Darche Buffalo 1535 vs Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300

The Darche Buffalo 1535 and the Ironman 4x4 Ursa 1300 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. Darche and Ironman 4x4 take noticeably different approaches to the same problem.

Inside, the Ursa 1300 gives 3.28 m² of sleeping floor against 3 m², about 9 percent more, though both are rated for 3. List prices are within $96 of each other, so price is unlikely to decide this one.

They open differently: the Buffalo 1535 is a clamshell and the Ursa 1300 a fold-out. 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 Buffalo 1535 uses 6-Series Aluminium; Heavy-Duty Aluminium Honeycomb base; the Ursa 1300 uses ABS hardshell with aluminium honeycomb base. Canvas differs too: 180gsm Ripstop Polycotton Canvas with blackout coating (3000mm); 420D Polyester Oxford fly (1500mm) against 420D polyester Oxford fly; 320gsm ripstop nylon mesh. Closed, the Buffalo 1535 sits 14 cm lower on the roof — 18 cm against 32 cm — which is drag you carry on every mile you are not camping.