In this Vango Scafell 200 review we put this backpacking tent through its paces to help you decide if the Vango Scafell 200 is the tent for you
We’d heard great things about the Vango Scafell 200 Tent, so we were delighted to finally get the chance to try it for ourselves – not least because most of our camping is done with our families, and this was a rare opportunity to try out some backpacking. Obviously I missed my family dearly, but… well, you know.
Anyway, in this review of the Vango Scafell 200 tent I am going to be taking a look at all the main features and specifications, before detailing how I got on with it, specifically from a backpacking perspective. Finally, I’ll deliver my final verdict on this tent, taking into account whether it is good value for the price.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Simple to pitch
- Lightweight
- Excellent weather protection
- Quick to pack up
- Amazing value
Cons
- A bit cramped for two people
- Would have liked more inner pockets
About the brand
Vango have long been pioneers in the outdoors industry. Established in Scotland in 1966, they have been making quality camping products ever since.
Their signature product has become their Airbeam tents, which they began producing in 2011, cementing their position at the forefront of technological advancements in the industry. With a passion for sustainability (they have a Spares and Repairs Service to help prolong the life of your equipment), they are renowned both for the quality of their products and their excellent customer service. For clarity – we like Vango!
Vango Scafell 200 Tent – Specifications
Let’s get straight into it: The Vango Scafell 200 is a tunnel tent. This is the best size for a backpacking tent because it offers the best space to weight ratio – it helps to keep the number of poles that you’ll need for assembly.
The weight and pack size are really important here, if you are going to be moving from place to place, carrying all of your possessions. They manage to keep the pack size minimal – 48 cm x 16 cm and it weighs just 2.5 kg, which is roughly the same as a two-litre bottle of water. This is a truly lightweight tent.
That’s the first test, but the next one is – is it big enough to sleep in?! Well, it’s a two-person backpacking tent, so we aren’t really expecting loads of room here, but it does offer a fair bit of space, measuring 215 cm x 130 cm at its biggest (it tapers in towards the one end) and it is 95 cm high. You won’t be spending too much time there, but it is certainly big enough for a comfortable night’s sleep.
When it comes to assembly, there are just two identical poles that you need to use to erect the tent. They are described as ‘gothic arch poles’, which are designed not just to aid stability, but also help with water run off from the flysheet. Speaking of which, this is a “Protex 70 Denier Polyester Flysheet”, which is highly waterproof, as well as being durable. This seems to be a well designed tent.
These tents have O-shaped inner doors, which are inside the flysheet doors – again these have been designed to help out in adverse weather, reducing the impact of the wind and removing rain runoff. This is all aided by the Vango TBS II Tension Band System, which provides extra protection when the weather takes a turn. Basically, when the tent comes under tension, from wind or rain, the bands brace each pole at three points, to prevent sideways movement and keep your tent secure and, most importantly, upright!
You’ll have noticed many references to weather protection so far, and that is because the Vango Scafell 200 tent is a four-season tent, designed to be suitable for any weather conditions. Ideal for ‘expedition camping’.
Using the Vango Scafell 200 Tent
Two of us went on a two night break with our two man tent, to give it a test drive. We went in the spring, with relatively calm weather – so not really testing the true credentials of the four-season tent, but if you have read enough of this site you will have probably come to realise we’re not really extreme campers – other than risking the weather on bank holidays!
The first thing that really jumped out at us was how light this tent was. As I said, I am used to going camping with my entire family, so the tents are always a lot bigger than this. But the Vango Scafell 200 just rolled up and fit nicely onto my backpack. We weren’t hiking too far, but it was perfectly comfortable to have on my back – I barely noticed it. You can get lighter tents, of course, but not many four-season tents will be lighter than this.
Then it was time to set it up. I have highlighted on this site that I am relatively new to camping, and that this site was born out of my self-consciousness around that. But I had zero problems setting up this tent, it was done with a pitching time of about 5 minutes. With two identical poles, there is very little that can go wrong – just insert them and you’re basically done. The inner pitch and the fly sheet go up together, so it really is quick and easy. The tunnel style does often tend to be the easiest to erect, and that was definitely the case here. Quick and simple pitching.
The oversized opening, which leads into the mesh inner door, is a great little area to leave wet boots or clothes – with limited space inside the tent, that extra little area is incredibly useful. We were quite lucky with the weather on our trip, but did succumb to the occasional downpour (and when it rained, it really rained), so being able to leave our wet clothes somewhere dry was a real blessing, even if it didn’t have a ground sheet.
It almost goes without saying, but the tent coped with everything the adverse weather conditions could throw at it, which to be honest wasn’t a great deal, other than some proper rain. We probably did put the Tension Band System to the test, but we can safely say that the inner tent stayed completely dry throughout our mini break.
There is enough space for two people to get a good night’s sleep in there, with a little room for your bag. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t be inviting people back in there for a drink, but it is perfect for what you’ll be using it for. There are two inner pockets, which come in handy for valuables.
My favourite bit of the whole experience though? It was how quickly it was packed up! This has a proper ‘fast pack tent bag’, with an oversized opening for easy packing. We had overslept on our trip (testament to how comfortable we were there), so we had to get up and go as quickly as possible. We were out of there in no time at all, and we were back on our travels, ready for adventure. Or, rather, breakfast.
Vango Scafell 200 Tent – Verdict
You may have already guessed from the review so far, but I think the Vango Scafell 200 is a great tent. It is an easy tent to pitch, the inner pitch and the flysheet being joined together makes it so quick. You have enough space in there for two people to sleep comfortably. It will keep you dry, it’s easy to carry and it’s unbelievably quick to pack up – it’s everything you would want from a backpacking tent.
And then there’s the price – for a tent of this quality, I was expecting it to be nearly double the price, especially from such a well respected brand. But this is an affordable option for people that want to give backpacking a try. Put this tent on your shortlist.