Vango Banshee 200 Tent in Depth Review – Including Pictures

An In-Depth Review of The Vango Banshee 200 Backpacking Tent

I come to buy this tent when I was looking for a lightweight but sturdy backpacking tent to go on my adventures wild camping; I had a few criteria for the tent that it had to hit for me to consider it a go

• It had to be waterproof
• It had to be sub £160
• It had to stand up well to strong winds
• It Had to be fast to pitch and pack away
• It had to be less than 2.5 KG in weight
• It had to have space for me and my kit inside
• It Had to have a good build quality

I spent hours looking around the internet and youtube and came across the Vango Banshee 200, and it seemed to have everything I was looking for, so one quick amazon delivery later, I had my tent, now to get out with it.

Last update on 2024-07-27 at 10:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Vango Banshee 200 is advertised as a two-man tent, but I would say it’s more like a 1.5 man or one man and his kit. That is not to say it’s cramped; it’s far from it; as a one-man with all my kit inside with me, I still had lots of space.

The Vango Banshee 200 tent is a hooped pole design with the poles on the outside of the tent, and this provides more space in the inner sections of the tent.

The bathtub groundsheet with a hydrostatic head of 6000mm made from a tough 70 denier also helps keep you dry on those rainy days as it covers about four inches from ground level.

The materials used in construction are high quality, so you can be sure that this tent will last many years with proper care and use. 

Vango Banshee 200 Specs

• Weight 2.4kg
• Pack Size 47.0 X Ø18.0cm
• Pitching Time 7 Mins
• Capacity 2 Person Tent
• Birth: 2-person

Inside Dimensions (inner capsule)

• Internal tent Height 90 cm
• Internal tent length 225 cm
• Internal tent width 120 cm

Outside Dimensions (flysheet)

• Outer tent Height 95 cm
• Outer tent Length 265 cm
• Outer tent width 175 cm

How Long Does A Vango Banshee 200 Take To Pitch?

Vango claims it takes around 7 minutes to pitch the Banshee 200 fully, and I would say that is correct. The first time I pitched the Banshee straight out of the bag, I had it up in under 10 minutes; straight out of the bag, the inner tent and the flysheet are pre-attached and ready to pitch, which I thought was excellent making for a fast and easy first pitch.

The Banshee comes with 16 lightweight aluminium tent pegs.

Having pitched the Vango Banshee 200 a fair few times now, I can have it up in around 5 minutes, give or take!

The poles snapped together with a very satisfying click under their own tension from the internal elasticated band within the poles. It is also worth noting the poles are color-coded to small tabs on the tent, making it almost impossible to put them in the wrong place.

The outer flysheet then simply clips to the poles adding tension to the flysheet.

How Long Does It Take To Pack Away a Banshee 200?

Packing the Vango Banshee away is super easy, and I would say it can be done in under 5 minutes tho I have not timed it.

One thing I really love with the Banshee is the bag it comes in. 

Unlike most other tent bags that open at one end, and the opening is usually way too tight to get the tent back in easily, with the banshee bag, the whole side of the bag opens up down its length, making it super fast and easy to stuff the tent in then close with a drawstring and tension straps.

This feature alone, I think, is excellent nothing worse than trying to pack a wet tent into a really tight bag when it’s raining.

I would say just the bag alone saves 2-3 minutes messing around.

Vango Banshee 200 Condensation

I have not found condensation to be a problem with the Banshee, tho it is inevitable in all tents, ventilation is very good with the Banshee.

Condensation becomes more noticeable with all tents when it rains or is very cold.

How Waterproof Is a Vango Banshee 200?

One thing I love is camping in the rain, so waterproof is a must for me, and I can say I have been out in some nasty weather with my Banshee and been perfectly dry.

The Banshee has a hydrostatic head of 5000mm, making it great for heavy downpours. 

The inside of the flysheet has a rubberized texture to it, so I’m guessing that’s where the excellent water resistance is coming from. 

You can see the water beading very well on the outside of the flysheet.

All stitched seams on the flysheet are factory seam-sealed to ensure no leaks around fabric joints.

Both doors have a decent-sized storm flap over the zips that fastens in place with velcro.

What’s The Vango Banshee 200 Like In The Wind?

Funny enough, my first night out with the Banshee was in reasonably strong winds gusting to around 45mph; a Friend asked me along to camp at the Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in the UK at 1732Ft ASL in the Yorkshire dales, well I was not going to say no! any excuse to camp out right?

So I thought, what better test for the Banshee? We did get a little rain thrown into the mix too, so it was a great first run. Well, it went perfectly only slight problem to report was one of the guy ropes did loosen up, but that was due to the ground being very tough and full of large stones, and I could not get the pegs in far enough.

So yes, I can vouch for its sturdiness in strong winds.

How Much Does The Vango Banshee 200 Weigh?

Vango claims the Banshee 200 weighs in at around 2.4kg, So there are definitely lighter options on the market.

As with most camping equipment weight goes down cost goes up!

Some Features Of The Vango Banshee 200 Tent

What Is The Banshee 200 Like For Size?

For a backpacking tent, it’s, in my opinion, absolutely fine, I’m 5’9 and around 18 stone, so a fairly big lad, and I get along with it perfectly.

If you plan to spend a lot of time in your tent, say on a campsite or something, this may not be what you are looking for; this is aimed more at hiking/wild camping.

When sitting up in the middle of the tent, depending on the sleeping mat I use my head sometimes just touches the top of the inner tent.

Again as I say, I’m 5’9, and when laid on my mat, I have around 5 inches of space around my feet or head depending on which way I shuffle, up or down.

Now the tent’s head end is a very slight con and is often mentioned around the internet that the inner tent material can touch your face when laying down on your mat. 

I have never had much of a problem with this tho it could be for a taller guy.

Well, I solved that one with two small magnets; when setup, place one on the inside of the tent and one on the outside around the head area; this just slightly pulls the inner material closer to the flysheet. 

It’s only a small area around the size of a 1p coin, but it creates a pretty large cone shape around the head area, keeping all the material away from your face.

Also, moving your whole body down to the feet end does solve this for many people.

Some people just place something at the end of the tent to hold it up a little.

Vango Banshee 200 Pro’s & Con’s

Last update on 2024-07-27 at 10:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Would I Recommend The Vango Banshee 200

In short, YES 100%.

It’s perfect for someone new to camping or even someone that has been camping for years. If you are looking for a hassle-free one-person tent(this is technically two-person), then the Vango Banshee 200 is an excellent option; it ticks a lot of boxes.

Last update on 2024-07-27 at 10:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Final Thoughts

I hope this Vango Banshee 200 Tent In-Depth Review has helped you out; If you are looking for a tent that will not break the bank or your back with weight, the Vango Banshee 200 Realy is an excellent option. I’m sure with the info provided above; you can make up your own mind if it fits the bill for you or not.

For the avid wild camper, this is a great tent.

I couldn’t find any faults at all with this tent that I would say are worth mentioning. 

So I thoroughly recommend buying one if you want a reasonably lightweight, easy pitching camping/backpacking/bike packing/wild camping tent for your adventures!