Is This the Ultimate Solo Tent for Scottish Wild Camping?
If you’re looking for a true four-season tent that can handle everything the Scottish Highlands throw at you—from summer hailstorms to winter whiteouts—the Hilleberg Unna is one of the most rugged and versatile options out there. After putting it through its paces on a three-day wild camping trip across the Moine Mhòr Munros in the Cairngorms, I’m ready to share an honest review.
What Is the Hilleberg Unna?
The Unna is a freestanding, single-entrance, dome-style tent from Swedish tent-maker Hilleberg, known for their bombproof expedition tents (and their hefty price tags). The Unna is part of their Red Label line—designed to balance strength and light weight for year-round use in exposed environments.
- Capacity: 1-person (roomy enough for 2 in a pinch)
- Weight: Approx. 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) packed
- Inner Dimensions: 230 cm long x 110 cm wide
- Interior Height: 100 cm (enough to comfortably sit upright – this was very important to me!)
- Vestibule: Minimal (more on that below)
- Price: £800–£900 (GBP) / $785+ (USD)
First Impressions
The Unna was a big deviation from tradition for me. If you’ve read my review of the Big Agnes Copper hotel, you’ll know I love a huge vestibule. The Unna’s vestibule is almost non-existent (but there’s a hack – see below). I also went for the understated “sand” colour rather than something super bright (they do make a red version!). With the Unna, I wanted to blend into the landscape. So how did it do?
Out of the box, the Unna looked felt a bit hefty, but that’s often the case for four-season tents. The materials and stitching exude quality, as you’d expect for Hilleberg. The two-pole design is refreshingly simple. Despite being marketed as a solo tent, it feels palatial inside—especially compared to other solo 4-season tents I’ve used. Here’s what I observed while testing this out on the Cairngorm plateau…
Pros: What Makes the Hilleberg Unna Great
✅ 1. Bombproof Construction
From the Kerlon 1200 outer fabric to the sturdy 9 mm DAC poles, the Unna is clearly built to last. Even during a sudden high-altitude downpour with gusty winds, the tent didn’t budge or flap. This is a tent you can trust in serious weather.
✅ 2. Genuinely Freestanding
You can pitch the Unna on rock, snow, sand, or heather with no need for guy lines (though I recommend using them for stability). The dome design holds its shape even without pegs, making it ideal for unpredictable wild camping spots.
✅ 3. Quick and Intuitive Pitch
The two identical poles slide easily into continuous sleeves, and the inner and outer pitch together—ideal in bad weather. I had it up in under 5 minutes, even in wind and rain.
✅ 4. Spacious Interior
At 110 cm wide, the inner feels luxurious for one person and manageable for two in a pinch (especially if one of you is a dog). There’s plenty of room to sit upright and store gear inside. The walls do lean into the tent, so if you do intend to share this with a human or dog, that can encroach on the roominess, especially while sleeping (I kept finding myself making contact with the wall of the tent, not a huge deal, just a tad nippy).
✅ 5. Clever Inner Tent Hack
While the Unna technically doesn’t have much of a vestibule, you can unclip a corner of the inner tent and fold it back to create your own porch. It’s a game-changer when you need to store wet gear or cook in bad weather without bringing the mess inside. I did this on our first night out, and even with the hack in play, I still had plenty of room inside the tent.
✅ 6. Year-Round Ready
This is not a fair-weather tent. The Unna feels equally at home on a snowy mountain as it does on a rainy Scottish moor. If you want one tent to use in all seasons—including shoulder seasons and unpredictable weather—this is a solid investment.
Cons: What to Consider Before Buying
❌ 1. Minimal Vestibule Space
The lack of a true vestibule is the biggest downside. Cooking or gear storage in bad weather takes creativity (and the inner tent hack). If a large porch is a must-have, consider the Soulo or Allak instead.
❌ 2. Heavier and BuLkier Than Ultralight Options
At around 2.4 kg, the Unna is not ultralight. For solo summer trips, this may feel like overkill. But for trips where safety and shelter matter more than weight (i.e. most of Scotland!), the trade-off is worth it. You can reduce the bulk of the tent by packing it in a compression sack – I found the Unna to pack nicely into a Lifeventure 10L compression sack.
❌ 3. Premium Price Tag
The Unna is expensive—there’s no way around it. But the build quality and lifespan arguably justify the cost if you’re a regular backpacker or wild camper. Here’s what it’s going for at the time of writing:
UK & Europe
- Ultralight Outdoor Gear – £899.99, free delivery in the UK and EU.
- Basecamp Gear – £899.99, also includes free delivery.
- Alpinetrek UK – £819.95, includes taxes and duties with free shipping on orders over £75.
- Nordic Outdoor – £899.99 – this is where I bought mine; at the time they were offering a free footprint with any Hilleberg tent – score!
USA
- S&S Archery – $920 USD, available in red, green, and sand.
- American Alpine Institute – $920 USD, often has stock when others don’t.
Accessories
- Alpinetrek – Unna Footprint available for £89.95.
Who Is the Hilleberg Unna For?
This tent is best for:
- Solo adventurers tackling challenging, remote terrain year-round
- Photographers, climbers, or dog-owners who want extra interior space
- Backpackers in Scotland, Scandinavia, the Alps, or anywhere wild
- People who value ease of pitching, strength, and reliability over ultralight minimalism
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
If you’re serious about year-round wild camping and want a tent you can rely on in extreme conditions, the Hilleberg Unna is absolutely worth the investment. It’s strong, spacious, and performs brilliantly in bad weather—everything you want when you’re camped high on a windy plateau in the Cairngorms.
Is it perfect? Not quite. But it’s the tent I’ll reach for when conditions are uncertain and I want peace of mind.
Hilleberg Unna Review Summary
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Weather resistance | ★★★★★ |
| Ease of pitch | ★★★★★ |
| Interior space | ★★★★☆ |
| Weight-to-strength | ★★★★☆ |
| Vestibule/storage | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Overall value | ★★★★☆ |
Moine Mòr Munros via Glen Feshie Wild Camping Adventure
Leave a Reply