Karrimor Beta Tent

I mainly use it for motorcycle or train based adventures so I'm not walking 100s of miles with it, just for context. I use it as a one person tent.

I can't remember if I bought it in 2000 or earlier but regardless mine's done several tours of Europe and then several Woodcraft camps with my kid plus general local camping over the years.

Easy put up and takedown. I'm 6'3" and it fits me. Perfect for parent and child. Loads of space for stuff in the covered outdoor parts. Never seen condensation. Never had rain come through even in French storms. Wind doesn't affect it.

Cons: I never liked the colour. It doesn't provide warmth in any way. Gets hot on hot days. Difficult to replace ... I mean what else is going to give me this level of performance over this much time?

Bought my Karrimor Beta tent second hand 5 years ago and still all in order with no damages. I guess its seen around 20 nights camping in all - mostly via canoe but some backpacking and a little car camping.

Tighter than the floor space would suggest due to the sloping sides but there is plenty of space in the sides for equipment.

The tent must go up inner first unlike what some websites suggest. The tent is pretty much self supporting which is great for camping on rock shelves (kayaking in Sweden) though best if the ventilation guys can be pegged out.

Loose threads on the inner tent look cheap but nothing has happened in 5 years.

Pockets in both ends, sides and roof. Great for watching a movie on the phone.

Poles seem good quality alloy.

Outer door can be awkward to unzip without catching the zip cover in the zip itself if your in a hurry (like when its raining) but is not a real problem.

Vents can be opened or closed both inner and outer - some condensation on the outer with cold wet weather but didn't disturb the inner tent.

Weight of 3 kg is not great but you can save by omitting most of the pegs and not really too much to carry between two.

Finally - has never given problems in the rain at all despite some real downpours.

I've had a Karrimor Beta since 2003 and it's a sturdy little tent. Certainly great value for money and a decent backpacking tent for two.

Sheds the wind effortlessy and has remained waterproof on all the seams. Good quality alloy poles and alloy pegs. Full mesh doors with zippable covers.

Pitching is confusing the first time because the sides aren't symmetrical and the fly pole doesn't cross the inner poles at right angles. I found the secret is to use the velcro straps to fasten the fly to the inner tent poles and align the elliptical panel on the fly with the shape of the inner. That done, it pitches well, although difficult to get the bottom of the panels taut enough to prevent a bit of flapping.

Mine has proved very durable. No cracking and deterioration of the windows. Never had a problem with poles, pegs or guys. The only slight sign of wear is on some of the stitching in one corner of the inner.

For backpacking, it's true it does split easily. But beware of the stated weight, it's over 3.5kg.

Just taken 22 students on Dartmoor. We had 45 mph winds and snow, and it stood up to both, which is more than i can say for the Vango 450. The karrimoor beta is an excellent tent, but it took some time for the students to erect correctly.

This tent is great, I've slept in it on some windy nights and its survived the night. It's light weight and if theres two of you on an expedition the seperate inner and outer layer makes it easier to split weight. The only thing I dislike about this tent is when putting up the outer layer, the seams must be in line with the the poles or the outer sheet does not fit all the way to the otherside.

The Karrimor Beta Tent is great value for money, easy enough to put up (if you do it a few times) very stable when up. The only things I would say is that it's quite cozy for a 2 person. Also, it would be better if there were a few storm loops for attaching extra guylines in bad weather (as there are only 2!) It's light enough to trek with (within reason) is strong comparitively and is very waterproof. Mine stood up to 50mph wind on top of one of the Mournes. Just make sure you put the fly sheet on right the first time or you'll be adjusting all the pegs each time you move it round a bit!! If it isn't put up on flat ground, the fly sheet will end up not covering the inner properly on one side!

On the Karrimor Beta Tent there is a tape that connects the two ends of the fly sheet to the inner. It runs along the bottom of the inner and then goes up about 6 inches to some stitching and then down to the end of the fly sheet pole. I saw 2 tents like this so it seems to be a design flaw. The stitching is load bearing and will give out quick, so it's a construction flaw too! Not good.

The Karrimor Beta Tent is a decent, light weight trekking tent. Not for expeditions but will definitely stand its ground anywhere in the UK!