Prototype Vango tent - The Apex 200. Initial thoughts review.

[@rufusduck71]

Although this tent has the same design features of the nevis zenith helium and cairngorm tents it uses different materials for the inner , outer , poles, pegs and the colours also so they use a different name to distinguish them from each other .makes perfect sense to me . Also my mate has had a prototype xenon for years and it still serves him well .

[@donnavansenior]

I've owned their Helium ul2, the F10 Xenon ul2+, the Hydra 200 (which I still have), the F10 Krypton 2, The Torridon 2 (I loved that tent!) and others...I'm no stranger to Vango tents, but is there another tent manufacturer that re-brands their tents as much due to changes in HH, or fly material, or pole thickness? Is anyone going to say - hold on, Vango have upped the secs on their Nevis, it's called an Apex and now it's made from single use plastic?? I need one! I don't think so.... The design is tried and tested, it's a solid design with that single central hoop. Why Vango don't delve deeper into the market of a more stable dome shaped tent is beyond me. Their Torridon was such a great tent, but hitting on 3kg if I remember correctly. They have other dome shaped tents - the Tryfan, but it's way over 3kg. Now their Krypton was a work of art, another great tent, and weighing in at just over 2.1kg....possibly the best inner of a tent I've ever had, it was great, but in winds over 20mph those doors bowed in that bad it was uncomfortable, plus there was no way to firmly attach the fly to the inner over the door apexes. I was won over by this Apex over the course of the video, and I'll be having a few camps in it, that's for sure. I'm actually a big fan of Vango tents.

[@rufusduck71]

Me too i love vango tents I think I have 12 vangos at the moment .cairngorm 2,banshee 2+3 , helium 1+2 .nevis 1+2 , krypton 2 .radon1 . Skye 4, tigris8 , tempest 3 , and other non vangos too .I really like the nevis single hoop design it's light for its size (especially in silnylon ) I used my krypton this summer and really like it great internal space .I've not had it in wind yet but it feels solid enough and I can trecking pole the inner under the header pole with out too much issue .I've modded mine with better guy out points and a silnylon ground sheet that covers the porches too . I love my radon 1 which has become my go to 1 man tent. Is like a 100x better than an msr and 1/2 the price . I really fancy a nexus 2 and probably a radon 2 also . I wish vango would do a silnylon single trecking pole tent . Thanks for the video Donna think I will do a video showing my 1 man vango tents in a show down style .

[@donnavansenior]

@@rufusduck71 Excuse the crappy reply rate. But wow, that's some impressive collection of Vango tents you've got there! Just bobbed a sub on your channel and I'll watch your vid tonight :)

[@TheNeilo-Audiosound]

Ooh Donna I trust your reviews yet I’m starting to now question my own Tent as I know I told you a long time ago I bought a Vango tent,(Vango Tempest 200)Yet that got great reviews. my daily backpack (Also Vango) I have never had an issue with so I’m just hoping Vango are not going backwards with their Quality as I’ve always rated their products. Great Concise review as always Donna🙏💙👍🇬🇧⛺️

[@donnavansenior]

This tent was bought knowing that it was an ex display prototype, I was just interested to see what it was like Neil. I wasn't expecting a dirty stained tent with 2 sets of poles. I've never really had a problem with Vango products before, and I own a Hydra that I'd never sell. I'd still buy Vango in the future. I was disappointed with the fact they had shipped out a tent with mess in, smelly, and stained etc. 😕

[@wallsend_wildcamper]

Tent looks like its been bought and sent back before. 80quid might not be much but you could get a decent second hand tent for 80quid maybe a zephros 2

[@donnavansenior]

It quite possibly has been previously bought and sent back, mind it's the first time I've seen Vango sell prototypes, so it's a bit of a mystery. No way they should have shipped it out in the state it was in though. It's actually not a bad tent, I'll give it a few run-outs. The Zephyros hasn't got enough head height for me, I need 95cm minimum so I don't get curvature of the spine 😂😂

[@MrQuintonia]

Looks like it has some decent headroom Donna, but I would pass, lol... Great down-to-earth review of an interesting tent...

[@donnavansenior]

For £78 MrQ - after I got the pitching sorted and aired it out - it's not a bad tent for the money. I think they retail for nearly double that price, so a decent little bargain, and it will be ideal for woodland / forest camps in 3-4 season weather. That mostly solid inner will keep me warm enough when the temps drop, it packs down small and at 2.1kg it's not a bad weight. It actual;ly won me over during the course of filming this review after the initial horror 😂😂

[@MrQuintonia]

@@donnavansenior Yes I see that you changed your mind, that was what I liked about the video, it was interesting to see the process you went through, and as you said a bargain... Sorry, I have not commented on your vids for a while, I have been so down in the dumps about wild camping, but now I have succeeded in losing weight and no longer get chest pains, I am back, fingers crossed... :)

[@billyinwaves]

You seem down to earth and funny, and I have just subscribed. I hope all your videos are this good. I hadn't heard of tent companies selling off their prototypes before, but I guess if they are genuine test runs you might expect some unfinished details. When they first sew them up, it is probably then key to get the pole length exactly right, so that you can pitch quickly, but with few wrinkles as the material is stretched properly taught. In this case it looks like the centre pole could actually be a bit longer - or can you tension it with a strap" . What was the weight, with just one set of aluminium poles? The vestibule clips suggest there might be a porch groundsheet missing, or is it perhaps available as an extra? Overall, I'd say that looks pretty good, and a bit of a bargain - once the previous occupants have been forgotten about. I'm with you on the 'two-person' description. But should we also have people sizing categories? There are a lot of tall and often fat male campers of a certain age who would need a 'two-giant' version of this tent. Luckily, I'm not one of them.

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Billy, and thanks for the sub. Yeah I like to keep my videos entertaining, so there's always some humour in there, have a look at 'Bikepacking with an E-Bike for the First Time', it's about 4 video's ago on my channel, there's a cycling shorts rant on that one that should give you a good laugh 😂 The weight of the tent with one set of poles was 2.2kg, so nearer 2kg trail weight, which is what I look for in a tent these days, this tent seemed to tick all the boxes on paper and I liked the idea of owning a prototype (I have owned many tents, and still have about 12x sub 3kg). I think the clips are to allow for a larger vestibule on whichever side you choose. And I also think they couldn't be arsed to re-pitch the tent, to see which set of poles was correct, so they just included 2 sets. The tent doesn't pitch taut with the shorter pole set. It's not a bad tent once I cleaned it out, and sussed out what was wrong with the pitching. I'll have a few camps in it and see if I want to keep it. Weird with those two inner doors being different as well, apart from that it seemed to be well made, seams taped and stitching looked good, zips ran smoothly etc. I'll do another vid after spending a few nights in it. TFW and atb from DVS :)

[@Mickoutdoors]

I don't mind that tent tbh, I wonder if that shorter pole is for use in snow, so it brings the outer right down over the ground ?? Bit odd though if it is 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@donnavansenior]

I wish I'd took video of it all bent in with those two clips on, using the longer pole set, it looked almost painful Mick 😂 The shorter poles don't let the tent sit taut, and you lose a good few inches in height, so they're no good. Maybe I could use them as spares if they're the same length as the longer set. I just think they couldn't be arsed pitching it to find out, bunged two sets of poles in and shipped it out. It's not a bad tent for £78, I'll defo give it a few run outs, mind it'd be a sweat box in there during summer if the midge were out 🙄🏕️

[@BorderRambler]

I guess it’s worth a try Donna, not to keen on the colour too much tho 🤷‍♂️ handy being able to vent both sides mind 👍 atb Dave

[@donnavansenior]

It's Vango's usual pamir green colour, but I was surprised to see the inner colour was blue and yellow. The tent is a 2023 prototype version, and I knew it was ex-display, and after the initial cock-ups of pitching it with the wrong pole set, then not realising that they had those two porch clips attached, it's actually not too bad. I'll give it a few run-outs - I love the fact it has double doors, but it's weird how the doors are totes different to each other....

[@littlegrandadoutdoors]

Is seems like it is a prototype that was not finished... those straps attached to the bath tub floor, is that do you can make the vestibule bigger or smaller on either side of the tent but you have to choose 1 or the other when setting up???? ...hope you had a great day off . Take care out there.

[@donnavansenior]

Yeah I'd thought that might be the case later on after pitching it - the clips on the side of the inner would in theory make one vestibule larger than the other. Obviously I'd favour the side with the larger door. It was weird having two different size doors, which I have seen in other tents, but the smaller 'door' was only ever access for storage and never opened up into a second usable exit/entry point. It's not a bad tent tbh. I'll defo use it a few times :)

[@hikermikem8]

😁 Ayeup DvS .. not Another tent surley 🤣 But at first I thought this was a rush job by Vango using the parts bin.. Almost excat design as my old vango f10 helium 1p.. but this proto 200 has a lot more room, less than half the price and if only used occasionally if bikpacking or hiking with a mate who can split the load with, it's not bad. Looks like a 4 season low to mid level attitude kind of tent. But I bet it's very warm inside this time of year.. And vangos are good at been water tight if pitched proper.. Cheap as chips, one of those tents you could trust in a downpour but not too fussed if it gets damaged in one way or another.. Definatley a 1+ person tent not a 2 person.. See how it passes the dvs test on an outing 👍 Hope your doing OK donna ie the knee etc. X 🤗

[@donnavansenior]

'The parts bin' 😂😂 laughing at that Mike. Yeah it's a tried and tested design for Vango, it's the exact same as their Starav and Nevis tents, and very similar to their Helium and Cairngorm tents - and not a million miles different to the Banshee. Once I got over the initial shock of being sent out a dirty, smelly and stained tent, then sorted out the pole problem and finally unclipped that side clip, which was making the pitch far too tight, after all of that, it's not a bad tent. It'll do as a cheapo woodland tent, ideal for 3-4 season use, or I could take it bikepacking in colder weather, when the MS would be a tad too cold with the full mesh inner to take. Defo a 1P tent, and not a 2p - unless they were laid on top of each other 😂😂 I'll give it a few run-outs Mike, I'm sure it'll be fine as long as it doesn't leak lol. Had appt with surgeon last week and I'm on his list for a total knee replacement, hopefully not more than 3-6 months to wait X

[@London780]

I was going to buy this but i got the vango starav instead

[@donnavansenior]

They're both very similar.

[@johnmccarron]

Are you sure the inner is the right way round ???????

[@donnavansenior]

Yeah lol, it was the way the inner had been clipped to the fly which threw me, it bent the tent out of shape.

[@ThisWontEndWell]

I think that might be Regatta Montegra, a rebranded lower-quality Vango tent design with a different inner tent colour.

[@donnavansenior]

Good call, and I've never heard of the Regatta Montegra - but after checking it out online it seems to be another similar design, but it's not the same tent as this Apex....it has a different coloured inner, a different stuff sack, and different pole sleeves -and the end tie-out points, this Montegra has a black triangular piece of material at that reinforced point over each end, whereas the Apex is just green. Same weight mind....but it's a very common tent design.

[@jimmy.mccutcheon.1961]

Nice one Donna 😉👍 I love my Vangos but that one's not for me 🤣

[@donnavansenior]

I love my Vango's as well Jimmy, and after the initial disgust of being sent a dirty smelly tent, this one actually isn't too bad. I knew it was ex-display, that's why it was cheap, mind I wasn't expecting 2 lots of poles or a tent with a weird little hobbit door 😂😂

[@procha7594]

Donna, кроссы - под цвет палатки? 😉

[@donnavansenior]

Soft shoes?

[@procha7594]

@@donnavansenior Yes 😊sneakers green like a tent 😉 I wish you health ! 👍✌

[@tomrussell4116]

Looks like a budget Vango cairngorm

[@donnavansenior]

Aye, it looks the same as a lot of the Vango range - The Nevis, The Cairngorm, The Starav, The Zenith, The Helium...it's even not too dissimilar to the Banshee. Vango love this design and love to rebrand it.

[@paulturner7829]

Well a cost tent for Two or a spacious one person 😉. Like karrimor ,vango seem to have lost their quality control.

[@donnavansenior]

I knew this was an ex display, but I didn't expect it to turn up as it did, and it was bought from Vango. It's not a bad tent for 1 - best suited to 3 or 4 season use though - but I couldn't see 2 adults fitting in there unless they were on top of each other 😂😂

[@davidkennedy5421]

Is that a Niteworks T shirt?

[@donnavansenior]

Yip - well spotted, they're a great band. Saw them last year at The Cluny and bought a t-shirt :)

[@davidkennedy5421]

@@donnavansenior There local to where I'm from, seen them all over the UK. Unfortunately they are splitting at the end of this year

[@donnavansenior]

@@davidkennedy5421 I only got to see them once, that's such a shame that they're splitting up. That video from the Quiraing on Skye was amazing.

[@dougdixonhull]

This just looks like a Vango Nevis 200.

[@donnavansenior]

Yip, it's the exact same tent design, just re-branded with a different name, and it's also strikingly similar to their Starav tent, not too far off their Banshee and their old Zenith. It's a solid design, but Vango have been re-branding this design under different names for years....

[@dougdixonhull]

@donnavansenior yes. I had a Nevis and sold it to a friend, as I already have the Banshee. Vango should stop messing around and just re-release the Banshee Pro with 5k, hh. OEX have just released the Ultra light versions of their tents. Vango need to follow suit. Even bring out a F10 Banshee. Great video. Like your style. Will definitely sub. Cheers

[@donnavansenior]

@@dougdixonhull Vango have their ul F10 range, I've had the Xenon ul2+ and their Helium 2 and also their Krypton 2, all of which were canny tents, but yes I agree - they should rebrand the Banshee and build it lighter, I'm sure it'd be a massive seller

[@canoecycle7005]

Good video. I'm not impressed with the tent ?

[@donnavansenior]

Me neither to start with, but I think I've managed to get the staining off, I swept out all the debris from inside and gave it a good airing, I wasn't happy that Vango had sent a tent out in that state - even if it was ex-display. I'll have a few outings in it, see how I go ;-)

[@ChrisPaul1892]

Looks like it's abit away from being saleable

[@donnavansenior]

I wasn't expecting to receive a dirty smelly tent that hadn't even been brushed or shook out. And it was bought from Vango. Plus the elastic cords holding the inner to the fly are all quite worn. Still, for £78 it's not too bad.

[@mulreid]

Why are you bothered if they call it a 2 man tent? Seriously who can be bothered saying ‘person’? Ridiculous wokery.

[@donnavansenior]

Hilleberg, Fjallraven, Terra Nova, Kuiu, MSR, Marmot, Nemo, Sierra Designs, Big Agnes, Alpkit, The North Face.....the list goes on, and all of these refer to their tents as 1 or 2P tents, or 2 person tents etc. It's nothing to do with 'ridiculous wokery' (whatever that is). Wechsel actually had a tent designed by women aimed at women - it's called the 'Bella' - a very peculiar idea indeed, and not something I'd be interested in buying, tents are neither male nor female.

[@shutterupphotography295]

1st

[@donnavansenior]

🏆🏆 yey! And there's your trophy for 1st place :)

[@acnud]

Poor show from Vango who I used to rate . Thanks Donna 👍

[@donnavansenior]

I wasn't expecting a dirty smelly stained tent, even though I knew it was ex-display. I have a soft spot for Vango though, and have owned many of their tents, plus with it being a Scottish company it was nice to be able to support a homegrown business, but they have this habit of changing tent names when the tents are exactly the same - this tent is the exact same as their Nevis and the Starav tents, and the design is very similar to the Cairngorm and Helium. Poor show indeed sending it out like that though.

[@acnud]

@@donnavanseniorMy first dome tent was a Vango and is still going strong. Like you I try to support home business 👏.