The 2-person Terra Nova tent you can stand up in
Gear news
19 July 2008 11:53
"Ouch! Watch your step you great oaf!"
If that sounds like you or your mate crawling in and out of your 2-person tent on camping weekends then the latest design from Terra Nova might get you more than a little excitable on your hunt for a roomier model this February. (This report from the OutDoor Show 2008 in Friedrichshafen, Germany.)
The Terra Nova Laser Space 2 curves high above the other domes at tent world here at Friedrichshafen's Outdoor Show. The well-established, quality UK tent brand have designed a 2.77kg 2-person backpacking tent that's an astonishing 1.76m high and packs down to 55x20cm.
Most lightweight backpacking tents are under or around the 2kg mark, so this one is for those who would like to sacrifice roughly the weight of a waterproof and a baselayer for some extra headroom.
Inside the Laser Space 2...
Trail got inside the tent with Carolyn from Terra Nova and the two Dutch testers of the prototype version and sure enough, in the centre of the dome, there was room for about four 5ft 9" people, with aching feet and beers in hand, to mingle safe from the rain and wind.
Ed and Vayenta from Holland came to the show straight from using the Laser Space 2 in Austria. "It's was great to use such a spacious tent as we stayed in the same campsite for a week. We had our two folding chairs in the porch, and it was great not to have to crouch and struggle around to get our trousers on!"
The 3m squared porch is big enough to fit a couple of bikes, a table and chairs for sheltered dinners whatever the weather throws at you and there's even room for a few steps of the Tango should the mood take you...
Terra Nova need your help
Terra Nova want a new word to describe Laser Space 2's construction. It isn't a geodesic or a tunnel tent, and it's not even a single-hoop due to the upright supports on both sides. What should they call this new breed? Start a thread on the forum if you want to add your tuppence-worth in naming this new style of tent.
The Laser Space 2 is 450 pounds and the five-person version, the Laser Space 5 weighs 5.2kg and costs 600 pounds.
