Review: Tiger Wall UL2 EX A Japanese-style ultra-lightweight tent that combines lightness and comfort, whether it's solo or pair

Friday, April 5th, 2019

Gear review , Recommended , Big Agnes , Tent

written by Outdoor Gearzine Editorial Department

Big Agnes is a relatively young company that was founded in Columbia, USA in 2001. The Big Agnes System Bag was released, a groundbreaking system that combines a sleeping bag and a mat, and was suddenly retrieved the topic of the outdoor gear world. We are constantly creating unique products in the finest test environment surrounded by the mountains of Colorado, and now we have established ourselves as a lightweight tent and outdoor bedding manufacturer.

we will be posting a review of the Tiger Wall UL2 EX , which was developed for Japan, among the lightweight tents that Big Agnes boasts

table of contents

The rough features of the Tiger Wall UL2 EX
Main Specifications and ratings
Detailed review
Impressions of actually using it
Summary: Recommended for people like this

The rough features of the Tiger Wall UL2 EX

is a product for the Japanese market for the Tiger Wall UL2 , an ultra-lightweight comfortable mountain tent that won a global award in 2018 Tiger Wall UL2 are made of mesh fabric, the Japanese version of EX is made of inner tents that have no mesh fabric. It is characterized by its construction that emphasizes lightness and comfort, with ultra-thin fabrics and aluminum poles with a structure that is designed to enhance livability with minimal weight. In addition, there are one wide opening on the left and right, making it a highly comfortable model with two people not only allowing them to enter and exit without straddle the other party, but also highly breathable and ingenious to reduce stress.

Recommended points

Very lightweight for a tent for two people
Entrances and exits on both sides
Highly breathable
It reduces stress from setting up to living

Points that interest me

It's a bit small when used by two people
Wind resistance and durability cannot be expected

Main Specifications and ratings

item	Specifications and ratings
Number of people to sleep	1-2 people
color	Light gray/gold
Official minimum weight	1060g (1190g including pegs and storage bag)
Actual measured weight	1060g (1189g including pegs and storage bag)
Fry material	RipStop Sill Nylon (water pressure resistant 1200mm)
Inner material	Breathable ripstop nylon
Inner bottom material	RipStop Sill Nylon (water pressure resistant 1200mm)
Pole material	Fatherlite NFL made by DAC
size	Width 218 x Depth 132 x Height 99 cm
Storage size	Main body: 13 x 37cm, pole 45cm
Floor area	2.6㎡
Front room area	0.7㎡ × 2
accessories	Staff sack (storage bag) 8 pegs (11g each)
option	Footprint (170g)
Living comfort	★★★☆☆(★★★★★)
Ease of setup and removal	★★★★★
Weather Resistant	★★★☆☆
Durability	★★☆☆☆
weight	★★★★☆
Portability	★★★☆☆
Versatility	★★★★☆
comprehensive evaluation	★★★★☆

Detailed review

A bit of effort is required when packing

The storage bag is divided into three parts: the main body, pole, and pegs, but since the main body and pole are connected by straps, it is essentially two bags: the main body, pole, and pegs. The bag for the main body has a mesh pocket, where the pole bag is placed and fastened with a strap.

The main body bag and the pole bag can be separated, so that would be more convenient when actually packing.

The actual measured value was 1060g (436g inner tent, 389g fry, 249g pole), which perfectly matched the manufacturer's published values! The combined weight of the storage bags, pegs, etc. was 1,189g, and the individual measured values were 1,099g of the main body (tent 436g, fly 389g, pole 249g, bag 39g), and pegs 90g (87g: 11g pegs x 8, bag 3g).

The pole is made of DAC's Fatherlite NFL, a classic lightweight tent, and by making it Y-shaped with joint parts, it is finished to an ultra-lightweight 249g. The pegs are also made by DAC and weigh 11g each.

Reduce stress during setup

Basically, it is a self-supporting dome tent, but the pole shape is special and has a Y-shaped shape. The pole is a type where you hook it onto the pole rather than passing it through the sleeve. This one is easier to stand on windy days. If you connect a pole to the eyelets at each vertex, the pole will stand on its own for now.

The inner tent's pole connection and the tip of the pole are coloured together, so it can be assembled intuitively, and you won't get it wrong unless it's shown to the point where you're likely to let your mind go, reducing stress. This kind of attention to detail is very appealing!

All you have to do is hang the hook over the pole and secure the side pole to widen the ceiling, and the inner tent is complete. By the way, you can stand it up without having to peg down the corners first.

All you have to do is cover it with a fly sheet and peg down along with the inner tent to complete it.

The three ends of the fly sheet that connects to the inner tent are also colored, so you won't be irritated because you don't know the direction you want to cover it.

The air flow is better than breathable

The first distinctive feature is that there are entrances on both sides! That's probably what it means. The entrance is located on both sides of the long side, allowing you to escape from the hassle of straddle and leaving to avoid waking up the person sleeping in the back, even if you are staying together. If both entrances are open, the air will pass through, making it extremely breathable, and the wind will pass through like a gap in a building. The size is also sufficient to get in and out.

There are straps in place to hold the entrance to the fly and inner tent, so even if it is breathable, it won't flapping.

Since it was a tent for two people, we were able to line up two air mats inside. However, it was spacious enough to just barely sleep two people. People who often turn over in bed, and when they get into fights, they tend to be very careful.

On the side where there is only one pole (foot side), the inner tent can be secured with pegs to widen the space. It can be used without widening it, but the difference in width is obvious when compared.

All rooms are reserved at 0.7 m2. Moreover, since it is located at both entrances, it may be spacious enough to place your luggage separately or cook food.

The fabric for the fly and inner tent bottom is made of ripstop nylon and polyester waterproof coating with a water-resistant pressure of 1200mm. The rest of the inner tent is made of breathable ripstop nylon. The storage bag appears to be made of the same waterproof ripstop nylon as the inner tent bottom part. It is waterproof, but it is slightly shiny, and it looks almost the same, and is quite thin.

Impressions of actually using it

It is said to be for two people, but in reality it is a bit narrow when used by two people. You can sleep, but with two people, you end up concentrating on sleeping, which can make you a little tired. There is a bit of space on the head, but only space is enough to place small items.

There are mesh pockets at the base of both entrances on the head, allowing you to store small items such as smartphones (photo below).

There is also a large mesh pocket on the top, and there is an opening for the earphone cord (photo below). If you put your tablet in and use the angle, it seems like there are many uses, such as lying down and watching a movie.

The inner tent bottom is as thin as it is, and when you scoop it from underneath, the fingers are clearly shaped. If there are pointy stones or branches below, it's likely to tear. A special footprint (170g) is also available on sale, but since it is the same fabric as the fly sheet, it may only be a relief...If you are worried, it would be a good idea to prepare a sturdy footprint.

The entrance opens wide and the fly sheet is also wide open, so there was no need to crouch down and enter and exit the room when entering and leaving.

As for breathability, the entrance is wide so if you open both sides it will allow a lot of air to pass through, so there is no problem. Even if you close the entrance, if you open the mesh, about 1/3 of the entrance, the air will pass through quite a bit. However, there are no vents other than this mesh, so aggressive ventilation is not expected, but under normal circumstances it is sufficient.

The livability is very good and quite comfortable. The horizontal poles on the ceiling provide a spacious space from the bottom to the ceiling, with almost no sense of pressure or crampedness. The other thing is that both sides are open, which is quite large. Especially if you use it alone, it will provide more than enough comfort and a sense of freedom.

Although the overall weight is light enough, there seems to be room for light weight everywhere, such as poles that are connected vertically to the Y-shaped pole. However, I thought that the Tiger Wall UL2 EX was designed to have a weighted weight for comfort, leaving areas that can be reduced in weight if they are sacrificed. However, it seems that the lighter weight can be further reduced by ingenuity from the users.

Summary: Recommended for people like this

The Tiger Wall UL2 EX is nominally a tent for two people, but it's probably best to assume that it's a solo tent that can be used by two people However, there are entrances on both sides, a 0.7 m2 vestibule is also available at both entrances, and this weight is heavy. If you're a party with a light weight focus, you probably don't find a tent that's more suitable for you. On the other hand, as is typical of lightweight tents, the pole's structure is not wind-resistant, so it must be firmly secured with pegs or a guy line. Also, it cannot be expected to be durable, so it may not suit people who use it frequently and roughly.

If it can be used by one person, it is sufficient as a lightweight tent, and the room is spacious enough to lay two air mats, and the entrance is large. It should be quite comfortable. In terms of weight alone, there are many lighter solo tents. However, when you consider 24 hours a day, you will end up spending a considerable amount of time in your tent, so unless you're a very Ultra Light Stoic Hiker, this model is reasonably lightweight and highly comfortable, and may be a choice that will make you happy.

Tiger Wall UL2 EX

created by Rinker

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