Vango Beta 350 Tent Reviews and Details

Tent Reviews: Vango Beta 350

Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Vango > Beta 350 Reviews

Current Model?
Berths:
Weight:
RRP on date added:
Bedroom inners:
Living area groundsheet:
Pitching Style:

Yes
3 (more 3 berth tents)
6.40 KG
Ł70.00
1
Standard
Fly first

Average User Rating:

8.32/10 from 41 reviews

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41 Reviews of the Beta 350 Showing 01 to 10 Page: 1 2 3 4 5

By: Scrambling Goth Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2016 Rating: 9 from 10

Bought this to replace an elderly Khyyam dome (!) as a base camp tent (backpacking with it is probably recipe for a hernia) for 2, or for just me when I don't feel ascetic enough to insert my ancient self into my Vaude Hogan.

It's endured some nasty weather in the Lakes; I cannot quite pitch it correctly to avoid some ponding of water above the sleeping area if it's really been slinging it down. The huge porch is brilliant (I am an untidy camper, too) and more often than not I don't bother with the porch groundsheet, though I always use a footprint groundsheet beneath the inner.

The plastic clips for securing said groundsheet and the bottom of the inner are not particularly easy and I've replaced them with the very small Alpkit carabiners, a great improvement. Remembering to get any water off from above the side doors before opening is a must (unless one is given to impromptu cold showers), and the zip can get stuck if one is at all impatient with it. Useful pockets and bits and pieces inside, and all at a height which is sympathetic to those of riper years (my camping armchair is a good fit within, and I'm 6'2').

Very happy with it, and at a bargain price. It's not a Hilleberg, but you could buy three of these for the price of one of those.

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By: Hansy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 8 from 10

My Beta 350 is a well loved tent! Easy and quick pitching, great in bad weather and plenty if space! I have the black and green model which allows a good nights sleep as it is dark and has plenty of space for 2 sharing a double air bed with a medium sized bag each too. I have used this for both weekend trips and longer breaks and the tent has proven its worth on every trip. Porch gives great storage space and has proved handy on wet evenings as a space to play cards with lantern hanging and one of us sat on a low camping chair while the other sits in the bedroom. Tent is high enough to gain good access but I think I'm ready for something with a wee bit more headroom. After almost 4 years of loyal service and plenty of trips my beta is about to be replaced . Annoyingly the zip always caught on tent fabric slowly tearing the zip cover, eventually however the zip has broken beyond repair and no longer stays closed without the zip teeth opening, a real shame but if I wasn't looking for a bigger tent I would more than likely replace my beta 350 with another!

Overall a great value tent that has proven to be a reliable friend on many adventures!

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By: Cloudane Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 8 from 10

2010 model has stood the test of time fairly well and is excellent in bad weather - I've had it in howling winds and bucketing rain with no problems. There are handy pockets inside and a hook at the top to hang something like a lightweight LED lamp.

Main 'issue' for me is because it's 3 man (2 man in the real world but like ALL manufacturers they give the _maximum_ capacity, not the most realistic) and my friends are the type who never buy their own stuff if they can borrow from someone, I rarely get to camp in it myself and usually get relegated to my 1-man pop-up!

I think the poles that came with it were a little bit too long. It quickly gained a reputation with my friends as the infamous 'Tighty McTight' tent from all the moments we were stood there in the wind/rain trying to insert the pin into the pole without breaking it, then laughing nervously at how extremely strained the poles looked after erecting. It says something that the sleeves are kind of 'white' from the rubbery waterproof coating being stretched.

Before too long, 'crunch'. I tried to invoke warranty but Vango wanted pictures etc (which is fair, they can't just be giving away new poles to anyone who claims they're a bit too long) and as I'm sure many are aware the last couple of years were basically constant rain so I decided to just bite the bullet and buy a new pole. Lo and behold despite being designed for the same tent it was a few inches shorter than the original. So perhaps there was a manufacturing error somewhere along the line.

Other than that, I can't really criticise it. Zipping and unzipping the door can be a little troublesome due to the flap covering it being tight and having a tendency to get caught. If you have a slightly damaged pole or are on too uneven ground it can knock the whole tent out of shape and cause problems (chief among them is the porch groundsheet might not reach all the edges properly), but I'm sure that probably goes for any tent that isn't completely basic. Also it's worth keeping a gap in the porch for your shoes anyway so you don't muddy up the ground sheet.

Great to put up, thanks to the colour coded toggles inside, these are a GREAT help.

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By: Pjaz Reason: I've used one Made in: 2012 Rating: 8 from 10

Used this for one night so far, but have practiced pitching a few times.

I really like it, it is easy to pitch and fairly sturdy (didn't have any rain or wind so can't comment further). A couple of the poles seem a little too long but I can sort that out easily enough. Liked the link attached ground sheet, the porch space is good and the sleeping space is good (I was solo camping so will see how it feels with 2 in next time).

The only downside is you have to go outside the tent to get to the mesh door zip, couldn't see any way to get the main door zipped down leaving just the mesh otherwise.

I'll report back when have used a bit more often but pleased with the tent @ Ł50.

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By: SpookHunter Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating: 9 from 10

My first foray into camping led me to compare many, many tents and I finally settled on the Vango Beta 350. The 2012 model has an RRP of Ł120, though I picked mine up in the sale at Millets for Ł60! Bargain.

It is a roomy tent which is easily erected. It has a big 'footprint' though which has taken getting used to with regards to making sure I choose a large enough pitch. Plenty of space in the porch for backpacks, boots etc and a nice area to sit in if the weather is a bit damp.

Colour coded poles assist the erection process, but it is so simple that you don't realy need them to be colour coded.

What I like best about this tent is the little extras that Vango have included, such as pockets in the inner tent for storing bits and bobs, the various loops and ties that keep everything neat and tidy, the venting system which for me works a treat, the privacy covers over the windows and the groundsheet attached to the inner tent.

The only criticism I have is that there is only a mesh 'screen' on one of the doors, but to be honest that isn't really a problem.

3 adults would find this a snug tent, 2 would find it very comfortable though with plenty of space. A family (adult and two kids) should find it room enough though a second adult could easily sleep in the porch area if needed.

In summary, for me this is a great first tent which has the flexibility of being a 2 person in comfort, or an adventurous family tent. It's a tad on the heavy side but not too onerous and is up to the usual Vango quality.

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By: Shanefidel Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating: 10 from 10

This is my first tent and what a little beauty.

I wanted something fairly light and easy to pitch on your own for short trips away mountain biking to act as a base camp for several rides in a new area without having to drive home wet, muddy and tired.

I have just returned from 3 nights up a Welsh mountain in torrential rain and high winds !

The Beta 350 performed brilliantly, although I did fear my tent with me in it was going to get blown away on one really rough night.

This tent with stood everything nature could throw at it and I even had room for my bike inside at night !

There were no leaks with the exception of the water that comes in when the door is opened (see other reviews)but even so that was not really a problem.

The sleeping area was really warm and condensation was not an issue.

If I have one criticism it is that saying this is a 3 man tent is a little optimistic.

My wife and 3 year old boy stayed on the last night and it was quite a squeeze. My wife is only a size 8 but seemed to take up an awful lot of room !

All in all though this tent is ideal for the reasons I bought it. If at some point we ever decide to go on family camping trips I feel a much bigger unit will have to be purchased.

But for the moment the Beta 350 is ideal.

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By: Ray-g Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: 9 from 10

I bough the Beta 350 because I wanted a bit more height in the tent over a 3 man tunnel tent I had been using for 10 years. Getting old I guess. It is easy to put up and very stable in the wind if you guy it out properly. The back of the inner tent slopes quite steeply so you need to make sure you don’t push against that. You can pack it up with the inner tent fitted if you wish. My inner tent is grey so that helps keep out some of the early morning light. There are only 2 things that I don't like about the Beta 350 and several of the other reviewers have mentioned one of them - the problem of rain dripping onto the porch groundsheet when you open the doors. The other is a personal preference in that I would like both porch doors to have a fly screen instead of one to improve the ventilation on hot days. Lots of good points though with plenty of storage room, big doors and neat touches like the Velcro tabs to hold the guy ropes when you fold them up. This is a great tent especially for the price.

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By: EB00 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 8 from 10

I think this tent is good value for money - I bought it because I needed a 3 person tent at fairly short notice for an end-of-season short break with my 2 children. I considered spending more on something more technical but wasn't sure it was justified and most were sold out by then.

It's ideal for 3 if you keep most of your gear in the porch, which unlike many other small tents does actually have enough room for this, although that doesn't then leave space to use the porch as a living area - we have used a separate shelter for this or just hoped it wouldn't rain too hard. It's also great for 2 and fits a double airbed with a bit of space left over for some belongings (not large bags) down each side.

I don't like the way the porch groundsheet attaches to the flysheet as in some conditions rain can run down and pool on/run over the groundsheet. I usually fold it and tuck the middle hooks on the side underneath - this also leaves a narrow triangular patch of bare ground at each side for shoes - but you do need to attach the front hooks and the ones by the inner as this keeps the inner in the correct position away from the rear wall. However we have had a few occasions when the rear wall has leaked slightly due to inner touching outer near the base as items or sleeping bags get pressed against it during the night - the guy at the rear is not effective enough to prevent this.

Overall I think for the price this is a good buy - it's easy to put up and can be done by one person if necessary.

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By: Yozhughes Reason: I've used one Made in: 2010 Rating: 8 from 10

Very spacious three man tent. There were only two of us but there was plenty of room for a double airbed, rucksack and a mountain of other stuff in side.

Admittedly I had had two dry runs at home, it only took me 15 minutes to put this tent up in blustery conditions.

The sleeping compartment is large but the porch area is too.

We suffered a very heavy and prolonged thunderstorm on the North Wales Coast with high winds and it coped well with the weather.

Only marked down due to weak pegs and the design that it was very difficult to open the doors with water on them without the water falling in the porch.

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By: Mikeh025 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 10 from 10

Saw this quite by chance as an ad on the web and thought that by now I ought to get something more modern, having used mostly ridge tents for many years. Also Vango has been a good name for some decades, so I bought one to use for a 10 day break out in Hereford & Worcester. First off I was very impressed with the interior space - compared to my so-called 3-man ridge tent, even with its flysheet's 'double bell-ends', the Beta's interior is positively cavernous (and was my main reason for trying out this type). I can quite believe you could store a couple of trail bikes under cover in the porch area at night. As I am now nearer to 60 than 50, this space is a welcome change and much easier to move around in and get in and out of.

The 'porch' area makes a good daytime lounge and I also used it as a kitchen / diner area. The windows are an excellent idea as you can zip everything up to keep the wind out and the warmth in, and still get a reasonable view of the outdoors. For cooking and lighting I used (as usual) a Coleman petrol stove and petrol lantern; as you may imagine safety precautions are paramount. The steep sloping sides of the ridge tent make this a bit awkward, however the Beta's ceiling is so high there's no danger whatever of hot gases reaching and damaging the fabric. (Keeping the burner(s) near the centre of the goundsheet obviously!) And there's still loads of space for stowing cases and bags.

On the 6th day the wind changed to Westerly with, on the radio news, storm warnings for coastal ports, ditto for high-sided vehicles and caravans etc. Using the motorway network. We were battered with this for the next couple of days, plus heavy rain showers, fortunately I had the added protection of a high hedge and my car, even so the tent hoops were alarmingly deformed by gusts on several occasions, still nothing broke and even the adjusters on the guylines never even moved. Tip - they work best to support the hoops if pegged out to near maximum length, although this does mean the whole plot uses a larger ground area.

The peg bag includes various colour fabric and groundsheet patches if a repair is necessary and a spare guyline. The erection instructions etc. Are printed on a piece of cloth which is sewn into the carry bag, however to be honest I found these a bit vague, but what it amounts to is as follows: identify the back end, and peg down the two opposite corners. The two short poles (front and back) are identified by having a coloured section, the longer centre pole doesn't. Insert first the rear pole through the flysheet, I find it easier to plug the sections together as I'm pushing it through, if you plug the whole thing together first it can be very long and unwieldy. Don't forget the righthand side (looking from the front) has adjustable straps at the poles' bases, slacken these before trying to get all the base pins in to avoid straining anything, then retighten.

You should end up with 3 hoops lying on top of each other. Then you grab the two front corners, pull them forward and the whole thing stands up. Temporarily peg these down and make sure that the pole bases on both sides line up with the two rear corners, and basically there it is, just insert the remaining pegs from the rear pole bases forwards, making sure to tension the flysheet and connecting straps between each stage, and readjust the front pegs as necessary. As I found out, the guylines are important, so do use them!

Rain coming in when you unzip a door - easiest way around this is unzip it, but hold it up with one hand while you (gently) slap the edge of the roof with the back of the other hand to shake off the surplus water; holding up the door flap stops it splashing in. Simples!

It works just fine if I'm using a car but I think it's a bit big and heavy to carry if I want to start motorcycle touring again, so I'm now also looking for the smaller 250 version.

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41 User Reviews of the Beta 350 - Showing 01 to 10 Page: 1 2 3 4 5

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Manufacturer's Description

# The Vango Beta 350 includes taped seams for waterproof protection
# As one or flysheet first pitching simple, quick to pitch and keeps inner dry
# Heavy duty pole sleeves ensures even distribution of tension
# Guy tidy velcro holder allows guylines to be packed neatly, making re-pitching easier
# The Vango Beta 350 includes colour coded poles matching the poles to the sleeve tab for easy pitching
# Front and back flysheet vents with covers allows continual airflow enhancing comfort
# Rain gutter zip covers keeps zip dry
# Mesh side door reduces build up of condensation and keeps bugs out
# Mesh vents on inner allows continual airflow enhancing comfort
# The Vango Beta 350 features part mesh on inner door reducing build up of condensation and keeps bugs out
# Storage solutions inner pockets - keeps those essentials close at hand
# Crystal clear windows allow maximum light into living areas
# Lantern point loop or hook conveniently placed to attach lighting
# The Vango Beta 350 features breathable fabric inners creating a comfortable sleeping area
# Carry bag oversized to ease the pack away.
# Repair Kit included for that unforseen tent emergency
# Matching Accessories includes Sleeping Bags, Furniture, Windbreaks, etc.

... there may be more info on their website

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