UKC

I'm after a small tent for a car. I already have a Vango Kalu 3 man-that I can stand up in with a biggish porch and which is good for 2 people or more. I'm after something for the odd night on my own. So realistically a two man tent but just for me. Not too tiny as I have a creaky back. Tent easy to put up and that's good with wild weather. I've looked at the Alpkit Viso 2. which seems a good price-£160 approx. Any suggestions. Thanks

I like the sound of the Salewa Sierra Leone II for about £260 but reviews online talk about snapped poles and ripped pole fixing points in tent.

I have a viso 2. Yeah, it's very spacious for 1 and similar to most tunnels in bad weather, just pitch it right and it'll be fine. It's done lots of nights now over the last few years and still looks fine. No complaints.

Thanks. Is it easy to put up on your own?

Yes very easy like most tunnels. Inner can be left attached to outer for a dry pitch in the rain. 5mins pitch if that. The only mods I made was to swap the guys to a more visible yellow set (originals are black) as I have used it on scout camps and other busy sites. I also made a footprint out of a cheap thick tarp. 

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16140575/vango-banshee-200-tent-16140575

What idiot thinks black guy ropes are a good idea?  Ours are white, but by choice I'd also have a reflective thread running through them.

Even if you've got a really tiny car it would still have to be a pretty sizeable tent to get the car in it

Thanks. That looks good. Or maybe the 3 version. 

If your not carrying it far for that price you cant go wrong with any of the Vango tents - The DofE centre I help out with use a mix, the Banshee is the classic and very popular but I have always found it quite small, my personal favourite is the Helvellyn. 

I don't have the Viso, but I have the Zhota as my 'basecamp' tent and if the Viso is anything like that then it will be a good tent. I am very impressed with the Zhota. 

Wild card choice might be some of the offerings from OEX? Never used them, but the FB groups seem to have a lot of people using them and very impressed with them? 

If you keep an eye out on ebay / FB groups you can quite often find some of the Wild Country Zephyros' go for quite reasonable money, again a very good tent. 

Agree. I had a Vango Equinox which was brilliant, until the PU flysheet went all sticky.

Years ago, I had a Black's Dalesman, which was a solid little tent for something so cheap - unfortunately, it suffered terminal rodent damage in storage.

One of the mid-range* Vangos (priced around £150 now I think) - e.g. the Banshee 300.  Might as well have the 3 man version, it's slightly bigger than the 2 when pitched but the packaged size and weight isn't much different.

The Vango tension band thing works pretty well in high winds.

They are a mid-priced brand rather than premium (and I see you already went with them for your other tent), but nonetheless are and always have been excellent value and last well.

* I used to say the "green Vangos" when the midrange ones were all green and the cheap ones blue, but sadly they're all green now - but basically the ones with ally poles and TBS (tension band system) which makes the hoop more stable in wind.

The Banshee is quite low but I find the way you can fully open both sides really useful.  On the non porch side you can (mostly, if staying decent) undress while standing on the groundsheet, and it's easier to cook outside while inside than tents with the door at the end.  Also very, very quick to pitch (up and down probably quicker than a popup) and good in the wind having a similar shape to the then-pioneering Vango Hurricane range.

There are 5-6 different options in that range (priced around £150) though if you prefer a different layout, they'll all be similar quality, robustness and quick to pitch.

Thanks everyone for great suggestions.