Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 vs TentBox Classic
The Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 and the TentBox Classic 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 TentBox take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.
By the numbers, the Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 brings 3.28 m² of floor, 133.1 cm of headroom and sleeps 3. The TentBox Classic counters with 67 kg, 2.79 m² of floor, 100 cm of headroom and sleeps 2.
Inside, the Ursa 1300 gives 3.28 m² of sleeping floor against 2.79 m², about 18 percent more, and it sleeps 3 to the Classic's 2. Headroom separates them further: 133.1 cm in the Ursa 1300 against 100 cm, which is the difference between sitting up to dress and doing it lying down. Their list prices are within a few percent of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one. TentBox also backs the Classic for 5 years against 3.
They open differently: the Ursa 1300 is a fold-out and the Classic 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 Classic uses ABS shell with aluminium frame and stainless steel hardware. Canvas differs too: 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh against stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head. The Ursa 1300 adds a heater or HVAC port and a roof skylight, which the Classic does not offer.
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
TentBox
Classic
The gas-strut hardshell in TentBox's range, opening in a minute and holding bedding inside when closed. Its five-year warranty is longer than any American or Korean brand here offers.
- 60-second gas-strut opening
- 5-year warranty
- Bedding stays inside when packed
- 67 kg for a two-person tent
Which one to pick
Take the Ursa 1300 if you need the sleeping room more than you need the lighter tent. 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 | Clamshell |
| Sleeps | 3— best of the tents compared | 2— worst of the tents compared |
| Season rating | 4-season | 4-season |
| List price | $2,999— best of the tents compared | $3,050— worst of the tents compared |
| Weight and size | ||
| Weight | — | 148 lb |
| Packed length | 5 ft 5 in— best of the tents compared | 7 ft 2 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 | 13.8 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Living space | ||
| Sleeping length | 5 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared | 7 ft 2 in— best of the tents compared |
| Sleeping width | 6 ft 9 in— best of the tents compared | 4 ft 2 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Floor area | 35.3 sq ft— best of the tents compared | 30 sq ft— worst of the tents compared |
| Interior height | 4 ft 4 in— best of the tents compared | 3 ft 3 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Mattress thickness | 2.4 in— best of the tents compared | 2.4 in— worst of the tents compared |
| Setup and build | ||
| Setup timeManufacturer's claim where published; otherwise estimated from tent type. Expect longer in practice. | ~60 secest. | 60 sec |
| Shell material | ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base | ABS shell with aluminium frame and stainless steel hardware |
| Fabric | 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh | Stormproof breathable UV-resistant fabric, 3000 mm hydrostatic head |
| Warranty | 3years— worst of the tents compared | 5years— best of the tents compared |
| Features | ||
| Integrated LED lighting | Yes | Yes |
| Heater / HVAC port | Yes | No |
| Roof skylight | Yes | No |
| Annex available | — | — |
| Solar ready | — | No |
| Carries cargo on top | — | No |
| Sources | ||
| Last verified | Ironman 4x4 product page | TentBox product page |
Related comparisons
Or read the full spec sheets for the Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 and the TentBox Classic.