i need to buy a new tent; for serious backpacking. must be waterproof, windproof, tall enough to sit up in, and about 2k- could go up to 2.5, but DEF nothing over that. under £200./0 must have inner and outer shell, too. id like a tunnel one, perhaps, as ive seen those in use at the poles, and know they withstand wind really well.

currently have VauDe tent which is AWFUL- NOT fully waterproof!!, just ripped REALLY badly in wind, and in gale last year the stupid structue ment it bent over entirely in the wind (cliff top and the wind came from EVERY direction in force 8 winds). cheaply made- no glow in the dark tags on zips, flahses on outside etc, zips a bit cranky etc.
http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/images/products/50403_main.jpg this one, but internal frame. also poor ventilation.

my other tent is northface tadpole 23- also AWFUL. http://www.buachaille.com/images/The-North-Face-Tadpole-23-2005.jpg even less waterproof, and the bottom is like polyester- water just gushes in! not big enough to sit up in either- (and im only 5’6”). feels very cramped, even with jsut one person inside.

so i dont want a new tent which has the same frame as either of those, which both have design faults.

new one HAS to be ultralight, so max of 2.5k, and id prefer something with ripstop fabric, rather than the cheap nylon my vaude is made from, which is now in shreds.
anyone have any suggestions? pleeeaaaasssseeee?
Campsite selection has noting to do with it. If the outer fly is made of fabric which lets water through in a light shower, that IS the fault of the tent. I live in england and only camp here- it rains a lot and there is a heavy dew most nights. The seams are fine- its the tent outer which is at fault. Covering the tent in space blankets makes it waterproof, and frankly, if im coughing up £250 on a tent, waterproofing is a basic requirement. I dont want a bivvy as i wamt to be able to sit up in it and have decent ventilation.

Campsites have NOTHING to do with it- as i explained in the origional question.
dear jonal- thanks SO much for your brilliant, and epic answer. ;-)

will indeed check out the vango, and if i cant find a cheaper one in the sales, ill get a £27 gelert one pro tem (actually not a bad make) then find a higher class one on ebay when one comes up.
also just heard of robert saunders- the bloke who essentially invented nylon tents- still going, and english- top stuff- http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/frame.html


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Specifications:

- Lightweight
- 3-season tent (at least, a 4 season tent would be great too)
- 1 to 2 man
- If 1 man, must be a little larger to accommodate a pack.
- Bug Resistant
- Stand alone and/or includes poles
- Includes a rain-fly
- Either (A. Online) or (B. Local to Salt Lake City)
- Size: 6 to 6.5 feet in length, 3-4 feet in width, and 2-5 feet in height
- Must last me at least a year with proper care and usage in the conditions specified above

I’ve just been down in Tasmania with a friend, and have used a new Kathmandu tent (a 2 man mistral dome) & found it to be more than adequate. Having alloy poles & a decent outer fly, makes a big difference in comfort & reliability.

What’s your tent of choice?