THIS TENT SHARES MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE SAMAYA ASSUT2 ULTRA SO THIS REVIEW REFERENCES THE DIFFERENCES. SEE THE ULTRA’S REVIEW FOR MORE BACKEND TO THE DETAILS.
THE ASSAUT2 8K IS THE ASSAUT2 ULTRAS ‘HEAVIER’ SISTER. MORE VENTILATION OPTIONS & HEFTIER WALL FABRIC GIVE IT MORE MASS, BUT IT STILL COMES IN LIGHTER THAN MOST SINGLE SKIN TENTS AT 1.5kg.
THIS IS THE TENT YOU WANT FOR STEEP ASCENTS WHERE YOU WILL BE LIVING IN IT LONGER THAN THE ‘ALL OR NOTHING’ STYLE THE ULTRA IS DESIGNED FOR. ON A ROUTE LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2 IT’S PERFECT FOR THE LOWER CAMPS, OR IN TIBET IT’S THE IDEAL HIGH CAMP TENT FOR 6000m PEAKS.
THE FOOTPRINT AND BASIC LAYOUT IS THE SAME AS THE ULTRA, WHAT’S DIFFERENT IS YOU HAVE HIGH-POINT VENTS WITH THE SUSPENDED ROOF NOT UNLIKE THE 2.5 USES, WHICH FOR EXTENDED TIME INSIDE MAKES A CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE WITH CONDENSATION, AND YOU HAVE WALLS MADE OF A THREE LAYER MATERIAL THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TO THEM THAN THE CRAZY DYNEEMA WALLS OF THE ULTRA. TO BE HONEST WE FOUND NO DIFFERENCE IN BREATHABILITY – BOTH WERE AS GOOD AS THE WALLS OF THE BETTER SINGLE SKIN TENTS FROM BD etc, BUT THE ADDED WEIGHT FELT LESS SUBJECT TO HEAT LOSS AND FLAPPED A BIT LESS IN THE WIND. THE VENTS MEAN THIS IS A TENT YOU CAN REALLY SEAL UP INSIDE OF IF THINGS GET CRAZY WITH SPINDRIFT
BULK-WISE THERE’S NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE TO THE ULTRA – THIS IS STILL AMONGST THE LIGHTEST ALPINE TENTS OUT THERE AND IS CERTAINLY STRONGER THAN MOST AS IT USES THE SAME POLE/GUY SET UP AS THE ULTRA (SWAPPING OUT DAC ALU POLES FOR THE ULTRA’S CF WHICH IS A BIT OF THE WEIGHT). THE SAME VESTIBULE THAT FITS THE ULTRA FITS THE 8K, AND YOU CAN LEAVE THE SUSPENDED ROOF OUT IF YOU’RE RUNNING PERMANANTLY WITH THAT.
THIS IS THE TENT FOR MORE EXTENDED EXPEDITION USE WHERE LIVABILITY EDGES OUT MASS – BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY. THE ASSAUT2 8K WILL STILL HANDLE MINIMALIST HIGH ALTITUDE STUFF AMONG THE BEST IN CLASS, BUT WILL BE NOTICEABLY MORE LIVABLE LOWER DOWN.
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