Laser Comp vs Akto

Here is a link to a comparison of the two tents

Chris, thanks very much for that link! Did you by any chance write the review? I’d like to ask the person how he finds the Terra Nova Laserlite after a couple of years of use.

Wow! I’ve just followed the link. The Comp. sounds dreadful. I’ll stick with my Akto for the time being. I’m on my second, having started with one of the originals made in Sweden. The Akto fittings described in the review are worth having, and I say that as someone who prefers the elegance of simplicity. The fittings add to convenience and comfort, particularly reducing condensation.

There is one design I would love to try in Scotland in summer and that is a Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter, not made out of spinnaker fabric, but made from the same fabric as the new Akto. Used with a 3 oz bug net, it could be the answer to midges. It would also be very similar to the Tulloch Mountain Craft tent used by Hamish M Brown on his 1974 big walk over all of the Munroes.

Why not spinnaker fabric? There is usually a breeze in the Highlands – thank heavens, given the midges – so a noisy fabric isn’t on. The new Akto fabric flaps noiselessly. Also, at some stage in a long, Highland hike, you will encounter a wind in excess of 45 mph. (See the Spinnshelter review.) Such nights are best spent in bothies, but one might not be handy.

One thing to consider is that you can fairly easily reduce the weight of the Akto without loosing any functionality. I’ve got the weight of mine down below 3 lbs.

1.Replace stock pole with fibraplex pole.

2. Replace four corner struts with fibraplex struts. (Fibraplex already makes the big hooped pole and the four corner struts for the Akto)

The above knocks 4 oz off the weight

3. Replace guylines and tensioners with BPL guylines and tensioners. They work identically but are lighter.

4. Replace stakes with lighter Ti stakes.

I’ve made the above mods and this got my tent to about 2 lbs 15 oz, including the stock stuffsacks for the tent, pole, and stakes. I stopped at this point. The above mods, by the way, are totally reversible.

You can go further by removing all the metal zipper pulls and replacing them with bits of guyline, removing the four metal rings at the corners and replacing them also with guylines, plus a few other things to cut another couple of oz. Doing these mods plus using lighter stuff sacks you can probably get the total weight down to 2 lbs 12 oz or so.

Dan

Michael,

Areality, the author of the review is a member of the forums over at backpacking.net. He hasn’t posted in over a year but I hear he still lurks there. He’s set up to receive private messages.

Michael,
post this query on the outdoorsmagic.com gear forum. Both tents are popular there, and there is at least one person who owns both and has used them in England and Scotland.

All, thanks very much for the helpful responses! The depth and breadth of info and experience of the members on this site never ceases to amaze me. I will post my query on the outdoorsmagic site and try to gather more info, which I can then post here for others to read. I’ve been in touch the Hilleberg and have already received good info from one of the very helpful owners. I’m leaning toward the Akto–especially since I can make the suggested modifications to reduce weight–but am still keeping an mind open. Will also contact Terra Nova. Cheers, Mike

I’m one of the people who has owned both and used them in Scotland….

By replacing all the guys and using the other weight-reducing ideas above, my Akto (with a CF pole) is 3lbs 5oz – but it is an ‘original’ Akto, before the switch to lighter fly and groundsheet. The current model will be lighter.

The Laser Comp, with similar changes, got down to 2lb 3oz, but is significantly smaller internally. For shorter individuals this wouldn’t be a problem, but as a solidly built 6′ I was touching the sides and the inner roof.

The Laser will withstand harsh conditions, but I’ve decided that the extra weight of the Akto is worthwhile – I sold the Laser Comp

Hi Neil,
It sounds like the Akto has been lightened up quite a bit. Mine, which I believe is a 2004 or 2005 model weighed 3 lbs 5 oz stock (listed weight was 3 lbs 8 oz). The 3 lb 5 oz weight was with everything, including all the stuffsacks and the extra pole section.

Cheers
Dan

I’ve had my Akto from when they started making them – despite quite a lot of hard use, it’s not showing its age so I can’t really justify replacing it with the current lighter version.
With the original alloy pole, mine weighs 3lb 8oz (in the original stuffsack), but this is with the guys replaced, Ti pegs and all metal zip pullers replaced with cord. I tend to revert to the alloy pole in winter, as I don’t fully trust the CF one in high winds – although this is not based on any evidence at all, I just feel more comfortable with the thicker pole!

Hilleberg, in my experience, are very good with quoted weights, but Terra Nova less so – I didn’t manage to get the Laser Comp below 995g.