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I'm a tad confused now about whether or not the premium extension fits the Vango Icarus 500. I've been told by the guy selling it to me that the premium extension doesn't fit, but that there is an open canopy which does. 

Yet the pictures look very similar only difference is the door!

Some websites sell the premium extension for the Icarus 500, others list other vango tents but exclude the Icarus.

The thing is that I've already seen an Icarus 500 with a premium extension attached (my sister bought both last summer). The fit isn't exact, and on one occasion the wind lifted it off, but it was very, very stormy. The problem was solved on that occasion by taking it down but I had said at the time that a couple of clips, like the ones you buy to secure sheets to the edge of a mattress, would solve that problem - but I've since discovered Clingons and they'd be much better.

My feeling is that Vango sold this for the Icarus 500 last year, and possibly got some complaints. Rather than change the design they just continue to sell it but 'not' for the Vango Icarus. Then it's up to your own discretion. I'd still be keen to buy one as they're still a great asset, and the open faced canopy is just as at risk in a storm - in fact more so as the wind would get right under it and lift it.

I want to order this but since the shop would be ordering it in specifically for me I feel I would be unable to return it if it really doesn't fit!

What are Vango playing at?

Not really Rockford but it's in the shop just waiting for me to pick it up. It's a 150 mile round trip but I will get it before the last may bank holiday as I'll be using it.

I did buy some clingons (well magic eyelets, ebay - same thing) and am now looking at buying some more of the C clips (same as are on the tent) to anchor the other end of the guy to somewhere on the middle pole (side of tent obviously not obscuring side door).

I'll post pics when I get it done. I'm confident I'll get a good fit, or as good as anyone as it seems in all pics of the premium attached to either the Orchy or the Icarus there's a gap at the sides (but that applies to the ordinary canopy too)

I have a Vango standard sun canopy and there are bound to be gaps at the sides. They are not designed to fit like a glove. The elasticated guy is just stretched over the door pole and anchored either side. They are meant to be canopies and sun shades rather than tent extensions or extra rooms. The instructions that came with mine actually state that it should not be used in windy weather.

I am sure you can get it to fit more tightly with the use of clingons etc; but you run the risk of damaging your tent or the pole if you tie it down too tightly or the wind gets up unexpectedly.

I agree with you Bob about the risk of damage to my tent, and I intend to remove the extension if wind gets up, and would do so whether it was universal canopy or the premium extension. Until I get to play around with the thing I won't know what the best pitching arrangement is - I'm actually really looking forward to playing around with it, like a new toy!

But I still don't understand why it is that the premium extension is not deemed suitable for the icarus this year, when it was last year!

In my sisters case, the extension is a great asset as we got wet weather for four consecutive days at the end of last summer - and there were three adults and four teenage children all easily accomodated in the space the premium added to the Icarus.

The only difference I am aware of between the vango canopies is that some are extra wide to fit large wide tunnel tents. All the others seem to be a universal fit and the Icarus looks to me like a typical 3 pole tunnel tent. Could it be that they have stopped producing the Icarus so no longer recommend the canopy for it?

I bought the standard canopy for my Peakland denby 500 which fitted fine but looked stupid because my tent was much lower than the canopy. I used it a couple of times and decided it wasn't worth the trouble as it didn't really do much...too small. I did discover though that if you peg the elasticated guys pointing towards the back of the tent rather than straight down following the line of the pole, it doesn't lift off the pole in the slightest breeze.

If the canopy with doors on is no different to the other canopies then I wouldn't worry about it. I have seen all sorts of make-shift ways of attaching them to tents they aren't intended for...people who have bought the large canopy for the front door but then try to fit it on the side door for instance.

Hi Frome, in reply to your question in your original post; we're not playing at anything! :-)

For 2009, we recommended the following canopy options for Icarus 500:-

Large Canopy and Premium Extension on front door.

Tunnel Canopy and Tunnel Extension on side door.

These were/are general canopies which are intended to be used with a number of tents.

For 2010, we introduced an Icarus specific canopy, so obviously, that's the one we recommend!

Hope this answers your questions.

James

AMG Quality Manager