidies; mesh double doors and vents; pelmet and inner tent pockets; ‘Crystal Clear’ windows; double zip windows (for vent/light/cover flexibility) and the front door can either be rolled up or used as a sun canopy.

Vango Tigris 600

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£229.99	£229.99
	In Stock	Free	£219.99	£219.99
	In Stock	Free	£280	£280

Vango Tigris 400

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£179.99	£159.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£189.99	£194.94
	In Stock	£4.95	£198.99	£197.94

Vango Tigris -- our view

Vango Tents being a Scottish company know how to build tents which will cope with the British climate.  The Vango Tigris is a great family tent which will be ideal for short or weekend camping trips.  We also like the speed of pitching where even the smallest of hands can help! All in all the Vango Tigris ticks all the boxes that we look for in a family tunnel tent.

Vango Tigris -- Summary

• Weight: 23.4kg
• Pack Size: 70x47x28cm
• Dimensions: (Internal) 210+240+140 x 280cm
• Height: (living area) 205cm
• Colour: Laurel/Sage (as shown)
• Pitching time 15 minutes

Vango Tigris 600

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£229.99	£229.99
	In Stock	Free	£219.99	£219.99
	In Stock	Free	£280	£280

Vango Tigris 400

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£179.99	£179.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£189.99	£194.94
	In Stock	£7.95	£189.99	£197.94

Vango Tigris -- Features

• Flysheet first pitching simple and quick to pitch, keeps inner dry
• Fire Retardant fabrics reduces the possibility of ignition from naked flames
• Taped seams for waterproof protection
• Protex® 3000 polyester waterproof, durable and reliable
• Storm skirt system waterproof, exterior skirt system
• Colour coded poles match the pole to the sleeve tab for easy pitching
• Polyester inner groundsheet lightweight, waterproof & comfortable
• Sewn-in Groundsheet PE 10,000HH
• Cable entry points and tidies zipped entry point pocket
• Side mesh door for insect free ventilation
• Inner pockets and hanging organisers
• Crystal Clear windows
• Double zip windows flexible internal cover
• Pelmet aesthetic addition to conceal interior attachment points
• Flexible inners allows inner to be removed when not in use
• Canopy over side door ideal entry when it is raining outside
• Parallel zip doors create a canopy for sheltered entry or shaded seating/dining
• Rain gutter zip cover covers and diverts rain flow away from the zip

Vango Tigris Pitching Video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_n6XIZ6anA

The Outwell Andaman Sea L dome tent is a part of Outwell Tents Comfort collection.  This 3 man dome  tent offers plenty of floor space and height which make this tent particularly comfortable.  The Outwell Andaman Sea L is divided into two main areas, the sleeping area and the porch.  The sleeping area is large enough to accommodate 3 people but we think that this may be a bit cramped especially if you are going to be using blow-up beds.

The front porch is generously proportioned and is high enough to stand up in making it ideal for cooking, eating, storing boots and rucksacks.  The front door can double up as a canopy but to make use of this feature unfortunately you have to shell out more money to buy the poles to make this happen, an unnecessary expense we think!

Outwell Tents are extremely well designed and the Andaman Sea L is no exception.  The doors can be folded up and stored away in small pockets, there is plenty of ventilation which stops the build up of condensation, lots of storage pockets and it can be either pitched flysheet first or all in one!

Outwell’s Outtex Airtech flysheet is designed to be both breathable and waterproof.  The woven polycotton material has a water repellent coating on the outside which allows droplets to form and run off the tent and as the rain gets heavier the fabric cleverly closes up and seals itself to become waterproof.  Of course you have to look after your tents but its longevity is increased in no small part due to its resistance to UV decay.

So you may be asking yourself how is this tent romantic?  Well, it is ideal for couples, a perfect size for weekend trips, its easy to erect  and when you are both lying in your bed you can look up at the stars in the sky through the roof window.  Well it’s my idea of romance!

Outwell Andaman Sea L – Summary

• Flysheet: Outtex Airtech Polycotton
• Inner: Polycotton
• Groundsheet Oxford Polyester
• Duratec colour coded poles
• Skylight’s
• Two doors, One opens up to a canopy
• Good Ventilation
• Packs into a single carry bag
• Repair kit
• Colour: Green

Features

• Stow-away O-shaped doors on inner
• Black no-see-um-mesh
• Organiser pockets
• Mesh pockets in the inner tent
• Reinforcement patch on all stress points
• Adjustable pegging points
• Luminous guy ropes
• Heavy duty Outwell zips
• Outwell doormat included

Dimensions

• Width: 270 cm, Length: 360 cm, Height: 195 cm
• Packed Size : 27 cm x 79 cm
• Weight : 19.7 kg

If the answer is yes, you have probably already discovered the Cool Camping books.  The Cool Camping book series was created by travel writer Jonathan Knight who saw a gap in the market for informative campsite guides.  Jonathan is an experienced travel writer who has written for guidebooks “The Lonely Planet” and “Rough Guide” before he turned his attention to writing his own books.

Jonathan’s idea for the series started when he couldn’t find a decent book which wasn’t aimed at caravanners or which could tell him more about a campsite than a basic directory listing.  So was born Cool Camping England, a book which understands the needs of tent campers and provides them with a selection of hand picked tent-orientated campsites.

Cool Camping England combines plenty of pictures and information to give campers a really good feel for the place where they’ll be camping.  But the book doesn’t lay a tent carpet over the rough patches, it also lets you know about the downsides of each site – like what to do if it rains and where the best pubs are.  (no link there)  This collection of useful information makes the books in this series essential reading for planning a camping trip.

Here at Tents Camping, we love these books and believe that the tent camping community was, until these books came on the scene, neglected.  With Cool Camping, we can expand our horizons and explore with confidence .

Other books in the series are Cool Camping Scotland, Cool Camping Wales, Cool Camping France, Cool Camping Europe, Cool Camping Kids, The Cool Camping Guide to Festivals.

The Vango Tempest 200 and Vango Tempest 300 are part of Vango’s lightweight tunnel tents range.  These Vango tents are designed to be a good balance between meeting the demands of wild camping and being kind to your wallet.

When buying a tent, Tents Camping understands it is essential to have all the information at your finger tips.  This is why we have not only supplied you with our views on the Vango Tempest 200 and 300 but we have also searched the net to bring you the best prices and not only that we have also displayed any relevant discount or promotional code which means that you are getting the best deal around without doing the finger work!

Compare Prices for Vango Tempest 200

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£89.99	£89.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£89.99	£95.94
	In Stock	£3.67	£88.99	£92.66

Vango Tempest 200 & 300 – Description

The Vango Tempest is a low, lightweight tunnel tent and has two tents in its range – 200 & 300. The Vango Tempest 200 sleeps 2 people and weighs slightly over 2.5kg and the Vango Tempest 300 sleeps 3 people and weighs 3.2kg.  Both these tents have TBS, a flow venting system and a foldaway rain stop door.  Vango’s TBS (Tension Band System) provides the Vango Tempest with additional stability and is present in 2009 tents onwards.  The flow venting systems is a ventilation system designed to reduce condensation build up which can happen in tents with poor ventilation.

The difference in size between Vango Tempest 200 and 300 can be seen quite clearly below:-

From above you can see the Vango Tempest 200 is the same length as the 300, but the Vango Tempest 300 is wider by 30 cm, taller by 25cm and has a longer porch area.  Both these tents can be either pitched flysheet first or combined- flysheet and inner flysheet.

Vango Tempest 200 & 300 – Performance

The fly sheet of Vango Tempest is made from fire retardant 3000 Protex PU coated material.  This fabric offers high UV protection with excellent colour fastness.  It has a hydrostatic headspace of 3000mm combined with its taped seams and its flow venting system makes it incredibly waterproof.  Hydrostatic headspace is a the ability of a fabric to stop a given height of water from penetrating it and is a standard waterproof rating for fabrics -the higher the HH value the more it can withstand rain penetration in windy/stormy conditions.

Our view

Both the Vango Tempest 200 and 300 are great little lightweight tents which can withstand severe weather conditions and for its price represents great value for money.  We think the the Vango Tempest is a great entry level tent suitable for hiking, climbing, cycling trips and many more activities.  The size of the 200 would be spacious for one person and 2 person camping.  Although the size of the porch, which can fit your boots and rucksack, may be  limiting for 2 person camping for anything longer than a weekend.  We also like the speed of pitching and the lightness of both tents in this range and that it can easy be split between two people when hiking or cycling.  There are also various storage options inside the tent which is great for storing the likes of books, socks, torches etc.  We do think that Vango Tents should improve the Tempest’s ventilation system if it wants to consider it an all year round tent.  As it stands, if the tent is pitched in high winds facing downwind the ventilation systems channels too much wind, lowering the inside temperature and for that reasons we suggest that this tent should be used from late Spring to early Autumn.

Vango Tempest 200 & 300 – Specifications

Colour: Pine green/Black
Flysheet: Protex® 3000, hydrostatic head 3000mm, tape sealed seams, Fire Retardant
Groundsheet: polyester, tough and durable
Poles: Powerlite alloy poles, light flexible and durable
Weight: 2.55kg
Pack Size: 40 x 18 x 15cm

Smmary of Vango 200 & 300 Features

• Fire Retardant fabrics reduces the possibility of ignition from naked flames
• Taped seams for waterproof protection.
• Protex® HC 3000 polyester.
• Combine or flysheet first makes pitching easy quick plus keeps inner dry.
• Reflective webbing makes finding your tent at night or in adverse conditions easier.
• ‘O’ ring guylines.
• Colour coded poles match the pole to the sleeve tab for easy pitching.
• Powerlite Alloy poles 7001-T6 alloy – light, flexible and durable.
• TBS–Tension Band System means the tent is stable in adverse weather conditions.
• Polyester inner groundsheet lightweight.
• Lantern hanging point.
• Storage solutions inner pockets.
• Breathable fabric inners creates a comfortable sleeping area.
• Reflective zip pullers on external doors are quick and easy to find.
• Compression stuffsac for easy pack-and-go.
• Repair Kit.

Compare Prices for Vango Tempest 200

Retailer	Availability	Delivery	Price	Total Price
	In Stock	Free	£89.99	£89.99
	In Stock	£5.95	£89.99	£95.94
	In Stock	£3.67	£88.99	£92.66

Promotional and Discount codes

From time to time Tents Camping receives promotional codes, voucher codes and discount codes directly from the retailer.  Our aim is to ensure that you get the best deal for your tent or camping equipment, so if you know of any retailer which is offering great value for money then just drop us a line or post a comment below.

Vango Tempest Reviews

We would love to hear your thoughts, comments and reviews on the Vango Tempest 200  and 300, so please feel free to post them below in our comments section.

Unlike some websites, we place the voucher codes on full view so that anyone can see and use them as they require.  Many unscrupulous voucher code websites claim they have voucher  and discounts codes for various retailers when they don’t.  They use this ploy to entice you to “click and reveal” the voucher code when in actual fact they have no discount  code or voucher code at all!  The reason behind this type of deception is that they are trying to get the commission from your sale.  Tents Camping urges you to ignore these types of websites as they cannot be trusted!

Tents Camping is quite up-front about the links it provides, we do get a small amount of commission from referring you to the various merchants on our site which we see as fair as we have gone to a lot of effort to provided you with a superb choice of retailers to base your final purchase decision.

The retailers below are happy for Tents Camping to publish these discount codes. If you know of other retailers who are offering great deals just get in contact with us and we will be happy to credit you with the discover as well as add them to our ever growing list.  Also Tents Camping would welcome some feed back if you are not totally happy with the service received from any of these retailers.

Discount codes and Voucher codes

Retailer	Offers
	Free postage on orders over £80	Check Site
	additional 15% off selected tents 15TENT09	Check Site
	No current offers	Check Site
	£5.00 off when you spend over £75.00 code: 5OCT	Check Site
	Free delivery during October	Check Site
	5% off all orders, ends 30th Nov’09 code: Autumn	Check Site
	No current offers	Check Site
	No current offers	Check Site
	No current offers	Check Site
	free delivery and 5% off all orders use code:vstc1	Check Site
	No current offers	Check Site
	Free delivery	Check Site
	Summer close out sale – up to 75% off!!	Check Site
	Summer sale now on	Check Site

Traditionally, fans who did not have tickets for the Wimbledon Tennis championship queued out usually overnight to buy one of the 1,000 “first come fist serve” tickets for the centre and No1 courts.   However, this year the local Merton Council decided that camping on the pavement breached their Health and Safety guidelines and so tried to evict the street campers.  Amongst the potential evictees were 4 friends who arrived 60 hours ahead of the first match!

Thankfully sense was served up by the All England Club who intervened on behalf of the un-happy campers and secured their right to camp out for the “hens teeth” tickets.  By last night (Sunday) approximately 1,000 people were camping outside Wimbledon.

Lets hope the weather is well behaved so none of our camper friends get wet waiting and also so we don’t get Sir Cliff singing in the rain!