MLD Trailstar

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TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.

MLD Trailstar

Postby Mickl » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 12:18 am

Hi all

Been looking at the MLD Trailstar of late and just wondering if anyone here has one / had one and what their thoughts on it were in particular room in them and how easy to set up etc? Reason asking is I help out on a school trip each year and usually sleep under a tarp as thats what the kids do and thought that the trailstar might be a good option for the times when the weather is a bit iffy! Just after any thoughts people have on them.

Also thinking about looking at an SS2 as a tent option as I have always avoided tents that use trekking poles but am starting to think I might be missing out on some great shelters as a result!

TIA.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Franco » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 10:00 am

You can also use the SS2 as a "tarp" fly only.
In that mode you could have 4 or 5 kids sitting inside having a chat or something.
not having a pole in the middle helps with that...
I don't have a good photo to illustrate that right now but this set up (still including the inner...) should give a good idea.
A family of four did the Appalachian Trail inside that :

Image
about 700 g fly only.
here is one photo from TT :

Image
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby photohiker » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 10:47 am

Trailstar is great. Needs a pole and a good amount of space. Very strong, and is well regarded in the Scotland highlands. More enclosed than a flat tarp but more open than a tent. Also lighter than most tents. Can accommodate a few 2-3 for sleeping or more for a shelter under the rain.

I use mine anywhere there is enough space so depends where you go.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Mickl » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 6:07 pm

Franco, I had considered the SS2 to use as tarp only which would work and might be worth looking at as apposed to buying both items and adding to my already too large tent collection but I have not seen either tents in the flesh so not sure about shelling out the cash without crawling around in it first.

Photo hiker, if you're in SA depending on your location would there be any chance I could possibly take a look at the trailstar one day when its convenient to you? Might make the decision to look at one a bit easier.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby kitty » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 6:15 pm

..
Last edited by kitty on Mon 01 May, 2017 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby photohiker » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 7:38 pm

Mickl, no worries. We're away for a while but will contact you when we're back. June should be ok for us.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Mickl » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 8:39 pm

Thanks mate that would be great. If I can find someone near me with a SS2 now for a look I should be sorted!
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Chezza » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 9:03 pm

You can have a look at mine. It needs a bit of minor repair, though. I'll PM you soon when it is ready to be pitched again.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Mickl » Sun 30 Apr, 2017 9:07 pm

That would be fantastic mate. Thanks.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Eljimberino » Mon 01 May, 2017 1:39 pm

deleted
Last edited by Eljimberino on Mon 01 May, 2017 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby whitefang » Mon 01 May, 2017 6:28 pm

Eljimberino wrote:Be nice if nearly every thread didn't turn into a TarpTent ad.


Mickl had mentioned wanting to try a TarpTent in his first post.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Eljimberino » Mon 01 May, 2017 8:12 pm

whitefang wrote:
Mickl had mentioned wanting to try a TarpTent in his first post.


Yes you're correct, thought he was referring to s2s tarps. Edited.
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Re: MLD Trailstar

Postby Walk_fat boy_walk » Tue 02 May, 2017 1:03 pm

Reckon a Trailstar would be a fantastic acquisition. I looked very seriously at them (along with a few other options) and in the end the footprint size steered me towards a mini version (Cricket, I think originally mooted as a mini-star or something like that, not to be confused with the "Little Star" MLD had for a while). In either case I love having the trade-off between a mid and an open side... I know you're suppose to pitch the open side away from the predominant wind but I always pitch towards the view :). I'm pretty happy but in hindsight I reckon the size of the Trailstar would have only been an issue 10% of the time and might've been a worthwhile tradeoff for the extra space.
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