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We are trying to decide between the Vista 800 and the Vail 700 tents.  Unfortunately we haven't been able to see a Vista this Summer, but did see the smaller cousin Oregon.  We were not convinced about the TBS system and the straps across the floor.

The main issue for us is being able to get a wheelchair in/out and around the tent easily.  We know these are huge tents for three of us, but by the time you have a wheelchair and other bits around the extra space just disappears!

The attraction of the Vail is the wide doors and roomy interior.  A disadvantage is the weight of the steel poles - but recently we have been using a borrowed traditional steel pole frame tent since our trusty Force Ten Mk V is too small for the wheelchair for longer than a weekend.

Can anyone help us decide before the stock of 2006 Vails dries up (The 2007 model has a SIG which is no good for getting a wheelchair through the door - pity about the SIG really as there will also be a 500 model which would be the perfect size).

Brendan

Hi Brendan and a very warm welcome to the site .

Of the two tents you have mentioned, I think the Vail is more suited to wheelchair access and storage, for the reasons you have yourself mentioned. Furthermore, the Vail is a more versatile design and has more points of access, which might be better suited to your needs? The entire front can be zipped out if an when required, or the wall moved back to create a huge canopied area (as I'm sure you will already know). However, the Vail does take some time to pitch (do a search, using the icon at the top of this page), would that be an issue? That is the only thing that stopped us from buying one ourselves, this year; it seemingly takes longer to pitch than a traditional, canvas frame tent (you say you have borrowed a frame tent, didn't you find that suitable?).

I have seen the Vail at around £300, have you found a better price?

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

PS

The Vail also has straight sides, which would make for better wheelchair-friendly space I think.

Hi!

We have the Vangoo Vista 800 (2006).  You can use this tent with or without the TBS straps, they are for high winds only and fit in little pockets at the side when you are camping in 'normal' conditions.

Although it is a big roomy tent I personally think that I would find it hard at the two side entrances to comfortably fit through a wheelchair.  However if there were only half the number of people going camping than the number the tent takes you can use the end door as well.

Vango Vail - http://www.outdooraction.co.uk/acatalog/VANGO_VAIL_TENT_RANGE_2006.html

Vango Vista - http://www.crosscampingandleisure.co.uk/

Gary at Cross Camping is exceptionally helpful!  He often pops up on this site too!

Here are some more pictures of the Vista

http://www.outdoorfocus.co.uk/tall_fibreglass_steel_tents/Vango/Vista/Vango_Vista800_photos.htm

Hi Brendan

Just to let you know ive just put my tape up to the side door on a vista and the opening is 140 cm wide.

Regards

Gary

Thanks to all who have replied.

The pictures of the Vista are very useful.  The doors do seem quite wide (thanks for the measurement Gary) so I think they should be OK.  Debbie, How do you find it threading the poles through the sleeves.  I have recently put up a Vango Tahoe 400 which is a dome with an extension porch on each side and found that threading the poles through was slow going.  Maybe the fact that the poles cross on the dome section makes it trickier? Does the whole of one of the end panels open up as a door or does not go as far as the first hoop?  Probably plenty of width, but maybe a bit low?

We did look and the Outwell Indiana, but felt it was rather too light inside for a light sleeper.  A personal view (maybe impacted by years of using Vango) was that the quality didn't seem as good as the Vangos - although I know there are many Outwell users on this site, so they can't be bad!

We are pretty experienced campers (a scout and a guide leader) so I suspect that whichever tent we end up with we will get to grips with putting it up without too much trouble.  I have seen mixed posts on here in the past about putting the Vail up with one couple saying they have got it down to 30 minutes and others taking much longer.

Brendan

We had a dome tent before the Vista and found threading the poles as they crossed hassle too.  We are novices and my husband and I managed to get eh tent standing in less than 20 minutes.  Pegging out and putting in the ground sheet obviously took a little longer.  All in all about an hour to an hour and a half.  The end panel opens totally as the end door, all the way to the first pole.  These are the instructions for erecting the tent, we followed these and it was easy.

FLYSHEET FIRST PITCHING

·                     Assemble poles and lay them on the ground (6 poles: 1 long pole, 2 medium poles, 2 short poles, and 4 light canopy poles; all with pre-angled sections).

·                     Open out flysheet on ground (check tension bands are un-clipped) and position tent in desired direction.

·                     Locate the pole sleeves on outside of flysheet and insert all the poles. The poles are colour coded to match corresponding pole sleeve entry points.

·                     ENSURE THAT ALL FLYSHEET TENSION ADJUSTERS (webbing and buckle) AT THE BASE OF EACH POLE SLEEVE ARE IN THE SLACKENED POSTION.

·                     Locate one end of each pole onto the metal pin system at the end of the pole sleeve.

·                     Push each pole into an arch from opposite side and locate pole ends onto corresponding metal pin. Once connected at both ends lay arch on the ground.

·                     Peg down one end of the flysheet by means of the two anchor straps at each corner. The webbing and buckle arrangement should be extended to its maximum length. Use the V-pegs provided.

·                     Pull flysheet taut, away from pegged points, until tent takes shape. This may need to be done with assistance as even a small breeze may catch the underside of the tent, making the tent difficult to manage.

·                     Peg the opposing two anchor straps using the remaining V-pegs provided. Again ensure that the webbing and buckle arrangement is extended to its maximum length.

·                     Peg down all pole positions through the metal ring using pin-pegs.

·                     Peg out all remaining shock-cord pegging points on the base of the flysheet using pin-pegs.

·                     The four anchor straps at the end corners and the flysheet tension adjusters at the base of the each pole are provided to ensure that the flysheet remains taut in all conditions. Regulate to suit conditions.

·                     Peg out ALL guy lines using pin-pegs ensuring that guy line fabric attachment points are evenly tensioned.

·                     4 light canopy poles are used to support the door and window covers as awnings. Push the poles through the poles sleeves and locate in the eyelets on the adjacent main pole sleeves

·                     2 metal poles are used to support the doorway as an awning. Erect the poles through the eyelets in the bottom of the door. Connect the extra guy lines, one to each pole. The guy lines are then pegged to enable the doorway to be held taut. Regulate to suit the conditions.

We love the tent it is beig and roomy and has loads of storage space.  You can remove one or two of the inners at the door end depending on your need.

The groundsheet runs the length of the tent so you don't have to have a set layout either.