Wilderness Equipment Cirque

High-altitude base camp tents must not only resist fierce winds, they must be able to support substantial snow loads, provide working and living room in lock-down weather and cope with increased UV bombardment. The Cirque starts with the proven core-framework design for such conditions: the 4-pole vee and cross combination - hub designs just don’t put enough tube ends down to the ground. By adding further pole arcs over the two entrances and over the built-in, double-entranced vestibule we have created a tent with romp-home performance. The specification is completed with our legendary attention to detail. At well under 5 kilograms the Cirque will also interest families and 3 or 4-packs of mates not deterred by and requiring shelter from ‘full conditions’.

- Vee-cross pole Dome with integral vestibule, 5-season, 3 to 4 person tent.
- Inner tent pitches first, outer attaches over and can be used alone.
- Min Wt 4.60 kg
- Packed Wt 5.10 kg
- Floor Dimensions: 2.5 long x 2.05 widest
- Outer Tent Fabric: 30d ripstop polyester, silicone elastomer face, 1500mm PU coated back.
- Outer Tent Colour: Gold.
- Inner Tent: Grey, 30d air-permeable ripstop nylon; Black, 20d nylon mesh door screens.
- Floor: Suspended tramp,100d nylon base - 8000mm PU coating, 30d PU polyester sides.
- Poles: Scandium Air Hercules, fully field-maintainable.
- Pegs: 10 x 4-Flute HT Aluminium, with pull cords.

Much more info about the Cirque
The new 2008 model Cirque includes a functional, built-in vestibule, fully-seam-sealed outer tent and the addition of an extra pole arc over the "direct door", providing wet-weather overhang not present on the previous model. Since everyone using the previous model also purchased the optional vestibule it is difficult to argue against vestibule integration! Despite these developments in the tent specification (and noting that we have maintained our high standards for floor fabric performance - 100 denier nylon with 8000mm waterproofness) the minimum set-up weight is, remarkably, only a little over 4.5kg.

The inner tent footprint remains the same. The double-access, roomy vestibule and the sheltered direct door make occupation by up to four persons a practical possibility if you are aiming to minimise the mass of tent carried per person in your party. The Cirque meets all the expectations of a bomb-proof tent for base camp or advanced-base use. Shared by just two persons it provides space within the tent to spread out and organise equipment.

Architecture
The four pole, cross-and-vee frame configuration is widely used on expedition dome shaped tents. It gives this tent excellent un-guyed stability. The hemi-spherical shape sheds wind from any direction and allows very little snow to accumulate, even in still conditions. Separate poles arc over the inner tent doors. One end of the floor is scalloped back in a tensioned arc, providing a small, extra stowage area or adequate space to remove boots. With this 2008 model you can orientate the inner either way, either so the scallop is in the vestibule for extra ground space there, or against the direct door for boot operations.
 

Outer Tent Features
Access into the tent (depicted by the arrows in the sketch) is provided at both ends and these doors can be fully unzipped for excellent flow-through ventilation and views.There are four vents high up on the outer skin. They are carefully positioned to provide optimum convective ventilation and exhaust of cooking vapours without jeopardising weatherproofness. In common with other tents in the WE range they are held open by short props and closed by strips of touchtape on carefully designed fabric carriers that prevent water being blown up, in and onto the inner tent in strong winds. All four vents can be reached from inside the inner tent. This is done by unzipping the top part of the inner doors and reaching around to the vents. The outer tent is provided with a full, reinforced guying system using our unique shockcorded guys. This sytem is essential to extend the resistance of the relatively rigid framework structure to the drag forces and distortion created by storm force winds. The outer can be erected on its own using ground tension tapes provided to link the vee pole tips, and using the fabric loops under the outer to positively locate the poles.

Inner Tent Features
The floor on the Cirque is uniquely designed to provide the reliable waterproofness we demand of all WE tents. The Cirque's pole end carriers are cleverly designed to suspend the tensioned floor plane well above ground level. This gets the stressed corner areas in particular up away from water laying on the ground. Even with out the careful seam-sealing applied to the floor pan perimeter it could be depended on to resist leakage.

The PU floor coating is light grey in colour. It is easier to find lost items in the tent, light levels improve on dull days and, against the black fabric background, accidental coating damage is easily identified for repair by liquid sealant application. Both ends of the inner are fully zipped and insect screened. The fabric covers on the screen panels can be unzipped for unobstructed views from the inner tent. There are full-perimeter pockets on the side walls and a loft stowage hammock.

The main pole framework is carried by mesh sleeves fitted to the inner tent. These are reinforced against wear when pole tips drag during pole insertion and removal. The door arc poles locate in partial-length sleeves bulit-in under the outer skin. Colored tips identify equal length poles.

Other Notes
While the Cirque now requires just two pegs to hold out the vestibule it is a good idea to place at least four more, one at each corner (beside the doors). This will prevent a tent with little or no gear in it from being blown away, thrashing around or distorting in light or moderate winds. They also help to keep the floor and door panels evenly tensioned across their base lines, assisting the smooth operation of the door arc zips.