Excellent review. I’m not in the market for a new tent (I have the Terra Nova Pioneer 2) but enjoyed your honest views on this one. Another consideration I feel important personally is the Terra-Nova tents are made in the UK (more specifically Derbyshire where I’m from) so I like to support UK (and local) businesses where I can and it gives me peace of mind that I can return it by hand if I have any issues or repairs. Loving your channel & content. Keep up the good work. Cheers, Roo 👍🏻
Thanks a lot, Roo ✌️ I'm a big fan of supporting UK companies too - you make a good point. I know that Terra Nova still manufacture their more specialist tents in the UK, and they are all UK-designed to my knowledge, though some are manufactured overseas. This is presumably to keep costs down. I wish we could manufacture more stuff in the UK but there are still undeniable savings to be made by manufacturing elsewhere! ATB, James.
Great review James, and a great tent. I've got the same tent from Cotswolds on the same deal. Spoken to you a few weeks back. I too had the loops misssing and had the problem with the eyelets. I returned it to Cotswolds and they sent it over to Terra nova who replaced just four red pull outs. They did an absoulute atrocious job. Loose threads all over the place and stiching missing from the hem where they had picked the stitches to remove the old pull outs. Yes, that's right the hem was actually coming away from the fly in several places. Beggars belief really.Cotswolds were great on the other hand though and in light of a shoddy repair they offered a full refund. But I liked the tent so much I ended up having to hand sew the hem in several places and then tidy it all up. I have pictures, looked like a 5 year old had sewed it. Shame but I expect better on a tent with a rrp of £700 and certainly expect a better quality repair. Tbh because of this I probably wouldn't touch another Terra Nova product again.
Thanks Pepper. I'm really sorry to hear about your tent. Without knowing all the ins and outs I can't really comment too much, but on the surface it certainly sounds like your repairs needed a second pair of eyes on them before the tent was returned to you. Fair play to you for getting stuck in yourself, but that shouldn't have been necessary. Thank you for watching the video though, and I hope you are still enjoying the tent despite your shaky start. James.
I bought one on the same deal as you, infact it was your channel that highlighted it to me 😊 Since then I've moved it on but I regret that, especially given the new pricing. It's a quality item, materials are fantastic. I just struggled with the internal space. Another top video. Thank you 😊 Adge
Ah yes I think I might remember that now! I too was on the fence about the internal space at first, after "pitching" it in my living room. I decided to try it in the field, and the first one or two camps probably did feel a little snug, but I am really comfortable with its space now. Horses for courses 😊 Thanks for dropping in, and for your support with my channel 🙏🏻 James.
Great review James . I’m a big fan of the SC . Was looking to purchase the 2 person, when it came back into stock at the new prices I couldn’t justify it. I purchased the Helm 2 . Yes not a 4 season, but ticks a lot of boxes . Atb James , Tony . 🇮🇪🇮🇪
Ah that's a shame. The £900 price tag is a bit scary for the SC2, but much friendlier at £600 if you trade a tent in. That said, the Helm still represents really good value and has been a huge hit. I'm sure you'll get on well with that. Thanks for your comment! James.
I can see why you chose this tent, especially when you had it for under £400. It is a four season tent, is very light for the strength and pitches all in one. If you had to have just one tent I can see this being right up there for anybody... If they were prepared to spend the money on it. At £700 it is expensive, but that seems to be in line with general increases in the cost of everything. With a discount code it is certainly more manageable. I think if I had to have just one tent I'd definitely have this tent on my shortlist.
Thanks Kev, and I'm glad you see where I'm coming from. Just under £500 with a trade-in, under 2 kg, 4 season and with that all-important lifetime warranty, I honestly think the SC1 is a standout performer. I'll keep using it and might put out an annual review vid! Thanks for your input 👌 James.
Terra Nova have always over inflated there prices. There's no way the SC1 is worth £700 even with the 2023 update. At that price your starting to get into Hilleberg range there where quality between products is incomparable.
This is why I was so keen to make this video, because I've seen so many comments from people who see the £700 price tag and walk away, not realising that they actually only need to pay £490 or £560. I'm keen to spread the word!
Great review of the southern cross.. I’ve been waiting literally almost a year for these to be back in stock. 😂 mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and finally managed to pitch it up in my garden. I bought the SC2 instead of the 1 as I already have the soulo and wanted something slightly bigger for the winter months, and it’s huge! Lol. I’m got mine with 20% off using a code so feel it’s worth the money.
You must be a happy man after such a long wait! Congratulations! The SC2 looks to have LOADS of room for one person. I hope you have lots of memorable adventures with it 😎 ATB, James.
Hi James, that was a superb review of the SC1. You can see that a lot of time and care has go into it the review. I was thinking about purchasing one, but I already have the Abisko lite 1 and a Soulo. From what I can see there may be more room laterally at the foot and head of the Abisko as the walls of the inner on the SC1 looks like it closes in making the area look small. I noticed this on your very first pitch of the SC1 in your living room. Although I believe you found a fix for it by peging out the inner. It looks good value to me with the discount. Thanks Keith
Thank you Keith. The Abisko Lite 1 does look to be much more square, which gives quite a lot more interior room. That's going to be more important to some people than having the streamlined shape of the SC1, so you make a good point there. I definitely didn't show the SC1 in a good light when I "pitched" it indoors without any pegs to pull the tent tight, and without tensioning the inner tent straps! I'm sure your two 4 season tents do a good job - they are both strong performers. Thanks for your comment 👍 James.
I got mine from Cotswold outdoor - after being given a £100 voucher for being at work for 5 years...plus a 15% discount code I found on line. So I only spent £257 of my own money on this amazing tent. Finding the footprint took a while though.
@@joinmeoutdoors certainly is. I can’t believe the RRP right now. I’ve treated myself to a pack of the toggles for the footprint today - that’s a genius modification sir.
I hope you find them as useful as I do! I could do with spending a few minutes adjusting the lengths of the six shock cords now, to perfect it all. The next time I camp and have more spare time in the evening I'll give them a tweak.
Just ordered mine from terra nova paid £480 with footprint and mini firma pegs. Wish I new abiut your discount code I had a %15 one but 20 would of been better 👌🏽
Love my SC1 and can’t wait to get out in it this year. My webbing loops look just like your old ones (where the eyelets are the same width as the strap), so I’ll keep an eye on them. Think I’m also missing the dyneema loops on the blue straps but I’ve got some spare so may add it!
Good to hear from another SC1 owner! I think those dyneema loops were missing on a few tents from what I can gather. Well worth adding them - I've already seen the value on them on a windy camp, anchoring the middle of the tent down with 40 mph wind trying to send it into orbit! Thanks, James.
Great review! My only concern is the fly material. I'm not sure if Si/PU fly will last as long as Si/Si and the seam tape will fail after a few years. Other than that it looks like a great tent.
Thanks Andrey! I have a very old Vango tent whose seam tape has failed (it's 30 years old), so you're quite right. Terra Nova offer a wide range of tent repairs, and on their website it says they can re-tape your tent for you. Pricing states "from £8 per metre" 👍
@@joinmeoutdoors When the taping came of my quasar, I sealed the seams with clear silicone sealant thinned with white spirit. Pitch the tent and apply with a paint brush. This actually gives you a better and more durable seal than taping. Manufacturers use tape because it it much quicker and cheaper to apply.
What I really want to know is how it does in the summer, people seem to forget that about the '4 season' claim. It's not just winter! How is the condensation? How is the ventilation? If it's rainy but hot outside how do you cool it down? Thanks! P.S I 100% trust this tent for a blizzard from everything I've read.
I think you're the first person to ask me this! Four season tents generally do focus on their abilities to tackle the winter weather, purely because any old tent (within reason) can handle a warm and mild summer's evening. But you asked, so I will answer. Personally, I find the ventilation and condensation levels of this tent to be absolutely fine, and I wouldn't recommend it so openly if I thought it performed badly in this area. By their very design, four season tents drastically limit the amount of air that can flow through them because their flysheet come right down to the ground. The SC1 has a vent on each end of the flysheet, and a velcro flap at each end of the inner tent that can be opened or closed to allow better passage of air through the tent from those outer vents. I always have those inner vents open. In addition, the bottom of the outer door can be unzipped about 6"/15cm and clipped into place (to stop it from flapping around as an unzipped door otherwise would). If I'm camping in a damp area, I will often use this feature, and if it's not raining, I'll unzip the top of the outer door a bit as well. The 2023 SC1 features a hood over the top of the outer door, so you should be able to open the top of the door slightly - even if it's raining - for a bit more ventilation. I would say that the SC2 is easier to ventilate than my Hilleberg Soulo, for comparison. A four season tent isn't going to be the ideal weapon of choice on a truly hot day because of that flysheet - same as any other four season tent. You can always wedge a shoe/rucksack etc under the flysheet to encourage air flow if you have to though. If I'm camping somewhere exposed in summer, I'll always opt for the SC1 over my lightweight single skin Naturehike Vik 1. Yes the SC1 will be hotter, but I'd rather be hot and safe than cool and at risk of my shelter collapsing. Personal choice though! ✌️
That's a really useful summary, thanks very much! The opposite problem seems to be true of the Helm 1 for example, if they just put a cover over the mesh top of the door then it would be a much more convincing '3.5' season as some people call it. It seems to me it would be way more drafty than the southern cross for that reason. Maybe Terra Nova needed to justify the 200 quid + for the Southern Cross! Either way it's a love tent mate, I think I am gonna get one as I need a proper 4 season for some cold adventures this winter. Thanks for all the useful info.@@joinmeoutdoors
I think it's quite straightforward to justify the price difference between the Helm 1 and the SC1. The SC1 is lighter, stronger, 4 season, and has higher hydrostatic head ratings for the groundsheet and outer, for starters. To be stronger AND lighter at the and time - as well as providing 4 season capabilities - has to come at a price. The final golden nail in the shiny coffin is that lifetime guarantee that the SC1 comes with. The SC1 is on sale at £490 from Terra Nova at the moment, so my discount code won't be able to take any more money off that discounted price. If you add any full priced items (e.g. pegs or footprint) to your order, you will receive 20% off those with my code.
P.S. As a reminder, using my affiliate link in the video description doesn't cost you anything, but it earns me a small commission if you do choose to place an order. This in no way needs to affect your decision about which tent you want to go for though!
Looking at the dimensions on Terra Nova's website, you don't appear to gain much more length by going to the SC2, but perhaps there are some reviews out there that will help you. Dan over at wildcamping.lifeuk on Instagram has been using the SC2 for the last few months, and always gives good honest opinions about his gear.
@@joinmeoutdoors cheers mate I will have a look. Was going to grab the northern lite 2 but there not making it this year apparently, you can't find em anywhere.
@@joinmeoutdoors looks a great tent mate, wonder if there just updating it for next year, hopefully that's the case. I'm switching between my zephyros compact 1 and helm compact 2 currently, both been cracking Tents
This tent does tick a lot of boxes for people price aside.the thing for me is the space inside I've had similar size and I'm not the tallest and having my head touching the top and shoulder width really started to annoy me so much
I know exactly what you mean. It doesn't take much for a "snug" space to feel like a claustrophobic box. I used my OEX Phoxx 2 once, and cannot get on with the low roofline on it, so I won't be using it again. You've got to be happy with the space you're in when you're going to be spending upwards of 12 hours in it in winter nights. James.
Great video, very informative, thankyou. Have been looking for a winter tent. I have a vango banshee 300 for campsites and a snugpak ionosphere for wild camping. Ionosphere is great, it held up ok in what felt like gale force winds, but inner first and no porch. Have been studying the snugpak scorpion 2 and terra nova northern lite. People are saying the northern lite definitely needs the additional hiking poles. You’ve really got me interested in southern cross, it’s just the budget. How’s the condensation issue? Did you consider the 2 man version? Many thanks
Thanks Andy, I'm glad the video helped (though I'm sorry if I've complicated your decision!). Four season tents don't breathe as well as three season tents (because the flysheet comes right down to the ground), but I don't find the Southern Cross troublesome with condensation, and certainly no worse than my Hilleberg Soulo. I didn't consider the 2 man version because I'm happy to keep internal space to a minimum in order to save on weight, but that's a personal thing.
great review i have the soulo too ... basically looks like a soulo stripped down ... definetly interesting can you close the mesh on the door or that stays open all the time? cheers
Thanks Silvio. I really like having the Soulo and the SC1 to choose from, with the SC1 weighing only 2/3 of the Soulo's weight if I don't need ultimate strength. The SC1 only has a mesh door, not like our Soulos that have two separate skins to choose from. I almost never use the solid door on my Soulo as ventilation is so important, but it's nice to have the option I suppose!
Nice tent of course but still lots of dosh! So would have to use it loads to justify the expense whereas my nightcat, albeit not the same spec or probably able to stand up to the same weather levels is the tent I now find is OK for me! I have had and still got many vango tents which are maybe a bit heavier but still good enough for a night or two out....but interesting and good review!
I really like comments like this. They really highlight just how much there is to consider when looking for the right tent. How much use it'll get, how important weight is, and even something like resale value. Spending £500 on a tent is a big commitment, but if you know it'll last you for years (and with a UK warranty to fall back on), it can ultimately be oddly easy to justify. Thanks Chris 🙏🏻
@@joinmeoutdoors it can be easy to justify! And it probably would have been when I was much younger and it would have got the lifetime of use! Now I have too much kit of course and can't justify any more and as I'm getting older a night or two wild camping maybe every month or so is getting to be my limit, find I'm doing more day walks if I'm honest! Next step is a camper van in reality, and then slippers and cocoa😅😂😅.
Check out the wild country helm 1, similar design, punches well above its weight from the same company. Its the budget version of the southern cross. Recommend highly.
Thanks Rui. I haven't used the Laser Compact 1 I'm afraid, so all I can really do is look up the specs on Terra Nova's website, which I'm sure you have already done. The Laser is only a 3 season tent of course, but is nice and light. I had seen that Terra Nova were running a sale on the Southern Cross 1 and some other tents. Big price cuts, though I'm not sure how long the sales are happening for. Sorry I can't be much more help! James.
@@joinmeoutdoors thats absolutely fine mate you already helped a lot with such great review. Probably the best review on this tent I have seen and I have seen a few good hours worth of reviews, just making a sure a use my money on the right one. Currently have the Helm compact 2 its great but a bit heavy.
@@ruiseverino7609 Oh thanks, I'm glad it's helped! You might already have seen, but I've got quite a few vids where I've taken the Southern Cross 1 out and about. The Helm tents are really popular, but I'm guessing you've decided that camping means enough to you now for you to invest a bit more and get yourself an upgrade. Let me know if I can help any more with your decision 👍 James.
@@joinmeoutdoors yes looking forward to an upgrade. Just torn between the SC1 which I could use all year round or the LC1 which would be very usefull due to light weight as I'm doing the Tour de Mont Blanc in the begining of July. Keep up your excelent work, outstanding channel and truly helpfull. 5*
@@ruiseverino7609 The Mont Blanc trip sounds awesome! Don't forget that the SC1 can be pitched outer only, so you could ditch the weight of the inner if you want to keep it super light. I haven't used mine like that yet, but have wondered about it! Thanks for the support, much appreciated. You know where to find my Terra Nova affiliate links when you've made your decision! 😁
The SC1's compact size is one of my favourite things about it! 😁 Horses for courses though. I've never seen a Pioneer in person but they look like good tents 👍
@@Jakelol1980 It can be pitched both together, which is how I use it 100% of the time (i.e. the inner remains connected to the outer, via some simple toggles). If you want to detach the inner from the outer and pitch separately, it pitches outer first, and then you connect the inner to the outer from the inside.
I think the Akto's colossal vestibule is one of its three or four strongest selling points. It's extraordinarily big for a 1 man tent! I find the Southern Cross's vestibule to be the perfect size - just big enough, and not too small. It swallow my backpack, shoes and all my food stuff with room to spare, so I find I don't need any more room 👌 Any bigger and I'd be carrying unnecessary weight for my needs. You must be able to perform several somersaults in the Akto porch! 😁
sample tomount tents if you get chance are much better and 10 times cheaper and are not trying get all camping youtubers to push they products @@henchy3rd
Just to make sure that the truth isn't being smothered here - I chose (and bought) my Southern Cross 1 long before I made contact with Terra Nova. I bought it because I thought it would tick a lot of boxes for me, and over a year later, it is still ticking all those boxes for me. I am just sharing my thoughts on the matter 👍 James.
This is one of the best tent reviews on UA-cam. I like the fact that you discussed TN’s after sales service too. Top job. Simon.
Very kind words, thanks Simon! ATB, James.
Excellent review. I’m not in the market for a new tent (I have the Terra Nova Pioneer 2) but enjoyed your honest views on this one.
Another consideration I feel important personally is the Terra-Nova tents are made in the UK (more specifically Derbyshire where I’m from) so I like to support UK (and local) businesses where I can and it gives me peace of mind that I can return it by hand if I have any issues or repairs.
Loving your channel & content. Keep up the good work. Cheers, Roo 👍🏻
Thanks a lot, Roo ✌️ I'm a big fan of supporting UK companies too - you make a good point. I know that Terra Nova still manufacture their more specialist tents in the UK, and they are all UK-designed to my knowledge, though some are manufactured overseas. This is presumably to keep costs down. I wish we could manufacture more stuff in the UK but there are still undeniable savings to be made by manufacturing elsewhere! ATB, James.
An excellent detailed, yet not verbose, review. Excellent (vital) that it is based on real experiences too
Thanks! This is my most-used tent, so I have had all kinds of experiences with it. It's a little trooper! James.
I used an original Laser comp whilst doing my Summer ML. This looks a great tent, thanks for your honest and very helpful review. Great work - Simon.
Hi Simon. The Laser Comp has a pretty strong heritage, so is a popular tent for good reason I think. I'm glad you found the video helpful 😊 James.
Great review James, and a great tent. I've got the same tent from Cotswolds on the same deal. Spoken to you a few weeks back. I too had the loops misssing and had the problem with the eyelets. I returned it to Cotswolds and they sent it over to Terra nova who replaced just four red pull outs. They did an absoulute atrocious job. Loose threads all over the place and stiching missing from the hem where they had picked the stitches to remove the old pull outs. Yes, that's right the hem was actually coming away from the fly in several places. Beggars belief really.Cotswolds were great on the other hand though and in light of a shoddy repair they offered a full refund. But I liked the tent so much I ended up having to hand sew the hem in several places and then tidy it all up. I have pictures, looked like a 5 year old had sewed it. Shame but I expect better on a tent with a rrp of £700 and certainly expect a better quality repair. Tbh because of this I probably wouldn't touch another Terra Nova product again.
Thanks Pepper. I'm really sorry to hear about your tent. Without knowing all the ins and outs I can't really comment too much, but on the surface it certainly sounds like your repairs needed a second pair of eyes on them before the tent was returned to you. Fair play to you for getting stuck in yourself, but that shouldn't have been necessary. Thank you for watching the video though, and I hope you are still enjoying the tent despite your shaky start. James.
I bought one on the same deal as you, infact it was your channel that highlighted it to me 😊
Since then I've moved it on but I regret that, especially given the new pricing. It's a quality item, materials are fantastic. I just struggled with the internal space.
Another top video. Thank you 😊
Adge
Ah yes I think I might remember that now! I too was on the fence about the internal space at first, after "pitching" it in my living room. I decided to try it in the field, and the first one or two camps probably did feel a little snug, but I am really comfortable with its space now. Horses for courses 😊 Thanks for dropping in, and for your support with my channel 🙏🏻 James.
Great review James . I’m a big fan of the SC . Was looking to purchase the 2 person, when it came back into stock at the new prices I couldn’t justify it. I purchased the Helm 2 . Yes not a 4 season, but ticks a lot of boxes . Atb James , Tony . 🇮🇪🇮🇪
Ah that's a shame. The £900 price tag is a bit scary for the SC2, but much friendlier at £600 if you trade a tent in. That said, the Helm still represents really good value and has been a huge hit. I'm sure you'll get on well with that. Thanks for your comment! James.
I can see why you chose this tent, especially when you had it for under £400. It is a four season tent, is very light for the strength and pitches all in one. If you had to have just one tent I can see this being right up there for anybody... If they were prepared to spend the money on it.
At £700 it is expensive, but that seems to be in line with general increases in the cost of everything. With a discount code it is certainly more manageable.
I think if I had to have just one tent I'd definitely have this tent on my shortlist.
Thanks Kev, and I'm glad you see where I'm coming from. Just under £500 with a trade-in, under 2 kg, 4 season and with that all-important lifetime warranty, I honestly think the SC1 is a standout performer. I'll keep using it and might put out an annual review vid! Thanks for your input 👌 James.
@@joinmeoutdoors who knows, at some point I might sell my tent collection and focus on just getting one or two pricier tents.
I'm unsubscribing if you ever end up with fewer than ten tents!
Terra Nova have always over inflated there prices. There's no way the SC1 is worth £700 even with the 2023 update. At that price your starting to get into Hilleberg range there where quality between products is incomparable.
This is why I was so keen to make this video, because I've seen so many comments from people who see the £700 price tag and walk away, not realising that they actually only need to pay £490 or £560. I'm keen to spread the word!
Great review. Clear and concise. I’m an sc1 fan.
Thanks Pete. I'm glad you're enjoying yours too!
Just got the 2023 version 👌.
Oh congrats. A great tent got better this year! 👌
Great review of the southern cross.. I’ve been waiting literally almost a year for these to be back in stock. 😂 mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and finally managed to pitch it up in my garden. I bought the SC2 instead of the 1 as I already have the soulo and wanted something slightly bigger for the winter months, and it’s huge! Lol.
I’m got mine with 20% off using a code so feel it’s worth the money.
You must be a happy man after such a long wait! Congratulations! The SC2 looks to have LOADS of room for one person. I hope you have lots of memorable adventures with it 😎 ATB, James.
Hi James, that was a superb review of the SC1. You can see that a lot of time and care has go into it the review. I was thinking about purchasing one, but I already have the Abisko lite 1 and a Soulo. From what I can see there may be more room laterally at the foot and head of the Abisko as the walls of the inner on the SC1 looks like it closes in making the area look small. I noticed this on your very first pitch of the SC1 in your living room. Although I believe you found a fix for it by peging out the inner. It looks good value to me with the discount.
Thanks
Keith
Thank you Keith. The Abisko Lite 1 does look to be much more square, which gives quite a lot more interior room. That's going to be more important to some people than having the streamlined shape of the SC1, so you make a good point there. I definitely didn't show the SC1 in a good light when I "pitched" it indoors without any pegs to pull the tent tight, and without tensioning the inner tent straps! I'm sure your two 4 season tents do a good job - they are both strong performers. Thanks for your comment 👍 James.
Great video. Thanks James.
Thanks Stu, and thank you very much for your contribution.
I got mine from Cotswold outdoor - after being given a £100 voucher for being at work for 5 years...plus a 15% discount code I found on line. So I only spent £257 of my own money on this amazing tent. Finding the footprint took a while though.
£257 is very easy on the wallet compared to the RRP isn't it?? Great buy!
@@joinmeoutdoors certainly is. I can’t believe the RRP right now. I’ve treated myself to a pack of the toggles for the footprint today - that’s a genius modification sir.
I hope you find them as useful as I do! I could do with spending a few minutes adjusting the lengths of the six shock cords now, to perfect it all. The next time I camp and have more spare time in the evening I'll give them a tweak.
Just ordered mine from terra nova paid £480 with footprint and mini firma pegs. Wish I new abiut your discount code I had a %15 one but 20 would of been better 👌🏽
Congrats nonetheless! New tent day is always a good day 😁
Love my SC1 and can’t wait to get out in it this year. My webbing loops look just like your old ones (where the eyelets are the same width as the strap), so I’ll keep an eye on them. Think I’m also missing the dyneema loops on the blue straps but I’ve got some spare so may add it!
Good to hear from another SC1 owner! I think those dyneema loops were missing on a few tents from what I can gather. Well worth adding them - I've already seen the value on them on a windy camp, anchoring the middle of the tent down with 40 mph wind trying to send it into orbit! Thanks, James.
@@joinmeoutdoors agreed, will have to get on it!
Great review! My only concern is the fly material. I'm not sure if Si/PU fly will last as long as Si/Si and the seam tape will fail after a few years. Other than that it looks like a great tent.
Thanks Andrey! I have a very old Vango tent whose seam tape has failed (it's 30 years old), so you're quite right. Terra Nova offer a wide range of tent repairs, and on their website it says they can re-tape your tent for you. Pricing states "from £8 per metre" 👍
@@joinmeoutdoors When the taping came of my quasar, I sealed the seams with clear silicone sealant thinned with white spirit. Pitch the tent and apply with a paint brush. This actually gives you a better and more durable seal than taping. Manufacturers use tape because it it much quicker and cheaper to apply.
That sounds like a good solution (no pun originally intended) to me! 😁
What I really want to know is how it does in the summer, people seem to forget that about the '4 season' claim. It's not just winter! How is the condensation? How is the ventilation? If it's rainy but hot outside how do you cool it down? Thanks! P.S I 100% trust this tent for a blizzard from everything I've read.
I think you're the first person to ask me this! Four season tents generally do focus on their abilities to tackle the winter weather, purely because any old tent (within reason) can handle a warm and mild summer's evening. But you asked, so I will answer.
Personally, I find the ventilation and condensation levels of this tent to be absolutely fine, and I wouldn't recommend it so openly if I thought it performed badly in this area. By their very design, four season tents drastically limit the amount of air that can flow through them because their flysheet come right down to the ground. The SC1 has a vent on each end of the flysheet, and a velcro flap at each end of the inner tent that can be opened or closed to allow better passage of air through the tent from those outer vents. I always have those inner vents open. In addition, the bottom of the outer door can be unzipped about 6"/15cm and clipped into place (to stop it from flapping around as an unzipped door otherwise would). If I'm camping in a damp area, I will often use this feature, and if it's not raining, I'll unzip the top of the outer door a bit as well. The 2023 SC1 features a hood over the top of the outer door, so you should be able to open the top of the door slightly - even if it's raining - for a bit more ventilation. I would say that the SC2 is easier to ventilate than my Hilleberg Soulo, for comparison.
A four season tent isn't going to be the ideal weapon of choice on a truly hot day because of that flysheet - same as any other four season tent. You can always wedge a shoe/rucksack etc under the flysheet to encourage air flow if you have to though. If I'm camping somewhere exposed in summer, I'll always opt for the SC1 over my lightweight single skin Naturehike Vik 1. Yes the SC1 will be hotter, but I'd rather be hot and safe than cool and at risk of my shelter collapsing. Personal choice though! ✌️
That's a really useful summary, thanks very much! The opposite problem seems to be true of the Helm 1 for example, if they just put a cover over the mesh top of the door then it would be a much more convincing '3.5' season as some people call it. It seems to me it would be way more drafty than the southern cross for that reason. Maybe Terra Nova needed to justify the 200 quid + for the Southern Cross! Either way it's a love tent mate, I think I am gonna get one as I need a proper 4 season for some cold adventures this winter. Thanks for all the useful info.@@joinmeoutdoors
I think it's quite straightforward to justify the price difference between the Helm 1 and the SC1. The SC1 is lighter, stronger, 4 season, and has higher hydrostatic head ratings for the groundsheet and outer, for starters. To be stronger AND lighter at the and time - as well as providing 4 season capabilities - has to come at a price. The final golden nail in the shiny coffin is that lifetime guarantee that the SC1 comes with.
The SC1 is on sale at £490 from Terra Nova at the moment, so my discount code won't be able to take any more money off that discounted price. If you add any full priced items (e.g. pegs or footprint) to your order, you will receive 20% off those with my code.
P.S. As a reminder, using my affiliate link in the video description doesn't cost you anything, but it earns me a small commission if you do choose to place an order. This in no way needs to affect your decision about which tent you want to go for though!
Great tent, I'm just on doing research and wonder if the SC2 would be better for me I'm about 6ft3
Looking at the dimensions on Terra Nova's website, you don't appear to gain much more length by going to the SC2, but perhaps there are some reviews out there that will help you. Dan over at wildcamping.lifeuk on Instagram has been using the SC2 for the last few months, and always gives good honest opinions about his gear.
@@joinmeoutdoors cheers mate I will have a look. Was going to grab the northern lite 2 but there not making it this year apparently, you can't find em anywhere.
@@davt8615 Oh that's a shame. I like the look of the Northern Lite 2 myself as well.
@@joinmeoutdoors looks a great tent mate, wonder if there just updating it for next year, hopefully that's the case.
I'm switching between my zephyros compact 1 and helm compact 2 currently, both been cracking Tents
@davt8615 You could be right there. I think there were some negative comments about a lack of a rain gutter, so perhaps that's behind the hold-up?
Really good video
Thanks Pierre, I'm glad you found it useful 👍 James.
This tent does tick a lot of boxes for people price aside.the thing for me is the space inside I've had similar size and I'm not the tallest and having my head touching the top and shoulder width really started to annoy me so much
I know exactly what you mean. It doesn't take much for a "snug" space to feel like a claustrophobic box. I used my OEX Phoxx 2 once, and cannot get on with the low roofline on it, so I won't be using it again. You've got to be happy with the space you're in when you're going to be spending upwards of 12 hours in it in winter nights. James.
Great video, very informative, thankyou.
Have been looking for a winter tent. I have a vango banshee 300 for campsites and a snugpak ionosphere for wild camping.
Ionosphere is great, it held up ok in what felt like gale force winds, but inner first and no porch. Have been studying the snugpak scorpion 2 and terra nova northern lite. People are saying the northern lite definitely needs the additional hiking poles.
You’ve really got me interested in southern cross, it’s just the budget.
How’s the condensation issue?
Did you consider the 2 man version?
Many thanks
Thanks Andy, I'm glad the video helped (though I'm sorry if I've complicated your decision!). Four season tents don't breathe as well as three season tents (because the flysheet comes right down to the ground), but I don't find the Southern Cross troublesome with condensation, and certainly no worse than my Hilleberg Soulo. I didn't consider the 2 man version because I'm happy to keep internal space to a minimum in order to save on weight, but that's a personal thing.
great review i have the soulo too ... basically looks like a soulo stripped down ... definetly interesting can you close the mesh on the door or that stays open all the time? cheers
Thanks Silvio. I really like having the Soulo and the SC1 to choose from, with the SC1 weighing only 2/3 of the Soulo's weight if I don't need ultimate strength. The SC1 only has a mesh door, not like our Soulos that have two separate skins to choose from. I almost never use the solid door on my Soulo as ventilation is so important, but it's nice to have the option I suppose!
Nice tent of course but still lots of dosh! So would have to use it loads to justify the expense whereas my nightcat, albeit not the same spec or probably able to stand up to the same weather levels is the tent I now find is OK for me! I have had and still got many vango tents which are maybe a bit heavier but still good enough for a night or two out....but interesting and good review!
I really like comments like this. They really highlight just how much there is to consider when looking for the right tent. How much use it'll get, how important weight is, and even something like resale value. Spending £500 on a tent is a big commitment, but if you know it'll last you for years (and with a UK warranty to fall back on), it can ultimately be oddly easy to justify. Thanks Chris 🙏🏻
@@joinmeoutdoors it can be easy to justify! And it probably would have been when I was much younger and it would have got the lifetime of use! Now I have too much kit of course and can't justify any more and as I'm getting older a night or two wild camping maybe every month or so is getting to be my limit, find I'm doing more day walks if I'm honest! Next step is a camper van in reality, and then slippers and cocoa😅😂😅.
Haha that sounds like a good evolution of the camping lifestyle to me!
@@joinmeoutdoors absolutely 😂😂
Check out the wild country helm 1, similar design, punches well above its weight from the same company. Its the budget version of the southern cross. Recommend highly.
Great video, just looking at this tent now as its currently on sale.
How would you compare it to tge Laser compact 1?
Thanks Rui. I haven't used the Laser Compact 1 I'm afraid, so all I can really do is look up the specs on Terra Nova's website, which I'm sure you have already done. The Laser is only a 3 season tent of course, but is nice and light. I had seen that Terra Nova were running a sale on the Southern Cross 1 and some other tents. Big price cuts, though I'm not sure how long the sales are happening for. Sorry I can't be much more help! James.
@@joinmeoutdoors thats absolutely fine mate you already helped a lot with such great review. Probably the best review on this tent I have seen and I have seen a few good hours worth of reviews, just making a sure a use my money on the right one.
Currently have the Helm compact 2 its great but a bit heavy.
@@ruiseverino7609 Oh thanks, I'm glad it's helped! You might already have seen, but I've got quite a few vids where I've taken the Southern Cross 1 out and about. The Helm tents are really popular, but I'm guessing you've decided that camping means enough to you now for you to invest a bit more and get yourself an upgrade. Let me know if I can help any more with your decision 👍 James.
@@joinmeoutdoors yes looking forward to an upgrade. Just torn between the SC1 which I could use all year round or the LC1 which would be very usefull due to light weight as I'm doing the Tour de Mont Blanc in the begining of July.
Keep up your excelent work, outstanding channel and truly helpfull.
5*
@@ruiseverino7609 The Mont Blanc trip sounds awesome! Don't forget that the SC1 can be pitched outer only, so you could ditch the weight of the inner if you want to keep it super light. I haven't used mine like that yet, but have wondered about it! Thanks for the support, much appreciated. You know where to find my Terra Nova affiliate links when you've made your decision! 😁
Definitely not the pioneer 2 is . The SC is tiny
The SC1's compact size is one of my favourite things about it! 😁 Horses for courses though. I've never seen a Pioneer in person but they look like good tents 👍
This tent dont have a inner tent right?
It does have an inner tent 👍
@@joinmeoutdoors Do you set up the inner or the outer tent first?
@@Jakelol1980 It can be pitched both together, which is how I use it 100% of the time (i.e. the inner remains connected to the outer, via some simple toggles). If you want to detach the inner from the outer and pitch separately, it pitches outer first, and then you connect the inner to the outer from the inside.
Can't stand outer pitch first tents... They all sag inside!!
Horses for courses 🫡
It looks like it has alot less porch space than an Akto.
I think the Akto's colossal vestibule is one of its three or four strongest selling points. It's extraordinarily big for a 1 man tent! I find the Southern Cross's vestibule to be the perfect size - just big enough, and not too small. It swallow my backpack, shoes and all my food stuff with room to spare, so I find I don't need any more room 👌 Any bigger and I'd be carrying unnecessary weight for my needs. You must be able to perform several somersaults in the Akto porch! 😁
lol is not even the best tent under £60
sample tomount tents if you get chance are much better and 10 times cheaper and are not trying get all camping youtubers to push they products
@@henchy3rd
Just to make sure that the truth isn't being smothered here - I chose (and bought) my Southern Cross 1 long before I made contact with Terra Nova. I bought it because I thought it would tick a lot of boxes for me, and over a year later, it is still ticking all those boxes for me. I am just sharing my thoughts on the matter 👍 James.