Videos of Shelters in High Winds

nice videos

I’m surprised how well the Trailstar did

I would say the 65 MPH video shows that shelter is not up to that much wind.  Even at 35 – 40 MPH I would not want to sleep in that.

I’ve been in my floorless mid at close to 35 MPH and it was just like that – tent blowing all over but I stayed in it all night with some sleeping.

My conclusion is to not camp when it’s going to be 30 MPH or higher.

I’m surprised how well the Trailstar did

Really? I thought that it had quite the reputation for that.

I used the Trailstar quite a bit in Taiwan where unexpected heavy weather is a given. The TS offers great protection, but there was a lot I didn’t like about it.

The octagonal mid I’m putting through its paces now has a much smaller and crucially much more easily predictable footprint, hence is easier to pitch solo in wind, plus it blocks wind and splash around the edges much better than the TS and doesn’t require a low pitch in storm mode like the TS.

Flap factor is much more important to me now that it used to be. I want a good night’s sleep (and yes, I carry ear plugs).

I like going for longish sort of trips of several weeks at a time, so you gotta be prepared.

There must be a lot of other cool videos out there. I tried to look for a good TT Scarp video but didn’t find one.

Great thread!

My three go to shelters (with purchase year) are Scarp 1 (2010), TrailStar (2013), and a Six Moons Deschutes CF (2015). All are wind-worthy, a requirement for me since I mostly hike in deserts.

If I could have only one shelter, it would be the TrailStar. However, the TrailStar is not my favorite shelter. It is third on my go to list, and actually I prefer my old Chouinard Pyramid or my newer Black Diamond MegaLight over the TrailStar. In the linked TrailStar video, I could have made shelter more taut and would have shortened or even staked at the tie outs. But yes, it will flap. Not enough to keep me awake at night.

When I first bought the TrailStar I tested it on a hilly area near my house, which is windy almost everyday. That night the official weather clocked gusts in excess of 70 mph and the shelter did just fine.

My favorite shelter, which I use the least due to weight, is my Scarp 1. With the crossing poles I have complete faith in it for any kind of wind short of a tornado or hurricane. I normally don’t bring the crossing poles.

One thing about tent material flapping — light materials sacrifice some rigidity. My Chouinard mid is much heavier than the MegaLight. The MegaLight is 30d silnylon and the Chouinard is PU coated nylon. I don’t what the actual specs for this nylon is. The shelters are identical in shape and size. In side-by-side in windy conditions, the Chouinard has significantly less flapping. I know, I have tested them side by side.

what worries me about the flapping is more that I fear there will be catastrophic failure, and less the noise

after it flaps around a lot for a while I figure I guess it’ll be okay so go to sleep

another thing is when it flaps, the sides of the fabric will actually touch me.  More aesthetically displeasing than anything else

Was that Ryan in the 65 MPH video?  I commend him for cooking inside it.  I would fear something bad would happen.

‘what worries me about the flapping is more that I fear there will be catastrophic failure, and less the noise’

I always bring ear plugs for this eventuality. The tent will still be around you in the morning. Those kind of storms will blow through.  Alcohol helps too.

There was an old thread about a double rainbow in 55mph winds

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/4307/

Videos no longer live but photos lower in the thread.

My first generation hexamid pitched close to the ground did ok in winds thanking coming at the back of the tarp that my Brunton ADC Pro WeatherStation reported as 45mph.  No pictures or videos.

Flapping in a DCF shelter generally seems to be much louder than flapping in silnylon one. No hard data on that, just personal observation, but not side by side.

That’s amazing that a TT DR could stand up to 55mph.

i’ve had a DCF DR in 50 mph gusts with more guylines than what was made “available” by its guyline attachment points. Not my first choice in high winds…

Cool thread idea! I haven’t seen most of these. The only link I have not already posted:

Kuiu Mountain Star 65mph simulated winds

I’m impressed that they hit that “pop-up” aka dome style tent from both directions.  Not sure I’d sleep well at night if the wind was blowing against the broad side and deforming like that, but it’s cool to see that they did this test.

I’m not so sure I’m a fan of “built-in deformation.”

I’ve experienced it and don’t like it. I don’t sleep well, it’s really disconcerting, even if you know the engineering is going to hold up ok.

I like stable and quiet!

“I like stable and quiet!”

Best below tree line…

Had my Duplex on a ridge with what I would calculate 50+mph winds with higher speed gusts. The buffeting sound and mini sonic booms from pressure changes inside the tent caused our quilts to lift off our bodies by 6-12″ every coupe of seconds. Tent held, some guy lines were damaged but held, but it was the worst night sleep I ever had.

This is 2 HMG Ultamid 4s and a MLD Supermid. The wind didn’t really start until the middle of the night, and occupants of the Ultamid that’s all bent out of shape just rode it out and didn’t bother getting up to fix it. It demonstrates the need for a good initial pitch, lol.

Jump to minute 3:40…

My solo winter tent is the TT Moment DW with the Crossing Pole shortened 5″ and rn UNDER the fly. Two shortened double-sided Velcro cable wraps are sewn and seam sealed inside the fly at the reinforcements for the external Crossing Pole attachment straps. This resists snow load very well.

This tent has withstood steady 40 mph winds and gusts to 60 mph when properly guyed and staked.

This tent has withstood steady 40 mph winds and gusts to 60 mph when properly guyed and staked.

You wouldn’t happen to have a video of that, would you?

Jon,

Yeah, my big regret is NOT taking a video of this so I’m waiting for the next Dangerous Winds warning to do it. It was set up in a grassy park here in Henderson, Nevada so it was not sheltered by any trees, etc.

I had the fly staked out with 2 stakes per side, the main hoop pole guyed out on each side and the fly guyed at each end near the middle of the centerline with shortened hiking poles and long cord. That’s a LOT of guys and stakes, all MSR Ground Hog stakes. I was worried I might have fabric or pole damage but everything held for the half hour it was up, even the stakes.

However I would recommend taking 4 long, spiral MSR Ground Hog stakes for critical points like the ends and side hoop guys. It’s just more peace of mind.

Yup, good stakes are crucial.
I prefer different ones but the idea is the same.
Make a video next time but don’t put yourself in danger.

Stable and quiet

I would love to see a Slingfin Portal video that is not a “how to setup the shelter” type video. Even showing moderate wind would be helpful (steady 15-20 mph).

I set-up an Ultamid 4 and a Swiftline in this kind of wind yesterday. Both were stable, neither were totally quiet. Decent deflection on the windward side, as expected I guess.