Hi pioneer users, I'm thinking of treating myself to the ultralite version, especially whilst it's discounted, it's just about affordable for me.
Is everyone happy with their ultralite so far, any regrets? Is it worth £450.
Also, do you think this design is old hat now, in comparison to a tempest for example.
Appreciate any user opinions, good or bad.
Thanks.
Is everyone happy with their ultralite so far, any regrets? Is it worth £450.
Also, do you think this design is old hat now, in comparison to a tempest for example.
Appreciate any user opinions, good or bad.
Thanks.
In reply to Post #16
The ultralite goes up and packs down way quicker than the tempest even with their new locking knuckles. Only advantage of the tempest is that it's freestanding when assembled
The ultralite goes up and packs down way quicker than the tempest even with their new locking knuckles. Only advantage of the tempest is that it's freestanding when assembled
I recently bought an ultralite as the price was good and hadn't had an Aqua shelter in years. Also have a 100T Tempest.
I don't really get the hype about the Ultralite. All seems a bit old hat.
1. It's far from light. Even with everything stripped out you still have those daft solid metal poles that you need to pop it up, they are unnecessary heavy. With the ground sheet and front in the bag it weighs a ton.
2. It's 7ft long packed down. Combined with the weight it's firmly aimed at the power barrow brigade.
3. More of a personal one, but I don't understand the benefits of Aquatexx on a brolly. It's heavy and you have to look after it when it's a wet pack down. What's the need of a dark material on an open fronted brolly?
4. It's too tall at the front to be practical in all weather. If you want to face it into a decent wind it's taking off, storm poles or not. With a proper brolly you can hunker it down. The Aqua has great visibility and I'm sure it's good for those with iffy backs (which you'll have from carrying it about) but the Ultralite is made for sunny days in wood chip swims.
5. 4 storm poles to mess about with, thought we were past this by now.
The only benefits I can see over the 100T are..
1. You save yourself 30 seconds making/breaking poles.
2. You a feel a bit flash sitting in a shelter that some other show offs would have paid £800 for.
To be honest I also have a Solar Undercover brolly and use this 9/10 over both the Tempest and the Ultralite. There was a thread saying how crap that was so I guess we all want different things
I don't really get the hype about the Ultralite. All seems a bit old hat.
1. It's far from light. Even with everything stripped out you still have those daft solid metal poles that you need to pop it up, they are unnecessary heavy. With the ground sheet and front in the bag it weighs a ton.
2. It's 7ft long packed down. Combined with the weight it's firmly aimed at the power barrow brigade.
3. More of a personal one, but I don't understand the benefits of Aquatexx on a brolly. It's heavy and you have to look after it when it's a wet pack down. What's the need of a dark material on an open fronted brolly?
4. It's too tall at the front to be practical in all weather. If you want to face it into a decent wind it's taking off, storm poles or not. With a proper brolly you can hunker it down. The Aqua has great visibility and I'm sure it's good for those with iffy backs (which you'll have from carrying it about) but the Ultralite is made for sunny days in wood chip swims.
5. 4 storm poles to mess about with, thought we were past this by now.
The only benefits I can see over the 100T are..
1. You save yourself 30 seconds making/breaking poles.
2. You a feel a bit flash sitting in a shelter that some other show offs would have paid £800 for.
To be honest I also have a Solar Undercover brolly and use this 9/10 over both the Tempest and the Ultralite. There was a thread saying how crap that was so I guess we all want different things
Thanks for the reply, those new tempests do look smart.
Although, I'd sooner wait another five years or so for the price to drop considerably.
Can the ultralight be packed away/set up with the infill panel and skull cap in place
and is there enough room in the supplied carry bag to wedge it all in.
Thanks.
Although, I'd sooner wait another five years or so for the price to drop considerably.
Can the ultralight be packed away/set up with the infill panel and skull cap in place
and is there enough room in the supplied carry bag to wedge it all in.
Thanks.
Ha ha, You've put me off now, it makes along of sense what you're saying, You're right about the feeling smug part of owning one. Think that's a big draw for me to be honest, the badge e.t.c even though I'm old enough to know better.
Thanks for your honest reply, food for thought.
Thanks for your honest reply, food for thought.
In reply to Post #19
You can get it all in. I haven't used the door but if it fits in folded up separately I can't see why it wouldn't attached. Makes the bag fat as well as long. You will look at it and think ‘what the hell am I doing carting that thing about'
Mine came with a skull cap but I'll end up selling it as it won't get used.
The whole Aqua thing has always been a bit cringey since they pushed it with a Union Jack. At the end of the day it's an over priced and ultra heavy umbrella for £800, but not bad for £450 if you can put up with the size of it.
If you're just after a brolly I'd get the Solar.
You can get it all in. I haven't used the door but if it fits in folded up separately I can't see why it wouldn't attached. Makes the bag fat as well as long. You will look at it and think ‘what the hell am I doing carting that thing about'
Mine came with a skull cap but I'll end up selling it as it won't get used. The whole Aqua thing has always been a bit cringey since they pushed it with a Union Jack. At the end of the day it's an over priced and ultra heavy umbrella for £800, but not bad for £450 if you can put up with the size of it.
If you're just after a brolly I'd get the Solar.
Thanks for the advice. I'll wait and see if the price on the ultralight drops a-bit more perhaps.
I just fancied a change for changes sake.
A fool and his money as they say, that and getting caught up abit in aqua promo videos after spotting it discounted.
They do look nice though.
But in Sunday morning clarity, it won't do anything different to my current spider compact.
I just fancied a change for changes sake.
A fool and his money as they say, that and getting caught up abit in aqua promo videos after spotting it discounted.
They do look nice though.
But in Sunday morning clarity, it won't do anything different to my current spider compact.
Heads the new tempest is absolute dog. Loads of people sending them back. One guy 3 times.
In reply to Post #23
Doesn't surprise me. Another thing I've never understood is people buying a new shelter on launch. You pay a price that you know will be reduced in 6-12 months and most new shelters seem to have problems 1st time out.
Doesn't surprise me. Another thing I've never understood is people buying a new shelter on launch. You pay a price that you know will be reduced in 6-12 months and most new shelters seem to have problems 1st time out.
That's a shame, I had a look at the brolly rs version at the big one show and thought it looked a decent bit of kit, all be it too rich for my pockets at that price.
Would be so disappointing for people spending out that wad of money only to return it. Any confidence in the product would be lost after that.
Seems buying the majority of things like you say at their launch brings issues, would be more frustrating not using it for a while, finding faults, then having it go out of warranty and getting stuck with it.
Hopefully, trakker will fix any issues for people.
Would be so disappointing for people spending out that wad of money only to return it. Any confidence in the product would be lost after that.
Seems buying the majority of things like you say at their launch brings issues, would be more frustrating not using it for a while, finding faults, then having it go out of warranty and getting stuck with it.
Hopefully, trakker will fix any issues for people.
In reply to Post #18
Sorry but you are talking absolute tosh . . .
1 - Its as heavy as you want to make it but is still lighter than an equivalent Tempest in all respects;
Ultralite 100 - Weight: 5.3kg - An additional 7.15kg for groundsheet, pegs, infill, erection poles, clear window and Quick-sticks = 12.45kg
Trakker Advanced 100 ev1.0 Bivvy - Weight: 9.5kg (An additional 3.6kg plus groundsheet, pegs and Quick-sticks) = 13.1kg (I'm assuming this also includes infill / clear window?)
Trakker Tempest RS100 Bivvy - Weight: 9.4kg (An additional 5.2kg plus pegs, Quick-sticks, and carry bag weighing 5.2kg) = 14.6kg (I'm assuming this also includes infill / clear window?)
2 - Its not 7ft is it - its the same length as a 12' Rod Bag which most sling on a barrow anyway
3 - Its thicker / darker than most Aquatex which I personally prefer . . its not just an open brolly is it - its more versatile and can be used from brolly to full system
4 - This is absolute nonsense; the head height is a massive benefit for those that aren't built like hobbits but want a compact shelter - In terms of stability I'd rate it over most bivvys (if properly erected) other than perhaps an Armo in harsh winds and have fished it in the face of one plenty of times - its solid and the only thing that can create probs is the stupid peak on the skull cap that can catch wind on occasion (the older one was better in this respect) . . Tempest skull caps have the same problem
In addition you CAN lower / splay the bivvy to act more like a brolly if required so again I'm not sure what you're on about! The Tempest still has a silly tension strap (if using without a gsheet) so again more faff and less ability to splay without compromising stability!
5 - Tempests have 2x poles; plus you have to locate the primary spars together (on the muddy ground) first by which time I'd have erected the bivvy and fitted all 4x quick-sticks - hardly a chore
6 - The bag can take the bivvy with both gsheet skull cap and infill intact however TBF I wouldn't recommend this as it is tight and the zip can catch if not careful - much better with just the skull cap and g/sheet only as this fits easily . . . . you'll struggle more with a Tempest bag as these are inherently tiny and I've had to buy a custom BAS for mine . .
TBF I've been an Ultralite fan since the first release but have been a diehard brolly user prior and owned several Armos / Tempests since (still own a V2) . . . . .however IMO and from an all round typical UK 12-48hr angler they remain one of the most versatile, quality pieces of kit on the market . . . .you pay your £ and makes your choice!
Sorry but you are talking absolute tosh . . .
1 - Its as heavy as you want to make it but is still lighter than an equivalent Tempest in all respects;
Ultralite 100 - Weight: 5.3kg - An additional 7.15kg for groundsheet, pegs, infill, erection poles, clear window and Quick-sticks = 12.45kg
Trakker Advanced 100 ev1.0 Bivvy - Weight: 9.5kg (An additional 3.6kg plus groundsheet, pegs and Quick-sticks) = 13.1kg (I'm assuming this also includes infill / clear window?)
Trakker Tempest RS100 Bivvy - Weight: 9.4kg (An additional 5.2kg plus pegs, Quick-sticks, and carry bag weighing 5.2kg) = 14.6kg (I'm assuming this also includes infill / clear window?)
2 - Its not 7ft is it - its the same length as a 12' Rod Bag which most sling on a barrow anyway
3 - Its thicker / darker than most Aquatex which I personally prefer . . its not just an open brolly is it - its more versatile and can be used from brolly to full system
4 - This is absolute nonsense; the head height is a massive benefit for those that aren't built like hobbits but want a compact shelter - In terms of stability I'd rate it over most bivvys (if properly erected) other than perhaps an Armo in harsh winds and have fished it in the face of one plenty of times - its solid and the only thing that can create probs is the stupid peak on the skull cap that can catch wind on occasion (the older one was better in this respect) . . Tempest skull caps have the same problem
In addition you CAN lower / splay the bivvy to act more like a brolly if required so again I'm not sure what you're on about! The Tempest still has a silly tension strap (if using without a gsheet) so again more faff and less ability to splay without compromising stability!
5 - Tempests have 2x poles; plus you have to locate the primary spars together (on the muddy ground) first by which time I'd have erected the bivvy and fitted all 4x quick-sticks - hardly a chore
6 - The bag can take the bivvy with both gsheet skull cap and infill intact however TBF I wouldn't recommend this as it is tight and the zip can catch if not careful - much better with just the skull cap and g/sheet only as this fits easily . . . . you'll struggle more with a Tempest bag as these are inherently tiny and I've had to buy a custom BAS for mine . .
TBF I've been an Ultralite fan since the first release but have been a diehard brolly user prior and owned several Armos / Tempests since (still own a V2) . . . . .however IMO and from an all round typical UK 12-48hr angler they remain one of the most versatile, quality pieces of kit on the market . . . .you pay your £ and makes your choice!
In reply to Post #27
I have my opinion, you have yours. Aqua has always attracted the fan boy type of angler I suppose, Jag rod pods, Cotswold luggage etc..
I have my opinion, you have yours. Aqua has always attracted the fan boy type of angler I suppose, Jag rod pods, Cotswold luggage etc..
In reply to Post #29
Agree re opinions lol
However in this instance the fanboy thing has nothing to do with it - a label is a label; I buy kit that I believe is the best for the purpose intended . . . . ,Other than bivvies historically I've never been a massive Aqua fan, irrespective of this Aqua is no longer the marquee brand it once was (its all made in China) - my previous Ultralite was a Trakker and I still stand by their NXG luggage range (several rod bags / luggage etc) . . I do have a penchant for Jag tbf and also love Solar nets. . . . Cotswold Aquarius always arguably been overpriced and overrated - BAS now just as good and custom made to what you actually need
Agree re opinions lol
However in this instance the fanboy thing has nothing to do with it - a label is a label; I buy kit that I believe is the best for the purpose intended . . . . ,Other than bivvies historically I've never been a massive Aqua fan, irrespective of this Aqua is no longer the marquee brand it once was (its all made in China) - my previous Ultralite was a Trakker and I still stand by their NXG luggage range (several rod bags / luggage etc) . . I do have a penchant for Jag tbf and also love Solar nets. . . . Cotswold Aquarius always arguably been overpriced and overrated - BAS now just as good and custom made to what you actually need
In reply to Post #30
I'm only teasing really. I have some of the Sub stainless Jag stuff, not sure what that says about me!
We can agree on Cotswold, it was probably the best out there 20 years ago but things have moved on.
I'm only teasing really. I have some of the Sub stainless Jag stuff, not sure what that says about me!
We can agree on Cotswold, it was probably the best out there 20 years ago but things have moved on.
In reply to Post #31
I still have some original Wychwood System Select luggage (when Wychwood was UK made and up there with Cotswold) - a carryall and the zipped sling with sleeves; still nearly as good as the day it was purchased (25yrs+ ago) and reticent to sell even though I never use it! Also have the rod wraps (that could accept a strap for lightweight stalking) that are still in use to this day . .
I still have some original Wychwood System Select luggage (when Wychwood was UK made and up there with Cotswold) - a carryall and the zipped sling with sleeves; still nearly as good as the day it was purchased (25yrs+ ago) and reticent to sell even though I never use it! Also have the rod wraps (that could accept a strap for lightweight stalking) that are still in use to this day . .