Vango Equinox 450 Tent Reviews and Details

Tent Reviews: Vango Equinox 450

Tent and Awning Reviews Index > Vango > Equinox 450 Reviews

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

Yes
4 (more 4 berth tents)
6.70 KG
Ł320.00
2
Bathtub
In one

Average User Rating:

9.14/10 from 7 reviews

Viewed: 23951 times

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7 Reviews of the Equinox 450

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

I bought this tent second hand after two holidays in one of the monstrous plastic bags festooned with miles of gaudy string that pass for tents nowadays (2014).

What a relief! It's light and compact, but easily big enough for my needs - one adult and a large 12 year old. Easily room for 3 in the main inner as it's 2.2m wide. That's bigger than a king size bed. There is plenty of space in the middle for table and chairs if that is your style of camping. Admittedly you can't stand upright if you are more than 5 foot 2.

The quality is superb, streets ahead of any 'family' tent I have seen. Good quality fabric with not a stitch out of place, heavy duty zips, both doors have fly screens and do not require you to operate two zips to open. There are numerous pockets both inside and outside the inners, which also have deep bathtub floors. The only downside to my mind is the poles, which are of the crimped type. Not really important unless you are in extreme weather conditions. The later models are not quite as well finished I understand.

There is no sown in groundsheet, in fact, no groundsheet at all, apart from the inners. So plenty of fresh air to keep condensation at bay. You can buy a full size foot print which will cover the ground, without losing the ventilation. I have camped for many years in an Omega 350, which is pretty much identical, and even in the depths of winter it really isn't a problem.

Pitching takes about ten minutes including guying out. It will come down even faster if you are in a hurry to avoid the rain - under five minutes if you just stuff it in a large carrier bag and throw it in the boot. I know, I've done it. Try that with your 30kg monster!

It doesn't quite meet the Hilleberg standard, but it's pretty darn close.

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By: My4423chummy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 7 from 10

This is the fourth Equinox 450 I've bought. We originally had the 2003 model - one for us and one for the 3 children. These had to be replaced in 2005 because the pole sleeves had degraded so much that one of them ripped - but Vango were fairly decent about it and they were replaced at reduced cost.

I loved the 2005 model. Good wide external pole sleeves (much better than the flat ones) so that they were easy to put up on my own, plenty of room in the porch to cook and eat, and safe and secure in bad weather. I'd definitely have given this one 9 out of 10.

So when I wanted a replacement (the two 'children' still at home needed a tent each, so I gave them the 2005 models), I didn't think twice, I just bought another Equinox 450. But I'm very disappointed in the 2010 model. The flat pole sleeves make it really, really hard to insert the poles and it takes me at least twice as long to put up - all the time worrying that the force I'm having to use is going to force the pole out through the fabric.

The basic design is fantastic - but the 2010 model is disappointing. There are some clever improvements in the 2010 model - but they aren't enough to make up for it being so very hard to put up.

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By: Itsmick Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: 9 from 10

Fantastic tent for two people and our dog, single bedroom ideal for storage,can sit inside (if weather dictates) on chairs and still room to cook.Weather not an issue with this tent stands up to any amount of rain & wind, ideal tent for two or three day breaks,footprint a must as groundsheet is quiet thin, only reason it didn't get 10/10.

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

My wife and I have spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect tent for us, starting out with a Coleman Spirit 3 (good, but too small for us, and groundsheet leaks), and then getting an Outwell Oregon 5 (too heavy, too big, not stable enough in high winds, poles prone to break). We think we've found an almost perfect tent now in the Vango Equinox 450. It's big enough to get us and our greyhound in the main sleeping area, with plenty of room for rucksacks and the like. The small sleeping area opposite serves as a pantry / storage area most of the time, and the central area is plenty big enough to accommodate four adults on seats (more if you don't mind getting a bit better acquainted!)

You can't stand completely upright, but close enough to be able to get dressed without having to lie down. The tension straps are very welcome as a stabilising aid, but thankfully they've not been used in anything too extreme as yet (lots of heavy rain though, and we stayed nice and dry).

Couldn't give it a 10 out of 10 because it doesn't have a sewn in ground sheet, but a separate tarpaulin does the job nicely, and no other tent available seemed to tick as many boxes (apologies for the horrible cliche!) as this one. Hurrah!

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By: Phiwinuk Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2006 Rating: 10 from 10

A very stable tent that we have used as a family of 4 for a number of years. It is well designed and will stand up to a deal of bad weather.

We have tended to use it for relatively short breaks - you have to crouch down inside and might be a bit on the small side if you were using for a week or two - especially if the weather turned bad.

I am pleased with this purchase and would buy again. Strong alloy poles and pegs, good guying points. There is a built in groundsheet for the living area and small sleeping pod. I have added another groundsheet to go under the main sleeping area - that helps add further protection and keeps the build in groundsheet clean. I have also bought a pair of poles and guylines so I can hold out one of the doors and create a canopy suitable to sit under.

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By: MARTIN80 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2006 Rating: 10 from 10

The 450 is my second equinox tent, I owned the 250 for a few years previous. These tents are near perfect in design in my opinion, they are tough and well built (I haven't had a single problem with either.) They are also very easy to erect, I can have the 450 up and secured in under 10 mins on my own! The second room is ideal for storage if not used for sleeping and the porch is of a good size to sit comfortably out the rain and wind (which it stands up to well) if needs be. At this moment in time if I required another tent it would be a Vango equinox again.

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By: Oasys88 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2005 Rating: 10 from 10

I was new to camping when I bought this tent and was attracted to it due to its all weather capability and high wind resistance. I got the tent via an outlet in Cheshire via mail order/internet and paid just Ł265 including delivery. I saw the tent at around midday on a website and paid via Visa, and at 10.00 am the next day it was at my home! I have used the tent for 3 years now in all weather ranging from hot summer sun in Newquay through to high winds and torrential rain in Snowdonia, all with faultless performance. The tension band system is excellent and makes the tent rigid with enough give to prevent tearing. All that is required is occasional checking of pegs. The space inside the tent is more than adequate as far as room goes as I only use it as a ' 2 person' layout, I store my gear in the 2nd smaller sleeping area and use a double inflatable air bed in the main sleeping area with room to spare. It can be assembled from scratch by me alone in around 15 minutes. I have used the centre section in poor weather to cook and shelter, and at 5'8' tall cope with the slightly lower ceiling.There are entry/exit doors on both sides of the tent and these have dual doors, either mesh or solid and are zipped and velcro'd for a tightly sealed closure. It packs down nicely and is perfect in the boot of my VW Golf, I feel secure in the worst conditions and would recommend it to anyone as long as you don't over crowd it. There are 4 small air vents which just do the trick. Bigger windows would be nice but the 2 included seem average for this type of tent. The high quality folding aluminium poles are colour coded and are effortless in their operation. There are plenty of stowage pockets and hooks for lamps etc. The mesh inner doors keep insects and most nasties out and are backed up by proper closing zipped doors. There are cheaper tents around but Vango has thought hard in the design of this tent and the quality shows, it is over engineered with its 3000mm/5000mm hydrostatic head rating and its comforting to have this level of protection. Perfect for UK all year camping.

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Manufacturer's Description

A classic in its own right, the 3 pole tunnel design is simple but devilishly efficient. With exceptional storage and magnificent sleeping compartments the Equinox is the obvious choice for multi-activity outdoor worshippers. Cyclists, climbers, paddlers, trekkers and all round adventurers who want a solid base camp or portable palace will love the Equinox.

Capacity: 4 people
Price: Ł320.00 /€480.00
Total Weight: 6.70g
Trail Weight: 6.40g
Pack Size: 54 x 28cm
Pitching Area: 20cm
Colours: Pine/Black

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