What is the Makalu?
The F10 Makalu sits in Vango's flagship range of tents designed to be taken into high Alpine conditions as well as a quick excursion into the Cairngorms during less favourable conditions. Thanks to the durable high quality poles and lightweight, tough and fully waterproof outer fabric, the Makalu can be used in some of the harshest alpine conditions yet weighs a respectable 2.6kg.
What is it made from?
The flysheet of the Makalu is made from Vango's Protex 20.SRN fabric; we know that sounds confusing but basically it's an extremely light, durable and weater resistant fabric perfect for mountainous tents such as the Makalu. It's made from a 20D nylon with a siliconised coating to offer a 5000mm hydrostatic head rating, the highest of which in Vango's flysheet range. Each and every seam is fully taped, while a ripstop weave increases durability even further if you catch the tent on a zip or bramble.
The groundsheet features and even more durable 70D nylon with a hydrostatic head of 6000mm, meaning it's fully waterproof and highly durable.
How is it constructed?
The Makalu features a semi-geodesic construction; rather than a tunnel tent for example which generally features poles which loop over the top of the tent but aren't in contact with one another, the Makalu overlaps all three poles over the top of the tent, meaning a more stable stance in windy conditions, greater tension for more efficient waterproofing and more durable construction to deal with snowfall. The high quality Yunan Alloy poles provide greater durability to an already durable tent.
What are the features?
The Makalu is pretty feature packed, so lets start from the top and work down. The high quality Yunan poles are made with acid-free processing in Korea, meaning a high strength to weight ratio and an eco-friendly design. The doors feature an 'O' shaped design which allows you to open it with one hand, while a part mesh inner door allows ventilation into the porch. Inside the tent, you get conveniently placed pockets for a headtorch, food and other accessories. Moving to the outer, you've got multiple reflective points so you can see your tent in low light situations, high strength guylines to deal with high wind, and lastly a compression bag which opens like a duffel for easy stuffing.
Summary
The Makalu 2 is perfect for those who are frequently in the mountains during less than favourable weather conditions. It's the perfect middle ground between a full mountaineering tent and a lightweight trekking tent; it'll put up with regular mountain abuse yet weighs about the same as your average trekking tent.
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Stable semi-geodesic design
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3/4 season
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Taped seams
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High strength guylines
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Reflective points
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High quality Yunan poles
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O-shaped doors allow one handed operation
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Inner pockets
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.