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    • Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    The Ghost UL 2 is an ultra-light 2-man tent from Mountain Hardwear “designed for the fast-moving, backcountry adventurer”. Weighing in at 2 pounds, 9 ounces the packed-up tent is just 20 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. The good folks at Mountain Hardware guarantee that the tent is watertight, and offers “solid protection from the elements”.

    The Mountain Hardwear brand operates on the philosophy that form should follow function. The company’s founders were motivated to create quality gear that accommodates true outdoor athletes and combats the trend of “compromising quality and dumbing down products to serve less technical users”.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    Upon setting up the Ghost UL 2 Tent you can immediately see the attention to detail responsible for its extremely light weight. Every possible corner has been cut, for better or worse (pros and cons to come). Overall the Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent is a snap to set up, and extremely light and compact.  

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent
    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent
    SHOW THE REST OF THE REVIEW / PHOTOS / VIDEOS

    The super thin nature of the material is deceiving (I was very weary of snagging it on a tree branch). But this seemingly flimsy tent would be pretty difficult to tear as its Ripstop material is weaved in a criss-cross pattern. Ripstop nylon is also used to make sails and hot air balloons, so needless to say it’s pretty dependable. The tent’s fly is 20 Denier, Nylon Ripstop 1200mm Polyurethane/Silicone, and its Canopy: 10D Nylon Ripstop 800mm PU/SIL.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    Features:

    - Cutting edge DAC Featherlight™ NSL pole 
    - Designed to be as light as possible while still providing ample protection from the weather.
    - Watertight construction: fully taped fly, taped perimeter seam, welded corners and welded guy clip anchors. 
    - Dry entry vestibule for storage and dry entry.
    - Free standing.
    - Mesh pockets on either side of door for storage.

    The UL 2 comes with a single Featherlight NSL pole.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent
    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    The zipper flap is welded instead of sewn, promising better protection from the rain.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent
    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    The tent features a single vestibule for dry entry and storage.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    There are two mesh storage pockets just inside its single door, for storing small items you need to keep handy.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    A close up of the interior pocket and the fly clip which is very lightweight and minimal in design.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent
    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    The guy lines are accented with reflective material to catch the light of your flashlight when approaching the tent in the dark (great idea). The guy line is anchored to the bottom of the peg through a sleek interlocking apparatus that is simple and tidy.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    The Mountain Hardware Ghost UL 2 is a 2 man tent but would likely only fit two smaller sized sleeping mats. My mat measures 20’ X 72’, so only two smaller mats would fit. A similar problem with fitting regular sized mats was experienced by another reviewer of Mountain Hardware’s Supermega UL 2 Tent. The Ghost UL 2's floor area is 27sq ft with an interior height is 37 inches and a single vestibule with 7sq ft of space.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    As with The North Face Triarch 1 reviewed here, the Mountain Hardware Ghost UL 2 could use a fabric pocket to keep the pole in place. It was kind of just poking the material, which was a little nerve-wracking considering the fly is only 10 Denier.

    Verdict:

    This is definitely a tent designed for the no-frills adventurer. If weight and pure functionality is what you’re looking for, this is a tent for you. It really isn’t designed for hanging out in, it’s basically just for sleeping in, ideal for the 'light and fast' climber or hiker. The ventilation is somewhat lacking with the fly on, so the Ghost UL 2 would be nice and warm for camping in cold weather, but gets pretty stuffy even in early spring conditions so be sure to remove the fly on those nicer days.

    While the Ripstop material promises durability, the thin and lightweight nature of this material just doesn’t inspire much confidence. I like to feel a little more relaxed about the durability of my tent when camping, but that’s just my opinion. If I was planning a long backcountry hiking or climbing trip I would consider weight over space. This tent is designed specifically for backpacking and hiking enthusiasts who want to keep weight to a minimum while still having a reliable shelter.

    The tent is true to the company philosophy of form following function. It isn’t meant to lounge around in, it’s meant for shelter and rest and that's about it. You’ll want to ensure that 'light and fast' is your mantra as the Mountain Hardware Ghost UL 2 ain't cheap, at $600 Canadian, you'll pay for the weight savings.

    The Mountain Hardware Ghost UL 2 packs down to an impressively small size.

    Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL 2 Tent

    PROS:

    • Very lightweight and compact.
    • Ripstop material is light but very durable.
    • Well-made clips.
    • Watertight.
    • Vestibule for dry entry and storage.
    • Innovative 3/4 fly saves on weight.
    • White fly lets in lots of light for good livability.

    CONS:

    • Doesn’t fit two regular sized sleeping mats, tight for two people.
    • Front door is small and tough to things through.
    • Interior head height is limited due to sloping walls.
    • Centre pole is flimsy and moves in the wind.
    • Front prow sticks out and down, gets in the way when entering and exiting the tent.

    SPECS:

    Price: $600CAN / $449US
    Colour: Grey Ice
    Weight Packed: 1.16kg / 2lb 9oz 
    Weight Minimum: 963g / 2lb 2oz 
    Interior Height: 94cm / 37 in 
    Packed Size: 50x15cm / 20 x 6" 
    Tent Floor Area: 2.5sq m / 27sq ft 
    Tent Vestibule Area: .65sq m / 7sq ft

    RATING: 8/10

    Interior Space:  1/2
    Design:             1.5/2
    Features:          2/2
    Weight:            2/2
    Quality/Price:  1.5/2



     

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