Gear

I've just had a Terra Nova Laser delivered, light or what!!

I'd never seen one in the flesh so to speak, bit of a shock TBH. Not sure if I'll keep it though, the fixed (I assume) end poles keep it from packing down and I haven't figured out what the toothpicks are for yet, tell me they aren't actually 'Tent Pegs' !!!

I know there are a lot of Laser users here so what do you all think, is it tougher than it looks? have you replaced the pegs? do you simply pack it upright in your rucksack. Anything else I should know (apart from should've got an Akto, can't afford one)

I'd actually ordered a standard Voyager but sent it back as it seemed a bit bigger than I needed.

I need a bit of advice quickly as I'm off to the Cairngorms  in a fortnight  

The follow on from Paddy's post is the obvious "but what if the ground isn't like that?", but that applies to any tent.  It's a good idea to have a selection of different peg sets and then you can take what is appropriate for a given trip, so if it will be the above, take the toothpicks, soft ground you're better off with V/Y stakes, stony/rocky ground tends to benefit from skewers, and so on.

Pete.

Yes - I'm there Friday and Saturday - but not Sunday.

My talks on Friday include the GR20, from 1030-1130, Lightweight Trekking, from 1330-1430, and Winter Sunshine Walking 1630-1730.

My talks on Saturday include Walking Britain's National Trails, from 1030-1130, and Lightweight Trekking again, from 1230-1330.

The rest of the time I'll either be on the Cicerone stand opposite the Glade Theatre where the talks are, or stomping round all the other stands.

See you there.

Thanks guys

I'm a bit happier now, in any case another package has just dropped through the letter box, 6 'Y' pegs from camcleat (which seem identical to the ones that came with my Vango F10 Nitro)

The Laser cost £250 inc shipping from F&T which seems like a good price, sometimes being in N.I. you get hit for extra shipping. The last tent I bought from F&T was a Phoenix Phreeranger EB way back, cost £199 at the time (only sold it about 3 years ago, mint, such an Idiot!!!)

ps. why is this thread in bold type?

Yeah it does look good, just got to repair the holes in a fake wooden floor here before the wife gets home. The 'Toothpicks' were fine, might have got away with that but the Y pegs made a bit of a mess.

I wouldn't worry about the strength of the tent. I've had the older Laserlite for 7 or 8 years and despite heavy use, and some abuse, it's still going strong.

It's much tougher than it looks. However, there are four guy attachment points fitted halfway down at each corner of the fly that do not come with guy lines attached as standard. I recommend you get the four extra pegs needed and fit guys to these because it will improve the stability, and the general pitching quality of the tent immensely if you do.

Should be a super tent but if it is the Laser and not the Laser Competition it's worth checking if you got the 2009 2 door version.

Various folk are discounting the 2008 (one door) model at the moment, but although I haven't actually seen it in the flesh I'd go for the two door even if it cost a little more.

The aditional flexibility a second door offers if using it for two, or for more ventilation and 'openess' in good weather would be worth a little extra.

(best price I've found for the 2009 version so far is Springfield Camping)

Well I've just pitched it.

It's got 2 doors but 1 porch, one big inner door with half mesh on the porch side, the other door is plain material. I used the supplied pegs but they'll definately be replaced with a combination of channels/skewers/Y's

There seems to be a fair bit of unsupported fly, any danger of it bowing in and touching the inner? (haven't added the extra guy lines yet)

The inner tent uses the flysheet pegs to pull it out along the groundsheet rather than separate hooks on the inner, don't know if thats normal on a Laser or not. Seems stable enough just the sides panels flap around a bit but it's a 1st attempt at pitching so there may well be a bit of user error.

1st observations.

I don't like the pegs, they may well work in certain circumstances but I'd prefer more of an all rounder.

The Door Zip tends to get caught on the Pole Cover, need to add a loop of paracord I think.

Would have preferrd a double door on the porch side at least (assumed it would have, didn't do my homework I guess)

Would have preferred the inner to attach at all points using hooks on the inside of the fly.

That said it's sitting out the back looking pretty good. I know theres a blog somewhere with Laser modifications, anyone know of it?

Also any tips from owners?

Cheers, Richard 

There are some Laser mods here

I take a selection of y-pegs with mine (a minimum of 4 to replace some of the standard issue ones). I also have added extra guylines to the fly and polecover

ok so its an extra 50-100g of weight but it makes the overall pitch very very steady indeed

good choice in tent btw

Thanks Jon, just been out lying in it

It's really roomy , it's quite windy here just now and it's started to hail, gonna grab my sleeping bag and go back out, probaly sleep in it tonight.

Cheers for the Link, I'll have a look later. 

Thanks Dave,

I'd already ordered some Camcleat Y's, can't remember why as the Laser was ordered later. I've got a good selection of pegs ranging from monster Plastic, through Wild Country Alloy Skewers (Quasar), Phoenix Alloy Channel (Phreeranger) F10 Y's, big alloy channels (unbranded). Might get some nails.

I checked out the link but some of the features are on my Laser, manbye the Comp version is more cut down. There's a plastic mini fastex at the bottom of the fly zips rather than a ring and hook and the door hooks to the inner when open with a loop and toggle arrangement.

The door tension cord looks interesting but I'm having difficulty figuring it out together with the inner shockcord mods. I haven't had a close look at them TBH, the inner was attached when I got it so I just put it up. (Managed to get the pole cover tyings twisted around the pole at both ends as mentioned on Blogpackinglight) but apart from that it was fine.

All the tapes/lines etc for the flysheet venting look a bit complicated, I'll need to study them later. I haven't figured out how it works yet, tried pulling on the ends in the inner tent but I don't think anything happened.

Avoid TERRA NOVA AT all cost.

Quality got worst and worst. Had a LASER LARGE one , just been at the weekend at the Black hill , wind manage to rip my fly sheet and snap 2 polls... + Useless costumer service. And to repair they asking £180.

Never again.

My own experience is wildly different, damaged a pole on my Quasar (an Old Wild Country version) Phoned them to see about a replacement but they said that the design had been changed slightly and new type ones wouldn't fit, said they could make a new pole to suit but given that the tent was pretty old it mightn't be worth it. The guy said they usually had spare poles from traded in tents and he could send me some bits and pieces to repair mine.

I had to pay postage but ended up with 2 complete short poles (undamaged) and a long one.

Thats pretty good in my book