Old Ultimate Equipment Tents

Q. Does any one remember Ultimate Equipment (tents)

Andy Carby, Folkestone

A. So pleasing to read so many good comments about Ultimate products. I used to work for Ultimate, joined as a Sales Rep and left years later as General Sales Manager. Working for Bill Wilkins was brilliant, he was an incredibly inspirational character and a huge innovator with product designs years ahead of the times. I particularly remember the Phasor range and the launch was brilliant - we used to demo the strength of the poles by walking across an erected tent ! Sadly, when Bill left, as did his co-designer Dennis, the company started to suffer having been taken over by a Leicester knitwear company. They pushed us to design clothing product for Marks & Spencer and that was the beginning of the end because our specialist credibility became damaged. Probably the most enjoyable company I worked for in a 40 year sales career. Good luck to all those still using and enjoying the products we made !

Peter James Caryl, Manchester

A. Started off with a Phazer Dome, one of the first 'dome' tents on the market. Camped in it for a couple of weeks in the hills above Loch Glencoul in Sutherland in 1982, where, one night, I got hammered by a gale (windspeeds of 100mph recorded up the road on the Kylescue bridge that was being built at the time). This caused the flex on the poles to be inverted so instead of bending out in a nice dome they ended up in an 'S' shape. Then everything was gone and it ended up flapping wildly. I spent the rest of the night in a bivvy bag. Replaced it with 'The Tent'. Double bell-end, double A frame, fly-first pitch. The absolute dream of a design. I took my wife up into the Cairngorms in February 1987 and the weather turned on us. Gale blew up with thick snow on already deep snow cover. Complete white-out, really scary, totally disorientating. Had to guess our location and navigate with compass. Wife started getting hypothermia, shivering violently, unable to speak clearly. We were in trouble. Found a depression slightly less exposed, and in the gale erected this single-handed in about three minutes. Ice-axe as tent peg at one end, second ice axe at the other and that was it up. Just brilliant. Inner tent then up. Wife inside in the dry. sleeping bag out and put her in. Then round to put up the storm guys and bury the snow valance (that I had added). That tent saved our lives. We later heard several SAS lads had lost their lives out on an exercise elsewhere on the 'Gorms that weekend. I've had other tents since then, notably TNF Mountain 25s but they don't touch The Tent. Still have it. Still use it. Still love it. Best design and execution ever!

Rob Brown, Carlisle

A. hi, I still have a peapod in immaculate condition, apart from largest pole (1 of sections splintered), would appreciate it if any1 has poles spare, don't mind paying.

Chris Mckinnell, Liverpool

A. Well after a good hunt around my odds and sods i found all the parts for my old A-Frame Ultimate tent and after 36 years it still functions well after a good proofing many happy memories and a few to come. Still one of the easiest and most functional tents I've ever owned

Andy Carby, Menai Bridge

A. Yes . I had a High Country (two person double vestibule tent) in the mid seventies until I left the UK to move to the States. My girlfriend at the time had a High Country 2 which was essentially the same tent and we used that to camp along the Alcan highway on the way to Anchorage. In Anchorage we acquired a The Tent which was used for both winter and summer camping. I still have them both and a Wild Country Supernova whose taped seams finally gave out this autumn on a road trip to Alaska! Great products unfortunately time has swallowed my "650" Sleeping bags .

Peter Clark, Jamesville, New York

A. Back in early 1979 I was looking for a lightweight 2 man tent for backpacking around Europe. Options in my price range, £50-70, were the following: Bukta Orienteer, a cotton inner, nylon outer with, I think, 2 upright poles Vango Force 10 Mk2 - need I say more? Ultimate U1B Montane - anyone remember this? The U1B was just on its way out. The Vango was a little on the small size. Ultimate replaced the U1B with two tents. The high altitude/extreme weather version was called "The Tent". You very occasionally see one in dark red on a campsite just off the A5 outside Capel Curig. Ultimate also created the Tramp range, not, I think, just for F&T. The Supertramp looked very much like The Tent but was smaller and considerably lighter. It was also available in green. I bought mine from Eurosport in Brighton along with a 3/4 season Hollofil sleeping bag and duvet jacket, both by Ultimate. The bag lasted until 1985 - I had used it all the way through college - and the duvet, still in good condition, went to Homeless Action in Barnet at about the same time. The tent was great, pitching fly first with the twin A-poles in external sleeves, joined at the top by, what I can only describe as, a pigtail of aluminium rod. The end guys went from the apex, up through the loop to a good quality peg. The 3-sided front end, with a central zip, gave good access to the porch. The inner was suspended both ends and pegged out inside The Tent had doors both ends. The Supertramp only had one but the back end of the inner extended into the rear porch area giving additional dry storage. I camped 3-4 weeks in it every year until the side panels started to stretch and flap in the wind. The seams were starting to leak but the tent was still sound. In 1991 we replaced it with a Wild Country Quasar. The poor UV protection meant that this was replaced, again by a Quasar, in 2005. With a new zip in the flysheet the Supertramp was last used by my 2 daughters as a play tent at Guide camp whilst they were still Brownies in 2002. I suspect that if I got it out now, and it wasn't blowing it would still perform well.

Keith Mott, Norwich

A. Does any one have any old parts for Ultimate tents as i am missing the two alloy loops that hold the tent poles together

Andrew Carby, Menai

A. Wow! I have just come in from sleeping the night in my Ultimate Solo circa 1980's. Pitch it in the garden each year and sleep in it to keep it functional. Great little tent, cycle toured through Europe and UK in it in the 1980's. Still have the instructions written by Bill Wilkins, type written on two single A4 sheets, no back to backing in those days. Just by chance I decided to look up Ultimate to see what new tents they may have as I am getting a bit old to move in my Solo and will need a bell tent soon. Really sorry to hear of their demise. Thanks for the memories guys. Kit

Kit Turnbull, New Plymouth Nz

A. I still have my Ultimate Twin A Frame mountain tent. Bought in 1982. I think I spent the best part of £100 in those days. Just got it out the other day for an airing as off to Le Mans with it. Still looks as good as the day I bought it. I put it up in 15 minutes. Its a quality item and looks it. Mine will be up whilst my friends are still looking for pole B to fit into pole A. Happy days.. :)

Steve Wilkinson, Southampton

A. I've still got my Phazor dome although the inner tent is damaged. I still intend to keep it as it such a fabulous tent! If anybody knows where I can get reacement fabric would be very interested to hear! Especially if blue valentine wants to part with theirs?!

Adrian Botterill, Plymouth

A. I used my Ultimate tent which I have had from new only the other week. It is a backpacker 2. Not the easiest to put up but has never leaked, easy to pack and very light. Also in the family is a Hobo which was the rebadged Tramp for Field & Trek, this is also still going strong as far as I am aware.

Brian

A. I bought an Ultimate U7 Packer in 1971/72. It weighs 5lb and is quite roomy for two people with a large alcove at the front, created by an A frame construction with a cross piece near the top. This creates a flat top section which tapers down to the small pole at the other end. In terms of interior space (particularly head room at the entrance) in relation to weight, I have never seen a more successful design. It initially appears unstable during pitching, but its ability to flex in the wind is a plus point in stormy conditions - it has never blown down. I have used it extensively for wild camping over the past 40 years - a total of many months under canvas in all conditions, including heavy snow, high winds and torretial rain. In recent years it has required quite a bit of fabric repair, and last Summer (2012) I had the problem of the pole connectors at the entrance end breaking three times during a wet and windy night on the mountains. This convinced me that it will at last have to be retired. However, I am not finding it easy to replace. Tents of comparable lightness generally have far less space for wet equipment and boots. It was one of the best investments I ever made.

Tony Ive, Hurst

A. Just 'retired' my Ultimate Phazer Dome at Ireland's Electric Picnic after 34 years of hiking/sailing weeks/music festivals. Many happy memories and it never let me down even under extreme conditions - thunderstorms in Dordogne, camping at 7,000 feet in Canada. A beautiful tent, quality fabrics, poles and so quick and easy to erect. Best small dome ever..

Bluevalentine, Dublin

A. I still have a small Ultimate tent. Without measuring it I'd say it was a man and a half. It has an "A" pole at the front, about 3 feet headroom and a single pole at the rear about 18" high. The fly pitches first. The poles are about half an inch in diameter and slot through their material tubes without hassle. I have a larger , more comfortable tent but I still use the Ultimate Tent when I need a quick pitch in unclement [inclement] weather. It was used two weeks ago, I pitched at Sligachan Camp Site on the Isle of Skye in pouring rain at two in the morning, using a head torch and light from my car interior light. The tent weighs 2 kg I would love to find a slightly larger tent of the same design....tent makers take note!!! Half inch diameter poles that thread so easily.....erecting and taking down Outer / Fly pitches first...so my inner keeps dry. What a lot of rot is talked by folk who say it does not matter which pitches first!!! Combined fly and inner pitching is , in my opinion, too cumbersome. I pitch the outer, crawl inside with a strong sheet, then the inner with sewn in groundsheet hangs in and can be pegged out by reaching under the fly edges. Simplicity itself. he poles feel strong and the tent has stood gales. Oh I wish I could buy a larger tent and I'd have a slightly larger porch for cooking.

Roger Jones, Bishop Auckland

A. Until I accidentally tore the flysheet by putting my thumb through it when trying to move the tent last month while in Scotland my pride and joy for the last 25 years plus was an Ultimate Equipment 2/3 person Expedition tent - a rusty-brown and cream dome tent with integral snow valences. Even with a hazard tape and bin-liner bodge repair it still remained watertight and withstood a heavy thunderstorm and high winds. The only problem with the tent was that it had to be erected inner first, which meant that fitting the flysheet single-handedly in windy conditions could be a struggle, but once up I always had confidence that no matter how bad the weather nothing would shift it. The tent was also very roomy inside, with decent headroom. Over 20 years ago I used a Peapod tent when travelling with Journey Latin America in southern Chile. The tent coped well with summer camping below the Torres del Paine; but winter conditions there might have been a bit much for it.

Graham Sinclair, Norwich

A. Ultimate Equipment is still by enlarge, Ultimate Equipment. I have a Ultimate Pea Pod, HOBO, & Animal tents, 1st class tents lighter that todays tents by far and still use all 3 for all year round use. The tents have never leaked and stood up to some horrid conditions. When I'm pitching my tent at local campsites or wild many walkers make comment, "I remember Ultimate, I use to have, it was great". My 6yr old use's my old ultimate mountain king sleeping bag for his beaver camps. The leaders say its got no zip, I've never seen a sleeping bag with no zip, They haven't lived. Come back Ultimate.

James Fox, Swindon

A. We had 2 Horizons - different models one for each of the kids back in the eighties, we still have an Ultimate Challenge - single skin single hoop & snow/ rock vallance in yellow and cerise. We actually went to the Halifax factory to get some replacement poles - mecca for backpackers.

Dave Thorpe, Barnsley

A. I still have my Ultimate Peapod tent that I bought second hand off someone years ago. I have just re-proofed it and will be using it this year. It's ideal for on the motorcycle because it's so small and light. I love it and will never sell it on.

Suzanne Hitchinson, Durham

A. I had an Ultimate Peapod in the early 80s, green and beige from memory. It was double-hooped and extremely roomy. A few good years service before I sold it on.

Nick Andrews-faulkner

A. I remember Ultimate equipment very well. In the mid-eighties I owned an Ultimate Mountain king mummy sleeping bag and an Ultimate Hoola 2 tunnel tent. I used it many times over the eighteen years I owned it, it never let me down, was immensely weather proof and the quality was very evident. Put it this way-when I sold it on for something a bit bigger I very nearly got back what I paid for it originally!. I genuinely mourn the demise of Ultimate Equipment.

Phillip Taylor, Hunmanby

A. Yup, used a two-man tunnel tent from them - Horizon. 2 Hoops, pitch fly first, inner hangs neatly from hoops. Weighs about 3.4 k, could get it lighter with better pegs. Took it all round France in mid-80s as a tent for the kids, rest of us in a bigger family tent. Later, married daughter (who slept in it as a teenager) used it a couple of times in Cornwall. Brilliant tent, really well designed - endured storm and tempest. Still got it. Dug it out of the shed today and will use it at Cropredy Festival this year, just need to check the proofing. Looks OK. Sort of rusty brown and green. nice looking. Streets ahead in its day, and still stands up well. How about you?

Tim Cerrig, Beaumaris

A. Yes what would you like to know I am currently researching all I can find about this company.

Jeff Winter, Rugeley

A. Wild Camping and The Law in England, Scotland and Wales.

Tents cannot be pitched just anywhere because every piece of Britain is owned by some individual or some organisation and according to the strict letter of the law permission must be obtained prior to pitching tent and camping.

In practice however, this is often impractical and wild camping is usually tolerated in the more remote areas - typically, more than half a day's walk from an official campsite or other accommodation providing you:

Keep groups small
Camp as unobtrusively as possible
Leave camp as you found it
Remove all litter (even other people's)
Carry out everything you carried in
Carry out tampons and sanitary towels (burying them doesn't work as animals dig them up again)
Choose a dry pitch rather than digging drainage ditches around a tent or moving boulders
Toilet duties should be performed 30m (100ft) from water and the results buried using a trowel
At all time, help preserve the environment
And if you are in any doubt about what you're doing, find out more

In Scotland, the current access legislation (which came into effect in early 2005) is explicit about your right to wild camp on hill land. However, there are exceptions. Since March 2011 you are not permitted to wild camp between Dryman and Rowardennan on the shore of Loch Lomond. See Loch Lomond Wild Camping Ban for more information.

There appears to be an exception to this with respect to camping in Dartmoor National Park where the right to wild camping is actually enshrined in the National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act, 1949 amendment Dartmoor Commons Act, 1985 - see Wild Camping in the UK for more details.

For the definitive answer with respect to wild camping in Scotland see the answer supplied by the Scottish Natural Heritage

For a few (tongue in cheek) tips on wild camping see Some Wild Camping Tips.

NB. go4awalk.com cannot offer any advice on suitable locations for wild camping - but click here for walks from exisiting campsites.

Hope this helps

Mike (Editor)

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