Vango Helium 200 vs Terra Nova Laser

As an afterthought if you like to sit up in a tent the laser obviously has at least 5cm more headroom. I have to slightly dip my head in the helium to avoid touching the inner and i think i'm 178cm with a 50cm backlength for rucksacks (if thats any help!).

By the way, Springfield camping have the 2008 laser in green at £199 and the 2009 two door version in green or red at £255 (cheaper than the 2008 on terra nova's clearance page!!).

I'm almost tempted myself at that price (whispers so other half can't hear !)

Hi ME9,

I've owned both these tents and weight wise they dont feel that different. However, when it cam to space I found the laser to be much roomier. Felt very clostaphobic in the helium all night and also the porch wasnt as good for cooking in. I've sold both on know and opted for the 2 man laser just because the extra space in relation to weight was minimal.

Go to your nearest outdoorshop who have both and asked them to pitch them so you can have a look for yourself. I know Cotswold outdoors stock both of these if there is one near you.

Good luck

PORCH!!! Porch should be one of THE most important things. Was saying a few days ago to someone on here that of the last 10 wild camps more than half I've had to cook in the porch due to weather. You need a decent porch and as far as I know the porch isn't very good on the Vango, but surprisingly larger than you'd think on the Laser and Coomp tents.

There is just no point having a tent with no porch in this country IMO!

I am swedish and we have the laser here but not helium. I have to buy the pig in a sack because i can probebly not see any of them.

The thing with Laser is the polesleve that one has to tie with a knot, a knot!.  Hate it but yes its a detail. Wy not make it the same way like helium.

And yes i agree that a porch is important for cooking. I always cook in the porch.

I wanted to ask this exact question,  but as someone has already asked it I thought I'd bump this one up instead. 

The helium 200 seams like a really good deal, it does not look that different to the laser, but is much cheaper, and comes with seams sealed!  Anyome got experience with both???  I want to use as two man thogh, well, one 6ft man and one 5 10 woman. I dont understand why this argument is not just as popular as the akto vs laser??

I think you will find the Laser far superior.

However the laser comp vs Akto is a blind alley as nothing compares to an Akto.

I'm always interested in these comparision threads because being tall it's also an issue for me.  How is it that tent manufacturers generally dont give decent sized porches on smaller tents? I knw the weight issue, and I know that inners can be clipped back etc, but I just want a decent sized porch I can sit in and cook, and be protected from rain, and not have to curl up in a tent half on my side and eat. bloody grim that.

Anyway, i have a tarptent rainshadow ii (one kilo) coming which ticks all the boxes for me wild camping alone, and if the missus comes as well. its light, large, fast pitch, and reall adjustable.  I also bought a vaude ii taurus which is heavier at just over 2kg but has a big tent area and a decent porch, and the inner is attached to the outer so no issues if the rain is coming down when you pitch.  And with the vaude, if you do unclip the inner, you can get acres of space. oh, and its super cheap at gaynors sports at the moment (but only on their website, they wont match the web price in store, despite the fact that the damn things are in the stock room not 25 feet away from the till - bizarre). 

Fossil Bluff wrote (see)

I think you will find the Laser far superior.

However the laser comp vs Akto is a blind alley as nothing compares to an Akto.