MLD Trailstar
- Thread starter Headshed
- Start date
Tip: reduce the angle on the 'door' guy and you'll get a tauter pitch e.g. reduce the height of the pole or move it away from the 'door'
No not sealed yet, I couldn't wait to try it out, so I ducked out between showers after work and collecting the kids from school. My daughter gave it her thumbs up saying it was massive inside.Great stuffyou manage to get it sealed?
Thanks Whiteburn, I took the pictures before trying to get in and out, moved the pole rearwards and 'accidentally' discovered it not only improved access but as you say improved the tension. I've also used your idea for the guyline set up, I just need to get a linelok for the door guy, I used a taughtline hitch but it's too fiddly especially if you have cold hands. Also I think I'll try a slightly lower pitch, as using my poles set at 120cm seemed to end up with a large ventilation gap at the bottom. Like most things it probably comes down to practice and experimentation to get the pitch just right, I may try pitching a corner out as a door and see how that looks tonight if the weathers ok. I also added the loop to the middle tie out as per your idea for taking it down in wild weather, it could potentially add another couple of guying points for really atrocious weather.
I find 120cm good for use with a nest in summer, my most routine pitch is 110cm.
Good luck with the seam sealing, I followed Martin's advice and thinned down the sealant with white spirits and used a small disposable brush with the bristles cut down to about 1/2", no masking, worked great.
Good luck with the seam sealing, I followed Martin's advice and thinned down the sealant with white spirits and used a small disposable brush with the bristles cut down to about 1/2", no masking, worked great.
Ok thanks for that advice re the brush, I need to find a suitable brush to cut down and some clear weather to do it in. I may, as Shewie suggested hang it up in the garage and do it there with the seams pulled taught. I'm certainly going to experiment with different height pitches to.
I've got a custom Oookworks inner for mine, chikara floor, half cuben/half mesh walls. The quality on it is superb, very pleased with it, though like you say, I mostly use my bivy or home made bathtub floor.
I was interested in your BearPaw inner as there's one on the site that looks like it might do as a 2 man inner for the Trailstar & for the the Duomid.
Read your latest post today, another good post. Thought I'd add a link to it here as it might be worth a read for Headshed, hopefully see you on the challenge at some point
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I have a couple of inners for Duomid. It came with a 2 person mesh with a neat hole in the flood for the pole (you pull a cord to tighten it around the pole- clever!) and I ordered a BearPaw one- one person half nylon half mesh for winter camping. Not really used either yet!
I just took my Superlite bivvy Matt, the one with the full mesh hood. I've got a couple of inners for my TS but space was a premium in my CDT and I didn't want the extra bulk. It turned out the first week was cold and windy with night time temps around 0*c, bugs were none existent, the second week was positively tropical for Scotland, if I'd taken shorts I could've worn them, but still no sign of midges.
It sounds like the last year was similar, except the second week was wet and cold too. My hunch is we'll still have snow in April this year and early May will still be cool and midge free, especially in the Highlands. I heard rumours that they might be shifting it to another month, but then it's supposed to be a challenge after all.
I'm reapplying in October this year
It sounds like the last year was similar, except the second week was wet and cold too. My hunch is we'll still have snow in April this year and early May will still be cool and midge free, especially in the Highlands. I heard rumours that they might be shifting it to another month, but then it's supposed to be a challenge after all.
I'm reapplying in October this year
Would be surprised if you need Midge protection until mid June. My Duomid leaked the first night of snow/sleet (assumed it was sealed by previous owner- oops) swapped it for my bivi bag for the rest of the trip...
Oh wow, many thanks for the offer!
I just took my Superlite bivvy Matt, the one with the full mesh hood. I've got a couple of inners for my TS but space was a premium in my CDT and I didn't want the extra bulk. It turned out the first week was cold and windy with night time temps around 0*c, bugs were none existent, the second week was positively tropical for Scotland, if I'd taken shorts I could've worn them, but still no sign of midges.
It sounds like the last year was similar, except the second week was wet and cold too. My hunch is we'll still have snow in April this year and early May will still be cool and midge free, especially in the Highlands. I heard rumours that they might be shifting it to another month, but then it's supposed to be a challenge after all.
I'm reapplying in October this year
Cheers for the advice, I wasn't thinking for the challenge though, more for general use. Think I've pretty much decided to go for bivy/polycryo sheet combo whichever shelter I end up taking. We'll see though, I probably won't decide until the night before!
Which inners have you got Shewie? and good news re next year, you going solo next time? I'm going to see how this one goes first before I think about next years
Matt
[QUOTE
Read your latest post today, another good post. Thought I'd add a link to it here as it might be worth a read for Headshed, hopefully see you on the challenge at some point[/QUOTE]
Hi Mat thanks for the link! I tend to read a few Blogs from trailstar owners, yours, shewies & I've added whiteburn to that list as well. Here's another you may or may not be aware of 'backpackingbongos', always a good read and great trip reports with his dog Reuben. At the moment I'm thinking of an alpkit Hunka bivy, for me and my son, I have an old foxhole hooped bivy, but as with many others I want to reduce pack size and weight. I thought I'd coble together a net for summer months and use the bivy's separately or in combination. If I add velcro to the hunka I could then add a mesh hood for the midges, or I may follow your route and go Borah gear, If I remember correctly, also on Sean (of Oookworks) has an interesting hooped bivy in his blog, that hopefully, when he is well enough, he may add to his main site. Anyway still need to seam seal it & get using it. My wife is threatening to hide it and wrap it & make me wait for my birthday (end of Feb), not sure I approve of that. Good luck to all the TGO applicants and walkers!
Read your latest post today, another good post. Thought I'd add a link to it here as it might be worth a read for Headshed, hopefully see you on the challenge at some point
[/QUOTE]Hi Mat thanks for the link! I tend to read a few Blogs from trailstar owners, yours, shewies & I've added whiteburn to that list as well. Here's another you may or may not be aware of 'backpackingbongos', always a good read and great trip reports with his dog Reuben. At the moment I'm thinking of an alpkit Hunka bivy, for me and my son, I have an old foxhole hooped bivy, but as with many others I want to reduce pack size and weight. I thought I'd coble together a net for summer months and use the bivy's separately or in combination. If I add velcro to the hunka I could then add a mesh hood for the midges, or I may follow your route and go Borah gear, If I remember correctly, also on Sean (of Oookworks) has an interesting hooped bivy in his blog, that hopefully, when he is well enough, he may add to his main site. Anyway still need to seam seal it & get using it. My wife is threatening to hide it and wrap it & make me wait for my birthday (end of Feb), not sure I approve of that. Good luck to all the TGO applicants and walkers!
I read his blog before and actually met him on the challenge last year (me and my mate gave home some medical advice which in retrospect was a little over-cautious). Really nice guy. James I believe his name is.
Well it happened, I had some time off yesterday & thought 'I know I'll go and seam seal the trailstar', unfortunately my wife found where I'd hidden it, taken it and wrapped it up for my birthday! I've been told divorce proceedings will ensue if I even think of touching it before then. Just typical, I order early from the states thinking delivery would be 5 weeks, it arrives in less than 2 and now my longest wait will be due to my wife. Well I know which side my bread is buttered, so wait it is!
