Message Forums

There are several owner reviews of the 5m Ultimate in the "Tent Reviews" section of this website - all overwhelmingly positive, 10/10 is the average rating.

In terms of the more expensive brands, yes, the canvass is more heavyweight. This means the that the tent will stand up better to longer term use, but shouldn't be an issue for an occaisional camper.

Other plus points on the more expensive brands are that you tend to get better quality poles, guy lines and pegs, the zips for the ZIG are more heavyweight too.

Some of the more expensive brands (e.g. Canvass & Cast) also have an opening for a stove flu exit already built into the tent - that's a major bonus as with the others, if you decide you want a stove at some point down the line, you'll have to cut a hole in your tent (scary!).

Summary: the 5m Ultimate gets pretty rave reviews and it doesn't sound like you can go far wrong with it. If you want a stove or plan on using the tent regularly in rough conditions or having it pitched for several months at a time, you might want to think about pushing the boat out and spending a little more.

All the best (and welcome),

Barney