Backpacking, long distance walks, cycle touring…

Which is the lightest and the best? Or your recommendations…

Im thinking Terra Nova laser comp 1.

[list]These are amazing.

i ve a vango that i ve had for 20 years taken all over europe hiking motorbike cycling its done the lot, not fancy not light weight, but its dry brilliant when windy and spacious

Erm … try this.

Are you carrying it?
What locations to camp – site, valley, sheltered(ish) or mountain top?
Duration of being in a tent – one night, or a week at a time, or more?
How many people?
What budget?
How much do you want to be sucked in by the marketing?

What balance do you want to strike between ultimate light weight and practicality?

Terra Nova Laser are the lightest afaik but they aren’t the nicest to stay in.

Carrying it yes of course…otherwise why lightweight?
Duration min 1 day max 2 weeks
1 person as stated by my choice of Terra Nova comp 1
Budget….always a tricky one that max £250
Not interested in marketing just knowing/ hearing that it works and works well.,

I find that I prefer tents with good inside space, expecially if in them for more than one night. I would rather carry the little extra weight.
I personally would punt for a wee bit bigger – Solar, Voyager, Taurus 1, Microlight etc.
Like bikes, wee things can make a big difference to how the tent is and how you use it.

I would love a lazer for an overnight or a Polaris or something. I would hate it for 2 weeks, they really are very small indeed.

Are you intending to put this on your back or your bike? It’s perfectly possible to bike-pack with a 2.7kg tent, but it’ll slow you down in a Polaris

I quite like this:

http://marmot.com/products/eos_1p?p=118,185&ft=185

I currently have a 2 person tent that weighs 2.4 kg that I have used on many of my long distance treks/ bikes so am looking for something that is at least sub 1.5 kg….pref sub 1kg.

^ someone at work just bought one of them Marmots. Looks good *apart from* the usual US thing of fly finishes high above the ground, allowing rain splats and driving rain in….

Oh and pref green ish….

Easier to blend in with the scenery for those impromptu stops/ lay ins.

Like matt, I prefer to pay a little weight penalty for some extra room.

Currently using a tarptent scarp 1 (under 1.5kg) which has great floorspace for the weight, also have a mountain equipment dragonfly2, which is bombproof, but at 2.5kg is getting less fun to carry.

At 6’2″ past tents, voyager and microlite just didn’t make the grade.

I just ordered a 4P Marmot job, nice and big only weighs 3kg ish – previous 3P one was impressively light and rather nicely executed.

I didn’t notice the fly issue but I think it was the case on my old MSR one. I suppose it’s for ventilation. The inner is solid higher up on the inside though.

Lightwave
I’ve used an old version of this for about 8 years, fairly regularly.
Including winter hills and cycle touring.
You can cram two folk in if need bed and i can sit up in it(shortarse mind).
Good porch and when set up with the wee end into the wind, it’s solid and very quiet even in a gale in assynt.
Highly recommend it.

I’ve just brought an Easton Mountain Products – Kilo 2P.. its a two man tent, but weighs less than most 1man tents I tested and used ten years ago… in fact I can get the weight down to about 1kg which is amazing! Inside there is actually enough room for two, or for one and all your gear spread out! Easy to put up, very quite to sleep in and its going to make it hard justifying taking the bivy…
I used it on my mini tour last week, and its spot on! I’ve used a lot of 1/2 man tents over the years, this has the most room for weight ratio of any that I can remember! And for one person carrying it, its a winner… price not so easy through as you are looking around £450… but worth it… there are some 2011 models about… which is slightly different, mainly a smaller porch, which for one person is no issue…

I got mine here: http://www.ldmountaincentre.com/category.aspx?id=1141

I use a Laser Comp for backpacking/bikepacking. I don’t usually go off into the hills for a continuous two weeks though. I’ve done a few longer trips that are a week in the hills followed by a day or two in the valley to regroup followed by more hills etc. I did the Munros a couple of years ago like that. The Laser is good for that sort of approach.

If you are going for a couple of weeks away from civilisation at a time, I’d be inclined to get something a little larger. The main issue with the really small stuff is condensation. As the tent is so small, you can’t help coming into contact with some of the damp bits and over two weeks, your down bag (if you’re looking to shave grams, you’ll be using down) will get damper. If there is more than a day or two of rain/damp/condensation, you’ll be glad of something bigger.

think about a quasar ultralight.
best of both worlds, you physically can not beat a quasar.
the ultralight is nice and easy to carry for a normal man. I use a non ultralight one normally.
sports direct have them cheapish every now and again.

hope this helps

Quasars are big and super strong, weigh 3kg and cost £600.

Definitely massive overkill for the OP!

Harking back to my Munro round again <sigh>

I used a Quasar for valley camping and a Laser Comp backpacking in the hills. 90 nights total. Both are brilliant but I would not want to solo backpack with a Quasar unless I was expecting weather of biblical proportions and then I wouldn’t be out anyway. Quasar’s pack too big and are very heavy for ‘normal’ solo backpacking.

you physically can not beat a quasar.

Yes, yes you can. I have seen 2 collapse around me when other tents stood. We have had 12 of them at work, and they are not lasting well or popular due to weight. Much better, more modern tents around IMO.

Sorry hijack alert…

What’s the modern take on a Quasar then please Matt. Mine’s getting a bit long in the tooth…

@boblo MSR Hubba’s are meant to be very good but maybe not quite a Quaser, the TNF Mountain 25’s or a Nordisk both are quite good… It depends what you want? Something that can take the full brunt of winter and being buried?

I was just responding to Matt’s comment. The Quasar is a bomb proof 4 season mountain tent. It’s been around since Moses was a lad and the only weaknesses (I think) are weight/bulk and the poles can be a bit snappy (I’ve done 2).

If this has been superceded, I’m interested by what specially as Matt is in the business of monstering his gear in Outdoor Ed.

I’d look for a secondhand akto on ebay. Pretty much bombproof, can take a lot of wind, excellent porch and good innerspace for one. I found the headroom at the centre of the tent better than my previous superlite voyager. I found the laser comp a bit claustraphobic, but you may find its ok for you.

Nothing better than a wild camp away from it all.

I love my Hilleberg Akto. Weighs about 1.5 kg, is roomy for a one man tent and has stood up to some grim winter conditions. Very easy to pitch too.

Oh I forget the Crux Bomb amazing tent…

Best 1 man tent, ever; Phoenix Phreerunner.

And there are 2 for sale on ebay right now – £230 BIN for a 30 year old tent!

That’s just reminded me of one of the best tents I’ve owned and used… a Phoenix Phreak… dated design now, but still an amazing tent… Might have to dig mine out, I’m sure I still have it somewhere… I lived in it for three months (tis a bit small for that)…

Still using my Phoenix Phreak 🙂

Also still using a Phoenix Goretex Bivi Bag, in fact I got it out on Wednesday to air it and check it out ready for a trip over May Day BH w/end. Great stuff in it’s day. Maybe I should put them on ebay…

+ 1 for an MSR Hubba. I used a two man Hubba Hubba for the TransAm, 70 odd back to back nights camping. I just bought a new one man version. It packs really small, pitches free standing, has a good vestibule. The all mesh inner might be a bit cool for the UK.

“…dated design now”

Why? If it does what it is supposed to do and does it well why is it ‘dated’?

Another vote for hilleberg here. I hasd a laser comp and it is wee for a 6″2″ male AND flaps in the slightest wind. Hilleberg secondhand within budget. I also have used a Big Agnes as well and liked it.

Hammock and tarp

the only weaknesses (I think) are weight/bulk and the poles can be a bit snappy

You make that sound as if it’s trivial! If you’ve snapped two poles then it’s not up to the task imo.

Fab replies…

I am torn between the Hilleberg akto…
And the Terra Nova Laser comp 1….

A brand I normally avoid is Vango. A mate raves about the Force 10 Helium 100.Im thinking prob not best quality?

Any other views on this tent?

Lasers are strong but this is due to their flexibility. They withstand very high winds but wobble about like mad. In the mountains it’s impossible to face the pointy ends into the wind as it changes direction. I imagine it would be a similar case for the Akto given the structure.

I really like the Terra Nova Ultralite Voyager. 2 man, 1.75ish kg and packs into a little yellow exped drybag with the poles separate. It does pitch inner first, but the structure is robust and it goes up quickly. Stable, light and small packsize (not much bigger than the laser in fact).

I’ve had bad experiences with Vango. They dont’ stack up on paper, nor in my experience in real life.

Just spotted a Solar Photon for £260 from TN here: LINKY. The pole structure looks like a more sturdy alternative to the Laser without being heavy, 865g!

That looks nice! If I had the spare cash I’d buy it for my Tour Divide attempt in 20xx where xx is a large number.