Laserlarge 3 alternative?

[saoirse50]

Thanks for the suggestions.

We'd discovered the Duolite earlier this evening,I've seen it at around £195, think we've decided to plump for it.

The Vango spirit is slightly bigger for a similar weight but I've seen some terrible reviews of it online.

I have used a Vango Spirit 200+ for about 8 years now. Terrific tent for the money. It has withstood violent gales, blizzards, torrential rain and I have never been anything other than warm and dry inside. One morning, after a night of one terrific storm, I awoke on a campsite near Gairloch right on the coast. I felt a strange sensation as I rolled over to unzip the door, rather as though I was sleeping on a bouncy castle. Looking outside, I realised that It had rained so much, the tent was resting on a layer of water. Not a drop had got inside. Quite a few tents had, apparently, blown down in the night and one poor family had to be rescued by the campsite owners. Loads of people drying out their kit in the morning sun. One of several occasions when I was grateful for my Vango.

 

[Sara_H]

Thanks to those who recomended the Laser Space - it came this morning and is currently erect in my garden.

I LOVE this tent, TBH I can see it being used when car camping as well as cycle touring, its plenty big enough for me and the OH when we haven't got kids.

Such a simple and brilliant design, who ever invented it should be knighted for services to camping!

 

[Sara_H]

Grats, you will love it, I know I do. Being able to get changed standing up is worth the money alone, but it only takes 5 minutes to put up and about 3 to take down. You just stuff the lot in the stuff bag, no zips required

When you say "stuff", do you literally stuff it in like a slleping bag into the stuff bag? I just took tent down and stuffed it in bag as it seemed a bit slippery to fold uo, but I'm worried this could damage the fabric

 

[willem]

Stuffing is better than folding, but often makes for a larger package. As for the question if a larger tent is colder. Yes it is, but not as stuffy. You will also suffer less from condensation.
Willem

 

[stephenjubb]

Thanks to those who recomended the Laser Space - it came this morning and is currently erect in my garden.

I LOVE this tent, TBH I can see it being used when car camping as well as cycle touring, its plenty big enough for me and the OH when we haven't got kids.

Such a simple and brilliant design, who ever invented it should be knighted for services to camping!

be careful when you use it in scotland during windy storms. I used mine and itlooked like a large wall being blown. it held its own though but the wind had a habit of blowing down on the top of the tent and can damage the large pole.

 

[Sara_H]

be careful when you use it in scotland during windy storms. I used mine and itlooked like a large wall being blown. it held its own though but the wind had a habit of blowing down on the top of the tent and can damage the large pole.

Thanks for the advice, I'll bear it in mind

 

[saoirse50]

This is something that worries me, now I have put mine up and taken a second look at the pole that gives that headroom. I'm heading to Applecross in the summer. Not sure if this is the tent to take now. I did see one up in a shop, prior to deciding to buy it, but somehow the central pole didn't look quite so big in a larger space. In my tiny, crowded garden, it looks much taller. I have seen a fair few storms take down tents, which my old Vango Spirit 200+ withstood. I don't fancy waking up with a wet roof on my face. Or worse.

 

[Fandango]

When you say "stuff", do you literally stuff it in like a slleping bag into the stuff bag? I just took tent down and stuffed it in bag as it seemed a bit slippery to fold uo, but I'm worried this could damage the fabric

I tried folding it when I first got it but you can't really. I just stuff it in like a sleeping back and haven't had any trouble. Obviously you have to be careful with the poles, the material is very thin but I think it's stronger than it looks.

As for wind, I haven't noticed any issues. It is a fairly tall tent, but no taller than most family tents, also it is well designed and good quality so I would hope it is strong enough for a blow.

 

[Ticktockmy]

The reason it is better to stuff tents and sleeping bags is if you fold them or roll them up, the folds tend to always be in the same place, which with a tent will cause damage to the fabric at the fold, and in the case of a sleeping bag if you roll it up it tends to create cold spots because the filling gets pushed towards one spot. When I have been touring and in the morning if it is raining hard the tent just gets stuffed into my rear (Wet) pannier in on and around the other contents.

 

[stephenjubb]

This is something that worries me, now I have put mine up and taken a second look at the pole that gives that headroom. I'm heading to Applecross in the summer. Not sure if this is the tent to take now. I did see one up in a shop, prior to deciding to buy it, but somehow the central pole didn't look quite so big in a larger space. In my tiny, crowded garden, it looks much taller. I have seen a fair few storms take down tents, which my old Vango Spirit 200+ withstood. I don't fancy waking up with a wet roof on my face. Or worse.

I have experienced severe storms in Ullapool in August in this tent and it did stand up well.

Where I would doubt it is if you had storms day after day after day.