Vango F10 Helium 100TBS

[ILUVSWTAS]

What does anyone know of these??

[Singe]

I'm hoping for some owner feedback on this tent as well... it's on my shortlist

A google search reveals that some people on here do own them... biggest issue seems to be a large discrepancy between advertised and actual weight.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Thats interesting. They seem quite popular, any idea how much they may actually weigh?

[Franco]

I think that Singe was referring to this link http://v-g.me.uk/blog/outdoor-gear/vang ... irst-look/
One guy reports the weight at 1140 g. Also the 83/85 max headroom is mentioned.
If you use trekking poles I would suggest you look at the Aarn Pacer 1, at a very sweet price now here :
http://www.hikelight.com.au/prod25.htm
about 1400g but a very solid design and 4 season capable...
( I know the owner there but I do not benefit in recommending this one)
or the Tarptent Scarp 1 , larger at around 1300g (fly/inner/pole/pegs)
can be 4 season with the extra poles.
(same comment as for the Aarn...)
For a minimalistic set up I would now go for the TT Moment...
Franco

[ILUVSWTAS]

Thanks mate! some good info there!
Unfortunately im not very keen on trekking poles, i know they have their uses but...
Very nice looking tent though.

[Singe]

I must be going crazy but I thought I found a thread on this site where someone bought a Helium 1 and reported its weight as significantly over 900g... can't find it now but there is this thread and this one. Waldgeist doesn't appear to be around any more, but hopefully Devon Annie might stop in at some stage assuming she still has the tent...

The Aarn Pacer 1 is interesting - do you know whether it could be used with a normal pole instead of the trekking poles + built-in pole? I'm looking for something for cycle touring as well as walking, so wouldn't want to carry walking poles just for the tent

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yes thats VERY interesting!
DEVONANNIE!! WHERE ARE YOU???????????

I decided to get a Vango. My Mother has some kind of go-on with ebay so she offered to pay over 50% for me.. seemed too good to pass up on, even if it is a bit heavier than stated I cant imagine it being heavier than my Minaret

Tho I do love my Minaret I really just want something for LONG daywalks as an emergency shelter and also for summer overnight trips.

When I get it (should be in a couple of days) I will let everyone know how it feels, Might even spend a night in the yard sleeping in it....

[Singe]

Everyone who has bought one seems to have subsequently disappeared from the forum - either they've perished in the bush when it collapsed in a snowstorm, or the tent is so good they've had no reason to return to civilization since

Would be very interested in your thoughts when it arrives

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hahaha typical...
Yeh I got it the other day, as you said it weighs 1140grams, probably reason enough to be a bit peeved, but when I set it up first time one of the eyelets broke. If I had paid for it with all of my own money I would be very very annoyed!! HIGHLY recommend buying something different..... They did say (after some minor arguments) they would take it back for examination, but I managed to fix it myself and am happy enough with how it now is. Still as I said for the money there are plenty of better tents out there!
I intend to only use it as an emergency shelter/overnight tent so im not too phased..

[Singe]

Well, I think that puts it officially 'off' my list

I need something reliable, comfortable and genuinely four-season... sounding more like a Hilleberg Akto by the second

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

Last edited by Ent on Tue 16 Nov, 2010 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Taurë-rana]

Whoops, I completely missed this thread, TasAdam just kindly brought it to my attention. I haven't actually set up my tent yet, perhaps I'd better test it out in the backyard for a night, or at least make sure the weather is going to be fine when I do take it bush. It will be disappointing if it doesn't perform, I've chatted to one or two salesman who have had experience with Vango and have been impressed - they weren't trying to sell me anything so had nothing to gain by praising them.

[juju]

How did the Vango go go since these posts above? I was thinking about getting one. Any more problems - was the eyelet just a one off thing or are there more problems with the Vango?

[Taurë-rana]

I still haven't used my tent, hopefully it will be christened in the New Year and I will report back.

[Taurë-rana]

OK. Good points: Nice and light. Didn't leak in the rain (always useful), even though the fly was touching the tent. Easy to pitch with the fly attached to the inner part, I haven't tried separating them yet. Didn't blow to pieces in the horrible wind at Shelf Camp. The wind tensioning strap seems to work well.

Not so good: The fly is way too tight over the pole - it requires some wrestling to get into place, and in fact the stitching let go on the last night so it will have to be repaired (my fault but it was just too tight and waiting to go). I borrowed a boot lace and it held it together just fine though. I can't seem to tension it so the fly doesn't touch the tent at the head end. Condensation - but I guess when your very warm in your sleeping bag and the humidity outside is close to 100% it's not surprising. Would be useful if it was free standing so it could be pitched on rock.

It kept me warm and dry in three nights of rain, some of it pretty heavy, and as I said it survived some very gusty wind.

[corvus]

G'day T,
Sounds like it may be a bit Iffy albeit waterproof?
corvus

[Taurë-rana]

I think the workmanship may be the issue.
Does anyone know who is the best tent repairer around - Devonport/Burnie area?

[juju]

Thanks Taure-rana. I was looking at getting the 200 for me and my teen son to share. Looks a little small but might do till he's too big to share or doesn't want to share, then it would make a roomy one person tent. Juju

[corvus]

I think the workmanship may be the issue.
Does anyone know who is the best tent repairer around - Devonport/Burnie area?

G'day T,
The Canvas place in William St near the Bluff seem to have a lot of customers so perhaps that is the way to go as they actually make Car Top Camper tents.
corvus

[tasadam]

G'day T,
The Canvas place in William St near the Bluff seem to have a lot of customers so perhaps that is the way to go as they actually make Car Top Camper tents.
corvus

I went to that canvas place with a tent bag once, it was for the snowcave so the bag was made of the same stuff as the tent.
They couldn't stitch it up, the best they could do was sew a bit of vinyl to it. Not very acceptable for a tent, but was okay for the tent bag.
I know there is a tent repairer in Melbourne somewhere, in the city, and I think all the bushwalking shops over there know about it.
If I needed tent repairs, I'd be finding that place.

As for pack repairs, there is a sailmaker guy in South Hobart that is very good. Not far from the Cascade brewery as I remember. If anyone stumbles upon this info and wants me to find out who it is, let me know & I will look them up & post the detail. It was the Macpac store in Hobart that sent me to them so they know who he is.
Don't know what he'd be like on tent fabric though.

[Taurë-rana]

Have just sent my tent to the Vango people in Melbourne who will hopefully repair it and slightly shorten the poles for me.

[Taurë-rana]

I've finally got my tent back from Vango - they've repaired the tear and shortened the pole slightly so it's not so tight. No charge so I'm happy with their after sales service. I need a few more trips before I have a really good idea of what the tent is like though.

[ninjapuppet]

I just noticed these vango heliums have had a bit of an update and have shed some weight. new models are now called the vango helium SUPERLITE 100SL

1 person model: 980grams
2 person model: 1140 grams

http://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/vango-hel ... 1299-p.asp

it seems to be quite awesome to have a double walled tent, around the kilo mark! just that i have my serious doubts from other's reviews about the accuracies of vango's scales.

If true however, people should have a serious look at these tents.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh they dont have scales at Vango, they just seem to estimate.... Mine was about 300grams out.

[Taurë-rana]

I haven't weighed mine yet, just got some new scales so I'll do that when I get home next week. I was very impressed with how it held up to the high winds in The Pleiades though, and no leaking in the rain even though the fly and inner touch a lot. The big problem is condensation - unlike the Hilleberg, there are no vents at all in the fly so it gets pretty wet inside. I'd also like a free standing tent. I'm going to put longer guy lines on to make it easier to pitch on top of bushes/tussocks.
The other issue to be aware of is that it is definitely a tent for the smaller sized person.

All in all, now it has had the pole shortened, I'm reasonably happy with it especially for the price I got it for, and definitely happy with Vango's after sale service. I think my next tent will be an Akto though.