Mountain Equipment AR Ultralight

Nanook
Reviewed: 21 March 2008

ULTRALIGHT WITH NO COMPROMISE

Very lightweight, Large(for 1), small pack size, stable,two large porches, space to cook in porch

Fly can touch inner causing inner to get wet. Pole blocks access to porch(not a big problem)

This was bought to supliment our Taurus 2 as there isn't room for me(XL), wife(L) and dog(L) in the Taurus. I found the ME Ultralight a true home from home. It's white interior is light and airy with room to sit up. By splaying the poles out you get a few more inches width. We use walking poles with a 90deg handle and so didn't think they'd work and took some old fibreglass poles on our first outing. These bent causing the fly to touch the inner. Using the walking poles worked well with no touching. I am still wary though. I think poles are now included. I like that you can open both sides for a through breeze. We do get condensation on the fly sometimes but this is usually when on long grass. Good sock hanger/torch hooks. Pack size is very small for the erected size. Putting the tent up quick- peg foot into wind, peg head away, pole in, peg side, pole in, peg other side! Put guys out if needed. Thats it! 90 seconds. Havent tried it sleeping two people as we are both "wide" but am sure two skinneys would fit. No worries in wind either but can see why others mention noise. Plenty of space in porches for sacks and cooking gear etc. Attach some paracord to a porch peg loop, through a peg a yard away and back, then just unzip and pull the cord to give a mini awning for a cuppa without leaving bed! Can't imagine why anyone would buy anything else.

Chris Lawrence 5
Reviewed: 28 May 2007

GOOD TENT, GREAT WEIGHT

Amazingly light and packs down tiny. Good space and head room for a tent of this size, and the vestibule is of a good size. I am 6ft1 and can sit up in it. Stable in high winds. Good ventilation. Pegs at 10g each weigh as much as their titanium equivalents. Well made and inspires confidence.

It is difficult to keep the fly and inner on the long panel from touching, and condensation will run down the inside and give your sleeping bag a damp foot. An extra guy line judiciously placed should solve the problem. Also one of the line suspension points inside the tent, wicks wonderfully well from the outer, delivering a little drip now and again! Inner door catch is poor, and comes adrift at the slightest provocation.

At this sort of weight (1.12k for the 1 man tent) and pack size, who needs a bivi bag when you can have all the comforts of a proper tent for a similar weight. It has stood up to some serious wind and rain with lots of noise and flapping, but no movement. An excellent tent for UK conditions.

zen plodder
Reviewed: 23 March 2007

WELL MADE TENT, IDEAL FOR THE DAMP BRITISH CLIMATE

a doddle to pitch and because it pitches inner and outer at the same time the inner stays dry. M.E. have added a guy line to the long side to prevent it flapping in the wind.Spent a very windy night at Langdale and the tent hardly moved. This is a two person tent but for one theres loads of room to store gear, rucksack etc

cant find any

very light, sturdy and easy to pitch. Takes up hardly any room in your rucksack

Dave DB
Reviewed: 01 November 2005

GREAT - ULTRALIGHT; AND GOOD FOR ADVENTURE RACING!

Used it for the first time at this year's KIMM. Weighs 1.25 kg, with the optional poles; pretty good for a double-skinned, genuine 2-person tent.

Incredibly easy to erect - around 90 seconds in the dark and in a howling gale (inner and outer go up as one - dead easy). Much more robust than I had expected. Pitched it head end (short side) into the wind - no movement at all throughout the (VERY windy) night.

Absolutely no condensation in the tent the following morning. Twin porches for versatility (larger than on my MSR Zoid 2).

I'm usd to a Spacepacker, which has huge porches, with nothing to block access to them. My only niggle about the ME Ultralight is that the poles reduce access to the porches, but not to any great degree.

Also, the inner side between the pole and the head end doesn't unzip. This may be for greater strength, but I'd prefer to be able to access the full length of the porch without reaching round the pole (only a minor niggle though).

Buy one! I got mine for £80 from Snow and Rock; plus another £28 for the poles direct from Mountain Equipment (Snow and Rock quoted me £40).

I've heard some complaints about the length for tall people. I'm 6' 1" and had no problem at all - don't be put off.

Paul Willgoss
Reviewed: 16 July 2005

LIGHT AND ROOMY

very light, gives you something to do with your poles in the evening, sensible stuff sack, HUGE compared with my old 1 man jobbie, 2 porches!!!

It did flap a bit (might have helped if I pitched it short side into the wind...). Tent pegs now a little bent...

Very, very impressed, like the previous I'm moving up from a good solid TBS Micro to something lighter and faster and am very glad I went for this.

The glow in the dark bits and intelligent design throughout are just great....

Passed the wind test - not to find some rain (good job it pithes as one)