What is the Cairngorm 300?
The Cairngorm 300 is designed to be your go-to tent when you fancy heading out for a few days, weeks, months or even a lifetime of adventures. It features a sturdy yet lightweight design and packs down to a size roughly equivalent to a 3 litre water bottle, making it perfect for trekking and backpacking.
What is it made from?
The flysheet is made from Vango's own Protex RS polyester fabric, a lightweight, tough, fully waterproof fabric with the highest hydrostatic head rating in Vango's range, 5000mm. Every seam is fully taped, and a ripstop weave ensures durability if you happen to catch the fabric on a branch, bramble or zip. The benefit of the polyester content in Proflex is that unlike nylon which will degrade when left in harsh sunlight for extended periods of time, Polyester will resist it for far longer. This allows it to be used on longer trips without as much concern for UV degradation.
The groundsheet is made from an even more durable 70D polyester and creates a fully waterproof, durable barrier against boggy, rough ground. Finally, the inner is made from a breathable polyester which reduces the amount of condensation build up.
How is it constructed?
The Cairngorm features an incredibly simple and reliable construction with just one pole running over the centre of the tent and one more pole at either end. Despite many tents with this design scrimping on space, the Cairngorm features plenty of internal height and width, allowing you to safely cook, get changed or map read inside.
What are the features?
Starting with the poles, Vango supply you with high quality Yunan Eco Alloy poles which are made using an acid-free process, providing you with high quality poles without the environmental damage. The doors feature an eyelet which allows you to prop it up with a walking pole, creating an additional porch space to cook and rest, while both doors can be opened with one hand thanks to their 'O' shape. Vango supply you with two doors in total to allow three users to make their way out without waking the others up. The inner door features a part mesh design to aid ventilation, and further vents in the flysheet mean you can pitch the Cairngorm into the wind to reduce condensation. Inside the tent, you've got multiple useful pockets to store a headtorch or GPS. When you come to pack the tent away, Vango supply you with a duffel style compression bag which allows you to easily pack and unpack (no more awkward stuffing!).
Summary
The Cairngorm is the ideal walking, trekking, backpacking and travelling tent. It's lightweight, durable and spacious enough for all your essentials when out on the trail or in the hills.
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Durable ripstop flysheet
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Yunan Eco Alloy poles
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Two doors
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Flysheet door vent
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Breathable polyester inner
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Walking pole attachment in door
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Reflective points
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Taped seams
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Fast Pack tent bag
How to Care for Your Tent
We know that purchasing a tent is a big investment, that’s why we have such a wide range of options to suit different activities, weather conditions and people, allowing you to choose the perfect one for you. Taking care of your brand new tent can be the difference between heading out for an adventure in the mountains, or having to fork out for a hefty repair bill, or even worse, another replacement tent. Below are our best tips to care for your tent.
Footprint
Before even leaving the shop (or online basket) with your tent, consider a footprint. A footprint is a large water-resistant piece of material which sits underneath your tent to protect it from sharp rocks and wet ground; if this footprint gets damaged, it’s easy to replace and doesn’t cost a fortune; if your tent groundsheet gets damaged, you’ll have to spend at least twice the amount for a repair or replacement.
Don’t Abuse the Poles
The chances are your poles are made from individual aluminium sections connected by elastic; when you come to remove the poles from the tent, don’t pull them out. The best way to remove poles from their sleeve is to place the pole end against your hip and pull the fabric towards you. If you simply attempt to pull the pole out, they’ll disconnect inside, the elastic will stretch and then spring back, potentially trapping the fabric of your tent between the pole sections.
You might also be tempted to flick the poles out so that the elastic snaps them into place in a quickfire fashion. However, this is far from ideal, as if the poles don’t align when they meet, you can easily damage or weaken the end of the pole, leading to future failure which is usually on the wettest and windiest nights!
Collapse Poles From the Centre
When your poles are safely removed from the sleeve, collapse them from the centre to avoid stretching the elastic.
Stuff, Don’t Fold
You were probably told when you were in the Scouts or doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award that the best way to pack your tent away is to neatly fold it into a rectangle, the width of your storage bag, roll it around the poles and pegs and then put it all in the stuffsack. However, whilst very neat and tidy, this method of packing can create permanent creases in the fabric, weaken the waterproofing and eventually split the fabric of your tent. The best solution is to simply stuff the tent fabric into the storage bag, just like you would a sleeping bag, and pack the poles separately. Make sure to leave and end or corner at the top, so that you can easily peg it out if your next campsite is windy. The poles normally have their own stuffsack so they can be packed separately, strapped to the outside of your pack or stored inside, allowing the tent fabric to be compressed for efficient packing.
Store it Dry
Let’s assume you’ve been out with your tent and the weather has been a little on the damp side. You’ve packed your tent away when wet and now you’re back home in the warm and dry with a nice of cup of tea reflecting on your latest adventure. But what about your poor soggy tent? The worst thing you can do is to leave it packed away wet, mildew will grow and eventually rot the tent, rendering it useless. As soon as you’ve finished that cup of tea, wipe off any excess dirt and moisture with a towel, then hang the tent somewhere where it can fully air out; a nice warm spare room or a garage is perfect. Alternatively, when it stops raining, pitch the tent outside in the sunshine to dry off. Let it air for at least 24 hours and once you are sure that it is bone dry it can be packed away for storage. Note - don’t tumble dry or hang the tent over a radiator or other direct heat source.
Don’t Store in the Stuffsack
Like your sleeping bag, it’s best not to store your sleeping bag in its stuffsack unless it has to be compressed for an activity. Leave it in a large duffel bag or supermarket ‘bag for life’ in a cool, well ventilated area so it can breathe.
Avoid Tree Sap
If you’ve ever had sap on your hands, you’ll know how horrible and sticky the stuff is; it’s even harder to remove from your tent flysheet. Pitch away from trees if possible.
Don’t Leave in the Sun
The majority of tents we stock are made from nylon. Nylon is incredibly tough, lightweight and easy to care for, however it will naturally degrade if left out in harsh sunlight for extended periods of time. Try to pitch your tent in the shade or strike the tent (pack it away) during the day. Polyester tents don’t suffer from this quite as badly, but it’s still a good habit to get into.
Leave Sharp Objects Outside
Boots, cooking equipment and other sharp/abrasive objects can all be stored in the vestibule, where there is less chance of it ripping a hole in your fly or groundsheet. You may not want to pop your pet in there, but at least carry a small blanket to avoid their claws damaging your groundsheet.