Wilderness Equipment First Arrow X

[Zapruda]

Wilderness Equipment have just released a "beefed" up version of their much loved Arrow series of tents.

https://alpsport.com.au/wilderness-equi ... st-Arrow-X
https://alpsport.com.au/wilderness-equi ... nd_Arrow_X

Thicker fly, thicker poles and snow valances. Looks good but not much more info than what I could find above. A nice contender to the Olympus.

4+ season???? I have experienced the 4th season plenty of times, its more than enough. What kind of marketing spin does the + denote? Inside a volcano? underwater?

Second Arrow specs:
•4+ season, 2/3-person tapered tunnel tent
•Inner tent length: 215cm. Sit-up height 110cm in working space
•Integral Pitch - poles in outer, inner attaches under outer, outer can be used alone
•Outer tent fabric: Siliconized 40 denier Nylon 6, 3000mm HH sil/sil coating
•Inner tent fabric: Light Grey 20d air-permeable ripstop nylon, Black 15d nylon mesh door screens
•Floor: Deep, unstressed tub, 100d nylon with 8000mm HH PeU coating
•Poles: 3x DAC Pressfit 11.1mm OD
•Pegs: 9x 4-Flute HT Aluminium , with reflective pull cords
•Minimum weight 2.30kg
•Packed weight 2.50kg

[Moondog55]

4+ usually denotes sales-speak for Expedition use, so High Altitude/High winds/ High snow loading.
Bigger poles might be nice in that situation

[Moondog55]

I sent an email to WE asking for more information. Still waiting for a reply

[Lamont]

Hey S I posed the four season question to Dan Durston a while back, (re the capabilities of the X mid Durstonator-6 weeks!) just for my own knowledge,
wind gusts up and to 100 km/hr winds and 20cms snow plus I think he said. Would that roughly tally with your reference point?
So by that reckoning, as you said having experienced it yourself, perhaps the fourth season Plus allows you to access the fourth dimension of bushwalking?
I would pay extra for that!

[Moondog55]

Well at the worst winds of 155kph at the weather station 3 klicks away and 1200mm of snow and constant shovelling so my reference point is a bit higher than Dans, although his would qualify for most of my times, just not the worst.
My cheap tents do not survive but my older heavier FairyDown hybrid has been fine so far but now too old to consider except as my back-up, it is over 20YO now

[Gusto]

WE have traditionally had a cheaper and more expensive version. Both were meant to be of equivalent strength, but the more expensive one was lighter. For example they both had thick 100D floors.

It looks like that they have changed that structure alot..

They have completely got rid of the old cheaper heavy version that used PU Nylon

Now the the Cheaper of the two is now super light, much lighter than the previous version. This is due to thinner modern materials. Probably same or similar strength.

This new X version appears to be of similar weight to what was previously the light weight option.

They are incredible tents. The bucket groundsheets are a great alternative to using an inner too see them on the NZ page https://shop.wildernessequipment.co.nz/collections/expedition-tents

[Zapruda]

Hey S I posed the four season question to Dan Durston a while back, (re the capabilities of the X mid Durstonator-6 weeks!) just for my own knowledge,
wind gusts up and to 100 km/hr winds and 20cms snow plus I think he said. Would that roughly tally with your reference point?
So by that reckoning, as you said having experienced it yourself, perhaps the fourth season Plus allows you to access the fourth dimension of bushwalking?
I would pay extra for that!

I would say Dan is pretty spot on there. With that kind of weather you need a tent with strong poles to handle wet snow build up and a design that can shed wind. A few other features are nice to have like all in one pitch, snow valances, a fly that touches the ground, shorter spans of fabric, large vestibules and dual entry. Essentially something that you can rely upon if you get caught in a blizzard a need to set it up in an exposed location for a day or more.

I would definitely pay extra for access to the 4th dimension of bushwalking

[Zapruda]

They are incredible tents. [/url]

I used one of the lighter versions for a while and found it be a great tent. A nice example of Australian ingenuity. I had a few issues with some of the smaller design features but overall that tent copped a beating and shrugged of wind without issues.

I still get groups to use the older PU first arrows when I take them on to the Main Range. Those tents are excellent I really like the 3 pole design.

I might try and get my hands on one these new ones and test it out on some Ski tours this year.

[Moondog55]

I received a reply from Henry at WE about the valances. WE are not using full valances because the experience of people using these tents in Antarctica is that full valances lead to greater condensation. They will add them at the factory tho if desired although there would be a lead time needed. If the DAC poles are similar to Easton then a 10% weight increase for a 20- 30% increase in strength

[Zapruda]

Great info. Thanks Moondog