Hello all
I been practicing putting my new Laser Competition up to get ready for my first expedition. Things were going swimmingly, until my eldest son crashed his plastic tractor into the end of the tent, completely shattering one of the carbon pegs (when they break they really do break). When I took the tent down one of the sections of the main pole was slightly bent.

When I next put it back up and down again, the pole had bent even more. will this bend get worse? I'm expecting it will. Can you get replacement sections for the pole or do you have to get a complete new pole? I like to get peoples advice before contacting the manufacturer in case they go for the expensive option.

Also for Laser Comp owners out there another daft question. On the pole cover there are the two white guy ropes that I presume are pegged out in line with pole. I've also got two long yellow guys where do these go? I'm guessing they are tied onto the loops on top of the tent and go out at 90 degrees to the pole? Is this right.

I've also just discovered the two bits of Velcro on the door section which make the door much neater when clipped up with the toggle. I've didn't get any instructions with the tent are there any more hidden features?

Cheers

John

Is this really a problem? How badly is it bent? Polls often get a little badly bent over time, but the tent still functions OK.

It's only just bent, ie. not straight any more. The tent functions just fine. I don't want to find myself on it's first outing to the lakes being subject to high winds and breaking on me at 2.00am.

There's no kink in it just a slight bend.

John,

According to Hilleberg, if the shape of the tent is affected the pole should be replaced, if not, then it should be ok. By the sound of it you haven't done any serious damage to the pole.

If you're very concerned about the condition of the pole then return it to TN for inspection. It's nice to have straight poles on a new tent but they always seem to take on a bit of a curve after a good hard blow. It's usual to take a repair sleeve or two. These can be used to repair a broken pole by sliding over the broken section and taping in place.

Thanks for that, I'll get a sleeve to take with me and leave the children and plastic tractors at home.

Any info on the guy lines would be most helpful.

i'd consider a claim on the tractor drivers insurance.

;o)

Hi John,

I've got a Competition.

What long yellow guys do you mean? I've only got 4 guys on mine i.e. the two that come off the sleeve (as you said above - in line with the pole) and two short ones: one at each end. You can see them (albeit rather vaguely) in this picture: one coming out over the pole towards the towel, and another short one at the end. Do you have a different one?

As for any further hidden features, your guess is as good as mine :) I got no instructions either - seems bizarre to me... However, I was given some good tips on how to peg it out/put it up, and so I've set them out below in case it's not what you're doing. You may like to try another way.

- You can almost certainly use just one peg at each end: from memory, that's for two elasticated loops and one short guy. Using just one peg helps to keep the end properly lined up.

- You can use just one peg at each of the side pegging points i.e. both the inner and outer pegging points will go to the same peg.

Before I started doing it that way I thought they'd not sent enough pegs, but now I have a couple spare.

- Also, you should tie the 'string' that goes through the sleeve in a loop, tightly enough to apply a bit of pressure to the pole. That's part of what gives the tent its stability.

- Finally, peg out the two guys that come off the pole (at right angles to the body - in line with the pole) as tightly as possible: that's also important for stability.

It's a pity TN don't bother to explain this stuff...

I emailed Terra Nova and they replied promptly with a PDF document with all the instructions needed to pitch my spangly new Voyager. Maybe they have something similar for the Comp?

Hello Peewiglet

Luckily for me I've found pitching the Comp pretty straightforward so no problems there. I've got all the guy ropes that are on your picture plus in the little stuff sack that contained the pole cover there were two very long yellow guys which reach the ground just over the small guy ropes at the end. Obviously when I use these, I also use the two spare pegs that most people seem to have as well.

These guy ropes are not needed to pitch the tent but I suppose would stop any side bending of the main pole in windy conditions, but the fabric of the tent would do that anyway? Confusion reigns.

Anyway I think it's a great piece of kit no matter how many guy ropes it's got.

Thanks for the reply.

How interesting, John! I didn't get those additional yellow guys. I wonder whether I should have? I'll drop them a line and ask.

p.s. have emailed them.

Hi again,

Well, I got a quick reply from Terra Nova, so good for them for that. Here's what they said, though:

Hi

Sorry the Laser Competition does not have yellow guy lines supplied with it.

I am not sure what the other owner has but we do not use yellow guy line.

Let me know if you require further information.

Very weird!

My husband just bought a Laser Comp. His hasn't got yellow guylines either - but it does have an instruction booklet (quite basic - covers the whole range of tents).
I wanted to ask if anyone else's Laser Comp has got big white writing on the detachable pole sleeve? Wasn't expecting that!

I think mine's got that writing, dibidal.

Is it the writing that says "860g"? It's a typo: should be "950"... :)

Perhaps Soulexpress included these guy lines as a freebie. They are exactly the same weave as the other lines with the reflective thread in.

Soulexpress were these a free gift?

Is it the writing that says "860g"? It's a typo: should be "950"... :)
Yep - it's that writing ... it's a bit showy for wild camping - would prefer it to say "please leave me alone" or perhaps: "this is not a tent". Maybe it will wear off with use. :)

Could be, John.

Maybe it's possible to put the sleeve on upside down, dibidal? I'll have a go in a couple of days :)