Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 vs Ironman 4x4 Ursa Major
Both of these are Ironman 4x4 tents, so the question is not which brand to trust but which size and configuration suits your vehicle and how you camp. The Ursa 1300 and the Ursa Major share Ironman 4x4's construction and warranty; where they part company is in the numbers below.
Inside, the Ursa Major gives 4.44 m² of sleeping floor against 3.28 m², about 35 percent more, and it sleeps 4 to the Ursa 1300's 3. The Ursa 1300 lists $500 lower, at $2,999 against $3,499.
Ironman 4x4
Ursa 1300
The Ursa 1300 is the smaller of Ironman 4x4's two Ursa hardshell fold-out tents, sized for CUVs, SUVs, wagons and most truck beds. It sleeps two adults and a child on a 2.4-inch high-density foam mattress and deploys via two base latches and assisted gas struts, expanding sideways from a 65 x 48.8 inch packed footprint to a 63 x 80.6 inch open floor. Integrated star-gazing sky windows, LED strip lighting and a heater/AC hose inlet are included.
- Two-latch, gas-strut fold-out deployment the maker rates at under 5 minutes
- Integrated star-gazing sky windows and LED strip lighting
- Heater/AC hose inlet for cold-weather diesel-heater use
- Manufacturer publishes the 160 lb weight in imperial only, with no metric figure
Ironman 4x4
Ursa Major
The Ursa Major (IRTT0078XL) is the larger of Ironman 4x4's two Ursa hardshell fold-out tents, opening to an 83 x 83 inch square floor that the maker rates for three to four people. It shares the Ursa 1300's ABS/aluminium-honeycomb shell, star-gazing sky windows and gas-strut deployment, and adds a pre-wired 12V power panel with USB, USB-C and cigarette outlets. It sits on a 2.4-inch high-density foam mattress.
- Large 83 x 83 inch open floor rated for three to four occupants
- Pre-wired 12V panel with USB, USB-C and cigarette outlets plus sky windows
- Shares replacement parts with the smaller Ursa 1300
- Weight is published in imperial only (176 lb), with no metric figure
Which one to pick
Take the Ursa Major if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. Take the Ursa 1300 if the budget is fixed. Beyond that the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex, cargo rails — are where the remaining difference lies.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Fold-out |
| Sleeps | 3— worst of the tents compared | 4— best of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | 4-season |
| List price | $2,999— best of the tents compared | $3,499— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | — |
| Packed length | 5 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 2 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 12.6 in— best of the tents compared | 13 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 6 ft 9 in— worst of the tents compared | 6 ft 11 in— best of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 35.3 sq ft— worst of the tents compared | 47.8 sq ft— best of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 4 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 1 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | ~60 secest. |
| Shell material | ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base | ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base |
| Fabric | 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh | 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh |
| Warranty | 3years | 3years |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | Yes |
| Roof skylight | Yes | Yes |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Ironman 4x4 product page | Ironman 4x4 product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 and the Ironman 4x4 Ursa Major.