Ever since I knew about it, the Trailstar looked to me quite like what I had in mind for a very versatile, dependable shelter but I never got one (too many shelters already, planned to MMOG, etc) All the recent conversations and pics (excellent threads, I must say) got me thinking about it yet again and I came to this design concern:

In the pics, it's clear the ridges take a catenary shape. I know a catenary curve distributes tension better along the ridge and avoids concentrating that tension in specific places, which is a very good thing. On the other hand, that shape takes the walls inwards and from the pics it seems it does so significantly; with a low pitch, it seems a good part of the periphery is too low to be usable, which would be a waste.

So the question is, would it be possible/convenient to avoid those curves and go for straight ridge lines? Maybe not with Cuben, which is not elastic but at least with silnylon which stretches somewhat. Stretch, in turn, I guess, helps with distributing tensions.

Same question and concern with the lower edges which are clearly catenary cut. This, again, distributes tensions better but makes it more difficult to close those edges when pitching low in bad conditions.

I welcome opinions.

I've had me, a 6'3" friend, and a Siberian huskey under a trailstar pitched maybe 3" from the ground in freezing rain overnight and had no trouble touching the sides or lacking headroom.

Seems like it'd be a waste and take away a lot of what makes the tarp awesome—taut, aerodynamic pitches.

With straight ridges, the Trailstar could keep the same livable space with a smaller footprint which may be an interesting thing when the big footprint has been addressed by some as a potential drawback of the design. It would also use less fabric and weight less.

It also seems to me the catenary ridges might help a sail effect when it's windy and can help hold snow on top of the tarp.

Then, I don't own a Trailstar neither have seen one live. I don't really know if those ridges are catenary cut or just take the curve when under tension as it happens with the ridge in silnylon flat tarps in an A frame pitch, for example.

There are a number of reviews of the MLD Trailstar out there; here's a couple to get you started:

http://www.stevenhorner.com/?p=1003

http://www.andyhowell.info/Colin-Ibbotson/Trailstar-review.pdf

Actual users of the Trailstar describe the design, cat cuts and all, as remarkably wind and storm proof, and as exceptionally roomy.

Edited by grampa on 10/14/2011 17:54:33 MDT.