OEX Panther 2 UL Review: A Sub-1.5 kg Summer Backpacking Tent

Introduction

OEX, the in-house outdoor brand from Go Outdoors, has moved into ultralight backpacking with a tent range that includes the Fox, the Bobcat, the Bandicoot and the Panther. The Panther 2 UL is the two-person model in that line-up, and it makes a specific promise: a genuine two-person shelter that comes in under 1.5 kg with everything included, poles, pegs, guy lines and bags.

That combination of weight and interior space is unusual at this level, and it is the main reason the Panther 2 UL deserves attention. It is also a tent with a clearly defined season and a set of materials that ask to be treated with care. This review walks through what arrives in the bag, how it pitches, how much room it actually offers, where it performs well, and the trade-offs to weigh before ordering.

Who the OEX Panther 2 UL Is For

The Panther 2 UL is a two to three season shelter built for warm, dry, settled conditions. It is a summer backpacking tent first and foremost, and that framing shapes everything else about it: the fabrics are very thin, the fly is light on waterproofing, and the design leans toward ventilation and low weight rather than storm resistance.

That makes it a strong match for backpackers heading out on summer trips, wild camping on grassy ground in good forecasts, and for anyone covering distance who wants a two-person tent that does not dominate their pack weight. It also suits solo campers who want a lot of space for one, since the packed weight is low enough to carry comfortably alone and the interior is generous enough to spread out in.

It is not the tent for exposed ridgelines, winter trips, or forecasts with heavy rain and strong wind.

Design and Pitching

The Panther 2 UL pitches inner first, which is normal for a lightweight summer tent of this type. Setup is straightforward: peg out the inner, assemble the single-piece 9 mm pole, then clip the inner to the pole and work around the tent. The clips engage easily, and the colour-coded sections and fixings make it quick to match the right parts without hesitation. A crossing pole adds structure over the top.

The fly goes on last and connects to the centre pole with a double zipper, so there is no need to fumble underneath the fly to close it up. There are vents at either end, guy lines already attached, and a generous number of pegs supplied. The door uses a dual zipper, a strip of Velcro and a small storm flap, and the open door is held back by a simple toggle rather than a magnet, so it stays where you put it. Small glow-in-the-dark zip pullers help when you are finding your way in after dark.

The pegs themselves are light but well shaped, and the pole is a proper 9 mm one-piece design, which is notable in a tent this light. The fly is finished in a bright blue that will not suit every taste, though for a summer tent it is a deliberate choice.

Because it pitches inner first, it is worth practising the sequence before you are doing it in rain.

Interior Space and Ventilation

The interior is where the Panther 2 UL makes its strongest case. Measured roughly, the vestibule depth is around 75 cm, the peak height is 100 cm, and the floor runs about 220 to 225 cm long. The head end is the widest point at roughly 125 cm, tapering to about 110 cm at the foot end. Sitting in the middle, there is a comfortable amount of head clearance above a taller seated back, and the headroom carries a good distance along the length of the tent.

The layout is genuinely two-person: two doors, two vestibules, a lantern tab, two overhead pockets at the head end and a side pocket on each side, so each occupant has their own storage. The bathtub floor comes up reasonably high, and the inner is dominated by see-through mesh, which is what you want from a summer shelter because it keeps air moving and reduces condensation.

The inner is 15D nylon, which is typical for interiors at this weight, while the floor is a much thinner 10D nylon. The groundsheet does carry a hydrostatic head rating of 3,000 mm, making it more waterproof than the outer fabric, but the material is thin enough that it is visibly light and somewhat translucent.

Main Strengths

The headline strength is the weight. The complete setup lands under 1.5 kg on home scales, and that figure includes the poles, pegs, guy lines and bags rather than a stripped-down minimum. For a true two-person tent, that is the reason to shortlist it.

The second strength is space. The tapered shape and the tall inner, helped by the inner-first pitch that keeps the walls upright, produce an interior that feels roomy rather than compressed. Two adults fit properly, and one person gets a genuinely comfortable amount of room.

The third is the level of thought in the details. Thinner but still strong guy lines, small, well-designed fixings, glow-in-the-dark zip pullers, colour-coded pole sections and a proper 9 mm pole all point to a design process aimed at shaving grams without stripping the tent down to the point of fragility. Ultralight here is not a marketing word; it is visible in the parts.

Build quality, from the stitching to the pole clips to the door hardware, looks tidy and consistent. The brand’s other, heavier tents have a good record for durability, though this tent sits at the opposite end of that spectrum and its long-term lifespan is simply not known yet.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The trade-offs are real and worth stating plainly. All of the materials are very thin, and the fly fabric in particular offers a low level of waterproofing. OEX positions this as a summer tent, and that is exactly how it should be used. Heavy rain and strong wind are outside its comfort zone.

The 10D floor is the second point of caution. It is thin enough that it should be treated as grass-only unless you add protection underneath. An optional footprint is available and, for anywhere other than a soft grassy pitch, it is close to essential.

Longevity is the third unknown. Thin fabrics and light hardware are the price of the weight, and there is not yet enough real-world history with this range to say how many seasons the materials will hold up to. Careful summer use should treat it well, but it is not a tent to abuse.

Finally, the bright blue fly is a look that divides opinion, and the inner-first pitch means a little practice pays off if you ever have to set it up in poor weather.

Packed Size and Price Context

Packing is a strong point if you use it thoughtfully. The main tent bag measures 49 cm by 20 cm by 9 cm, but the better approach is to leave the poles out of the bag and carry them separately, then compress the fabric into a dry bag. Done that way, the tent becomes a genuinely tiny package that fits comfortably in a small summer backpack alongside the rest of your gear.

On price, the retail figure is £500, but this range is rarely sold at full retail through Go Outdoors, Ultimate Outdoors, Millets or Blacks. The tent has been sitting at around £300, and a 15 percent discount code brings that down to roughly £255. At that level, for a true two-person ultralight tent that comes in under 1.5 kg and offers this much interior space, the value is easy to see.

Buying Advice

If the Panther 2 UL fits your riding season, the buying decision is simple: add the optional footprint at the same time, because the thin floor is the part most likely to limit where you can pitch. Plan to store the poles outside the main bag and pack the fabric into a dry bag, which both shrinks the package and keeps the tent dry if the weather turns.

Practise the inner-first pitch once or twice in the garden before your first trip, so you can move through the sequence quickly if rain arrives. And keep the tent matched to its season: summer forecasts, grassy pitches, and moderate conditions. Used that way, it delivers a lot of space for very little weight.

Conclusion

The OEX Panther 2 UL is one of the more interesting lightweight tents to come out of a mainstream British outdoor brand. It is a real two-person shelter under 1.5 kg all in, with a spacious, well-ventilated interior, two doors and two vestibules, and detailing that shows genuine ultralight intent rather than a badge.

It is also unambiguously a summer tent. Thin fabrics, light waterproofing on the fly and a delicate floor mean it rewards careful use and a footprint, and it will not shrug off storms. For warm-weather backpacking, though, the balance of weight, space and price is hard to argue with, especially when the discounting brings it well below its retail figure.