Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 vs Roam Adventure Co The Desperado
The Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 and the Roam Adventure Co The Desperado are both hardshell tents in the same part of the market, which makes them a genuine head-to-head rather than a comparison across categories. Ironman 4x4 and Roam Adventure Co take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
The Ursa 1300 lists $200 lower, at $2,999 against $3,199. Ironman 4x4 also backs the Ursa 1300 for 3 years against 2.
They open differently: the Ursa 1300 is a fold-out and the The Desperado a clamshell. That is not cosmetic — it decides whether headroom is even across the tent or tapers towards one end, and how much of the roof the tent occupies when closed. The Ursa 1300 uses ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base; the The Desperado uses aluminium extrusion with honeycomb panels. Canvas differs too: 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh against 420D polyester Oxford. Closed, the The Desperado sits 7 cm lower on the roof — 25 cm against 32 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.
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
Roam Adventure Co
The Desperado
Roam's aluminium-honeycomb hardshell for two, opening in about 30 seconds; the maker does not publish its deployed footprint.
- ~30 s hardshell setup
- Aluminium honeycomb construction
- 2-year warranty
- Open dimensions not published
Which one to pick
These two are closely matched on the numbers that usually decide it. Read the feature rows below — heater port, skylight, annex — and let whichever of those you will actually use break the tie.
Every specification, side by side
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Type | Hardshell | Hardshell |
| Opening style | Fold-out | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | — |
| List price | $2,999— best of the tents compared | $3,199— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 180 lb |
| Packed length | 5 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared | 6 ft 11 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed width | 4 ft 1 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Packed height | 12.6 in— worst of the tents compared | 9.8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 5 ft 3 in | — |
| Sleeping width | 6 ft 9 in | — |
| Floor area | 35.3 sq ft | — |
| Interior height | 4 ft 4 in | — |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in— worst of the tents compared | 2.8 in— best of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 30 sec |
| Shell material | ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base | Aluminium extrusion with honeycomb panels |
| Fabric | 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh | 420D polyester Oxford |
| Warranty | 3years— best of the tents compared | 2years— worst of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | — |
| Roof skylight | Yes | — |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | — |
| Carries cargo on top | — | — |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Ironman 4x4 product page | Roam Adventure Co product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 and the Roam Adventure Co The Desperado.