Despite my positive experience so far, I was still a bit concerned that my style and frequency of rough backcountry travel would turn out to be a bit too much for this fine, ultralight tent. While that concern hasn’t come to fruition yet, I was both surprised and excited when WindQuester told me they were coming out with a “Pro” model of the same tent, and that it was based on the real world experience and feedback of people like me who used the original Horizon Lite 2.
If you're the kind of person that doesn't want all of the details, and is just interested in my honest summary, well here you go: in my opinion, the new WindQuester Horizon 2 Lite Pro is the best choice for people that hit the backcountry often, either through paddle sports, backpacking, or other comparable activities.
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| Pro At The Top, Original UL On The Bottom |
As of the time of writing this review, the Pro model costs around $100 more than the UL version. Ultimately, only you can decide if you travel enough, and in rough conditions, to make the extra cost worth your while!
If you want more detail, read on.
On the surface, the two tents look very similar, with the Pro version having a slightly darker colour than the UL version. This colour difference may be due to the Pro tent using a stronger grade of ripstop nylon for the fly and the tent walls: high-tenacity 15D vs. 10D for the UL. Both have a 15D floor, although the Pro version has a water proof rating of 2500 mm vs. 2000 mm for the UL version. The airy bug screen mesh on the Pro is also 15D while the UL is 10D.
Both tents also have the same shape, with the Pro version being slightly wider (about 3-4cm) and slightly higher (11 cm) based on internal dimensions.
Frankly, if you saw them both side by side and didn’t look closely, you probably wouldn’t notice the difference.
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| Pro On The Left, Original On The Right |
There are also a few component changes in going from the UL to the Pro: different pole attachment mechanics for the corners when setting up the tent (both are good; so a wash here), and a different “hook” type of mechanism for the attachment of the fly with the Pro, perhaps for better high wind performance.
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| New Pole Attachments |
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| New Tent Fly Attachment |
The guylines on the Pro are both stronger and more visible (I’ve tripped several times on the dark black guy lines of the UL version; not so with the Pro, which uses high-visibility orange guylines). Both tents use the same “V”-shaped lightweight aluminium tent pegs.
In my use of both tents, I’ve found them to be super easy and quick to set up. They each have colour coding on the poles and the tent floor attachments, so you can instantly tell the difference. Similarly, the back of each tent has a good-sized air vent with its own guyline, so that also makes it a no-brainer in distinguishing the front from the back of the tent.
Internal tent storage is a tad more generous in the Pro model, with a roomy, wall-to-wall mesh pocket at the foot of the tent, and two good-sized mesh pockets on the sides of the tent at the head end, plus attachment loops in the ceiling (useful for lighting or a small “clothes line” to hang things to dry). The UL model doesn’t have the foot-end mesh pocket, but has the attachment loops and head-end mesh pockets.
Having used both now, I have to say that I like each one, but appreciate the refinements and improvements offered by the Pro version; the heavier materials alone are a good match for my style of camping.
I hope this information is useful and helps you as you consider your own next tent purchase.