Cairngorm Treks Review - Lightwave G15 Ultra Tent
Posted by Cairngorm Treks on Jun 12, 2018
The Lightwave G15 Ultra Tent is described as a storm proof compact and light 2 man tent which is often also used as a larger 1 person tent. Although I found it to be a tad too heavy and bulky for solo use, it certainly worked well as a compact 2-person tent ideal for lightweight treks where reducing the size of equipment is of importance. Just enough room inside for 2 sleep systems and spare gear. The porch also offers enough space for boots and cooking equipment.
The G15 is pitched inner first with Lightwave claiming the tent to take about 7 mins to pitch. I managed to reduce this time to around 5 mins but found it to be a little over complicated in places and where 2 people certainly make pitching this tent a lot easier especially in bad weather. The outer attaches to the inner with a series of Velcro tabs that can be a little tricky to attach. Although once you have mastered the art of pitching this tent the flysheet pulls low to the ground to stop any harsh winds forcing underneath whilst the vents offer a good flow of air.
One issue, as with many tents, is the supplied pegs are useless and need changing instantly. It comes with 3 different types of pegs, including needle and V shaped, all of which claim to be able to be used in various ground conditions. We found this just didn’t work, as all pegs are needed to secure the tent so inevitably an area would be less secure. This was particularly an issue for the needle pegs as they would loosen or come completely free from the ground when placed in soft and rocky terrain. After a pretty tough night I changed the pegs to our favoured MSR Ground Hogs and this made the tent very secure no matter the terrain.
The Lightwave G15 Ultra has a geodesic design which means it’s robust and stable, with a nylon rip-stop flysheet of 30 denier silicon coated on both sides. This is a noticeably robust tent that stands up to just about whatever the British weather can throw at it. I spent a few nights pitched just above 1100m in harsh Cairngorm weather conditions of torrential rain and high winds of 60mph and it felt secure and warm while I enjoyed sleep safely away from the outside elements.
The tent does seem to contain a few oddities including foam discs on the sides keeping the fly away from the inner to create a better airflow and an over complicated zip system with Velcro at the top and a buckle at the floor. They all seem to serve a purpose, as I never had an issue with condensation or the zips coming undone - so they must work. Although, it has to be said that the foam discs do make the tent as a whole quite bulky when packed.
Inside it has plenty of room and storage pockets at each corner to accommodate two people or plentiful space for solo use. Our two photography guides, Myrddin and Jess, found the space particularly advantageous as, with larger packs and added equipment there was plenty of space to arrange and sort through gear.
Our Verdict
If you are after a tent that will be a companion for many years, as with many Lightwave products, this tent feels solidly built and made to last in every aspect. Even though for us it didn’t work as a solo tent for lightweight trekking, it did make an ideal tent for two people. This is a tent that you need to get familiar with to really appreciate its qualities and oddities, and is certainly reliable and tough. Just make sure you change those pegs!
