Ultra tents

Product Line Description: 

Lightwave’s ultra range of semi-geodesic tents has been developed specifically for use where low packed weight and robust all-weather performance are paramount. The ultra tents are light enough to carry on extended wilderness treks, strong enough to withstand the worst conditions and require minimal pegging points for pitching.

Lightwave ultra tents have earned an enviable reputation for reliability and strength over the past six years. In 2012, the latest generation of ultra tents introduce two performance improvements:

1. Even though the flysheet fabric is silicone-coated on both sides, the flysheet seams are also factory-taped (except on the g15). The flysheet is fully weather-proof.

2. The new ultra poles are very easily maintained. If a section breaks, it can be simply removed and replaced in a matter of seconds.

The fabrics used in the ultra tents are, in most cases, identical to those used in the hyper range of tunnel tents. They balance the conflicting requirements of strength and weight: any thinner yarn or lower fabric weight, and strength is seriously compromised. For guylines, ultra tents use a Dyneema/polyester cord that is 80% lighter than standard nylon. Each tent comes with a range of pegs to cover different ground conditions.

The ultra range is available in three models: the g20 ultra with standard porch, the g20 ultra xt with a seriously extended porch, and the g30 ultriX with a more modestly extended porch (see dimensions).

Download
specifications and
pitching instructions

Price:
Persons:
Weight:
Packed size:
Colours:

£499 / €599
2
2.30 kg
45 x 18 cm
Wilderness Green

Click image above for more views

Price:
Persons:
Weight:
Packed size:
Colours:

£599 / €699
2
2.66 kg
45 x 20 cm
Wilderness Green

Click image above for more views

Price:
Persons:
Weight:
Packed size:
Colours:

£649 / €749
3
2.84 kg
45 x 20 cm
Wilderness Green

Click image above for more views

Specifications: 

Flyshee​t                     

48 g/m2, 30d nylon 6.6 ripstop, silicone-coated both sides,

5000 mm hydrostatic head, factory-taped seams.

The ultra flysheet is made from nylon 6.6 with a yarn thickness of 30 denier. There has been a trend in recent times towards the use of 20 denier or even 15 denier yarns in many lightweight and ultra-lightweight tents. Lightwave believes such fabrics lack the intrinsic strength that a flysheet needs if it is to withstand high winds and provide long-term durability. 30-denier yarn offers this strength while still remaining extremely light. The strength of the ultra flysheet is further assured by using only high-tenacity nylon 6.6, which has a higher tensile strength than normal nylon. Finally, the fabric is silicone-coated on both sides for water resistance to a hydrostatic head of 5000 mm.  As well as being the most durable and water-repellent coating of them all, silicone has another major advantage over conventional polyurethane (PU): it doesn’t affect the fabric strength. PU coatings can reduce the tear strength of nylon fabrics by up to 70%, in our view making them less suitable as a flysheet coating – especially on very lightweight fabrics which have a relatively low tear strength to start with. 

Groundsheet          

70 g/m2, 50d nylon 6.6 ripstop, 3-pass PU-coated

5000 mm hydrostatic head, factory-taped seams                     

The ultra groundsheet is made from a 50-denier nylon ripstop with an outstanding polyurethane coating. We have been using this fabric for ten years and have been extremely impressed with its durability – for its weight, it is undoubtedly the best available. It is also the most expensive material we use.

Inner canopy              

35g/m2, 30d nylon 6.6 ripstop, DWR treated

Poles                          

Yunan 8.64mm / 9.60 mm 7001-T6 Ultralight poles with Unit connectors

(The g15 has DAC 8.84 mm Featherlite poles)

The g20 ultra and g20 ultra xt tents use 8.64 mm Yunan Ultralite poles. The g30 ultriX uses wider 9.60 mm poles. These all feature a new Unit connector that eliminates the need for an elastic cord to link all the sections. Apart from making the poles lighter, it also means broken or badly bent sections are much easier to replace.

Pegs   

Lightning pegs, 11 g each, square section (g20 - 6 pegs / g30 - 4 pegs)

Wavelight pegs, 12 g each, corkscrew design (all models - 4 pegs)

Titanium V-pegs, 10 g each, V-shape (all models - 4 pegs)

Flash pegs, 7 g each, rectangular section (g20 xt and g30 - 4 pegs) 

Pegs are very important – without them, no tent could withstand anything more than the slightest breeze. Lightwave offers a range of different pegs with the ultra tents to ensure they can be secured in all ground conditions.

Guylines                     

1.50 mm Dyneema/polyester, 3 m length, mini-Linelok adjusters

Ultra tents come with our Lightning guylines, a 1.50 mm blend of Dyneema and polyester with a breaking strain of 110 kg. Phenomenally light, they also absorb no water so won’t freeze up in winter. The Linelok adjusters mean they are easy to tension, even with gloves on.

Length
Width
Height
Porch

220 cm
130 cm
110 cm
110 cm

Length
Width
Height
Porch

220 cm
130 cm
110 cm
175 cm

Length
Width
Height
Porch

220 cm
160 cm
115 cm
150 cm

Pitching Overview: 

Ultra tents are pitched inner-first. Lightwave is an ardent supporter of this pitching method for the following reasons:

1. It gives greater structural integrity. Because the poles run through sleeves on the inner canopy, they directly tension and support the walls and built-in groundsheet of the inner tent and give it taut and stable three-dimensional shape. In the outer-pitch system, where the poles pass through sleeves on the flysheet and there is no built-in groundsheet, the walls must be “tied” together at ground level by webbing straps and the overall structural rigidity is not as good.

2. It allows the flysheet to be tensioned better and more easily. Without external pole sleeves, inner-pitch tents have a more streamlined, “slippery” profile and thus a greater ability to withstand high winds.

3. It makes for a lighter tent and a simpler construction, since it does not require the connecting mechanisms needed to secure the inner tent to the flysheet.

Step 1

Coming Soon...