Vango Beta 350XL 3-Person Tent Review

While there are lots of one-person tents available, the stakes are raised somewhat when you’re buying for three people. Suddenly, you need something that’ll keep the other campers happy in terms of space, ventilation, comfort, and many other factors. Before you start to panic, have no fear because we’re reviewing the Vango Beta 350XL 3-Person Tent here today!

​With a spacious sleeping quarter and a separate room for storage or hiding out from the rain, this Vango model has a number of features that would be welcomed by even the most experience campers among us. For example, the ‘all-in-one pitching system’ uses just three poles and should have you up and running in a matter of minutes.

Elsewhere, the fabrics are all fire retardant, you’ll have diamond clear windows, a fast-pack tent bag, a bathtub groundsheet, waterproof PE groundsheet, and Vango PowerFlex fibreglass poles. When packed away, Vango say the tent should only measure at 64cm x 21cm which means that storage is easier than ever. Not only this, it isn’t cumbersome to carry around (this has been a problem for some tents in the past!).

Key Features 

We could talk about the three-pole pitching system, we could talk about the brilliant space-to-weight ratio of the tunnel design, but we really like the so-called Tension Band System. Now patented and called TBS II, this is an adjustable system that allows the tent to remain stable in even the windiest of conditions. With one small adjustment, sideways movement is prevented and you can remain steady while trying to sleep.

As with many tents these days, the mesh windows have a double effect; they keep air flowing through the tent without allowing those pesky bugs inside. With the ‘lights out’ inner tent, you won’t have the sun shining brightly in your eyes early in the morning. Also, we should mention the linked-in groundsheet because many customers have noted how easy this is to clean.

Benefits 

As most owners will tell you, this tent is VERY easy to install alone. Considering it’s a three-person tent and you’re likely to have others with you, the pitching becomes even easier. In this day and age, we don’t think difficult pitching is required so Vango have done a great job here.

Although advertised as a three-person tent, we’ve also seen plenty of couples enjoying the extra space and the affordable price range makes this a possibility. Perhaps your friend or partner doesn’t pack lightly and you could do with some extra storage space? This Vango design is perfect.

We also love the fact it packs down into a small bag; carrying the tent doesn’t become a chore and cause frustration before the trip has even started.

Drawbacks 

For some users, there has been disappointment at the lack of a double zip in the bedroom since this can make it hard to open in the dark. Yet, this is only really splitting hairs and doesn’t ruin the experience at all.

Secondly, we could also note the lack of spare tent pegs; again, this isn't a huge problem because experienced campers will already have spares and inexperienced campers can pick up a small pack quite cheaply.

Summary

For groups of three or couples (with one heavy packer), this Vango tent is well worth your consideration. You will find tents with a hydrostatic head of up to 6,000mm, but this model has still made many customers happy and we expect this to continue!