Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) => Topic started by: Jags on June 14, 2025, 01:36:54 PM
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so heading to Decatlon in the morning to buy some kit.
Tent 2man mh100 i think its about 50 euro.
or should i wait and buy the Vango banshee 2man.
both tents come recommended .
also hoping to pick up couple rear pannier nothing to big ill only be doing mega short trips ;).
so yeah phase one planned hopefully it goes to plan :o
jags(anto)
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I used the Vango Banshee on my first tour along the Pamir Highway. And my Scottish end 2 end.
Very durable. For the price, a winner for me.
I only upgraded to a two man Hubba when I came into some birthday £££'s.
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hi matt i think im buying the banshee300 i keep changing my mind
but usually get there in the end.
jags (anto)
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I bought a similar Vango 200 tent last year. Seems well made, a bit tighter in space than I thought, even for one (but you are looking at the 300) - the one thing I miss is it not being free standing so I need a soft enough surface to get pegs in to secure it. Next time I will go for a free standing one.
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As i was saying before i pressed the delete button lol.i think all tents are well over priced no matter the make.like what i want a tent to do keep rain out ezsy pitchl ike real easy,pack small and doesnt weigh a ton..
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As i was saying before i pressed the delete button lol.i think all tents are well over priced no matter the make.
Are you kidding? That Decathlon tent is half a day's wage, yet is probably better than the cheap tents in the 1980's which cost a weeks wage. I went hiking in the Pennines as a teenager in 1976, uncomfortably shared a tent with a friend as we couldn't afford one each, we wouldn't of been capable of carrying two even if we had! I don't think budget kit has ever been so affordable, or so capable.
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Ph just bought the vango banshee 300.
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Tents were so expensive in the late 1970's that I made my own, the first was a minimalist transverse ridge tent suitable for winter use (separate flysheet and inner), which I used quite hard for a few years when I worked a long summer season on the buses then toured on the bike in late autumn/winter till I ran out of money.
I made another, slightly bigger tent in the very early 1980's for two-person camping, this has had less use but ended up failing due to the materials ageing.
Absolutely not worth doing that nowadays, the cost of materials is already more than the price of a reasonably decent lightweight tent.
The same applies for most other textile objects. I used to make my own pannier bags, saddlebags and other bags. Plus bike and hiking raingear.
The only things I have bothered making recently are lightweight rain capes for hiking (very quick to make, lighter and better quality than those I have seen advertised) and very specific bags that aren't easily available commercially.
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You would be handy to have about the place Martin.
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The same applies for most other textile objects. I used to make my own pannier bags, saddlebags and other bags. Plus bike and hiking raingear.
Not just bike and camping gear, I have a sewing machine gathering dust, it's at least ten years since I made anything, though I've done a few repairs and alterations. Each time I've looked at making stuff, even simple things like curtains, the cost between the complete item and the components has been minimal, in some cases the complete item even cheaper.
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I would be as good at sewing as i would be at cooking totally useless id burn water.
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https://alpkitstore.com/133319-a539f8/checkouts/a539f88db587bc9ddff4add200bd5117?_ref=https%3A%2F%2Falpkitstore.com%2Fcollections%2Fcamping-sleeping-sleeping-mats%2Fproducts%2Fradiant_493fd70c%3Fdata_from%3Dcollection_detail
folks i came across this sleeping matt just now on alpkit only 42 euro on this site, but same matt on
alpkit uk site is 110 euro.
is the 42 euro sale dodgy.
cheers
jags
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Folks i came across this sleeping matt just now on alpkit only 42 euro on this site, but same matt on
alpkit uk site is 110 euro.
EDIT, it's a bit odd, they're not selling to the UK at that price, I just tried to buy one and it won't ship to the UK.
Otherwise the sales page seems genuine, looks a bargain, the mat gets good reviews, reasonable weight and high R value, I doubt you could do better for that price.
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cheers PH,to be honest im on a budget the wifes idea not mine thats the reason she holds onto the credit card :'(
but im in no hurry to tour next year will see me back i reckon,
its expensive stuff this camping gear ,so yeah just trying to build a quality kit for when im ready to rock and roll.
jags (anto)
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cheers PH,to be honest im on a budget the wifes idea not mine thats the reason she holds onto the credit card :'(
but im in no hurry to tour next year will see me back i reckon,
its expensive stuff this camping gear ,so yeah just trying to build a quality kit for when im ready to rock and roll.
jags (anto)
Quite right. Buy cheap, buy twice. Some of my gear is pretty old, but works. And that does me.
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Most of my camping gear is stuff that I bought on a really good sale price.
The tent I use for touring, I saw it on sale for 20 percent off. I waited months until it was at a much better discount to buy it.
I would be as good at sewing as i would be at cooking totally useless id burn water.
How do you make coffee?
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cheers PH,to be honest im on a budget the wifes idea not mine thats the reason she holds onto the credit card :'(
but im in no hurry to tour next year will see me back i reckon,
its expensive stuff this camping gear ,so yeah just trying to build a quality kit for when im ready to rock and roll.
jags (anto)
Quite right. Buy cheap, buy twice. Some of my gear is pretty old, but works. And that does me.
I sort of agree with that, though I prefer the idea of buying appropriate. For a few overnighters a year, expedition quality kit isn't necessary. Decathlon do often hit the sweet spot here, there will always be better, the question is whether it's needed.
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well just pressed the buy button on a really nice sleeping matt
kilosgear matt elite regular size cose me 114 euro.next on the list is the vango banshee 3 man tent im trying me best to get my son to go halvers on it ;)
then this
https://kilosgear.com/products/rectangular-down-sleeping-bag.aint that a nice bit of kit.
but wont order it until i get the matt from then just hoping im not nailed for brexit tax .
why you guys ever let that happen is a total mystery to the rest of europe.
anyhoo im getting there slowly but surly,
alls that left is to get fit on the bike 8)
cheers boys
anto ,jags
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Buy cheap, buy twice. Some of my gear is pretty old, but works. And that does me.
Absolutely. I always say that I'm too poor to buy anything but the best. But I don't mean the most fashionable*, I mean doing my homework to discover which components, gear, etc will last the longest for the least upkeep cost, and thus in the end cost the least per unit of use.
*I spent some of my formative years in advertising as a hidden persuader, so you could say I know know how to make a willing fashionista feel great, but I also know how not to be a fashion victim, which takes a little work.