Products: Reviews Vango Supernova 5000
They say: “The Supernova range is our premier collection of sleeping bags. The construction, insulation material and reflective interlining are all designed with the purpose of retaining body heat while keeping weight to a minimum. Vango's Thermal Embrace System in this range gently encourages the inner lining towards you, increasing room to loft and maximising warmth.”
LFTO.com says: “Vango’s Supernova 5000 sleeping bag is designed to maximise the efficiency of its insulation. It features Vango’s Thermal Embrace System; elasticated threads on the inside of the bag. These threads cause the bag to fit closer to the user than one with the usual non-stretch threads. The lining is pulled comfortably close to the curves of the body, holds the insulation closer to you too and does not allow warm air to billow out of the bag when you move. Equally the insulation inside the bag is allowed more space to loft due to the stretch inner hugging the body.” Verdict: “The Vango Supernova 5000 is an excellent bag for year-round use for those on a tighter budget, but packed size and weight are always the drawbacks at this price.”
LFTO.com rating: 4/5
Price paid: £90
www.vango.co.uk
Terra Nova Voyager Superlite
They say: “The already popular Voyager Superlite has now stepped out of the shadow of its older sibling the classic Voyager to have a redesigned back end and roof, improving it's already impressive weather-shedding ability.”
LFTO.com says: “This two-person sub-2kg tent is a lightened version of the Voyager, a classic three-pole geodesic that defines its class. By lightening the fabrics to those used in the brand’s Laser range, Terra Nova has reduced the weight by 400g. The beauty of the tent is that you still get an inner and outer, a three-pole geodesic design and a superb porch and front entrance with double zips for venting. The geodesic design is incredibly stable. The pegs are the wire skewer type which do not hurt your hands and they are made from titanium to keep the weight down. The outer doors do not have external stormflaps and the zips are particularly small, so you will need to treat them with a little care. To save weight the poles are held in place with clips rather than sleeves. Also this is an inner-pitched-first design, so it’s not ideal for pitching in heavy rain.” Verdict: “Buy it if you want a superlight version of a proper backpacking tent with the space, stability and features that make camping comfortable.”
LFTO.com rating: 5/5 Price paid: £330
www.terra-nova.co.uk
Ultralight 2 They say: “Pitching flysheet first, this transverse ridge tent has plenty of internal space for a tent that weighs so little and features two generously sized porches. The whole thing pitches as one, but the flysheet can be pitched alone and used as a tarp when desired.”
LFTO.com says: “This two-person backpacking tent is very light at just 1,600g and you can save a further 300g by ditching the pole set and using a pair of trekking poles instead. It pitches outer-first with just two vertical poles supporting the outer. The inner is suspended inside the outer. The wedge-shaped ridge design creates a reasonable amount of space to sit up under the ridge and it then tapers to the foot steeply. A real bonus is that there are two porches and two entrances, so two campers can have their own half of the tent, which is particularly useful when you need to unpack gear after a wet day on the hill. The porches each have space for two rucksacks. The outer doors roll upwards and can be secured quite well. The outer doors can also be vented from the top, which is useful when cooking in the porch. This is an incredibly simple, lightweight design that is ideal for valley backpacking. But tents with curved pole designs offer more internal space. This is not the most stable design as the large, flat surface of the wedge shape tends to catch the wind, so some care is needed to find relatively sheltered sites. Other designs have more control over ventilation too.”
Verdict: “Buy it if you want a very lightweight tent at a low price and are prepared to forgo stability and space.”
LFTO.com rating: 3/5 Price paid: £160
www.mountain-equipment.co.uk Reviews courtesy of Trail magazine and
LFTO.com www.sgboutdoor.co.uk 23 Mountain Equipment AR Crux Torpedo 500
They say: “With a 500g fill weight, the Torpedo 500 is probably the most versatile bag in the Crux range, suitable not only for climbing in the Alps but also for non-mountaineering activities such as trekking and adventure travel.”
LFTO.com says: “Crux has created a down sleeping bag with water- proof and breathable eVent fabric. The Torpedo 500 has bonded seams eliminating leaks and bulky water-proof taping. It should keep you warm down to -10 degrees C. The zip has a large side baffle to prevent draughts and cold spots, while a good shoulder baffle helps trap warm air inside the bag. There is a long side zip that stops about 30cm above the foot, which is ideal for venting the legs without getting cold feet.” Verdict: “A waterproof bag that is ideal for Alpinists and winter camping, when keeping down insulation dry is essential for a good night’s sleep.”
LFTO.com rating: 4/5
Price paid: £330
www.crux.uk.com
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