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Hi Rex

We were out in our Biscaya 370 this weekend on the Somerset Levels and it was blowing a gale, we suffered no damage apart from getting very wet when packing up yesterday morning!  The tent was solid as a rock.  We  also camped last year on the cliff top at St Davids and it was very windy again we were fine.  I don't like the noise of a gale blowing but feel secure in my tent.  I think sometimes people are unlucky if the wind changes direction and it blows into the front of the tent I think damage is more likely.

Ann

hi rex

 for me i think there should be a guy on each pole at the sides, we had deltas on all guys which thank god didn't budge an inch(best camping invention ever imo)  what didnt help was the groundsheet pegs were being pulled  out by the force of the wind even after double pegging and the wnd got under the groundsheet this didnt help the stability (aluminium table flew across tent at one point). we started using eco matting under our tents last year and  noticed  with the vango diablo that air was getting under the groundsheet and bulging like a balloon maybe its not a good idea to put eco matting under a stratos,

hi rex

yes we used the pegs supplied to hold the groundsheet 2 to every point  there was a biscaya  in the field to the back of us , it was one of the smaller ones not the 440 and it seemed to be quite stable though it had shelter on 3 sides from high bushes and a fence and was pitched rear to the wind . because of the space available on the site we were pitched side on to the wind which didnt help i still think the eco matting was a contributing factor though 

We've used our 440 in severe winds and its felt a stable as anything, never doubted it for a minute. Properley pitched and pegged down it didn't move a bit. I don't know if it makes a difference but ours is a 2007 model with the side kitchen bit, and that has 3 guy ropes on the side. We have the extended front canopy on ours as well, though I don't think that should be up in storm conditions. Having said that, we did one time when the wind was from the rear and the front was protected by a stone wall.

Chaz

I was sorry to read about Paradise's experience with the Stratos but interested in  the use of the eco matting under the groundsheet.  When we were in St Davids last year our ground sheet was lifting as the wind was blowing in to the front of the tent, I made good use of the bottled wine supply and boxes of groceries to hold it down!

This last weekend we were side on to the wind with nothing to the side of us apart from a strategically parked car, we did have some hedging behind us and that helped funnel the wind at the back of the tent.

As the Stratos is a trailer tent how is the groundsheet fitted? is is zipped in all the way round as in the Biscaya?

Hope this experience hasn't put you off Paradise.

Ann