MLD Little Star

[David Ure]

Anyone have any experience with the MLD Little Star and would like to share? Pros / cons?

[Anonymous]

From the Gear Swap forum, Trailstar FS:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=96421

"I have a cuben littlestar for sale, even lighter than the regular size! I don't mind the pitching but I'd rather have a shelter with more headroom. "

[Steve G]

I think this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZntMVOPE6ww
gives you a pretty good idea of how much room there is when pitched all the way to the ground.

Now I've never owned one, but it seems like pretty good protection for 1 or 2, though in a rough storm with 2 you might be touching walls and could get some occasional rain blown in near the entrance unless you can pitch it low. If you can sleep in the back of the shelter you and your gear should be well protected from any wind or rain.

[Inaki Diaz de Etura]

Pros: it's great in the wind, probably even better than the regular Traistar as the panels are smaller

Cons: it's small

In my quest for a do-it-all shelter that's simple and light, I'm still not sure this is it. I'm quite sure it'd work for me but at the price of livability. Worst case scenario is when condensation in the inside walls is heavy: the lack of head room together with the damp makes every move a challenge to stay dry. It's doable but definitely not comfortable.

Pitching above ground level helps with the room issue but the Littlestar is rather small in all dimensions so such a pitch may leave you exposed in the event of rain.

IMO full protection requires a pitch down to the ground and accepting the lack of head room. I'm 5'7"

I can sleep on the back side, parallel to the door and well away from it. In that position I will not touch the walls while lying down but head or feet must be really close to the perimeter border. This pretty much requieres pitching down to the ground.

If needed (wind shifting and blowing against the open door), it's probably fine to just bring down the pole holding the door and securing the relevant line down to the ground with a stake for a 360º closed shelter. The former door panels would not be taut and would catch wind but I think it'd all hold fine. This may be more relevant in the Littlestar that it might be in the regular size Trailstar as the Littlestar is not big enough to be really away from the open door. Not elegant but a nice option to have if things get ugly.

In general, I feel comfortable and safe in the Littlestar, knowing that I have a shelter that will take harsh weather but it's been quite a pain when I had condensation. Doable but painful. I might consider the regular Trailstar for a do-it-all shelter.

[David Ure]

Thanks for the reply. With the 3 oz increase in weight, the Regular Trailstar is probably better for taller folk.

Much appreciate your perspective – thanks,

[Arn Aarreberg]

Dave, I sent you a pm, but I figured I'd chime in.

I agree with the poster above but I am 6'4 and I feel that my feet are exposed in cruddy weather, so I have to bring a bivy as well. With the bivy, my littlestar setup is heavier than a regular trailstar. Overall, it is a good niche shelter that works in the conditons where I typically hike (California). The regular trailstar is probably a better choice for real weather or if you want to avoid using a bivy.

AA

[Ron Bell / MLD]

As a history and design note- the LittleStar was first made for my friend Takashi in Japan. He is about 5'5" and wanted a 15% smaller TrailStar.

Two users under about 5'6" on short sleep pads fit well in all the same sleep and pitch versions as the full size original TrailStar does with two 6'1" users.

We did make the LittleStar plenty large enough for one 6'1" person – but only when pitched in the most common method with an A frame door not too narrow or steep. The solo 6'1" user would sleep behind the pole horizontal to the door for max room and can sit up without the head touching at the apex.

In the video referenced above it is with two users with full length pads. The pitch is with a very steep front A door with the sleep pads towards the door. So I do understand and agree with the critique that the smaller LittleStar is is a bit tight when pitched that way for two with full length pads.

Two 6 footers can get under OK if it is pitched flatter and they stay close and do not need to fully sit up with full head clearance or have a lot of gear to sort… but it is a little tight and more suited two on fast trips with moderate weather forecasts.

I find the LittleStar for one 6'1"ish user a bit more overall protection / protected living space than a duo sized cat type tarp.

[David Ure]

Great info – thanks Ron.

[Theo Diekmann]

Hey, I just want to confirm what I think I understood from your posts: So sleeping in the back of the shelter, behind the pole, parallel to the door is possible if the tarp is fully pitched down? And, according to Ron, thats possible for users up to 6'1", right?

[Inaki Diaz de Etura]

I can confirm that's true for me at 5'7" lying on top of a closed cell foam mat. A thin inflatable would be ok, a thick inflatable could be a problem.

[Matthew / BPL]

I noticed on social media that MLD is making the LittleStar again.

[Eric Blanche]

Great stuff and incredibly low weights!

 

I used a cricket in 2016 (circa 2015/2016 version) to through hike the AT. I see both are now offered but the dimensions are quite a bit different. For some reason I thought my cricket was just a newer/renamed littlestar?? Anyone know how the 2016 Cricket Silnylon compares in dimensions to the current Cricket and the new Littlestar?

[Mole J]

@Eric Blanche

The current cricket is basically The current solomid XL with two panels out front forming a beak instead of a door.

The original cricket was originally called the solo Trailstar until it was changed to the cCricket.
The LittleStar came later and is a similar design to the Trailstar, just smaller dimensions.

https://www.tramplite.com/2013/02/mld-cricket-review.html?m=1

It was changed from the original Cricket size in 2018. Sadly it happened in between my ordering a cricket and it being made, with no change to the website or heads up from MLD. And I was surprised to find how different it was to my friend’s original cricket when it arrived. It was about 6 in longer on each side and 6 in taller, meaning it needed a much taller hiking pole. I ended up selling my Cricket after a year and a half because it just wasn’t what I wanted. Not as stealthy or good in the wind as the original design.

@Ron Bell – What about bringing back the original Cricket now you’ve brought back the little star? I really think it would sell well.

[Ron Bell / MLD]

The smaller Cricket is a good idea that we have on the list. In general, many shelters from many companies grew (or for 2nd and 3rd gen UL companies just started larger as similar copies) over the years as users moved from thin foam SUL pads to big thick inflatables and just wanted more room and more tent like coverage. There may be room for some shrinkage and back to basics ideas.

[Mole J]

Thanks for the reply Ron.
I for one would be keen on an original for summer trips. The olive/grey silpoly.

This summer after fruitlessly searching for a slow leak in my Neoair Xlite, I went back to using a short self-inflating Thermarest Prolite3 for a week or so trip, and got on ok with the thinner mat.

[Matthew / BPL]

I would like to place an order for a smaller Cricket with a side of Burro, please.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

I’d also be interested in a smaller cricket (and corresponding inner to go with it).

I find I do quite well in my (original model) Gatewood Cape with serenity net tent. That kind of sizing is fine for me at 178cm tall. I can make it work with either foam (eg z lite) or inflatable (exped mummy). I don’t really need much more shelter than that, but I’d love it to be lighter… and I don’t need the cape function so much (I’d actually prefer to not have that function and go back to other rainwear). The current Gatewood is 11oz, and I’m sure that with lighter materials the inner can be a lot lighter than a serenity for the same dimensions.

The gatewood is also good with a single adjustable trekking pole, and relatively short light collapsable CF poles (though I don’t have one to size currently).

I’ve thought about MYOG as an option but I’d rather just purchase something from someone like MLD. The cricket I was thinking about but it seems oversized for what I need. I love the idea of no zip for super long term durability. I’ve thought about doing a silpoly “hexamid” clone like a few have done, and/or copying the dimensions of the Gatewood but with lighter fabric, no hood, and no zipper (overlapping front panels). But the inner net is the real PITA.

I did have an original silnylon Trailstar back in the day, it got a lot of use both solo and with a friend. But I eventually sold it (probably a stupid idea…). Wasn’t crazy about pitching it even after lots of experience, and eventually needed an inner (didn’t want Malaria) so went to something else.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

I tell you what though. The Littlestar in 0.5oz DCF… 6.9oz. With a couple of superlight bivys, that would be an awesome combo for a duo going for an FKT in relatively alpine conditions.

[Murali C]

Is there an image of how people typically sleep inside the Little Star?

[Miner]

Hmmm… I’ve been using the DCF Cricket tarp in recent years including the CDT. Instead of the inner net for the SoloMid, I usually bring my Superbivy since I often cowboy camp instead, but rarely need it under the tarp for spray unless strong winds and I chose the beak direction poorly.  I was thinking of getting a silpoly version. Due to it’s large panel size, I hate having to fold and roll it when the ground is muddy so that it’s hard to keep it clean.  With the silpoly version, I can just stuff it into it’s sack as I take it down.

Maybe I should get the Little Star instead, just to be different. Would likely be used on the AT next year, if the trails still don’t have too many down trees after the hurricane damage come next February. I really don’t want to be crawling/climbing for days over them.

How easy/quick is it to pitch the Little Star?  The shaping looks to be a bit more complicated to get it tight, but I don’t really know.  The Cricket is pretty simple to set up, even in the dark.  For me, it’s a lot quicker to set up than a more traditional rectangle tarp.

[Author]

Posts