Blacks Arctic Guinea

Mentioned this tent in my review of the Blacks Mountain tent. When I bought the Mountain tent for a ridiculously low price in a sale in 1969 I saw on the same day the Arctic Guinea. A classic-traditional old fashioned tent it oozed quality, character and plenty of room but it was, despite a reduction, expensive.

Years later on a miserable February day I was looking through the local paper {nowt else to do} and I spyed an Arctic Guinea tent for sale at £25. I phoned the seller straight way and he still had the tent. I went to check it out not expecting an almost brand new tent in stormproof. Used twice, reason for sale "too heavy to back pack".

At the time this tent was considered the Rolls Royce of base camp tents and weighed just about as much as a roller but at 25 quid what the heck, so I bought it.

A lovely tent, an A pole unit without a ridge pole the innner suspends from the A frames. The inner and fly when pegged out make it an extremly stable "rock solid" unit with plenty of flex in high winds. That I think is why it always rides high winds well.

Spent several weeks up mountains in it in very severe weather and had long summers away with this or the Mountain tent for company. With the adapted Vango extension it became something of an hotel. It still raises admiration from much younger folk who swear by their high tech geodesics and it stood up to torrential rain and high winds this summer. Together with the Mountain it's still a winner and it's still bloody heavy.

Regards, Dave Barker

I bought one in a charity shop in New Zealand in the late nineties for NZ$5. Yes, five. At the time that was less than£2 !!!!!!!!

Mint condition and amazing still today. It is heavy with poles, but I often suspended from trees pole-less which reduced the weight a lot. I have a few tents—mostly new synthetic ones as they generally are—but it’s great to get under canvas. It breathes and is non-toxic and this tent is super lightweight for a canvas tent and even with poles is acceptable if two of you are hiking and share the load.

Background

Owned for 21 years.

I bought one in 1963. The material is ventile, which is a superior material. Still have it in mint condition.

Background

Used in Canada and the UK. Made from ventile, really good.