Bit of a nostalgia trip this one. 30 years ago, I bought a tent before heading up to work in Inverness-shire. Termed a 1 or 2-man tent, I used it to back-pack into various remote Scottish wildernesses for days at a time, taking only a loaf of bread and some butter with me. I had to catch trout in order to ‘survive’. A kind of 1980s Bear Grylls, I suppose.

That tent has accompanied me to some fabulous places, sheltered me from some awesome weather, and shares many happy memories. Known to many of my generation, it is a Vango Force 10.

So it was with more than a passing interest that I tried out the new, lightweight Vango Tempest 200 to see what a difference 30 years makes.

Gone are the aluminium ridge poles and ‘A’ frames of old. Now ingenious, collapsible, flexible, colour-coded, '’Powerlite’ fixed hoops to form what is termed a ‘technical tunnel tent’, which still retains that Vango trademark sloping roof. The inner is held to the fly sheet by elasticised bands. Quick to pitch, the Tempest 200 was first erected by me, in the dark, in the rain, in a midge-infested woodland site on the west coast. So I was grateful for the speed.

Today's Vango is constructed entirely of fire-retardant polyester – no cotton in the inner, no rubber in the groundsheet; a total weight of 2.8kg (a shade over 6lb). The difference in weight over the old version is not massive, but tangible, especially when you are carting it about on your back. It packs smaller, too – a mere 22in roll.

Inside, this Vango is higher (90cm) and more roomy than my old Force 10, which is welcome, but it still requires a bit of an ordeal by contortion when getting into the sleeping bag. So, yes, two people will fit in here, but they have to know each other pretty well, and neither should possess an inflatable mattress.

There’s a zippered mesh ventilation system inside, which is a good idea, and the zippered arch doors are a big improvement on the old version, and I like the porch area, which now has a fitted, pegged-out groundsheet to make it much more user-friendly.

The Tempest 200 comes with a Duke of Edinburgh Award recommendation and for back-packing in windy, wild, wet, midge-infested places, this looks the business. It is perfect for the roving, wild angler of the hill lochs.

Suffice to say, the following morning after my midnight pitch, I was dry and comfortable; heavy west coast overnight rain had made no impact on the interior.

Yes, tents have come on a pace, but perhaps the most amazing thing about this one is the price. It retails at nearly £30 less than what I paid for mine over three decades ago!