Video: The best tents: Action Packed A tent suitable for two people to use during a wide range of activities (from festivals to wild camping trips). It needs to be compact - whether you are flying, driving or hiking, space is at a premium. Simple It needs to be easy to erect so that first timers and families can keep stress to a minimum. Durable The tent needs to be robust enough to be able to work across all the seasons. How well does it stand up to deformation by wind? What is the integral strength of the tent, in terms of components such as poles and zips, where the main stresses are borne? Comfortable The design and living space is all important. Camping should be comfortable and fun, not an endurance test. Paul Hart has had to rely on his gear in extreme conditions such as in the Antarctic I tested the tents on Dartmoor, where the weather can range from beautifully warm and still conditions to torrential downpours and gales within a few hours. I was fortunate enough to have some truly hideous weather in which to see how they coped. All the tents weighed about 2½kg, although some became noticeably heavier when wet. While all the tents had their positive points, each had aspects that detracted from its overall performance. One thing that all the tents lacked was a second entrance, and this was a major failing as having that second opening makes the whole business of living in a tent so much easier - it allows better airflow through the tent, which aids drying out, and when the wind changes direction you don't have to re-pitch the tent to avoid rain being blown into the inner sanctum when you get in and out of the tent. Having a space to put your wet kit in is also crucial so it doesn't have to go into the inner tent. It is also important to remember that a tent's water resistance is only part of the equation. This is because rain doesn't always fall straight down, and when it is blown with force it can get underneath the fly sheet and through other openings, unless some thought has gone into the design of the tent. I really recommend choosing a tent that allows you to put the waterproof outer sheet up before the inner pod, as if it is done the other way around your living area is guaranteed to get wet if it is raining. Tent reviews Vaude Terratrio 2P Price: £175 Details: vaude.co.uk I was expecting great things, as I really rate the Vaude Space 2P tent. Sadly, the Terratrio did not live up to those expectations. Admittedly, it was the quickest tent to put up, taking just seven minutes to fully erect. However, while it is being erected it presents a "flat" surface, which can act like a sail in strong winds. It is also a bit fiddly to get the main pole fixed in place. The shape means that there is only headroom at the entrance - to sit up, you have to move towards the exit. As there is only one entrance and one small vestibule area, this makes the movement very difficult. Trying to cook, store wet kit and get in and out would be a challenge. Verdict Durability *** Comfort ** Ease ** Water resistance *** Overall ** An "OK" tent, but with some drawbacks that will dampen your enjoyment in bad conditions. If you can afford the £416 for the Space 2P, go for that, as your camping trips will be far more enjoyable. Terra Nova Trisar 2 Price: £170 Details: terra-nova.co.uk I have used the mountain version of this tent many times and this free-standing tent can also withstand some pretty shocking weather when the pegs are in. It is reasonably roomy inside (although not for sitting up in at the far end), but again suffers from having only one entrance and one porch area, making simultaneous cooking, getting in and out and storing wet kit problematic. However, the main issue with this tent is that you have to erect the inner first and then put the outer over the top of the poles. Doing this in the pouring rain (as during our test) meant that the inner tent was drenched, even though it took just nine minutes to erect. Durability **** Comfort *** Ease *** Water resistance * Overall ** This tent will stand up in a hurricane, but you are likely to spend your time inside a wet inner. It came last of the tents I tested. Vango Sabre 200 Price: £150 Details: vango.co.uk This tent went up in just eight minutes and it is very simple to erect. It is also quite roomy inside, and the highest point is the centre area, which is a bonus. The lack of a large vestibule area turned out to be the main failing of the tent. There really isn't anywhere to put your wet kit. It would also prove very difficult to cook in the two end areas or at the door entrance. Most importantly, every time you got in and out of the tent you would have the strong possibility of rain being blown into your inner tent. The tent has many fine points but is let down by this serious failing. Durability *** Comfort *** Ease **** Water resistance ** Overall *** BEST VALUE This tent could be so much better with just a few modifications. It is a reasonable tent at the price, but you'll need to avoid wet conditions. But this was the best of the tents at this mid- price range. Vango Ark 200 Price: £130 Details: vango.co.uk Vango sent this tent, as it thought it was the perfect fit as a "festival" tent. It was a bit heavy for wild camping, but I could see the benefits of the tent for festivals, as it has greater headroom and just a lot more space, particularly in the vestibule area. The main problems were the lack of side lines to give extra stability and robustness to the outer sheet, and in wind the outer was continually blown on to the inner. This meant water did get through to the inner. Although not meeting all the criteria, it was a reasonable tent for festival use. Durability ** Comfort ***** Ease **** Water resistance ** Overall *** Not a bad tent, but pretty heavy. If you can carry the load then it is not a bad buy, but don't expect to stay totally dry. Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2XT Price: £490 Details: mountain-equipment.co.uk This tent was in a different league to every other tent I was sent, but so was the price. It has a massive vestibule that allows you to get out of all your wet kit while under cover before getting into your inner tent. The entrances to the tent and then to your inner are offset, which minimises the chance of water coming in. There is plenty of room to cook and sit up and the tent is very stable and robust. Durability ***** Comfort **** Ease **** Water resistance **** Overall **** The best tent by a long chalk, but its advantages are reflected in the price tag. If you can afford it then this will make your camping trips a lot more comfortable; however, take a look at the Vaude Space 2P as a cheaper but equally effective alternative. About Paul Hart Paul has more than 30 years of adventure activity and expedition experience. His love of the great outdoors started at the age of 12 while he was living in Manchester, when he and his brothers used to cycle from their home in Stretford to the Pennines and Anglesey and camp out under the stars. This passion for adventure would shape his career - gaining a degree in oceanography, meteorology and geology at Plymouth University, as well as professional qualifications in sailing, diving, kayaking and climbing. Paul has the unusual history of having served in both the Army, where he gained his Royal Marines Commando qualification, and the Navy, where he became one of only two officers to pass the selection course of the Parachute Regiment. It was here that his real expeditions commenced. He has survived being avalanched, having his yacht come apart beneath him in a storm in the Bay of Biscay, and being capsized while kayaking around Alaska. He has climbed previously untrodden peaks in the Himalayas and led the first man-haul crossing of the Antarctic Peninsula while conducting scientific research as part of the centenary anniversary commemoration of Captain Robert Falcon Scott of the Royal Navy. He is trained to operate in polar regions and has recently returned from instructing a group of Scouts for a North Pole attempt in 2014, and he will be part of a team planning to retrace Shackleton's footsteps next year. He is a fully qualified medic, which is just as well as he has broken just about every major bone in his body, yet continues to ride the infamous Cresta Run most years. In short, there are few people who know more about adventure and equipment than he does.