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There's wind and there's gales & then there's severe gales...  totally agree it's the pitching  that's the worst thing,  not so bad once you're in it.

 Peronally though I wouldn't like to be in any big tent in a severe gale.  Depends on the shape too,  the broader the area getting the wind the worse it's going to be but with wind that changes direction you're kind of stuffed. !

I don't think it's that your Amazon isn't a good tent, just not one I'd dream of putting up in those winds tbh. Wouldn't put ours up (Breckenridge ) either, it's a bit smaller but would be much of a muchness as regards ability to withstand severe gales.

Sorry you had such a horrible time, I'd have been bl**dy terrified quite honestly. Thing is as others have said, don't let it put you off camping full stop - maybe just camping in a big tent in severe gales !  Maybe you should invest in a small more suitably shaped tent that you could take to use as emergency put up for a night or 2 till the weather calms down ? 

Going on my experience - there was little you could have done except wait until the wind died down and check the forecasted dominant wind direction and pitch the wind-shedding sloped bum into the wind. Like others on here, we take a small dome as an emergency tent each time we camp - useful for improptu stop-overs on route too.

I know the porch of the Amazon isn't designed to be retracted, although I noticed on one image there are guys on the front of the main part of the tent too. Maybe some expert with velcro could come up with a means of rolling and securing the canopy at the front of the tent for very windy conditions. Unfortunately, upright fronted tents and especially ones with canopies do tend to have a harder time when the wind swings around to the front of the tent. It just hammers the front (having no where to dissipate to unlike sloped front tents) and catches under the canopy so adding lifting forces to the front of the tent. The Amazon unless I am incorrect doesn't have any bracing poles to spread the forces from the front pole to those further back. Consequently, when the wind swings around to the front, the strength of the tent lies purely with the front pole, guyropes and pegs.

I know its no help during pitching, but when the tent is up, adding extra guyropes to the front guying points will help carry some of the forces - as maybe would delta pegs. During pitching, keeping the bum into the wind and having the rear pegging points and rear guys roughly pegged will help cope with the wind as you lift. A third or fourth person to peg guys as you put the poles up will also help. As said though, it may be best having a small tent for these conditions and waiting until the wind drops. The option to use the shelter of a vehicle and steering clear of exposed and coastal campsites would also help.

Quote: Originally posted by JimCall on 05/4/2011

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...For me, the worst possible type of weather for camping is in high winds... I really need to invest in deltas!

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I am so sorry that you had this experience. Have to agree with Madscott66 about the Vango Amazon 600. We have owned one since 2009 with no major problems at all and it has held up fantastically, in even the most foul of weather...

We got caught a treat on a rather exposed site in Weymouth last August when it was blowing a hooley and pouring with rain. The tent however did us proud when others around us did not fair so well, including those tents at the 'top end' of the price scale! I think its fasir to say that even the best can get caught out, I just think you were extremely unlucky.

I hope this experience does not put you off camping in the future!