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Has anyone had problems like me with their Vango Vistas, I had one for 5years was really impressed when faced with the Scottish rain etc.  However it is only recently that I had to use it in strong winds. The first vista (600) was damaged in North Uist by a strong wind and thought ah well I've had it for 5years I'll buy another bigger and better one with windows.  The first time up last weekend it didn't last 24hours four main poles snapped and ripped through the seams, so much for the 'mountain attitude' it advertises and I was stuck with no tents, imagine!  I have just bought a Coleman Megallan 9 (because it was so cheap - Worldofcamping) However, i can feel some serious challenges coming on over the next few months with the retailer and vango to get some payback and just wondered if anyone else has had problems

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Post last edited on 08/05/2007 18:56:57

With the explosion of big family sized tents in the last few years, one of the things that seems to have gone out the window is the habit of categorising tents by season and or usage. However, I am a sad person with lots of old catalogues and the Vista is defined as a "valley" tent in the Vango catalogue from 2004 - to me that means it is intended for spring to autumn camping in sheltered valley sites, not on exposed higher ground, and not in late autumn or during winter. 

 I do think that you will be hard pressed to find a family sized tent with fibreglass poles that really can withstand serious wind of the kind the highlands sometimes experience - however if I remember the Magellan has a mix of fibreglass poles and alloy ones....or am I mistaken?

I think the lesson I have learnt here is that big is not necessarily better, the tents that withstood that weekend  were not the tunnel type and certainly not as big as the TBS Vista 800DLX, my main concern is that I bought into the advertising blurb of mountain attitude and tbs system withstanding strong winds.  Granted the tent is in pretty good condition all guy ropes still attached etc just ripped where the poles came through the outer sleeves and it happened so quick I just about got all the kids and kit out thanks to the site owner.  This was a brand new tent so I'm hoping to get it repaired at least.  However the chances of getting it back soon are fading and I had to get another tent quickly and cheaply. I'm not sure if I have made the right choice in the coleman tent as I have only had Vango's and the Magellan is a mixture of alloy and durawrap poles. I'm sure i'll be buying and selling tents in the foreseeable future till I find one which fits.  Also I couldn't face another tunnel just yet the Coleman appears a little more spread out and maybe with good pitching (prefably behind a mountain) we might make it through the weekend

P.S Does anyone camp in  Autumn/winter?