That might look like I’ve emptied my schoolbag out below, but it is in fact Terra Nova’s coming-soon Laser Ultra 1 in for test.
There’s going to be much discussion about this tent, the weight, the fabric, the price. We’ll get to all that in due course, first off though, what’s it like simply as a tent?
I’ll stick it in a trouser pocket when I’m heading out next and find out.
Excellent! You got one in. How long you got it for, Pete?
I’m really keen to hear about the strength of the fabric – and I wouldn’t be surprised if you could pack this into your pocket ;)
Got it for a month or so, and now that my schedule is back to normal as of tomorrow, I should get a few trips with it.
The fabric is odd, more see-through than I remembered, and it feels tougher than the Photon fly fabric which is that silky-soft way.
It really does fit in a pocket :o)
LOL
I can believe it! Well, I’m envious you’re trying this out.
Have a good un’ and give it a good thrashing. There’s a few naysayers out there concerning this tent.
I wonder how it will look in some of your photos now out on the hills? ;)
Folk are seeing the price and forgetting that buying one isn’t compulsory :o)
I love the fact that Terra Nova keep pushing the limit, every time they do it what they learn filters down the range. I got a first generation Laserlite and the Ultra weighs about half what it does, keep at it I say!
Hey, if you can get up here in February, come out on a trip and see what it’s like.
Aye, I’m hoping for some of “those” photies :o)
I’d love to head up, mate. Been tempted a few times – quite easy for me. I can jump on the train next door to Edinburgh then onto Glasgow and so on.
Got my eye on the Arrochar Alps thanks to you ;)
I got a bit of work to do this February, though – was meant to be in the Lakes at one point but had to knock that on the head :(
Bugger – just realised. Could’ve brought the ole video camera, too :)
A decent vid on the Laser Ultra ;) at sunset….
Bugger – just realised. Could’ve brought the ole video camera, too :)
A decent vid on the Laser Ultra ;) at sunset….with you having carried it up in your trouser pocket!
….I take your point that purchase isn’t compulsory……but £650! Bloody hell. I’ll be interested to see what you make of it.
Arrochar Alps are a must visit, give a me a shout any time!
Chris, as long as I don’t lie there inside it thinking “If I break it I’ll have to pay for it….”.
Talking of prices, the 2011 tent prices all round are going knock folk onto their arses, When I was compiling the info for the Trail review I kept saying “Is that right?”, and I mean that for low and high prices. Hilleberg £540 to Gelert £50.
It will be really interesting to see how this one performs. Hope their hasn’t been any compromises to get the weight down to what it is.
As for the price side of things i think we should start bracing ourselves for a lot of price hikes across the board.
Saying that a Hilleberg is £540 and Terra Nova have this on their site at £650. But its a third of the weight of the Hilleberg. If it performs well TN could be onto a winner.
That’s one comment I made on the Soulo review, I want to see a Soulo Ultralight. Mind you, how much would that cost?!
The Ultra sizes up the same as the Photon, so hopefully it won’t be like sleeping in expensice clingfilm.
Thing is though – the Laser Comp is slightly larger all round, isn’t see-through and costs half the price – all for the sake of 300g’s or so? And that’s being generous – cause the pegs will likely be shite.
Personally, I think Terra Nova have got this wrong on the pricing front.
It may well keep up with the ‘Joneses’ but in the current climate it’s ridiculous – plus, it’s madness! LOL
Still want one, though ;)
Give me 12 months and I’ll be eating my Comp as I sit in an Ultra 1!
Hey Pete, first log in for a while and so much to catch up with… six hundred an fifty poons!!! That shocked the bronchitis out of my chest that did!
Was wildcamping in the Lakes weekend, had bad condensation issues on Friday night even with the temp at -9, so I ditched the inner on Saturday for the groundsheet, which worked a treat. Anyhow, went to bed just before 6pm as you do, which left plenty of hours to ponder my Laser Comp, the Akto, wigwams and tarps. I came to the conclusion that I’d have bought an Akto over the Comp due to it being a better designed tent (IMO) but couldn’t justify it due to the comp being considerably better in two areas – cheaper and lighter.
Now both the Akto and the Comp when compared to this Ultra are cheaper and bigger… that will be enough for lots of folks to discount the Ultra I fear. I certainly wouldn’t want to go any smaller than my Comp and lying in it with the inner removed, in fact lets rephrase that, wallowing in it – I’m going to struggle using the inner again. I’d forgotten how much I like a bit of space around me.
The Ultra is lighter but that’s it’s only advantage as far as I can see, maybe pack size too if I’m I’m being proper fair. I’d want more of an advantage than that over my Comp for twice the money.
With you there, mrchewy.
For the sake of 300g’s or so it’s not worth the extra expense no matter how one may perceive the Ultra 1’s value.
It’s great to see Terra Nova pushing the limits as they do, don’t get me wrong. But there does come a line at which you cross and have to think twice.
The performance of their hybrid fabric is my main interest – as the consequences of that as ptc mentions can have a knock-on effect with their products never mind any other brand.
The Ultra is as much a statement as tent I think, for racers it’s a dream, especially as your sponsors will pay for it.
Interestingly, it’s just as waterproof as a ‘comp and the fly is more waterproof than the Photon’s, so they’ve kept performance while shedding weight.
It’s an enigma for sure.
I’m going to try to do a model by model comparison if I can, Laserlite, Lasercomp, Laser Photon, Laser Ultra.
We all like to see these top spec models, just glance at some of the ultralight sports car models – tens of thousands of pounds just to save a few kilos. Utterly daft maybe but it’s always a pleasure to read about showcase models because although we’ll never normally even get to see them, the technology will filter down to ‘normal’ users. That fabric does look pretty useful as well, even if only in a drysac application.
It’s all down to how truly lightweight focused you are – my mate Derek is of to try a mountain of 6700m… in a pair of Inov8s! Homemade yeti-style gaiters, insulation in the sized up shoes. To him, the Ultra will be a joy to behold… for me, as Terry said, 300g is not worth the extra expense.
Interesting stuff tho and fair play to Terra Nova for pushing the boundaries. British too!
Cyclists are even worse, roadies and mountain, for excessive pointless weight shaving, £100 to lose 12g that kind of thing.
Aye, you have to stand back and see the big picture sometimes, and then run away from it :o)
Just checked the weather, increasingly worse the next few days, so there’ll be no udate yet.
Bad news on the weather front then pete?
I’m heading up to the Cairngorms for a week at the end of Feb, so could do with one more snow dump at some point in the near future. We’ll see.
90mph over the tops and ridges, ain’t putting a tent up in that!
Freeze/thaw expected during it all though, so winter’s not away yet.
Ciarngorms? Ah, I had so many plans to get back there after my trip last year, I think the last six months got sucked into a black hole.
Remeber before you test it Pete you have to bike/swim&run half of Scotland and be on your arse before you pitch it, lol. I think terra nova have always made top tents, had a voyager for years when i backpacked a lot and it never let me down once. Things have moved on a lot weight & fabric wise but that tent is really for racers i think & people with deep pockets, and how durable will it turn out to be. Its a niche product for a specialist market.
Good summing up coops.
“bike/swim&run half of Scotland” no problem, does it still count when I’ve take 40 odd years to do it :o)
Two adventure racers or MMers squeezed into a see through tent.
It will amusing for onlookers when one of them gets cramp.
The world’s most expensive shadow puppet theatre?
It will be interesting to see how many of these appear at the LAMM
Aye, some racers, backpackers for that matter, might see it as a money saver if it’s more durable than the Photon or the comp and will last? Split the cost between two if it you’re regular race partners?
It just occured to me that I’ll be using naked flames in the porch.
Mmmmm, I love my Voyager (go ‘packing with the g/f), but if I ever find myself being single I’m having me one of these! :D
I thinking bringing one of these home would be a way to end up single unless you hide the receipt :o)