MLD Patrol Shelter Duo

[whalen e]

I know it's only been recently offered but I was hoping someone had some real world experience with the duo size. Perhaps take some photos, particularly with an inner.

Thx

[Håvard Skarping]

bump

[Logan T]

I'm as big of an MLD fan boy as there is but the lack of pictures on the site is perplexing. I just don't understand how you can release a new product and not have at least a few pictures of it showing the people what they need to see to make a decision. A picture of just the shelter, the shelter with two full size pads, and with a 2 person serenity net is all that is needed.

Nobody has these kinds of basic questions holding them back from buying zpacks or tarptent stuff. All of the pics and information one could want is on every product page for every product on those websites. And from a web development perspective they aren't great web sites. But they get the job done very well.

[whalen e]

+1 Logan

I actually pulled the trigger on one last month. Should be here mid-March or so. I've always been curious about the patrol shelter, and have come close to buying one on GS, but didn't because I no longer use a bivy. So I wanted the extra room of the Duo. When it arrives I'll post photos and attempt a thorough review.

[whalen e]

(***I removed my iphone photos because they came out sideways, which I don't know how to correct or why it does that. For photos, go down to Doug's entry, which are my photos corrected. Thx)

Ah that sweet childish pleasure of finding an MLD package in the mail. 8weeks & 5 days.

For now, here are some photos in a park. Later this weekend I will add some with two exped mats and sleeping bag.

It's much larger than I thought. It'll be spacious for one person + gear or dog. Perfect I think for two people. I don't use a bivy anymore so I bought the duo to have room in PNW rainy weather.

I used the guyline lengths from another BPL member:

Front Apex Line(topmost) 96"
Beak line 84"
Front corner pullouts 36"
Side pullouts 28"
Rear corner pullouts 16"
Rear Apex Line 60"

Good head room even pitched low. I can sit in the middle of the tarp with my head barely touching the top.

[Simon Kenton]

Awesome stuff, thanks for posting Whalen. Do you think your quilt would touch the sides when pitched tight to the ground with two people? I'm wondering if two people could use it in nasty weather without a bivy?

[whalen e]

My first impression is that it would be fine in storm mode with two people. I'll know for sure this weekend when I stake it to the ground with two inflated mattresses and sleeping bags and take photos of the space to the tarp's edge.

For a couple on a thru-hike, my guess is that it would be great. The real question is would two people be comfortable in a duo bug shelter, when needed.

[Simon Kenton]

I look forward to seeing those pictures.

For a thru hike, during bug pressure, I wonder if you could rig a S2S nano bug net inside? There's always the duo serenity, if that doesn't work.

How much does the tarp setup weigh with lines?

[Robb Watts]

I just bought a Serenity duo in sil (4 days from ordering to my doorstep – suprised the hell out of me and it was only by chance that I was home to get the mail before my wife did. Close call) I'll post some pics with 2 adults inside for scale

[Ryan Tucker]

When entering the patrol do you push the beak up then pull it back down once inside the tent?

[whalen e]

@ Ryan

No, the Patrol shelter isn't like the zpacks hexamids, where you can roll the beak up and down. Basically, after it's staked out, you slip under it like you would any other tarp.

However I did find a thread where another BPL member, Steven McAllister, lifted up one of the front corners of the tarp to give a little more enter/exit room. There's a good photo of his patrol shelter towards the bottom of the thread.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=55395&disable_pagination=1&id=x2MxjS3H:73.53.30.140

Maybe another member can share their way of entering.

[Ryan Tucker]

I appreciate the link. That would certainly be an option.

[whalen e]

So I set the Duo up in storm mode and was happy to see there is plenty of room still, especially for a single person. Even on an inflatable mat I could sit up comfortably, bending my head only a little. Yes, it's a little more weight than a solo but I need/want a little more room in rainy weather without a bivy. Currently I use a Solomid XL but on rainy trips I feel a bit bottled up. With the PS Duo I can be in storm mode and still have room with a view. If it's really nasty I'll put chrome dome at the entrance.

Because of the price tag, I was more than concerned about getting the Duo, especially when solo patrol shelter's pop up on gear swap from time to time. But I'm glad I did. You get the wind/rain protection of a mid but the openness of a tarp.

I think this would be a good option for two people as well. The base of the back triangle is 55", accommodating two normal sized pads with a little room, which you can see in the photo.

Let me know if u have questions.

(***Removed my iphone photos because they all came out sideways. See Doug's entry below, which are my photos corrected)

[BlackHatGuy]

You were making my neck hurt…

[whalen e]

Thx!

[Gary Pikovsky]

What's the weight, guys?

[whalen e]

Damn, forgot to weigh it. I'll have to do it tomorrow.

[whalen e]

Stuff sack weighed .7

Tarp/sack without guylines 10.4

Tarp/sack with MLD guylines 12.4

Guyline lengths
Front Apex Line(topmost) 96"
Beak line 84"
Front corner pullouts 36"
Side pullouts 28"
Rear corner pullouts 16"
Rear Apex Line 60"

I actually plan on replacing MLD cord with Lawson's reflective cord, but I'll add another foot in length so I can really open it up in hot weather. It's lighter cord but longer lengths, so I imagine it'll be about the same in weight.

[Gary Pikovsky]

Thanks! Is the Lawson reflective cord (2mm) wide enough for micro locks to work?

[whalen e]

I replaced the MLD cord with Lawson's orange glowire. I added a foot to each of the lengths listed above, figuring I'll cut it down as I start to use it in the field.

The weight dropped from 12.4 to 11.8oz with tarp/cord/sack.

As far as the glowire working with linelocs, I've used Lawson's cord for the last three years on all my shelters with linelocs and never had a problem. I see now he sells both 2mm and 3mm. I'm assuming his original glowire was 2mm and I love it with linelocs.

[whalen e]

As far as first impressions, I have to say that I really like this tarp. I went camping this weekend and it rained most of the day & night. And here's what I was happy about (especially compared to a mid type shelter):

1) I liked having a view while staying dry. In a mid you can't really keep the door open for a view when it's raining, which is what I enjoyed about a tarp. That closeness to nature, lying down for the night and gazing out.

2) room to move. I'm a big guy and I never once felt cramped. The duomid was plenty wide but too short; in a long sleeping bag I was always worried about the footbox getting wet. A Solomid XL helped in length but the sloped wall is still only inches from my face. Only when I sit up in the middle do I feel I have room. But with this tarp I've got enough headroom nearly the whole length. And it's wide enough that I don't have use a bivy or worry about splashback along the sides.

3) ease of set up. I found it easier to set up than a flat tarp or cat cut tarp. It's almost as easy as setting up a mid. The solid triangle of the back is quick to set up because the corner tieouts are fairly fixed (unlike with a flat/cat tarp where you can have much longer guylines), anchoring the tarp in the wind and making it easy to then set up the front. For me at least, there was less fiddling than with other tarps I've owned.

Other considerations: yes, it's a front entry so you'll have to duck under the beak which might be a pain if you are constantly getting in and out but in rainy weather I tend to stay put and in good weather you can raise it higher up.

I've never had a zipper fail on an MLD mid but I like not having to worry about it with this tarp on a long hike. OR rain pouring directly into my camp when I open the door, like what happens in mids.

I like the catenary cut; it's not too aggressive like tarps that only give headroom in the very front, and it's just enough to eliminate the sag you'd find in an A frame flat tarp (which really bugs me for some reason).

I enjoy having that solid back triangle protecting my head from the wind, being able to stake it all the way to the ground and still have plenty of space above my face, no sloping wall that you get in a mid.

I'll still keep my Solomid XL, especially for snow camping, but for 3 season use, I know the patrol shelter duo has become my main shelter.

Did I mention how nice it is to wake up to a view?

[Logan T]

Great job with this thread OP. I really appreciate a good thorough user review but even more so on product with so little info and pictures out there.

I would also like to say darn you OP! I went from not even really wanting one of these other than the way I want every cool shelter in the world, immediately to needing one and considering reworking my whole system :)

[whalen e]

@ Logan

Trust me, I understand completely. I thought with the Solomid XL I was finally able to hone my system to the point that I would only vaguley want another cuben shelter. But as I said, I really missed the openness of a tarp. The Patrol Shelter always had great reviews but I did not want to return to using a bivy. So, against my will, I ordered the PS Duo. Glad I did.

Other thoughts and comparisons to other shelters I've owned.

PS Duo vs Yama Cirriform: I liked the Cirriform alot but, for me, the cat cut and solo size made it hard to move around at ease. And when I left the front beak unzipped for a view, it altered the shape and made the front sag a little. It's a petty consideration on my part, but I like a taut tarp. The Duo is easy to get taut and it stays that way while still allowing a view. And as I mentioned before, plenty of space to move around.

PS Duo vs Zpacks Duplex: With the Duplex, I finally found the room I wanted in a shelter. Loved everything about it. Except that I wouldn't use it outside of bug season. I only want to use netting when it's needed. So most of the season the duplex would remain in my gear bin and it's too fine (and expensive) of a shelter for that. I realized I wanted to go back to a modular system, even at the cost of room lost when using an innernet.

Here are some photos from this weekend, with Lawson's glowire guylines.

The Duo pitched high

[David Halterman]

Gracias for the photos whalen. Next time you set up could you snap a head-on shot looking in? Something like the first photo you posted in this thread, but back about four feet. I'm trying to eyeball the usable space for two.

Thanks!

[whalen e]

No problem David. Until then, here are the original photos now that I've figured out how to correctly post them.

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