I’m after a lightweight one or two-man tent for wild camping and bike bivvying, mostly in the UK, 3+ seasons. I’m looking at the Hilleberg Akto and Terra Nova Laser and Solar ranges. Has anyone had experience of these or any other models? Ta.

Another one to add to your list, after researching the options I will be buying the 1 man version for bikepacking next year.

http://www.tarptent.com/scarp2.html

The laser or laser comp is the tent of choice for 99% of mountain marathoners, cant get better rcommendation than that.

£224 for the red laser comp on terra nova site at the moment too, althought the laser comp is really a 1 man comfort 2 very friendly people.

Another one to add to your list, after researching the options I will be buying the 1 man version for bikepacking next year.

Its 1.25kg though, thats hardly lightweight for a single skin tent ?

Its not a single skin tent.

and as you have already hinted the terra nova tents lose weight by losing size as much as from using lightweight materials, fine for mountain marathons, IMO fairly miserable for general usage.

If anyone’s interested I’ve got a Terra Nova Argon 900 for sale. It’s brand new and I’m looking for £100. Like the one in the link below.

http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/product.php?product_id=1461

Cheers

😳 My mistake, only looked at one picture, in that respect it looks ok !

I have had an Akto for about 10 years and am very happy with it. In that time it has been perfect, I live in Scotland so it gets some hard use as a 4 season one man tent. In that time it has had one new ground sheet sewn in – that was painless to organise.

In still weather it can suffer from condensation, but the current version has a vent above the door zip that mine doesn’t. That’ll go some way towards curing the problem – although small tents are more predisposed to condensation. The tent size is perfect to me, enough room to lie on your side with a good book and space in the tent for clothes and luxuries, and a generous porch for creating posh meals and sheltering rucksack boots etc.

The laser or laser comp is more often used by adventure racers because of the lighter weight. I don’t think it is as strong or as well built. My friend who I sometimes camp with has one and it does look nice enough though. But when the time comes, I’ll get another Akto.

A photo of mine on Clisham last September:

Macpac Microlight? They’re multipitch so you can pitch outer, inner or whole tent. also you can make the porch area bigger when cooking. their groundsheets are neoprene and are much better long term than most i’ve experienced.

Vaude are now doing a tent that competes with the Akto:

http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/Gear-Reviews/Search-Results/Tents/Vaude-Power-Lizard-UL-2010/

That’s the nicest pic I’ve seen on here, Waderider. Ta for the info everyone – useful stuff.

Ahhh, cue Akto vs Lasercomp debate of religous ferocity… Bit like HT vs FS 🙂

The Atko is reputed to be a well made, decent quality ‘4 season’, high quality, 1 person tent. 4 season because Hilleberg say so….

The Lasercomp is about the same size (bit bigger porch), very similar in construction and a bit lighter. Terra Nova don’t put ‘4 season’ on their bumf so everyone worries about this. TN concentrate more on their ‘lightest tent in the world’ moniker though people use them all year round. The Lasercomp is cheaper and a bit lighter than the Akto (not much though as the TN claimed weight is unrealistic for most real world use IME).

I have a Lasercomp and it’s a reasonably sized one person tent (or two skeletel midgets). It weighs just over a kilo in ‘ready to use guise and suffers horribly from condensation in still/muggy conditions though they all do that Guv. The build quality is good and TN support excellent. I’ve camped just over 90 nights this year using my Quasar and Lasercomp and both have been brilliant.

Also have a look at Vaude’s newish Power Lizard. Similar concept but a bit bigger for 2. When choosing, remember, you can just about get 2 Lasercomps for the price of an Akto with the Powerlizard priced somewhere in between. IMO/IME, the price differential doesn’t get you twice as much tent as they are much the same in real world use.

Useful info Boblo. Main worry with the Laser is its ability to withstand some fierce weather – wind and rain, basically. I’ll be camping on some reasonably exposed areas in the Lakes – the odd ridge and possibly summit. I don’t want a tent that will blow away, collapse or let the rain in. I’ve got a Wild Country Mistral and it’s been superb, but it’s too big and heavy for what I need now.

If I were looking for true 4 season use in very exposed situations, I wouldn’t be looking at a superlight backpacking tent from any of the manuafacturers…

Are you solo camping or with companion? If the latter (and assuming use as per the first para), I’d get a Quasar Superlight (or similar) for the more extreme days and a backpacking tent for the rest of the time.

If you want to save weight, go with a friend…

I’ve an old Phoenix Phreerunner single-skin goretex tent, up to 2 man but 4 season and no condensation/side-touching to worry about – do they still make the equivilent?

MSR Hubba Bubba…

I’ve got one, and love it..

Terra Nova Laser (not the Comp) is £231 from Nevisport. Thats what I got (with a view to using it solo)- bigger than the Comp, for not much weight gain.

Comps can be had for around £200- sometimes less.

About four/five years ago I got pissed off with the cramped accomodation that my 25 year old Saunders Jetpacker offered and I went on a mission to find something better.

I used the tent fairs to plague the staff and I took down and put up several different options. I whittled it down to the Laser or the Akto. Despite the depressing fact that I was gaining 200grams against my Jetpacker(1400gms), I went for the Akto (1600gms) in preference to the Laser (just over 1000gms). The Laser at that time (may have improved) just seemed too flimsy and insecure when erected whereas the Akto seemed sturdy and sound with plenty of room. And I’ve not regretted the choice…. you do carry extra weight/ it does get condensation in still conditions/ but it has withstood plenty of weather without a hint of concern on my part/ and there is bags of room.

I’m not in the market at the moment but I did see the new Vaude offering advertised, and having owned two Vaude tentas in the past that I was well pleased with I think that would be worth a look.

I would always make sure I handled the item before buying and I would insist on putting it up…as best you can in a shop…so that I got a good idea of how it worked.

Another personal thing of mine for British weather….never get a tent that you cannot erect outer first, and take down inner first. That way you stand a chance of keeping the inner and all your kit reasonably dry.

Or Hilleberg Nallo. Room for two but only about 1kg all in. I have one that’s been used 3 times that I was going to put on here or eBay in the spring

i’ve got the msr hubba too. it’s a great little tent.

Doesn’t need to be full-on 4 season. I’ll be going with mates, but they mostly have their own one-man tents, so I might just get a one-man myself.

Hopefully helpful?

@br Aaaah, The Phreerunner, a classic. Phoenix dissapeared years ago so they don’t make one and I haven’t seen much in the single skin GTX flavour for years. They were popular with the high altitude boys for a time though.

I had a Phoenix Phortress as my first real mountain tent. Took that all over the world and to over 20k feet in the Hymalayas. Those were the days… I recently saw an Outward Bound group with half a dozen of the buggers camped by the bothy in Glen Finnan. The Quasar is better in many respects but pitches inner first which can be a pain in the UK.

Edit: if there are two of you, go for a 2 person tent and share the experience. Whilst the 1 person ones are OK, I’d camp in a bigger tent any day especially in winter when room=luxury whilst trying to keep your down bag dry…

Alpkit’s working on a range of new tents for 2011, there’s a lightweight version mooted and I’ve seen the proto, which looks good and should be good value for weight/money, though it’s been delayed while the rest of the range gets finished. If you can afford to hang on for a bit, it might be an alternative option.

The VauDe Power Lizard thing is decent.

In general, I’d go for a lighweight 1.5-person/2-person tent over a dedicated 1-person tent, the weight isn’t significantly more, but you get a bit more internal space and feel less like you’re sat in a coffin. I’d avoid the basic Vango lightweights btw, or any other design that means the roof is inches above your face in a sleeping position. For a left field option, have a look at Nemo stuff, uses inflatable air beams instead of poles and works well. Or Big Agnes.

I’ve used my Laser Comp in all weathers, it’s well made and has taken on some crap weather. Sleeping two is cozy, but depends what kind of trip you are doing to the comfort level imo. The world’s lightest tag is helped by the 1g or 2g titanium pegs, they work but i prefer something more substantial on the guy ropes, the Alpkit Ti pegs are a good buy.

Take a look at the Go Lite Shang ri La 3 tent, it’s really versatile, and a good half way between Ultra light camping and bivying. You can use the outer skin on it’s own (weighs 680g), or with a mesh bug nest or just a floor, Go Lite supply all the different options, the supplied pole weighs 340g, however you can ditch that in favour of lighter options , or suspend the tent outer from trees. This is decribed as a 3 man tent which in reality is a very comfy 2 man, it’s is ‘tepee’ design so strong in high winds and you can cook and sort kit out comfortably in bad weather, unlike a lot of other ultra light offerings. I have just bought the new improved model with better zip and waterproofing and have used it on several trips in mixed weather and been very happy.

Availlable from backpackinglight.co.uk who also sell a range of custom gear to go with it!

Robert Saunders! Internet only these days but years of experience and very releiable. Had mine 20 years and still going strong including several trips touring.

If you’re out for more than a couple of nights I’d rally recommend going large. I spent a week in a relatively spacious one man tent and it really got on my nerves. I’d recommend a light 2 man tent for solo rides as the extra space (porch and head mainly) is worth its eight in gold.

However everyone has their own tastes and would recommend a tarp for a 4 week expedition but if theres a storm outside its a bit more reassuring being in a decent tent, and the extra space reduces any claustrophobia / cabin fever.

Go lite Shang ri la 3 again! Use with x 6 1g ti pegs and you have a light roomy and strong tent they are great!