Page 45 - 2019 AMA Summer

MANUFACTURER: TERRA NOVA MODEL: SOUTHERN CROSS 1 PRICE TO AMA: £294 (RRP: 420) BIRTH: 1 (COMFORTABLY) WEIGHT: 1.69 KGS
INNER / OUTER PITCH FIRST:
BOTH PITCHED TOGETHER SEASONS: 4
FLYSHEET
HYDROSTATIC
HEAD: 6000MM GROUNDSHEET HYDROSTATIC HEAD: 10000MM
RATINGS
FEATURES: 5/5
VALUE FOR MONEY: 5/5 PERFORMANCE: 5/5 WEIGHT/SIZE: 4.5/5 OVERALL: 5/5
Southern Cross 1
got a great review and would be suitable for most conditions the UK climate would throw at me, but as there’s no UK distributor, import taxes and VAT would have made one of these over £500; a little out of my budget. Then, when skipping through a copy of Army Mountaineer for Summer 18, I realised I’d reviewed the Southern Cross 2 from Terra Nova - a fine tent but remember it ended up being quite expensive. Enter the AMA discount, and the 1-man version, the Southern Cross 1.
My research hadn’t highlighted much that met my requirements and certainly not in the 4-season category. I had looked at this before purchasing the Ordos but dismissed it on the basis of having to stump up another £70, but on reflection of my terrible night in the Lakes I concluded that it would be worth the investment. I wasn’t wrong.
From the moment the order was placed, my purchase has been nothing less than a pleasure. The delivery time was 24 hours from click to delivery. The box the tent came in is a picture of design itself. When I saw and opened it I thought: ‘this is what girls must feel like when they buy Jimmy Choo’s’. (since writing that, I have learnt that Jimmy Choo does, indeed, sell men’s shoes! Who knew?)
The tent is solid, free standing without guy-lines and looks built to last. There’s a vestibule that’s suitable to house boots, cooker and a 45l rucksack. The door will clip to the central spine pole so it doesn’t flap in your face and the zip will open from the top or bottom to allow access or ventilation to suit.
There’s enough height inside to sit up in reasonably comfortably although I do still touch the inside when sat upright. The door size is also sufficient, particularly given the folding door and retainer.
The inner is suspended from the outer in the usual tried and tested manner. The base of the inner can be tensioned to the frame with draw-style webbing clips. It’s not rectangular but has an extra triangular portion of space in the middle of the floor. There are vents at the head and foot that can be opened and closed with hook and loop flaps.
As this is a 4-season tent you’d expect it holds up to wind and the weight of snow. Although I haven’t been in extensive snowy conditions, I have been out in winter conditions. The tent package comes with sufficient pegs to keep it grounded and, expecting the worst from my pitch in February (having been tormented by my experiences with the Ordos), I reinforced
the leading guy line with my walking axe. As you’d expect, paying a shade under £300, this is a solid tent, very little flapping in high winds. It didn’t let in any moisture through the flysheet and there was negligible condensation in the inner in the morning. All in all, a blissful night’s sleep.
So, in conclusion, it weighs less than my 2Kg limit, packs into the same space as my previous two tents had occupied in my bag, it can be pitched outer first, has more space than the Laser Photon 1 and is infinitely more stable than the Ordos 2. All in all, it’s epic! I won’t be buying a fourth anytime soon.
Southern Cross 1
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 45