Vango Orchy 500 Tent Reviews and Details Page 3

Tent Reviews: Vango Orchy 500

Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Vango > Orchy 500 Reviews

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

Yes
5 (more 5 berth tents)
12.00 KG
Ł160.00
1
Fully Sewn-in
In one

Average User Rating:

7.39/10 from 46 reviews

Viewed: 125683 times

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46 Reviews of the Orchy 500 Showing 21 to 30 Page: 1 2 3 4 5

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

Excellent bit of kit, sleeps 2 adults 2 children on camp beds perfectly in the warm and dry. Great to be able to stand and sit at a table for those rainy times. 2 entrances a bonus although a little wet when you exit in the rain. We are considering the extension which then leads us to think should we have bought a bigger tent ? We got an online price match from yeomans which is worth trying again (Ł140) love the windows too !

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By: Damo1306 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 3 from 10

Last year, I had a very bad camping trip and ended up having two poles shear through the ferrules so I was stuck in Cumbria with no tent. So, I took a quick trip to Ambleside and went to yeomans. I had a look around the tents on display and must say the Orchy looked pretty decent. I purchased one, and all the kit, all for nearly Ł350. Went back to the campsite and set up.

First pitch, I couldn't for the life of me get the groundsheet in the living area flat and on closer inspection found the tension straps to be very ODDLY laid out. Subsequent trips have always been the same. Another strange thing about this tent, there's no way of tensioning the front door so on a windy night the front door pushes in. That brings me nicely to my main concern over this tent, it does not do well in even mild winds. I have had 3 bedroom poles snap and had to replace at my cost because vango assume no responsibility for poles, this at a cost of Ł16 a time. Plus my pole snapped again back in may, Vango have yet to reply to my 12 emails I've sent them trying to get another pole. I have just gone online and bought a pack of poles myself to fix it as I'm about to sell this tent plus equipment at a fraction of what I paid for it

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By: Ginster-pies Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 6 from 10

I have an Orchy 500, which space wise and ease of pitching wise is brilliant. We love the layout, and were dead happy with it. However, the first time we used it, we had a stormy night, and it ended up collapsing. The guy toggles are a bit weird - in that they are under tension all the time, and one of these snapped , which led the main pole to snap, and the ring/pin to rip off the tent.

We sent it back to Vango, and 2 days later, it returned, fully fixed. We took it out again on the bank holiday weekend, and it was brilliant.

I will always worry a little about it in the wind, and will try and make sure I pitch it 'back-to-wind' but hope that we're not going to have any more problems with it

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By: Jabba65 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 10 from 10

I bought the Vango Orchy 500 for the space it offered, me and my partner are fell walkers so need to store kit. I love this tent - our first outing was at Glenridding at the foot of Helvellyn. When we put the tent up it was a little wet and windy but it went up ok. I managed to work out the tensioners ok, that night we had gale force winds and I was well impressed with its performance. I would definitely buy another Vango.

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By: Deakin Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 6 from 10

This is a budget tent, but from a manufacturer that has had a good reputation in the past, so I expected a good product. The design suited us very well and we were pleased with many of the features.

Unfortunately the design is completely flawed by the arrangement of the bedroom pole, which is at the wrong angle for structural stability. It is a vertical hoop supporting a sloping back wall and roof panel. To support these panels effectively the sides of the hoop should be aligned upwards and to the rear of the tent, not vertical. The guys support the sides but cannot give any support to the top of the hoop, and any additional guys that you might fit there will only add to the downward force on the top and make matters worse.

We pitched the tent with its back to the wind to give best protection to the front entrance, and comfort. In this orientation the wind pressure on the back of the tent depresses the top of the hoop downwards and towards the front of the tent. It has no stability in this direction and so, after a few days of variable winds, the pole snapped at the top and the bedroom collapsed.

This is a fundamental design flaw, which could so easily have been avoided with different alignment of the pole. No extra expense whatsoever.

I complained to the retailer who replaced the pole and said they had received no other complaints. They said they would report it to Vango who would contact me but of course I heard no more.

If you have one of these and need to rely on it, I suggest you pack a couple of spare pole sections.

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By: Worrior Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 7 from 10

Having read the reviews on this site after we just went and bought the orchy 500, my stomach turned as I thought we had just wasted our money. However, we used it for the first time in the Brecon beacons and was not disappointed.

We (my wife and i) put it up in wind which was tricky as the big dome acted like a sail and wanted to blow away. But it went up and never collapsed. We put the back into the wind. Upsides are it is roomy and its nice to stand upright. Only small problem was that we couldn't get the front tensioned right, so the front door sagged. Having read many reviews though I am convinced that incorrect tensioning is the reason for at least some of the problems people have had. Looking forward to the spring when we can get back outdoors again with our new Orchy. We like it :)

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By: RichardCB Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 9 from 10

Haven't camped for many years and decided to start again. Really wanted a Vango Icarus but sold out so bought an Orchy 500 for the same price.

Camped for best part of a week north of Oban and tent was carefully pegged and tensioned. Contrary to reports here, tent stood up easily to steady winds up to F6 and gusts to F7, considerably more at times judging by sea state. Tent was pitched front door facing the wind on a totally exposed site. Naturally, the structure moved slightly in the wind but there was no real concern about stability and we reckon it would withstand another notch, or two, on the Beaufort scale.

It rained incessantly including several torrential downpours all night and there was not the slightest leak.

Only downsides were some condensation (fairly cool outside) and a puddle forming just in front of the rear hoop which doesn't seem to be sufficiently curved to allow water to roll off. Also, the front door area droops more than I'd like but to no deleterious effect.

Plenty of space for two in sleeping area and four in living area (two others had their own, small, tent); built in groundsheet excellent and standing headroom very good for a six footer.

Own goal department - tent was pitched with footprint overlapping tent sides so water ran off tent onto footprint and into the main tent area between groundsheet & footprint. Groundsheet insufficiently proofed to prevent water coming into bedroom area when laid upon. Problem solved by tucking footprint inside perimeter of tent and placing a cheap plastic backed car rug under the sleeping mat at the worst affected point.

We were very impressed and hope our experience in very difficult conditions was typical of the way the tent will stand up to foul weather.

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By: Fatfairy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 9 from 10

Easy to put up-really simple and quick.Roomy enough for 4 people wouldn't like to have 5 in there all the time though (Our two eldest had their own tents alongside) but have had 5 sitting in living area quite comfortably.

Bone dry-not a drop in and withstood strong winds fine.

Love the sewn in grounds sheet. Easy to keep out the bits and bugs.

Only point was trying to open the door during actual rain. It slopes in so no matter how careful you are the rain drips on the floor a bit.-but soon sorted by putting a towel there in really bad weather-and fine as long as you're in or out-not in between!

We thought it great-better than many expensive tents we have had in the past-and a bargain at the price.

We will look into buying the porch for next time I think -I really enjoyed camping this time! usually I moan about the wet/grass/ bugs etc but this made it a really enjoyable holiday.

Loved the meshy doors as well as it helped when it wa really hot. Also its nice and light with the roof windows uncovered when you want to so you're not in the dark if stuck in in the day.

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By: Smokey01 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 1 from 10

We purchased the orchy this season, as we wanted to downsize form our Vango Aspen. After checking all reviews we could find the Orchy seemed to be the tent for us, however the first time we come use the tent on Shell Island we found to our dismay that this tent is incapable of withstanding wind. Although we had the tent correctly erected, guyed out,and also sheltered with windbreaks and our car the living area dome, continually collapsed, what is perhaps more annoying is that the day the wind was strongest it was fine.

The finish quality of the tents interior was poor, not what I expect from Vango, the poles on the dome completely split in half along it's length, this appears to be a common complaint. I have used Vango products for over twenty years without complaint. The tent is currently being returned to Vango to be assessed however from other threads posted here this appears to be futile. I for one will never use this Orchy again. I am currently fitting a towbar so we can use our Aspen again, the money the Orchy cost us would perhaps have been better invested in a new trailer!

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By: Snippergirl Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: 9 from 10

Due to kids growing up and longer working hours,we decided to get rid of our caravan & buy this tent.

We Used it for the first time this weekend, for 3 very wet & Windy nights and love it.

The tent did not buckle,bend or collapse, as some have found, (& the wind almost took our friends gazebo), so we are happy. We got the footprint and the carpet which helped to keep it warm & cosy. Also the family adventure canopy and the wind breaker,this helped keep the driving rain off our entrance, and somewhere to sit when the rain eased off.

The only problem we had, and I think it was us, is that the front of the tent didnt sit quite right, it listed slightly to one side, and was rather taught both inside and out at the bottom and across the bow pole,.However, we were pitched on a slight slope and had to use our side entrance so maybe this had something to do with it. (if anyone has any ideas or tips please let me know)

We'll have another look when we use it again.

It only took 15-20 mins to put up and was as easy as it looks on the dvd(which did make the instructions easier to understand.)

Taking down was easy too, although it was pouring, we got it dried out at home easily enough on the washing line.

We eventually got into the bag, once you got it, it goes easily.

Overall, we cant wait to use it again, it is every thing we wanted and thought we were getting when we bought it.

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46 User Reviews of the Orchy 500 - Showing 21 to 30 Page: 1 2 3 4 5

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Manufacturer's Description

Protex® 3000 polyester waterproof, durable and reliable
> Taped seams for waterproof protection
> Comfort colours darker over bedrooms for more restful sleep
> Storm skirt system waterproof exterior skirt system which creates dry comfort zones. Heavy duty oxford fabric used for strength and durability
> Flysheet first pitching inner tents are kept dry
> Guy tidy velcro holder allows guylines to be packed neatly, making re-pitching easier
> Colour coded poles match the poles to the sleeve tab for easy pitching
> Powerflex® fibreglass poles tough, sturdy and reliable
> Pre-angled poles improves angles of the walls resulting in more usable space and stability
> Front flysheet vents with covers allows continual airflow enhancing comfort
> PE waterproof groundsheet 5000HH minimum ensures dry inner tents
> Rain gutter zip covers keeps zips dry
> Sewn-in groundsheet fully enclosed to protect against unwanted draughts and bugs
> Drop down groundsheet at doors fillet and toggle system improves performance and comfort by eliminating gaps. Also a useful safety feature by removing tripping obstacles in doorways
> Front and side mesh doors reduces build up of condensation and keeps bugs out
> Mesh vents on inner allows continual airflow enhancing comfort
> Double zip windows flexible internal cover allowing choice between - light and vent, light only or vent only
> Pelmet aesthetic addition to conceal inner attachment points giving the interior a more finished look.
> Breathable fabric inner creates a comfortable sleeping area
> Parallel zip door allows the use of accessory King Poles to create a canopy for sheltered entry
> Carry bag oversized to ease the pack away and easy transportation
> Matching Accessories includes Sleeping Bags, Carpets, Furniture, Windbreaks, Sun Canopies, etc

Pack size: 72 x 29 x 26cm
Pitching area: 615 x 390cm
Pitching time: 2

... there may be more info on their website

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