MLD Speedmid initial impressions
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I recently received a MLD Speedmid in yellow sil on Gear Swap. I had a chance to set it up for the first time this evening and I'd like to share my initial impressions (and photos of my kids!). Plus I love to see it when people most good pictures of their gear, (not that I'm saying these are great picture, but they certainly give you a better idea than a lot of what you'll find on Google images)
Upon opening the package I checked over all the stitches and they looked great. Far better than anything I've ever done with a thread injector. If I had to be nit-picky, you can tell in some areas the stitches aren't absolutely straight but it's not something I noticed right away. No loose threads or anything else I could detect to fault with this shelter. I strung up the guy lines per MLD specs and proceeded to the front yard.
I asked my daughter to photograph this illustrious moment and this is what she captured, BTW she's only 2.
Doesn't that yellow color just make you happy? I finished setting the four corner stakes and inserted my trekking pole into the middle. It wasn't quite right. I took out the pole and went back around again restaking the corners. I inserted the trekking pole again and it was beautiful. I staked out the mid point guy lines and it looked like this…
This Speedmid has the optional center panel bungie guy out points but they were clearly not necessary this evening. Pretty good pitch for attempt number two if I may say so.
I zipped up the zipper to open the door, rolled it back, and attached the bungie around the roll of fabric to keep it out of the way. Then the kids got really involved. They thought it was great fun to run around inside the Speedmid. (If I was only three feet tall I'd run around inside a tarp like this too.)
My boy (left) enjoyed crawling under the walls to get in and out as much as he liked running in through the door. My daughter (right) was a little upset that there were bugs inside the tarp. The yellow color certainly helps promote the visibility of insects on the wall. That's why she's looking up so intently, she sees bugs!
A close up of the peak inside. You can just make out the two mitten hooks that hang from the apex. And maybe some bugs ;)
It was getting warm with the three of us in there so I got out and let the kids play around with it some more till dinner time. Packing up the tarp couldn't be much easier. Pull out the center pole, pull out the stakes, and stuff it back into the bag. I certainly feel like this is another fine product from MLD. I look forward to getting is seam sealed and out on the trail. It's a huge palace for one person, I can sit up in it and lay down in it. (I'm 6'1" and mids are always a problem for me) I'm not sure how this shelter will handle condensation with out a peak vent, I guess I'll find out eventually, huh?
Ron,
Thanks for the nice piece of kit and I look forward to getting more.
Thanks,
JamesClose up of logo patch sewn on the peak.
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