With exceptional storage and magnificent sleeping compartments the Equinox 350 from Vango is an obvious choice for multi-activity outdoor worshippers, cyclists, climbers, paddlers, trekkers and all round adventure seekers who want a solid base camp or portable palace. The tension band system, Powerlite alloy poles and nylon 5000 groundsheet put the Equinox way ahead of its competitors in the quality and stability department, the main porch/living area combines practicality and space with its two entry/exit doors and over two meters of living and storage space. The crystal clear windows ensure plenty of natural sunlight enters the Equinox 250, whilst the curtains provide privacy when required. Vango have recommended there updated Equinox 350 to three adults sharing or a couple who enjoy there space, also recommended for The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
- Protex® 70D SPU-RP 3000 Flysheet (durable, silicone elastomer coated Ripstop polyester)
- HD Nylon 5000 Groundsheets (strong, tough and durable)
- 70D Ripstop Polyester Inner (breathable with a water resistant coating)
- Tunnel Construction (excellent space to weight ratio)
- Flat External Pole Sleeves (sleek, wind shedding surface, flysheet hugs the poles increasing rigidity)
- Flysheet First Pitching (keeps inner tent dry when pitching in wet conditions)
- Pole sleeve tension adjustment (compresses pole structure and tensions flysheet for maximum performance)
- Powerlite Alloy Pole (7001-T6 alloy, light, flexible and durable)
- TBS® Pro – Tension Band System (unique internal bracing system ensures tent performs in adverse weather)
- 2 Doors In Flysheet (use the correct door to suit the wind direction)
- Extended Porch Area (excellent storage for bike touring or just those with lots of kit)
- Mesh Door
- Flysheet Vents
- Reflective Piping (find your tent in the dark)
- Seam Taped Fly And Groundsheet
- Inner Tent Attachment Clips
- O Shaped Inner Doors (one handed, one operation zip opening and closing)
- Inner Tent And Porch Pockets (handy place off the ground to store vital equipment)
- 3-in-1 option (combine the foot print with only the flysheet, or use fly, inner and groundsheet for more comfort)
- Repair Kit
- Pitches In 15 Minutes
- Open Size (L) 425cm (H) 135cm (W) 210cm
- Pack Size 50 x 24 x 24cm
- Weight 4.3kgs (which can be split into three to share carrying weight)
I've been using a couple of Equinox 350s with my Duke of Edinburgh Group for a few years.
The good bits ....
The Equinox is a solid, well constructed tent, with space for three youngsters and their hillwalking clutter. (As usual with tent marketing, this "3 person tent" would struggle to accommodate three adults comfortably.) Even when poorly pitched, it can still withstand moderately bad weather conditions, and give enough room for the inhabitants to to stretch out in relative comfort. It defies most attempts at inadvertent vandalism, and you can be reasonably confident at finding it still alive and kicking the morning after three youngsters have made their nest in it.
However ....
I find it infuriatingly fiddly to erect properly. And it seems to be beyond most first timers to figure out too. The pole sleeves actively resist attempts to insert the poles, it requires lots of practice to get it right "first time", and even then, it requires lots of minor adjustment to pegging points and guys. But most infuriating of all are the TBS tension straps, which appear to have been invented for the sole purpose of becoming tangled in each other, tangled in other straps and tangled in the guys. If you leave them connected when dismantling the tent, it is oh so easy to forget to disconnect them for pitching, resulting in a tent which will almost certainly be bent out of shape. Once the tent is up, the TBS straps either trail around on the ground tripping people, or, if connected, threaten to strangle the occupants every time they move. I've been tempted on more than one occasion to assassinate all of them with a Stanley knife. The straps, that is. Not the youngsters. But then, the tents do not belong to me, and there is always the thought that one day they may really be needed for their design purpose.
In my opinion, Vango has taken a good basic design and good build quality, and spoiled it with a marketing gimmick. I have other tents of identical design to the Equinox which are equally solid and manage quite successfully without the infernal TBS "feature".
Would I buy one for me, with my own money ? I'm not sure that I would. I think that there are other competitor tents out there which offer better all round value for money, and which are easier to live with, even when fully conversant with the foibles of the Equinox.