TERRA NOVA LASER PULSE 1
This has to be one of the lightest and smallest pack size double-wall tents we’ve ever reviewed in Camping. Packed in its stuff sack, the Laser Pulse 1 is about the size of a onelitre water bottle, and tips the scales at just over half a kilo.
It’s aimed at fast movers with limited pack size, such as mountain marathon runners, but its qualities will definitely appeal to backpackers going for minimal weight and small pack size throughout their gear.
The Laser Pulse is a single-hoop tunnel with a short upright at the tail, and, while its default pitching mode is all in one, it’s possible to pitch the inner on its own, or indeed the fly on its own. Of course, that is all weather-dependent.
The tent is a three-season model best suited to sheltered pitches, but you could certainly extend its range somewhat with a small handful of alternative pegs for better grip in the ground.
With a maximum head height of 82cm, you’ll probably find it most comfortable sitting in the doorway with your head outside, but, for what is essentially a luxury bivy tent, the space inside for one isn’t that bad.
Even using the most advanced lightweight materials, it’s inevitable that a tent that more or less fits into your pocket demands a few compromises.
The pitched size of the tent may or may not be an issue depending on the size of the user, but certainly it is best suited to sheltered
pitches.
The single side entry unzips – there’s also a small quick-release fastener at the bottom to take the strain off the zip, as well as giving you a venting option. The door panel’s bottom corner simply lifts up then secures to the top of the fly with a loop and toggle.
The porch runs the side of the tent, and while the storage space beyond the doorway at the head of the tent isn’t huge, in the context of the other lightweight gear you’d be using, it’s likely to be perfectly adequate for your requirements.
There’s a hanging loop in the high point of the ceiling for a torch or lantern.