MLD patrol

Hi,

It's new and none of them have shipped yet.

Bump

Wondering if anyone out there can provide feedback on this shelter yet? I did read the one "reader review" but was hoping for more information from users. I'm especially wondering if it's difficult to get under the shelter considering the beak.

I've been using the Gatewood Cape this summer primarily as a shelter, and I really like it. However, I usually need to pack a seperate rain jacket anyway since I'm often above treeline in very windy conditions, or I'm rock climbing where a poncho is not feasible.

I have one and love it. I posted a photo of it pitched for a real world representation of the setup. Can't say enough good things about this tarp.

hey don, how easy is it to crawl underneath it if you pitch it all the way to the ground for windy rain protection. If you have it pitched like you do in the picture; would it be relatively easy to lower it from the inside given that you have an adjustable trekking pole? Can you get to the front tensioners from the inside relatively easy?

Its relatively easy to crawl under the beak when you have the tarp pitched low. Access to the line tensioners isn't too bad under the tarp. Its about as easy as any tarp to lower from inside – not exactly a piece of cake but it can be done. Overall I find the patrol to be very versatile and easy to pitch. Tell Ron I sent you! :)

Looking at this "tarp" (called a "tent" in the 1950s and earlier)I see the need for:
1. ground cloth
2. mosquito net in many locales

So that's why I use a TarpTent Contrail. It actually SAVES weight when #s 1. & 2. are added to a tarp.

But I guess there will always be tarpers and hammockers among us and to each his own. Just don't tell me tarps with #s 1. & 2. are lighter than UL single wall tents.

Eric

My tarp + bivy (this covers 1&2 above) is just under 1 lb, so yes, a tarp with those options is still lighter than a UL single wall tent although the Sublite is very close.

"Don't tell me a tarp with groundsheet and mosquito protection is lighter than a single skin tent"

MLD Grace Solo Spectralite – 5.8oz
MLD Bug Bivvy – 5.7oz
Total – 11.5oz.

Contrail – 24.5oz

Even with a heavier MLD bivy, such as the Soul side zip in the momentum fabric, paired with MLD Grace Solo tarp in spectalite (cuben) will weigh less than a single wall tarptent.

MLD Grace Solo spectralite tarp = 5.8 @ $265.00
(spinntex xp solo = 7.5)
MLD Soul side zip bivy = 7.9 @ $255.00

Total weight = 12.17 @ $520.00 (14.14 with a spinntex tarp)

With both the Sublite and Contrail listing at just under $200.00 the cost/weight ratio of the tarptent is tough to beat. There are less expensive tarp – bivy combinations but MLD is well known for overall quality and attention to detail.

MLD Solo Plus tarp – 9.6oz $135
MLD Bug Bivvy – 5.7oz $125
Total – 15.3oz $260

A tarp, groundsheet, and mosquito protection for well under the Contrails weight.
I have a Contrail and i use tarps. I'm not saying one is better than the other. :)

LOL…I just had to have a laugh at Don's 'real world representation" on those nicely manicured lawns in a cozy suberb. Still, it looks a solid design. What fabric is it (silnylon)?

Some peole love tarps. It's not a rational thing, it's a personal philosophy. If Henry ever decided to make cuben tarptents I think the weight differences would reduce to zero. As is, a Refuge-X for two people at 16oz is pretty hard to beat, especially on long summer days when you don't feel like walking until the biting midges go to bed.

As for terminology, MLD calls the patrol a "shelter" which I think sums it up nicely. I've been reading some explorer diaries from the late 1800s and they often used "batwings" for their shelter…

Ok, Ok… so the front yard doesn't count. How about a night time shot in the foothills of SC?

Similar to the GG Spinnshelter… but simpler… and simpler is better. For sure. No zippers. No velcro. No 1001 pitching options… just a simple shaped tarp. Nice.