Inner net tent for TrailStar

[Tom B]

Any suggestions for an inner net tent for a TrailStar?

-T

[Ryan Teale]

MLD makes a solo and a duo size that will work. I use a Serenity Nettent from Six Moon Designs when I go solo with my Duomid. If you want a custom size you could look into Bearpaw tents. Thats about all the options I know.

Ryan

[Steven McAllister]

I always recommend the SMD Meteor. It is light and will work under many different shelters. Having a waterproof breathable lower half allows better protection from blowing rain/snow should you happen to pitch the shelter high and open.

It's supposed to be fairly easy to make and plans are on the SMD web site.

[David Ure]

Yup – buy a Duo Mid.

The Trailstar is specifically designed not to use an inner net tent. The Duo Mid is.

Use a bivy if bugs are an issue.

[jim jessop]

I haven't tried it but see no reason you couldn't get a six moon designs serenity, or MLD inner net tent to work with the trailstar, although it might need an 'off the ground' pitch to get the full height.

Otherwise, bear paws do great work and I'm sure would be able to do a custom design to your own spec for however you wanted it.

[Steven Paris]

Your best bets are the MLD Serenity or the Bearpaw, something that has the attaches to the pole straight above the side seam, (instead of in the middle of the net tent) creating a flat side against the pole. Not sure I explained that very well….

I have used a SMD Serenity with my Trailstar once. It didn't fit perfectly, although I hadn't set it up until I was in Rainier on a rainy weekend, so chalk that up to user error. I still don't think it will ever be perfect, just because it is a rectangle set up beneath 5-sided structure and the height of the Trailstar won't always match the necessary height for the serenity.

[Ron Bell / MLD]

We get this question all the time.

The challenge to making a dedicated InnerNet for the Trailstar is that the Trailstar's main strength is that it can be pitched so many ways and both the height and floor plan can change depending on pitch type.

We even see customers coming up with new pitch options we never even guessed at before…

All reg style bivys that are not too tall over head work great- the SuperLight and Bug Bivys are popular with the TrailStar since they work in all pitch types.

The MLD Solo and Duo InnerNet's can work in one certain pitch with the center pole offset.

[Michael Schwartz]

Hey Tom, I am looking for the same. Maybe we could approach John at Bearpawtents and ask him to make two inner net tents for the Trailstar, which I think is an excellent shaped tarp. Would you be interested? Mike

[Jeffs Eleven]

Travis uses a Bear Paw Tents Pyra Net 2. I think it may be modded though. I havent seen hime here in a while so he may be on vaca or something, but he does it… How well it works…

see it at the "Glacier Trip + Engagement" thread

I like the trailstar, and want to put a duo net inner and make an upside-down V with poles so that there is no center pole. Have my wife and I sleep between the poles in the bug net. But everybody I've talked to hosed me for this idea (see "the Trailstar Thread") and I can't afford to buy it if it doesn't work…

[John Stultz]

It seems that the Trailstar tent by MLD is an extremely popular tent. We (here at BearPaw Wilderness Designs) have been making a modified pyraNet 2 that fits inside the Trailstar. We have made a four sided inner and a five sided inner to match the footprint of the Trailstar. The four sided inner is shown here: We have also modified it in numerous ways to fit the person's requirements.

We will have a picture of the five sided inner soon.

Also, the inner tent has a draw cord opening through the peak so that the trekking pole can pass, allowing the Trailstar to be pitched at different heights and not affect the inner tent.

I hope this reply from us here at BearPaw Wilderness Designs helps.

Also, I want to express that I believe that MLD did an excellent job in designing the Trailstar. I believe it is one of the better designs out there for the ultralightweight backpacker.

[Tom B]

Wow! That was my first post / question on BPL and I am impressed with the responses.

Ron, Thanks for the info. I've only done test pitches of the TrailStar but I do like its versatility in pitch options. It's a great looking tarp / shelter. I'm really looking forward to using it in the field. I think using a bivy under the Trailstar will be a great solo option and will contact you directly for that. It will be like having a bedroom and a living room!

John,

Thanks for the info on the BearPaw inner tents. I had seen your website but this was good additional information. I don't see having a central pole as an issue with a two person set up so I guess the question becomes four of five sided. Maybe I have the geometry wrong in my head but a four sided inner tent with the Trailstar should leave one with a vestibule, no?

Michael,

I think I'm getting both of the above but it also appears that this is something of a known entity with John. How do we exchange emails without posting an address publicly?

-Tom
PS. All, thanks all the thread contributors for the info. Great forum.

[John Stultz]

Concerning the two man inner from BearPaw Wilderness Designs, the four sided inner will have a small vestibule under the Trailstar but outside of the inner tent. The five sided inner will have the vestibule under the Trailstar but inside the inner tent.

I have sold quite a few of the four sided pyraNet 2 modified for the Trailstar. The five sided version of the pyraNet 2 came about because a customer wanted the inner tent to extend into the vestibule area under the Trailstar. The customer wanted the five sided version because he wanted a place for his dog away from the bugs and inside the inner tent with him and his partner.

The four side version is slightly lighter than the five sided version, but your vestibule will be outside of the inner tent.

John at BearPaw Wilderness Designs

[Michael Schwartz]

Tom B,

The best way to send personal messages here is to go to your BPL account here and enable Personal Messages (PM).

I am debating between adding netting around the bottom perimeter of my Trailstar or getting an inner tent. It's good to get John's input on the the difference between the 4-sided and 5-sided inner tent at BearPaw. I guess the 4-sided would create an area that would be good for muddy gear and/or cooking. Can't picture it exactly. Would there be enough space for cooking? The advantages of the netting at the bottom are reduced weight and lower cost. On the other hand, the inner tent offers a floor, total bug protection, the ability to pitch on its own on dry nights, and the option of higher pitches of the Trailstar. Have I left anything out? Anyone have any thoughts/advice? I used the Trailstar for a month and a half this summer. An exceptional shelter. –Mike

[Steven McAllister]

I find that the times I want bug protection are also often times when I want the most air flow.
So I would vote for the option that would allow for a high open pitch.
I would think that having a perimeter net large enough to allow this would be unwieldy and would weigh as much, if not more than a separate inner bug net.

[Tom B]

Michael,

I hope I have turned on my PM option if you want to send email.

I think I would want to go with the four sided inner tent vs. a perimeter net. I believe this would give me more pitch options for the Trailstar while preserving an option for bug protection. I'd go with four sided vs. five for the lighter weight as I'd like an area that is outside the netting but under the Trailstar. I'd use that area for keeping shoes out of the rain while keeping the dirt out of the inner tent. I don't think I'd cook under the Trailstar but who knows…

My only real concern now is the total weight. Trailstar, inner tent, poles (I'm undecided on the use of trekking poles), plastic ground cloth. I need to add this up and compare to my old Tarptent. I think I'm incurring a weight increase.

-T

[Steven McAllister]

If you are using your trailstar solo, why not go with a solo inner. There are a few in the 6 or 7 oz range. There are even inner nets that only cover the upper half of your bag, byt they would require a ground cloth.

You don't need the net inner for your gear, they can stay outside of the mesh.

I have used the Serenity net and the Meteor Bivy and didn't feel claustrophobic.

[John Stultz]

If you want to save weight (say around 8 oz), you can go with a pyraNet 1 under the trailstar. You can even have the length and width and zipper modified to fit your needs. It is basically 1/2 of the four sided pyraNet 2. Consequently with the pyraNet 1 you will have a very large vestibule under the trailstar, great for cooking and wet gear and about 3.5 feet of head room inside compared to the lower headroom in standard bivies.

Just another idea for you to think about.

After working with a lot of people who love the Trailstar, one thing about the its popularity is that it can be set up in many different ways to suit the camper's needs (praises to the MLD designers). That is why I think that it is one of the better designs out there. Consequently, one style of inner tent may work for one camper but not another. People have sent me numerous pictures of different set ups and have asked us to design an inner for that setup. One thing that I have learn about the Trailstar, just decide how you want to pitch the tent and then make or find an inner that suits your needs. There are many different stock designs from many excellent companies like MLD, GoLite, Six Moon Designs, etc. that may work for you too.

John at BearPaw Wilderness Designs

P.S.: Just to let everyone know: BearPaw Tents has changed to BearPaw Wilderness Designs. We made this name change because we do so much custom work with many different ultra lightweight products. We are no longer limited to tents. At the first of the year, you can still go to our original web site and you will be redirected to the new web site.

[John Stultz]

Like I mentioned in my earlier response to the original thread, we at BearPaw Wilderness Designs have developed a 5 sided (pentagon shaped) inner fits within the perimeter of MLD's Trailstar and maximizes the internal space.
We have just finished finalizing the design. The height is about 44" so it fits a pentagon shaped tarp with a minimum peak of about 46". It can also be modified with silnylon extension and cuben fiber floor.

Also, notice that our website has changed to a new location.

John at http://www.bearpawwd.com

[Steven McAllister]

I would say you want a bug net that isn't very big or you may have problems with some pitches. You only need the bug net to cover you, not your gear. So the Meteor bivy, MLD Serenity, and many other smaller bug nets may be better in a low, four sided or narrower pitch.

[Nico .]

I recently ordered a Trailstar; it looks like a great, versatile design. I'm really excited to try it out once it arrives. For solo use, I plan to just sleep out under it, or if needed, use a lightweight bivy for now.

The idea of a net tent has me intrigued though. My girlfriend insists on a creepy crawly-proof shelter and having an elcosed space to keep the dog from wandering away at night is helpful too. An optional innert net for the Trailstar could potentially allow me to ditch a couple of my existing shelters…

The 5-sided inner looks like a great way for me to achieve this. I would love to see a couple of photos of the 5-sided inner set up under the Trailstar to get a better sense of how it all works together and how much enclsoed space it provides.

Anyone out there yet with the Trailstar and the 5-sided inner?

[Steven McAllister]

Oh, yeah, another person and a dog necessitates a big net.You may want to make sure it is going to work OK in those cases when you have to pitch it close to the ground to block blowing rain or snow.

[Nico .]

Yeah Steven, you're probably right, although to be honest, I can't think of too many times that I would be out camping with my girlfriend and the dog in blowing rain or snow. She's more of a fair weather camper…

If it's just the dog and I or just the girlfriend and I, it seems that there would be plenty of room.

I bet 95% of the time, I'll have the tarp pitched up off the ground a bit with the one end propped open with a trekking pole. Only cinch it down for severe weather.

[John Stultz]

A lot of people have email me asking for additional pictures and more specs.
The web page is at:
http://www.bearpawwd.com/shelters_floors/pentaNet2.html

I hope this answers most of the emails. But if you want to know more you can email me through BPL.

Thanks,
John at BearPaw Wilderness Designs

[EndoftheTrail]

HTML Man to the rescue… — click here.

[Travis Leanna]

Hmmmm, very interesting indeed! Nice work on the PentaNet! Could you post some pictures with two full sized (72×20) sleeping pads in there?

I'd love to see some users' nets in action as well.

Jeff, no, unfortunately I'm not on vacation. Just a busy holiday season. :)

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