lightweight gear

Vango Banshee 200 tent

Vango Banshee 200 tent​ at Slapton Sands campsite

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
Vango Banshee 200 tent hacks pegs

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.

Vango Banshee 200 tent hacks setting up door strap

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.

Vango Banshee 200 tent hacks setting up door strap paracord fix

I can now pull the tent from the foot and get the tension between both sides balanced easier and more accurately.

Vango Banshee 200 tent hacks setting up door strap paracord fix

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 hacks realistic size

Vango Banshee 200 tent Read More »

More photos from my recent trip – Part One

Newcastle

Newcastle Central Arcade

Camping at Lauder Campsite

Camping two lightweight tents

Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Ross Fountain
Edinburgh, Ross Fountain
Royal Scots Greys
Royal Scots Greys on Princes Street

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle

At the campsite…

Orange and black beetle

Near the campsite

Sphere at Culzean Castle

Isle of Arran and Holy Island in the mist

Isle of Arran and Holy Island in the mist
from the campsite

The Coast and Turnberry Castle

The Coast and Turnberry Castle

Dunure

Dunure Harbour
Dunure Harbour
Dunure Castle
Dunure Castle

The Electric Brae

We stopped here but did not try rolling the car up or down the hill!

The Electric Brae
Click on the image for a larger version

Sunset at the campsite

Sunset at Culzeana Castle Campsite

Culzean Castle and Country Park

Culzean Castle and Country Park green house
Culzean Castle and Country Park
Culzean Castle and Country Park meadow flowers
Meadow flowers
Culzean Castle and Country Park
Culzean Castle and Country Park hidden grotto
Hidden grotto
Culzean Castle and Country Park
No swans on the Swanpool

Coast Path

Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path
Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path
Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path
Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path
Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path
Culzean Castle and Country Park coast path

More photos from my recent trip – Part One Read More »

New tent

Now I want it to rain – to test it is waterproof.

New tent Amazon Clostnature one man tent

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.

New tent Amazon Clostnature one man tent inner.

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.

Alpkit Kraku stove, a titanium mug and homemade lid - lightweight cook set.

New tent Read More »

More photos from my recent trip to Staffordshire

Wychnor Park Country Club

Staffordshire
grey squirrel
Wychnor Park Country Club
Wychnor Park Country Club
Staffordshire
Grey squirrel
Grey squirrel
Vietnamese iced coffee with the phin – I use Evaporated milk as it is less sweet than condensed milk
Sunset from the balcony​
Sunset from the balcony
Staffordshire countryside
Sundial
Wychnor Park Country Club

National Forest Way

Footpath through the trees
Bridge over a stream in the wood
Lightweight cookset coffee break
Lightweight cookset
Lightweight cookset
River Trent​
River Trent

The Wychnor Flitch

Swarbourne Meadows

More photos from my recent trip to Staffordshire Read More »

National Forest Way to the River Trent

The National Forest Way passes by Wychnor Park Country Club – so before it got too hot this morning I walked out to the River Trent along the path.

Wychnor Park from the path​
Wychnor Park from the path
Spicky plant
Seed pods
Bridge over a stream in the woods

Along the way, I found a suitable spot for to brew a coffee, out in the countryside but definitely in the shade – my bush hat can only keep so much sun off me.

Coffee stop in the shadow of a trer
Lightweight walking kit including a stool
Coffee stop
Alpkit Kraku stove, MSR titanium mug, Alpkit titanium spoon
Lightweight gear for making coffee

River Trent

River Trent
River Trent

The early squirrel

This squirrel came for breakfast.

Grey squirrel on the balcony
Grey squirrel on the tablr

National Forest Way to the River Trent Read More »