Mountain Laurel Designs TrailStar Shelter Review

I hope you're wrong about the durability and storm-worthiness of cuben, Ryan. My needs are for storm-worthiness over weight saving, and after exchanging a couple of emails with Ron, i went for the cuben version. As for durability, only time will tell.

Re-reading Ryans comments to David about poor workmanship on cuben shelters. As this is a Trailstar review, i can only assume his comments are aimed at the cuben Trailstar? If so, he should come out and say that. If not, why even mention it?

"Any way to add a bug net to this?"

Yes. Oookworks in the UK manufactures a Trailstar nest:

http://oookworks.com/OookStar.html

Ryan,

How would you rate the TrailStar against MLD's "Mids"? My Solomid is my favorite "go to" shelter for most conditions — it was even one of my 2011 Staff Picks.

On paper, it looks like the TrailStar offers more space for the weight, and possibly greater storm resistance at the expense of pitching ease and zippered convenience. But, this is just speculation on my part. I have no experience with the TS.

"Its 17-ounce (482-g) weight precludes its use as a solo shelter for hikers that spend more time on virtual hikes than real walks in bad weather"

"It’s also available in a more stealthy gray silnylon and, for lighter weight, less durability, and more debt, Cuben Fiber."

I have the feeling that quite a few people are going to be pooping their pampers over these statements. Fun times.

I've been using a silnylon duomid for the past 6 months and have to say I love the simplicity of the setup. However, I've been tempted to pick up a trailstar for the summer months as it looks like a really versatile and fun shelter to have around.

I have the Trailstar and love it – a roomy tarp for one person. I haven’t used it in storm weather conditions. On the netting options, I had started another thread about that.

Netting options for Trailstar

I should soon have two Trailstars. One in each fabric. I have spent about ten nights under my silnylon one and have been very pleased so far. I have, however, not encountered any strong winds yet, but it is only a matter of time.

I have been thinking lots about bug options this week and still can't decide. I am tempted by a Pyranet 1 and have also been looking at the oookstar. I think that for now I will just stick with my bivy and headnet and see how it goes. I am also going to modify my MLD supelight bivy so that it has a larger mesh window. So far I have been lucky with sandflies, but have a trip coming up where they could be bad. If the bivy doesn't work out then I will look at inner options.

I like the simplicity of a bivy, but a bug net with extended sides would give a nice deep bathtub floor (one day I am going to need one) and some draft protection and may mean I don't need ever need to use a bivy. But I do feel I would be bit more cut off from my environment in this set up.

@Mike: I hope the Cuben Trailstar is manufactured properly. Then, we can receive the weight saving benefits of Cuben while still having some good storm resistance. I haven't seen the Cuben TS yet, but I've seen other Cuben shelters made by MLD. They do them very well. It should be a very strong shelter, if fabric panels can stay tight in pitch.

You wrote: "Re-reading Ryans comments to David about poor workmanship on cuben shelters. As this is a Trailstar review, i can only assume his comments are aimed at the cuben Trailstar? If so, he should come out and say that. If not, why even mention it?"

Don't assume that. I haven't yet seen the Cuben TS. I'll mention brands and models specifically when we review them. I've already posted a photo of problematic Cuben workmanship here on the forums, and will be happy to keep you informed – in proper context. Why mention it? Because it's the #1 problem with Cuben shelters currently available.

@Aaron re: "It’s also available in a more stealthy gray silnylon and, for lighter weight, less durability, and more debt, Cuben Fiber."

Shop wisely when buying Cuben. There are different variants, different construction techniques, and different types of additional costs required (fabrics, increased labor). It's a lot of money to spend if it's not going to meet the expectations that you've set by using silnylon.

Regarding the Cuben TS, we'll see what "less durability" really means over time, but there is no question that extra TLC and manufacturing attention is required when using any Cuben that is 0.7 osy or less in a tarp – it's easy to puncture, seams wear out under load stress, and lack of stretch in the pitch means you have to pitch it right if you're going to get a howler, or you won't distribute stresses optimally. If Cuben is done right – you can achieve a wonderfully strong shelter. I have high hopes for the Cuben TS. If Cuben is not done right (e.g., bad seams) then you've just spent a whole load of money on something that can't take advantage of the fabric's inherent strength.

Nice review. I would like a short comparission with a rectangle tarp, advantages and disadvantages or the design.

One thought about the issue "Snow sticks more on cuben": Couldn't you just impregnate the shelter (e.g. with a spray)? The effect will last longer on a shelter than on clothings because of the reduced abrasion.

"""BPL Staff,

Will an update to a "rolling" review article count as a new weekly article?""""

+1

Thanks for the great review, Ryan! For what you get, the TS also seems to be a fairly REASONABLY priced shelter– a major selling point for a quality piece of gear.

"If Cuben is done right – you can achieve a wonderfully strong shelter."

MLD has been working with cuben longer then most in the UL cottage industry and if anyone can do cuben right it is Ron. I'm looking forward to getting my cuben Trailstar and have no doubt that it will be a wonderfully strong shelter.

Ryan said "…while still being able to pitch a symmetrical-to-the-ground shelter (with only one center pole) with full-perimeter wind protection"

I ran out and tried it (not the first time) and it seems like its impossible to do!!! its like there is always slack btw at least two corners.
I bought a used one here (maybe 2008 model?) so maybe Ron changed it

Also all the sides are the same length exactly (unlike what someone here mentioned in a diff thread)

Can someone let me in on how to pitch it like that….please

Mike

Michael, how high is your center pole? That affects how a to-the-ground pitch works so make sure it's not too high.

When I'm adjusting my Trailstar, I try to find a balance between three corners before I drive the stake. Let me explain. Pretend you're working on setting the stake for corner Y. Corner X is to your left, and corner Z is to your right. If you take corner Y and "swing" it back and forth you can see the tension tighten and slacken along both adjacent edges to corners X and Z. Don't completely tighten one panel while letting the other slacken. Rather, find a balance between the two, even if neither edge is very tight. As you adjust other corners the same way, you should get a tight pitch.

Sheesh, I hope that made sense! :)

It's not as bad as it sounds.

Also make sure that your center pole is as vertical as possible. For some reason if mine is tilted my pitch isn't as good. I think this might have to do with the fact that it's a symmetrical shelter.

oh – im glad i caught on to this.

working now…guess i need more training time

I have my TS pitched today in a good old fashioned Montana winter wind storm. We had gusts this morning to 70mph, but at my location, the max gust was only about 55mph.

To deal with 50+ mph winds, I've found that shelter tension needs to be a minimum of 20-25 lbs at each stake. In very high winds, the forces that get transferred to the stakes are in excess of 40 lb, which is generally beyond the normal capacity of any 6 or 7 inch skewer, tube, or V-stake in all but frozen soils.

What are you all using for your "storm" stakes?

I'll be using a MSR Blizzard at the corner pointing into the wind. It does double duty as my 'potty trowel. The other 4 corners will be the Easton 8/9" stakes. Ti Shepherds hooks for the mid guying points.

I should add that this is for snow free terrain.

For three season use I've had good success with MSR Groundhog stakes with very few stake failures in exposed high wind conditions.

For winter conditions I use MSR Blizzard stakes. I also use my Lightning Ascent snowshoes dug in and used as a deadman.

Mike, so do you wait until the wind dies down before you p00p?

I can usually 'hold out' till required, Ryan. :)

I don't own a Trailstar yet, but when I camp in strong winds in any of my shelters, I will use mostly found objects to supplement my stakes.

I don't trust most any stake alone unless the ground is very firm or I can wedge them into cracks in rocks or roots.

It is usually easy to find some heavy rocks around, but I did have to bury branches in loose sand in a few cases.

I never assume that my stakes will be required to provide 100%.

One of my hiking partners is Bryce, an active participant on BPL, and he never bothers to even bring any stakes. I know others that have the same policy as well.

I bring some small light stakes, just to help speed up setup.

@Ryan: If I buy a trailstar, it will be in silnylon. I still can't buy into paying twice the price for a fabric that I have to baby and worry about. I've been stoked with my silnylon duomid, so I see no reason to make the switch. That money could be better spent on getting out onto the trail. For me, anyways.

We don't see the wild Chinook winds you do up there Ryan, but I have been pleased using MSR Groundhogs for the main guyouts and shepherds hook stakes for the midpanel guy points on my Trailstar.

Did any of you remove the stock Linelocs? What cord are you using? I have the stock line on mine but find that it gets difficult to manipulate in cold weather and rather stiff, moreso than lighter line I've used in past shelters.

I use 2mm Dyneema with other MLD linelocs, even though i think they are meant for 3mm line? If the linelocs are the same on the Trailstar, i may do the same.
I usually have different colours on guylines on my shelters, so i can pick out the one i want easily in bad weather. The 'into the wind' guyline, and the 'door' guyline, will be different from the rest.

Not all 2mm Dyneema is equal. The stuff i use has a nice grippy sheath.

Beautiful photos Ryan. The yellow sil really looks nice for photographic purposes. The clarity/sharpness of the images is impressive. I assume you shot these with the Sony camera you've been reviewing? Compelling evidence to reconsider my leanings towards the Pany G3…

Anyway, onto my TS comments…

I've had my TS for about a year now and I've been really pleased with it. I haven't pushed its limits in any spectacularly bad weather but it has held up through any rain, snow, hail, wind, etc. I've experienced with it so far with no problems or complaints. I don't need a shelter that can shed major snow… worst I stand to experience is maybe a 6" storm (which would be heavy by my area's standards), but wind/rain proof is important for winter/spring camping around here.

I think the biggest benefit in the shelter for me is its versatility. Since I recieved it, I've used it for all but a couple of trips. It's palatial as a solo shelter and has comfortably fit another adult plus a 100 lb dog on a few trips. I've used it pitched really high (w/ long guylines) as a shade structure for day hikes and lake-side lounging. I've used it pitched low for stormy/windy weather. I find even a "standard" pitch with the center pole set around 125 cm is pretty darn stormproof if there's not lots of wind. I've used it by itself and with a Bearpaw Pentanet 2 when I want a lot of bug-free enclosed space.

Yeah, it might be a little heavy as a solo shelter, but the versatility and simplicity is awesome. As I use it in more and more conditions, I'm getting more comforable with the idea of ditching my other shelters (2 down, 2 to go) and sticking with just the TS as my one shelter to cover all of my needs.

For stakes, I typically use MSR Groundhogs for the corners and Ti skewer stakes for the mid-point tie-outs. In really soft, loose ground (like beach sand), I've gone with a larger snow stake (like Mike it doubles as my poo trowel) for the corner pitched into the wind. There's been a few times where I've had to use the stakes as deadman anchors of sorts weighed down with rocks and that's worked fine too.

Nicholas,

I made that leap last year in purging all tarps and using the Trailstar as my only shelter, it sure makes the decision making process leading up to any trip easy, grab and go. I'm going to hold out and see how this works. The TS will obviously not be the ideal shelter in all circumstances, nor the lightest option, but so far I've found it to be an exceptional solo+ shelter for 3 season NM use for all those reasons you mentioned Nicholas.