Morning Coffee
Filter coffee and breakfast, whilst still in my sleeping, listening to the rain outside on the tent.
Outdoor Gear
Vango Banshee 200 tent
Having used my new Vango Banshee 200 tent for a week I have made a few small alterations.
Pegs
I changed the supplied pegs out for:
- 9 18cm titanium wire pegs – to peg down the tent
- 4 18cm aluminium tri-stakes – for the four guylines
- 2 small MSR tri-stakes – for the door elastic guys to make it easier to fasten the doors down
Footprint
I did not buy a footprint a 2m x 1m taro from the camping shop does (almost) the same job, for a fraction of the price. The bottom 40cm of the narrow foot of the tent ground sheet is exposed and needed wiping off.
Door strap
The strap across the door is only fitted to the porch side of the tent.
To make the tent easier to put up I tied the correct length of paracord to the tent straps on the door side of the tent.
I can now pull the tent from the foot and get the tension between both sides balanced easier and more accurately.
Size
This may be a two person tent according to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme specification and Go Outdoors – but it is not a “normal use” two adult tent. It is a generous one person tent.
Vango Banshee 200 tent Read More »
Dry again – no leaks…
…and pitched better with the flysheet tied to the poles.
I have packed away the tent now and the cat is disappointed as she has been sleeping under the flysheet.
Dry again – no leaks… Read More »
Now it’s raining
Before taking the new tent away I wanted to check it was waterproof. The tent was delivered just before the thunder storms on Sunday so I missed my chance then. Since then, of course, there has been sun and just a little rain.
Now it is getting wet.
New tent
Now I want it to rain – to test it is waterproof.
The new tent is a Lost Nature one man tent from an Amazon shop – where they named it “Clostnature”, because of the logo printed on the tent!
Not as hi-tech as my MSR but as the seam sealing tape has failed completely on that – and MSR could not help – the new tent is waterproof which makes it far more useful.
Including the footprint I got change out of £90.
With care and using my Alpkit Kraku stove, a titanium mug and just enough flame I can brew an early morning coffee or boil water for a dehydrated meal in the rain.
Craghoppers 20L Kiwi Classic Rolltop Backpack
I have a new Craghoppers 20L Kiwi Classic Rolltop Backpack, primarily for using as hiking day pack. I chose this pack as it could also be used for travelling and work.
Craghoppers 20L Kiwi Classic Rolltop Backpack
It is a Craghoppers 20L Kiwi Classic Rolltop Backpack in dark butterscotch. It has a good sized pocket for a water bottle and another for small gear. There is an external rear laptop pocket and an external front slip pocket which can be fastened with a small carabiner for security. Inside there is a long slip pocket with a key keeper and a small zippered pocket for valuables.
The main pack has a roll top lid with a hook fastening – the strap is long enough to use the whole of the bag with a small roll over. This could prove useful when hiking for carrying a jacket when not in use or extra gear when going away. One of the shoulder straps has a security buckle so it can be fastened to a chair when you are having a coffee, so the pack cannot be stolen. There is a gear rack under the front zipper rain flap and other sturdy loops that gear could be fastened to.
The material looks hard wearing, that includes the straps and buckles.
I went for a walk
I slung my 1.1l titanium canteen in its Molle carrier onto the righthand shoulder strap, where it was not in my way. I put another 500ml water bottle in the water bottle pouch. I then packed gear for a day’s walk including a picnic stool.
I did not go far and then stopped for tea – see the photo above. The rucksack carried well, the inside is really just a long tube so the equipment had to be packed carefully. Even so the padding on the back stopped any bits sticking in my back. The back ventilation worked OK. The shoulder straps were comfortable with enough adjustment and a chest strap to keep them in place.
A success as a day pack.
Work though…
There is a problem, My Dell XPS 15 laptop, probably one of the smallest 15inch laptops on the market, will no way fit in the laptop sleeve. The laptop sleeve is advertised to hold a 16inch laptop. So May be not so useful for work if I need my laptop.
I am a bit annoyed the laptop does not fit but for everything else I wanted it for I am pleased.
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