Terra Nova Laserlarge 1

The lightest, most spacious 2 person backpacking tent currently available. The six guy points, coupled with the inherent stability provided by the two alloy poles, mean that the Laserlarge 1 can ride out the fiercest winds. The same features together with the simultaneous flysheet and inner pitching also mean that pitching the tent is a breeze, an important benefit for any backpacker.

Site	Price	Postage	Total
	£289.99	£4.50	£294.49

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   User Reviews

General comments: Light weight tents - generally fine if you are a midget but for those of us over 6 feet comfort can be compromised. i.e to small! This offering from Terra Nova is a tunnel design and has plenty of space for two people, without having to be too friendly, although the inner narrows considerably at the foot end. On first acquaintance I couldn't believe how light and thin the fabric was, but after putting it up I had more confidence. Seams and guy attachment points are well done and strong, and the finish quality is excellent. It does take a bit of effort and flat ground to get the fabric tight all over, and it's best pitched foot into the wind. A side wind and loose fabric can result in noisy flapping. There's plenty of space in the porch for both storage and cooking. The inner tent is a mixture of mesh and rip stop nylon so, with the very clever rear ventilation system (fly sheet can be raised from inside), it's possible to get plenty of air flowing to cut down on the condensation. The carbon fibre pegs are incredibly light, but have plastic tops, so have to be placed carefully to ensure that guy lines don't come off. I've had the tops come off a couple of pegs - perhaps more super glue in manufacturing would help. The option of attaching the inner to the outer for simutaneous pitching makes life easier, especially if it's raining or pitching on your own. There's a short rear pole attached via pockets to both the inner and outer and, if left in place, restricts how small the tent can be packed/folded if you are keeping it seperate from the other poles. If this is removed then it packs smaller than many bivvy bags. Overall pack size is small, although the (large) bag supplied means it can billow up a bit. At the quoted 1.79kg it's light enough to carry on your own - a real plus for those of us who can't afford both a solo and 2 person tent and have to compromise a bit.

Pros: Size to weight ratio is excellent.

Cons: Can flap in a side wind if not perfectly pitched. Pegs can lose their tops. RR Price is on high side, (but there are plenty of bargains out there - I got mine on ebay for less than £200)

General comments: Light and roomy but generally I'm very disappointed with this tent. As mnetioned previously the small pole at the foot end really needs to be removed to get a small packed size. It's easy enough to remove but try to figure out how it all goes back together when you come to pitch in the dark is a challenge. The stiching that holds the tapes onto the inner, which support the clips to attach to the outer is stressed and non adjustable. I feel that it wouldn't last. Needs some adjustment here. It also flaps in the wind and I've used a variety of tents over the years but I found I couldn't get it taught enough to stop it flapping. Fabric and materials are first class but I think it needs the design tweaking and some adjusters in places to hold the inner tent in the fly. The small pole at the back is fine but it's difficult to pack the length it is. Overall good material, let down by mediocre design. I was so impressed with it I sold it after using it for 3 nights

Pros: Material quality

Cons: Nothing really bad but too many minus points add up

General comments: I purchased the LaserLarge 1 in 2006 for cycle touring as a replacement for an awkwardly small tent which was too short for my tall partner. We chose LaserLarge as it looked like a good balance between our criteria of low weight, ease of pitching, small packed size and large pitched size, and we were not disappointed. For two, the tent is comfortable, with a pocket on each side and room for a couple of small bags inside. For one person, it is a spacious dwelling with plenty of room for a full set of panniers inside the vestibule and essentials inside the tent. After several weeks worth of camping in the LaserLarge, it has held up well against rain and strong winds. Condensation can be a bit of a problem on cold mornings. It's a great tent to carry on a bike, it fits easily inside a rear pannier and is actually lighter than the smaller tent it replaced. Vents at either end prevent the tent from getting too stuffy. Unfortunately, insects seem to love the yellow inner tent and get trapped between the inner and outer layers, but it's not hard to keep them out of the tent itself. In summary, I am very happy with the LaserLarge. It's ideal for a cycle tourist and would probably suit backpackers too.

Pros: Easy to put up, very light for its size. Vents at either end. Good sized vestibule for panniers. Comfortable for two, and spacious for one.

Cons: Not free-standing, yellow interior attracts insects. Slightly too narrow for two thermarests side by side. Suffers condensation on cold mornings.

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