The Terra Nova Ultra 1 is the most exciting development in the tent world for many years. It’s the first cuben fiber tent from a mainstream manufacturer, and it currently holds the Guinness Book Of Records award for the lightest double skinned tent in the world. Have we glimpsed the future of mainstream backpacking tents? Can we cast our lightweight tarps back into the sheltered woods they came from? Read on and find out.
The Ultra 1 costs £650. Yes, you read that right, £650. This is extremely expensive, even by cuben fiber standards. The design is a copy of the same company’s Photon, which is itself, a smaller version of the hugely popular Laser Competition. If you are not familiar with the Photon/Laser range then it would be worthwhile reading a few reviews to understand what they are all about. This review assumes an understanding and will only concentrate on the major differences. I also make a comparison to what is already available in cuben fiber from the specialist cottage industry.
The lightest double walled tent in the world
Finding the true weight of the Ultra 1 from the website is difficult because I counted 4 different quoted weights, ranging from 385g-581g. This range of weights is because Terra Nova thinks that some pieces are optional and could be left at home. You could even use what Terra Nova call the Fastpack option and swap the inner tent for a simple optional fitted groundsheet. That would cost a further £45 for nylon or an incredible £220 for the cuben fiber version! My review is for the standard supplied components and the true measured weights are -
| Flysheet | 194g | Including end guys |
| Flysheet pole cover | 60g | Including side guys |
| Inner tent | 200g | |
| Pegs | 12g | 12*1g titanium pegs |
| Poles | 151g | 1*main aluminum pole, 2*carbon fiber end poles |
| Stuff sacks | 28g | Tent, pole, peg sacks |
| Total weight as supplied | 645g | Advertised packed weight 581g |
| Total weight as tested | 693g | Includes 10 replacement 6g pegs (60g) |
What’s immediately obvious is the quoted weight and my measured weights are significantly different. You could leave the pole cover, 2 end poles and stuff sacks at home, but in the UK at least, you will need most of that in a storm. I also have an issue with the pegs which, as supplied, are utterly useless for supporting this tent in anything other than a sheltered garden with firm soil. The 1g titanium pegs are so thin that they pull out of soft ground in even a light wind. These pegs are clearly supplied to keep the quoted weight low and will need to be replaced for something more substantial. As a minimum I would recommend 10*6g titanium pegs, which will add a further 48g and cost £36 from Terra Nova (2 packs of 6 pegs). As tested with the replacement pegs the Terra Nova Ultra 1 weighs 693g and would cost £686. This is very nearly £1/gram.
Materials and construction
Terra Nova describes the material used for the fly and base as Ultra. To you and me its a grey coloured cuben fiber OR a copy of. I’ve been using this fabric since 2007 and was surprised at the grade of cuben selected. The standard weight cuben used in most shelters is 0.75oz which is tough and long lasting. My guess, as Terra Nova supplies no details, is that they have gone for 0.51oz. This is very light and needs to be handled with care. It’s more than strong enough when pitched but be careful should you put weight on the fly when on the ground, say if its windy, as it punctures very easily indeed. When compared to some scrap 0.75oz cuben I had, it was clearly much more transparent and had less thread content. The Ultra 1 proudly displays a ‘made in China’ label on the fly and inner, and it’s the first cuben product I’ve seen from that country. I was pleasantly surprised that the build quality was excellent, certainly as good as, but in most cases better than what the cottage industry produces. I failed to find a loose thread or any wonky stitching anywhere. And I’m a perfectionist. Terra Nova is to be congratulated here. However, I was disappointed in the method of construction. It’s normal when working with cuben fiber to bond or sew/bond any stressed seams. Terra Nova has opted for what appears to be a simple sewn only seam. Pegging points and other stressed areas have a nylon patch secured by a single stich line. The exception is the flysheet center seam, which has 6 stitch lines. After years of working with this material it worries me deeply that they have chosen this method of construction. I know of no other current manufacturer building this way. The Ultra 1 is too new for its long-term durability to be proven. After careful examination of all seams I only found one that showed some telltale signs of stress (enlarged stitching holes in the cuben). This was one of the end guying points above the small folding carbon fiber end poles. This is exactly where I would expect stresses to be high in a storm. The same grade of Ultra fabric is used for the groundsheet and in my opinion this fabric is NOT suitable for that application. On my first pitch I noticed a number of small holes in the groundsheet and before I’d even got my gear in 2 more had been added to the growing collection! I know how to prepare a pitch so the site had been cleared of debris but even some newly growing shoots of fern were enough to puncture the thin groundsheet. Fortunately cuben fiber can be patched easily with any good sticky tape! A standard cuben fiber tent groundsheet would be constructed of 1.2oz which is very tough indeed. The grade Terra Nova has chosen is just not robust enough so you will need to carry an additional groundsheet protector on anything other than a perfect lawn.
Pitching and living
The Ultra 1 is a very easy tent to pitch and I found it took no more than a couple of minutes, even on my first attempt. Space is tight but adequate for a slim 6ft+ user. Length was more than fine but when sitting up I did have to crouch under the low single hoop center pole. I’d be happy living in here for a weekend, but on a thru-hike I would want more space. Terra Nova suggests you could squeeze 2 in, but I don’t see how that’s possible! The porch was sufficient to store my pack, and while I don’t recommend this, it was possible to cook using a relatively safe esbit stove in the remaining area. This certainly isn’t a big tent but it was perfectly usable. I experienced heavy rain and buffeting winds during testing and the tent remained weatherproof. Stability was good but involved a lot of movement and flapping fabric. The 2 small end poles fold in half which really helps to keep the packed size down. Pack the main pole seperatly and this tent will fit in the smallest of packs.
Comparison to others
I think its fair to compare the Ultra 1 to what the cottage industry produces and its here that the weaknesses are exposed. Compared to the popular Mountain Laurel Designs DuoMid the Ultra 1 is considerably lighter on paper. When the real trail weight, rather than the advertised weight, is compared there’s actually only 54g difference. And that’s before a groundsheet protector is added to the Ultra 1. With the DuoMid you get masses of living space and a choice of single or double inners (you lose the porch with the double inner and it weighs more). The inner is an all mesh affair so is somewhat draftier than the part mesh used by the Ultra 1. It’s also built from heavier 0.75oz cuben fiber and ALL seams are bonded or bonded/sewn for a long life. Even after import duties and postage to the UK the DuoMid is over £200 cheaper than the Ultra 1. The only real negative with the DuoMid is that it’s a little fussy to pitch on uneven ground and you need trekking poles as no poles are supplied.
| MLD Duo Mid (cuben) | 394g | £247 | Includes stuff sack, guys. |
| MLD Solo Inner | 270g | £89 | Includes stuff sack. |
| MLD Peg pack | 83g | £15 | |
| Postage to UK | £15 | ||
| VAT and handling charge | £90 | ||
| Total | 747g | £456 | £1=$1.62 (May 11) |
Conclusion
I really wanted to like this tent. Terra Nova should be applauded for bringing a fabric previously reserved to the specialist cottage industry into the domestic market. Cuben fiber could be the fabric we need to bring down the weight of our mainstream tents, which have got about as light as they can with current materials. The price of the Ultra 1 puts it out of the range of most backpackers but if others manufactures follow then we can expect that to drop. The problem I have with this tent is that it offers less than the cottage alternatives at a much higher price. The cost of cuben fiber products isn’t just about the price of the material. Prices are high because of the extra man hours needed to work with the material and the time it takes to bond seams. Terra Nova has gone for a simple sewn seam so build costs (not materials) should be no higher than that of a conventional tent. How then do they justify the £650 retail price? For certain users, such as cyclists, adventure racers and backpackers that don’t carry hiking poles this MIGHT be the tent for you. You will need to budget for a groundsheet protector and new pegs. For me, the construction is a REAL worry. The cost is too high. The internal space is tight. The groundsheet must be protected and the pegs are simply laughable. I wonder if Terra Nova has taken development of the Ultra 1 seriously, or perhaps they were just interested in keeping the Guinness award for the lightest tent? As supplied the Ultra 1 is not suitable for anything other than occasional use in a sheltered garden. Replace the pegs. Sort out the construction. Fit a suitable groundsheet and make it a little cheaper. Then Terra Nova you will have a GREAT tent.
And I thought a Stephenson Warmlite was pricy. I truly think the price to performance ratio is out of whack here. We would all do better to loses kilo of body weight than get something so pricy. But I am glad to see manufacturers stepping out a bit like this.
I do share your concerns. I’ve seen the tent at last years Outdoor show and I’m wondering that they did neither change the construction method nor opting for a heavier/more durable Cuben version since then. My view is that they indeed are mostly after the “lightest of it’s kind” award which is their Marketing mantra and I would not be wondering if they present a two person tent version out of Cuben at this years Outdoor show. Second they price is so insanly high that only very few people will actually buy and use it longterm and third they will always say it has been made for ultra runners only and not intended to be used at a thru-hike etc. in case people complain about construction flaws.
Nevertheless I found it interesting that Peter McFarlane reviewing the same tent came to a totally different conclusion:
http://www.petesy.co.uk/terra-nova-laser-ultra-1-review/
Interesting
I agree will both your comments and have read Peters review. Some of my concerns are based on years of experience with the fabric rather than a real problem with the review tent. The construction method is a good example of this. Others such as the groundsheet and pegs are very obvious. I don’t know what experience Peter has with cuben fiber or the cottage industry so he might not be aware of how others do things and what the alternatives are. As for it only being for ultra events they clearly say suitable for ultra-light backpacking on the website.
Comprehensive! Lightweight taken too far methinks. An example of weight becoming the goal, instead of the goal being the true purpose of the bit of kit – which in the case of a tent is to provide a balance of shelter, comfort and weight to carry.
I had a good look at this tent at the Dales Outdoors Show a few weekends back. It is a thing of beauty to look at but I had similar concerns to you. Although I’ve never worked with Cuben I’ve had a mini tarp that was sewn and not bonded and only light use in moderate winds produced the enlarged stiching holes.
The flapping has always been an issue with the laser range and I just don’t see anyone who is interested in buying a cuben shelter even considering this due to the price and the design flaws in the shape and the construction of the shelter. I’d be suprised if they sell 100 of these. A ground sheet that punctures as soon as you get into it. If I made kit for people that did that I’d never be able to sell anything ever again!
Thanks for the comprehensive review.
Fantastic review. Very thorough. Really enjoyed and certainly gives some food for thought. Thanks!
Great review thanks Colin, I’ve had my eye on this one for a while now and it’s good to see folk getting their hands on them at last.
It’s certainly interesting to hear the remarks about the construction method and the choice of fabric weight. I really had high hopes for this but it’s almost verging on a possible white elephant for TN, or at the very least an epic fail.
Like you say though it’s too early to say how they’ll stand up, but picking up on the key points you’ve highlighted then I expect the outlook is not too good.
So it’s tidily put together but the construction is questionable, it’s way over priced and how many seasons it’ll last we don’t know.
Let’s hope it becomes a legend in a good way.
A refreshingly honest review. I’m not sure you’re going to get to make a living out of doing them though!
Interesting review, especially regarding the construction. Good to get the views of someone who actually makes stuff! I’d not seen any other cuben fibre shelters when I tested this tent and so couldn’t compare construction methods. Durability is the key to whether this tent could ever justify the expense – I think it would need to last for years of actual use to do so.
The durability of ultralight shelters is questionable with ones made from other materials too. This especially applies to groundsheets. Thin silnylon isn’t very puncture proof. I think if you want real durability the Hilleberg Akto is still the single hoop tent to choose.
Preposterously and exploitatively expensive, ridiculous record-breaking weight saving measures which make the tent as supplied unworkable.
Next.
The tent isn’t unworkable if you change the pegs. I used it on the Southern Upland Way in February in some very wet and windy weather and it was fine.
It is interesting to see the difference in approach from Coin’s and Ptc’s reviews. Colin focussed more on the technology and materials whilst Ptc sat squarely in the user’s camp.
I have no doubt that Colin knows his stuff and that his reviews carry some gravitas. Ptc is an unashamed lover of the LC clan, based of his years of using them in all weathers. I particularly liked one of his comments last winter when his Photon Elite “wondered what all the fuss was about”. So he probably knows more about the LC clan than most, so his views also carry some gravitas.
Terra Nova are leaders in a very small niche market and they have simply continued the development of their products.
For those that are attracted to the LC and the Photon, especially athletes, they will gladly buy an Ultra 1 as it saves them weight over other alternative double skin tents.
I am quite sure that Terra Nova have never at any time considered the Ultra 1 as a top selling item for the Akto/LC loving middle of the road backpacker.
But Terra Nova have stimulated some very valuable marketing exposure here that would have cost a fortune if they had to pay for it. So that has been a success as well.
I suspect that the Ultra 1 is simply pushing the boundaries, just like stout boots -v- trainers or tents -v- tarps or even Akto -v- LC have done in the past.
As far as the price goes, well thats only a couple of fancy GoreTex jackets. People are prepared to pay that. Merino base layers have swing tickets on them at nearly £100 and people buy them.
I have no idea how many of the Ultra 1 Terra Nova plan to sell in 2011 or 2012, but unless Colin’s predictions regarding construction and durability prove to be true, I suspect they will be pleasantly surprised.
Will I be tempted to buy one, need to think about that!
The pegs are a joke though!
Yep, but their tooth pick pegs are probably ok for the overnight campsites used in the mountain marathons.
Even though Ptc loves his LC/Photon/Ultra, he replaces them with proper hill sized pegs.
I haven’t done a mountain marathon in many years but those pegs wouldn’t have been suitable on some of the sites used. I remember one on boggy, tussocky ground in the Galloway Hills where those toothpicks would just have disappeared.
I think Chris Townsend makes a great point. He is the most respected and in my opinion the best gear reviewer in the UK yet this was the first Cuben shelter he had tested. Cuben isn’t a mainstream material yet and is very different to Silnylon. Unless you understand it’s differences then its difficult to review the product when it comes to construction and the materials chosen. Cuben is immensely strong for it’s weight but you must cause as little damage to the substrate (the plastic bit) as possible when manufacturing to retain that strength. Sewing Cuben damages and weakens this substrate. Sewing and bonding a seam helps contain that damage and prevent it getting worse. Just bonding removes the damage completely. Most manufacturers at the moment sew and bond seams. A few bond only. I only know of Terra Nova that only sews seams.
As I try and say at the end of the review it isn’t all bad with this tent. Most problems can easily be rectified. Construction is more difficult and I guess it would involve some investment by Terra Nova.
Good review Colin.
Like you, i was very surprised when i read that the seams were stitched only.
i,ve liked every reveiw i,ve read about this tent but i think terra nova have taken the word “lightweight” to the extreme and i still think it,s a pr stunt gone to far and anyone who buys one of these tents must have more money then sense .
Colin, thanks for a comprehensive review. It is always good with such groundbreaking products to read a variety of reviews, I have read yours, Petsey’s and Chris’s. Yet to make my mind up on this. My 2 man tent weighs 1050g and is a lot cheaper. I think at present I can reduce my overall weight by reducing the weight of other elements of my kit at a lower cost.
Having said this, I do think that this tent pushes the boundaries and that can be improved on by Terra Nova and other makers to the benefit of users in the future
Mark
Totally agree Mark. This might just be the future of mainstream tents and I for one think that’s a good thing. Terra Nova just need to sort out a few problems with the Ultra 1 and then they will have a good product. At the moment I would say have a long look at the cottage alternatives before spending your money. I heard a rumour at the weekend that Terra Nova are now offering the inner with a silnylon groundsheet as an option but I cannot confirm that. That’s a shame as cuben is the right material for the groundsheet but just needs to be a heavier grade.
Very interesting stuff, thanks ♥ I’ll go and have a read of the other reviews.
At 6’3″ I really wouldn’t enjoy this tent. How do you sit up comfortably, change clothes etc ? A Laser Comp in “Ultra” for taller campers would be attractive.
As far as stitching Cuben only, Zpacks.com do the same, and my Hexamid, although not used all that much, looks fine.
Good review once again, but as I already have 5 tents I shouldn’t even be reading this article!
Geoff space would be tight at 6’3″, I’m 6’2″ and found it ok. You do have to squat under the centre pole. I was not aware of Z-Packs only stitching Cuben so thanks for that. The only advantage of not bonding Cuben is time and cost.
I would be very suspicious of stitched cuben fibre. Mountain Laurel, who have been working with it for as long as anyone, use different weights of cuben all bonded. Any stitching sections are re- enforced with sinylon. A good cuben product requires good design and quality materials. I reckon you would ruin a premium product like cuben with too much stitching,