# Camping with Force Ten Tents: Thoughts and Opinons



## emmar (18 Nov 2011)

Hi,

I currently work for Force Ten by Vango and I would like to get some opinions and
experiences from the users of Force Ten. 



Ifyou have been a user of Force Ten, what are your thoughts on its tent designfeatures, pricing and benefits? Whatkind of improvements would you like to see? If you have never tried Force Ten before, why and what is your thoughtsof it as a brand in the market?



Arethere any other brands that you use and/or prefer? Why?



Whatother outdoor pursuits do you enjoy while camping?



*If you wish to, please specify where you are from.



Thanksin advance'.


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## PpPete (18 Nov 2011)

Very disappointed in my Force Ten Mk2 LW.	It only lasted 25 years. I should have listened to advice and gone for the "proper" cotton fly version.

Used a Mark 4 on wet fortnight in the Lakes with a couple of friends in 1974. The owner of that one reports that it is still sound, although the bright orange has faded to a almost white.


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## mmmmartin (18 Nov 2011)

what are your thoughts on its tent designfeatures, pricing and benefits? I had an orange cotton version that lasted for donkey's years and was warm and bomb-proof. nothing but good things to say about it.

Whatkind of improvements would you like to see? it was very heavy, my mate bought a nylon dome that was also pretty good.


what is your thoughts of it as a brand in the market? Very good name, highly thought-of. A top name for quality IMHO

Are there any other brands that you use and/or prefer? Terra Nova is the very latest and lightest - but perhaps not a durable. EG the zips are very lightweight, and the groundsheets are thin. but they are very light.


Whatother outdoor pursuits do you enjoy while camping? cycling, climbing, running.

the south-east


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## mmmmartin (18 Nov 2011)

PpPete said:


> the bright orange has faded to a almost white.


Yes, mine did that. Except for the bit by the front right edge, where a dog peed on it. That stayed a different colour for quite a few years...............


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## Globalti (13 Dec 2011)

Same here. My orange cotton Force Ten mk4 acquired an interesting Rorschach type black stain when a friend borrowed it and left it in the boot of his car, which he had painted with bitumen underseal. A can of petrol leaked and the black liquid soaked into the rolled-up flysheet.....

Subsequently a pole broke in a gale after my parents and I lugged it up a mountain for an overnight camp. So we dismantled it and ran down the mountain, jumped in the car and drove home for a hot bath.

On another trip I forgot to pack the poles but found that the flysheet worked fine suspended from a climbing rope strung between the roofrack and a telegraph pole.

That old Vango is still with us and still gets occasional use over 40 years later.


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## Alun (13 Dec 2011)

Yep I've got a cotton Mk4 in the loft, proper tent !


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (31 Dec 2011)

I have 2 Mk 4 Force Ten tents - one is one of the orginal types with the blue ground sheet, spiked poles with metal discs (instead of feet) and metal A pieces, the other slightly more modern... the first was bought before I was born by my father, I turned 39 recently. It is also almost white now, rather than bright orange. The other is about 25 years old and both are the cotton type - fantastic tents -they have often been the only thing left standing after gales/storms and often been the only things dry. I have had to reproof both once, and they have had a couple of repairs over the years but I am more than happy with them and have not sold them. But they have not come of my world tour with me and I have changed over to Hilleberg for this tour. It has its drawbacks as well. Why not take it, I guess it is the old A frame that is the biggest issues - my husband can't sit up easily inside his and we did demote both tents to being 'base camp' tents becuase of this (I also created an extension from a flysheet to allow so sitting room when it was raining - being able to cook undercover was essential) and the porch area was simply not big enough.

We did look at the newer done Force Ten at one point when we came across someone with one on a campsite - but I remember at the time thinking we prefered the old A frame design - I don't anymore, but then I did. The cost (at the time) put us off especially given that it would only be replacing a working tent that was bombproof. Over the years I have seen little extras come in on newer models, like not having to use all the pegs to pitch the tent - clips to aid that, changes from rubbers to shock cord were also useful. We often found that people would come over to us on a campsite to say hello, starting with "I used to have one of those..."

Ironically, now - I have replaced it with an even more expensive tent - A Hilleberg Nammatj 3 GT for a world tour. I miss the cotton flysheet but prefer the space, ventolation and the extension. The footprint is another bonus to us and the midge netting on the vents and door are essential - something my old Force 10 was missing.


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## oldfatfool (31 Dec 2011)

I have used a mk5 for the last 20 years still going strong been out in just about every weather condition going. Once Back packed it between 2 of us over Buckden Pike in winter through choice over a lot lighter alternatives.


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## scotty110788 (31 Dec 2011)

OOOoooo I'm a camper (long distance walker) at heart, not sure on your specific tent but vango have climbed up charts imo camping wise, i no longer use tent but rab ridge raider bivi and gore tex tarp which also covers bike  dont even use a tent in snow  I've had so many tents its unreal  before i get carried away on camping, once u get it, pitch it up in garden to see if its simple/ spacious and also get ya garden hose oot  then pack it, packin always seems to be worst especially in cold weather so the easier, the better. From newcastle btw


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## SlowerThanASluggishSloth (2 Jan 2012)

Ifyou have been a user of Force Ten, what are your thoughts on its tent designfeatures, pricing and benefits?

Bombproof.

Arethere any other brands that you use and/or prefer? Why?

No.

Whatother outdoor pursuits do you enjoy while camping?

Rock climbing

*If you wish to, please specify where you are from.

Lancashire


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## jim55 (2 Jan 2012)

PpPete said:


> Very disappointed in my Force Ten Mk2 LW. It only lasted 25 years. I should have listened to advice and gone for the "proper" cotton fly version.
> 
> Used a Mark 4 on wet fortnight in the Lakes with a couple of friends in 1974. The owner of that one reports that it is still sound, although the bright orange has faded to a almost white.


25yrs !!!! how long do you think a tent is good for !!!!id wager your car /bike even yr tv (which was prob dearer than the tent ur talking about )is done in a lot less time than that ,,,i bought a tent last yr out of millets ,,160 for a two man ,,,it seems well made but tbh if it lasts and works well for 5 yrs (even 3 or something )il b impressed,,is a tent guaranteed ?


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## scotty110788 (2 Jan 2012)

jim55 said:


> it seems well made but tbh if it lasts and works well for 5 yrs (even 3 or something )il b impressed,,is a tent guaranteed ?


 a tent works just as you bought after 5 years if you look after it properly. after every use, air it out until completely dry to prevent mould, any signs of water getting in then waterproof on regular basis!


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## Globalti (3 Jan 2012)

Ours did several family camping trips around France and Spain as well as Scotland. It certainly isn't a backpacking tent but it is spacious and robust and erection is quick and easy, becoming a bit of a slick operation each time we used to arrive at a new camp site. For backpacking or trailquests I have a tiny Saunders Jetpacker, which weighs next to nothing.


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## Cubist (3 Jan 2012)

jim55 said:


> 25yrs !!!! how long do you think a tent is good for !!!!id wager your car /bike even yr tv (which was prob dearer than the tent ur talking about )is done in a lot less time than that ,,,i bought a tent last yr out of millets ,,160 for a two man ,,,it seems well made but tbh if it lasts and works well for 5 yrs (even 3 or something )il b impressed,,is a tent guaranteed ?


 I have a Robert Saunders Backpacker GC2 which was bought for my 15th birthday. <2kg ripstop nylon 2 man tent, has been reproofed a number of times and repaired twice due to tears. Still use it now, so not bad for a *thirty three year old tent*. I use it primarily for back-packing. 

I spent a night in a Force Ten Mk IV at 7,000 feet in a blizzard. It was bombproof, sturdy and cosy with three of us in it. My criticism was at the time, and still is, the weight.

I would still use Vango as a brand but my kids will be doing DofE this next couple of years, and may well be using a Tempest.


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## jim55 (3 Jan 2012)

jeez !!! i suppose quality kit lasts ,,but iv never owned something that long ,,how much is spent on these ??they must b seriousley good to start with
im obv not spending enough


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## Cubist (3 Jan 2012)

jim55 said:


> jeez !!! i suppose quality kit lasts ,,but iv never owned something that long ,,how much is spent on these ??they must b seriousley good to start with
> im obv not spending enough


Mine cost £75 in 1978, but it was a "second" (it had a 1 inch square patch on the door.
Today's equivalent is the Jetpacker plus, at £219.00 http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/frame.html


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## Globalti (3 Jan 2012)

They weren't built for carrying around in a rucsac! That's why they're so robust.


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## scotty110788 (4 Jan 2012)

What i currently use in all weather, light as pair socks, i use tarp over top for sitting under while i cook and also extra protection 200quid




. my mates coleman boa and for 120 quid, best tent i have ever had pleasure of using, been in all conditions for years, he dont really look after it either lol



. this was my last one, also 200, lightwave t2 trek, this really let me down even though i continued to use for few year, im so glad it fell down on us in snow so i had excuse to get new 1.



also gutted we had no winter this year so far  love talking about tents and camping


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## Milo (7 Jan 2012)

This is my canvas beastie lady not included. Just about possible to backpack with if your feeling burly at 3kg or so. Dead simple tent 1 center pole and 6 pegs or so and Welsh rain proof just about if you can accept that some water will get in getting in and out.


I do have a vango banshee which is ok but in no way a 2 person tent unless you are very close friends or aware of each others anatomy on an intimate level. Still Vango make ok tents IME


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## Marc Young (4 Aug 2012)

emmar said:


> Hi,
> 
> I currently work for Force Ten by Vango and I would like to get some opinions and
> experiences from the users of Force Ten.
> ...


 
Hi there
I have just returned from the Womad music festival where I slept in my 40 year old force 10 for 3 nights. It was absolutely great- easy to erect and so sturdy. It is still in good nick but faded, some of the rubber band are the original ones- not bad. Earlier this year my daughter borrowed it and loved it too. A classic tent.


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## rowan 46 (6 Aug 2012)

when I was in the scouts many years ago our troop had a couple of force 10 ridge tents and they were great but heavy, Last year I bought a vango hurricane 300, this year it was camped next to a vortex 300 during the storms that hit cornwall and devon at the beginning of june. Winds were recorded at 50-60mph with gusts at over 70mph and these two tents were the only tents in the field which were not flattened. the only difference I could see was the snow valances on the porch of the force 10 and the colour and the logo which apparently puts about £150 on the cost of the force 10 which is essentially the same tent as the hurricane. so that's my only gripe against force 10 price.


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## Biglad82 (7 Aug 2012)

After you have paid the mortgage off on one of them they are great tents over the past 5 years I have purchase 2, 
 Helium  for hiking adventures
And  Nitro 200+  for when the kids come camping , both excellent tents


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## Teuchter (9 Aug 2012)

Some of my earliest tent camping experiences were in old canvas Force 10s while doing DofE expeditions with the Air Cadets in the Scottish Highlands during the 80s. They weren't too bad to carry split between 2 and seemed to be cadet proof, unlike some of the cheaper tents some people used at the same time. Stood up well to bad weather.

I'd own one again* but there are so many cheaper alternatives out there that while not so bomb proof, are good enough for my current modest car / motorbike camping needs. Currently own a Khyam Igloo which has been all over Europe on the back of a motorbike but I wouldn't hike or cycle with it.

* Edit: I didn't own it, it was issued.


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