When I decided to buy the Vango Helium 100 instead there were two things that swung me: the price and the weight. At around #400 it’s really expensive – in the shop yesterday it was priced at just under €500. As they are made by a small company and don’t change much from year to year they are not like other tents which can easily be picked up for half price or less at the end of each season. The plus side to this (the man in the shop explained) is that you can always buy spare parts if the need arises. Even if you have one of the earliest tents from circa 1971 you can still get parts. The other downside to the Akto however, is the weight. Although it’s sold as a lightweight tent it weighs in a 1.6kg. A few years ago this would have been considered extremely lightweight, but not anymore. My new Vango is around 1.2kg and the Laser Comp is lighter still. They are both reputed to be as sturdy in bad weather.
The man in the shop was extremely helpful and although he knew I wasn’t about to buy one he still erected one for me so I could have a proper look. It was even better than I’d expected. The single pole erection is similar to the Vango. It felt really spacious when I sat inside and I was impressed by the porch size. I really like the idea of having one but I wouldn’t use it for walking with because of the weight and my other Vango is fine for when I’m travelling with the car and don’t need to worry about the weight.If I did happen to have a spare 400 quid though, it would be a nice luxury addition to my growing collection of outdoor sleeping options.
Below is a picture of an Akto from the Hilleberg website.
Share this:
Vango Force 10 Helium 100
Checking out my new tent.
What gorgeous weather. It’s hard to believe it’s only March!
I made the most of it and finally got to erect my new tent on my mum and dad’s grass. I’d bought it a few weeks ago and needed to put it up to check it was ok, but the lawn has been way too soggy. It’s a Vango Helium 100 and is similar to my existing tent just a bit smaller and almost 2 kilos lighter. I’ll use it for walking as I realised on the Great Glen Way last summer that I really need to get my weight down when I want to walk for days at a time carrying all my gear. Although I loved the walk, it was much more enjoyable on the last two days when I had a base camp and didn’t have to carry everything all day.
I spent a lot of time looking for this tent and have read loads of reviews. I wanted something light, but not too low. Something easy and quick to get up when it’s chucking it down and blowing a gale. It has to be able to stand up to bad weather and not be draughty. It has to fit me and my backpack comfortably inside. And it couldn’t be too expensive. Once I’d decided on this one, it then took a long time to find one at a reasonable price.
It didn’t take me long at all this afternoon to erect it (I took longer than I usually will, with it being the first time). Once it was up, I lay in it and fitted perfectly. It would be a tight squeeze for anyone much taller than me though (I’m 5.4). It feels very flimsy but supposedly the material is made that way to be light but is still really strong and weather proof. I guess I won’t know till I get to use it in a storm.
The weight, by the way, is just under 1.25kg (slightly more than the advertised weight).
