The authors report a compact, high repetition rate, all-solid-state Kerr-lens modelocked Cr4+:YAG laser, pumped by either a diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser or a diode-pumped Yb-doped fibre laser. Femtosecond pulses have been obtained, tunable from 1.505 to 1.550 mu m, with single beam modelocked average output powers as high as 280mW at repetition rates of up to 1 GHz.