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Just picking up on the leaking tent thread and as Vango were mentioned i was wondering if many people have had problems or been disappointed with their tent. We have a Tigris 600 and at first was pleased with the tent but after several outings we have found things that suggest their standards are slipping. We have broken toggles from the lower point of the main bedroom compartment, the brow pole puts too much strain on the main door zip making it hard to zip up and looks as if the stitching will pull away from the outer skin, so we use the opposite door (no flyscreen), plenty of cotton threads hanging from the stitching, we are on our second tunnel extension as the first one had a broken zip. On the positive side no leaks! On our last outing to Wooda we met a young lady who had the same problem with the brow pole. I have sent Vango emails about my concerns but have yet to receive an answer. Am i being to picky about a £240 tent?

I think you'll find that most manufacturers have the same problem with the porch brow pole causing undue tension on the zip if pitched tight. There are quite a few of the same comments plus zips breaking for Outwell's tents too, with people doing the same as you (using another door). A tip here is to push the pole towards the door releasing the tension as you zip pass and don't stretch the area too tight when pitching.

I mentioned the Maritsa problem in the other thread as its a notable example from the forum, but we also have a Vango tent that we are very very happy with. Yes, there is a little untidy stitching on the inner tent, but it doesn't affect its performance and we don't notice it. We love the tent! The Maritsa issue could be just a pitching problem, a problem with one batch or a design problem for this particular tent. Generally, Vango produce good solid tents, with some excellent technical features (eg TBSII that makes them far more stable than many other makes) at a very affordabIe price point. I do think we expect perfection for a couple of hundred quid. A few loose ends of threads with a solid seam behind them is fine and a toggle can be re-sewn. If we wanted to pay for the extra time to tidy all threads and sew seams more slowly and run over toggle attachments with multiple rows of stitching, I suspect that the manufacturer would add these to the job spec, but we'd probably buy elsewhere given the cost it would add.

If your tent keeps you dry and you enjoy using it, it was a good buy...IMHO

Helen

Quote: Originally posted by Martin MC on 27/8/2010

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My Icarus 400 broke 2 poles last weekend both broken ones were on the rear section that does not have the TBS system on it. The poles are in my opinion far to small diameter on the 400 and 500 for the battering they can expect in the UK winds. Ive still got a Peakland 3 man Dome tent from 12 years ago that has never broke a pole or leaked, makes me wonder why I bothered to buy a newer weekend tent. That said I do like the Icarus just now feel after 18 months its not as good as the hyped up name of its maker suggests.

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I'm wondering if your experiences demonstrate more the difference between fibreglass poled tunnel tents and domes, as the TBSII system mimics the load spreading and resistance from overbending that a dome gets from the crossed over poles. The one pole that broke was the one without this. It may be more an issue with the design of fibreglass tunnel tents than pole dimensions - hence why the TBSII is such a useful addition. Its a shame that it can't be added to all poles. The Icarus has, however, been criticised for the lack of a guy at the top of the front and rear hoops which wouldn't help (but at least its not upright fronted). I think retailers do a lot of trade from owners of fibreglass poled tunnel tents of any make.

Its one of the reasons why we went for the small Kampa Bude 4 as a weekend tent, which is semi-geodesic and a steel poled longer stay tent - both wind shedding shapes.

Helen

no, I totally agree, I have the tigris800, after being fine for a couple of weekends away, on our 1st proper week away in Cornwall this year the problems became apparent

ripped tension straps

large tear on the small porch? roof

leaking in every-where esp seams

rip along the seam of the sig

it was only bought last year and really has been used sparingly, the week in cornwall was its 1st real test and it failed but with it now being over 12 mths old I have no recourse - might try to email them about a price for a replacement outer

but over the last week I've had a coleman and sunncamp smaller one out plus a sunncamp day tent and they have all leaked and all brand new - that coleman one was shocking though - good job it was only £35 or it would have been going back - back to the tigris, is it too much to ask that a tent that cost £250 would last more than half a dozen outings? - If I knew I have bought a cheaper one from argos!