Force 10 Helium 200 review

Sleeps:  2 (just)
Weight:  1.3kg
Dimensions:  internal 210x120cm
Pack size: 40x12x12cm
RRP:  £250

Review:  One of the lightest two-person tents on the market, although it's only 30cms wider than the Force 10 Helium 100, and as with the Helium 100 the internal height is pretty stingy, so don't expect much room to move around.  Also (as a two-person tent), don't expect to be spending a lot of time inside the tent - it's designed for getting out of the elements to sleep in comfort and not much else.  But that's where the negatives end - the Force 10 Helium 200 is a fantastic two-person ultra-lightweight tent.  Solid as a rock even in awful weather, high quality flysheet and seams, just one pole with innovative curved linking sections to reduce strain, and just seven small pegs.  For couples tackling mountain backpacking or long-distance trails, this tent works out at just 650g each (although you probably wouldn't want to detatch the inner from the flysheet as it makes it so much easier to erect to keep them together), which can make a vast amount of difference.  If you shop around for the best price (as we have done below), this two-person tent suddenly becomes competative in the one-person lightweight market.

Best bits:  Very lightweight as a two-person, roomy and still light as a one-person
Worst bits:  Snug with two-people inside, not suitable for anything other than sleeping

RRP:  £250
Where to get it cheaper?: £199 here

Coleman Avior X2

 
Sleeps: 2
Weight:  2.45kgs
Dimensions:  Internal 215x125cm
Pack Size:  40x15x15cm
RRP:  £120

Review:  The Coleman Avior X2 is a great quality tent, with nice touches like reflective patches to find your tent in the dark, and two doors to help getting in and out (the side door makes it so much easier than using the end door).   On the downside, the internal space is pretty cosy - it's really a 1.5 person tent rather than a true two-person, and there is very little external space for anything other than a pair of boots, so two big campers with bags will struggle to fit in.   The weather-resistance of this tent is really good for this price level - a 4000mm hydrostatic head for the flysheet, tunnel design and multiple guys means that it holds steady in pretty much any UK conditions. On the inner tent, the roof is a mesh design to allow better air circulation in hot weather.   The tent is a bit heavy for a one-person, but split between two it is very competitive.  However, the best thing about this great little tent is the price - at well under £100 in most stockists this is a very good option in the lightweight and cosy two-person all-weather tent market.

Best bits:  4000HH flysheet, clever design, great price
Worst bits:   Small interior for a two-person
Alternatives:  Shave off a bit of weight for a similar price with the Vango Banshee 200, or get more space by upgrading to the Coleman Avior X3 for a few more pounds.

RRP:  £120
Where to get it cheaper?:  Click here - £70

Vango Hurricane 200 2011

Sleeps: 2
Weight: 4.2kg
Dimensions:  Internal 220x140cm
Pack size: 46x18x18cm
RRP: £300

Read our guide to dome tents here!

Review:  The new Vango Hurricane 200 is a fabulous two-person tent that delivers on so many levels.  A fully geodesic design, 5000mm hydrostatic head flysheet, and Powerlite alloy poles mean that this tent can survive pretty much anything that Mother Nature can throw at it. They don't call it the Hurricane for nothing.  Inside is very roomy - 220cm is enough length for anyone, and the 140cm width is one of the widest light two-person tents on the market.  All these benefits show up in the weight, which at 4.2kg is starting to get into 'heavy' territory for one person to carry, but split between two people it is more than acceptable.  All in all, this is a great tent - but at a RRP of £300 it is expensive - but there is a way around this:  Shop around and you can knock a bit off the price, as we have done below!.

Best bits: Storm-force weather-protection, big interior for a two-person tent
Worst bits:  A bit heavy, trickier to erect than some tents
Alternatives:  Read our comparison of dome tents

RRP:  £300
Where to get it cheaper?:  £204 - Click here

Vango Atlas 200

Sleeps: 2
Weight: 3.5kgs
Dimensions: Internal 210x140cm
Pack Size: 40x17x16cm
RRP: £60

Review:  The Vango Atlas 200 is a great take on the traditional dome tent with a door on either side of the tent, which allows either camper to leave the tent without disturbing the other.  Apart from that, everything else here is as you'd expect from a budget dome tent.  The weight is tolerable for two people to carry and the internal space is good - 140cm of width is bigger than you'd get in a lot of the more expensive two person tents.  The materials are as good as you'd expect from any Vango entry-level tent, with a 3000mm HH flysheet and the same Powerflex poles as they use on lots of tents in the range.  Honestly, we love this tent, and think it's a great budget option for two people who want a good quality tent and don't mind carrying a few extra grams.

Best bits:  Cheap, clever two-door design, more spacious inside than some two person tents
Worst bits:  Won't stand up to very poor weather, slightly heavier than some dome tents

RRP:  £60
Where to get it cheaper?:  Click here: £49.99

Vango Alpha 200

Sleeps:  2 (only just)
Weight: 2.75kg
Dimensions:  Internal 205x120cm
Pack size:  50x16x16cm
RRP:  £50

Review:  The Vango Alpha 200 is the entry level dome tent from Vango, although its hard to see why you'd choose this tent over one of the larger tents in the same range.  The internal dimensions in the 200 are tiny, stepping up to the Vango Alpha 250 gives you much more room for just a few more pounds.  The materials are okay, with a 3000mm HH flysheet, which should stand up to the odd downpour but you might want to upgrade to a better quality tent for anything other than summer camping. 

Best bits:  Cheap and sturdy dome tent

Worst bits:  Tiny inside

Alternatives:  Upgrade to the Alpha 250 or the Alpha 300 for about the same price and get a lot more room

RRP:  £50
Where to get it cheaper:  Click here: £37

Vango Halo 200

 
Sleeps: 2
Weight:  3.5kg
Dimensions:  Internal 210x140cms
Pack size:  40x17x17cm
RRP:  £150

Review:  The Vango Halo 200 is a high quality and fairly spacious two person tent at a reasonable price.  The semi-geodesic/dome design paired with a 5000HH flysheet means good weather resistance, whereas the symmetric double-door system and capacious external space (for an expedition tent) means easy access to the tent and to your belongings.  As with most of the new expedition tents from Vango, the Halo 200 come with tension straps on the eyelets for the poles and a clever V-shaped guy rope system on each side to equalise the tension across the poles.  The groundsheet is a sturdy, bathtub design which should stand up well to pretty much anything, and you shouldn't need a footprint for this tent - although it does help it to keep clean if nothing else.  The only downside to this tent is the weight, which still isn't too heavy between two, but for one person there are lighter alternatives - albeit at a higher cost.  A fabulous tent.

Best bits:  High quality, clever design, reasonable price
Worst bits:   A little heavier than some expedition alternatives.
Alternatives: The Vango Banshee 200 is lighter, but tighter inside.

RRP:  £150
Where to get it cheaper?:  Click here: £108

Vango Aura 200

Sleeps: 2
Weight:  9.8kg
Dimensions:  Sleeping area 210x150cm, external 380x230cm
Pack Size: 61x26x22cm
RRP: £185

Review:  The Vango Aura 200 is a family/couples tent, suitable for general camping.  Relatively easy to erect, although the multiple criss-crossing poles can make it a little confusing the first time.  The tent is designed to have a very large external vestible under the flysheet, which is ideal for cooking and sheltering from the weather, but it does mean that the tent is heavy - 9.8kgs is not something you'd want to be taking with you when hiking.  The inner is spacious at 150cm wide so you don't have to be overly friendly with your co-tenter.  The quality of the tent is everything you'd expect from Vango - seams and webbing are excellent, and the materials for the flysheet, the inner and the groundsheet are top notch.   The RRP is a little on the high-side for an everyday tent, but shop around and you can find great offers (like we have below!)

Best bits:  A great tent for everyday camping, spacious and well-designed
Worst bits:  Heavy for a two-person tent

RRP:  £185
Where to get it cheaper?:  Click here: £92