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Ron Bell
(mountainlaureldesigns) - F - M

Locale: USA
Re: Cuben Trailstar on 12/09/2011 13:10:21 MST Print View

Hi
cftsa

We had the intro price at 295 - About the same a duo tarp with a lot less cuben in it.

We wanted to let all who were eagerly waiting get one at Christmas deal and then after we hit the intro release number cutoff today we had to move it up a little to $335.

They will ship in Mid Jan.

My error on the coding made it confusing for the afternoon - opps -
It's all straight on the website .

Also, The closeout holiday deal on the remaining 2011 Newt Packs is almost over - only a few left.

Thanks

Edited by mountainlaureldesigns on 12/09/2011 20:39:38 MST.

The Idemonster
(idester) - MLife

Locale: MidAtlantic
Re: Re: Cuben Trailstar on 12/09/2011 13:35:47 MST Print View

Just in case any newer folk on these forums were wondering why so many members sing Ron's/Mountain Laurel Designs praises so often ... this is why.

Well, this and great gear!

Diplomatic Mike
(MikefaeDundee)

Locale: Under a bush in Scotland
Cuben Trailstar on 12/09/2011 13:43:07 MST Print View

Nice move Ron.:)

I would have charged you the fool price Doug. ;)

The Idemonster
(idester) - MLife

Locale: MidAtlantic
Re: Cuben Trailstar on 12/09/2011 13:46:25 MST Print View

"I would have charged you the fool price Doug. ;)"

Wait a second! I thought it was the snooze price! That Scotland weather is making you mean..... ;-)

Diplomatic Mike
(MikefaeDundee)

Locale: Under a bush in Scotland
Cuben Trailstar on 12/09/2011 14:16:48 MST Print View

We can cwap photos of our Trailstars in situ in a few months, Doug.
Yours will have beautiful blue skies, mine will be full of 100 mph leaves and badly pitched tents. :)

Jason Elsworth
(jephoto) - M

Locale: New Zealand
MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/09/2011 19:23:39 MST Print View

Just got my order in on time. Shipping mid Jan is great :)

Diplomatic Mike
(MikefaeDundee)

Locale: Under a bush in Scotland
Re the photo on 12/11/2011 13:11:19 MST Print View

I wonder if the photo from Ron is a prototype?
It doesn't seem to have mid guying point between the corners, except for the one the outside pole is tied to? No cat curves either?

Ron Bell
(mountainlaureldesigns) - F - M

Locale: USA
MLD Cuben TrailStar on 12/11/2011 13:43:44 MST Print View

That is a proto pic - The cuben versions have the same 10 tieouts as the Sil versions.

There are cat curves on all the vertical seams - it is a small curve vs one on a Tarp or a Mid and tuned to that overall shape and pitch variations. From all the protos we built - we discovered the best curve for that shape and length of seam. Even a .5" extra drop over the length of the seam throws it off and can make the baseline loose.

The vertical seams are also over-taped with the non stretch cuben fiber oriented the length of the seam to prevent stretch.

Thanks

Diplomatic Mike
(MikefaeDundee)

Locale: Under a bush in Scotland
Thanks on 12/11/2011 13:49:57 MST Print View

Cheers Ron.
Take the rest of Sunday off! :)

Stuart Allie
(stuart.allie) - M

Locale: Australia
MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/11/2011 16:12:19 MST Print View

It looks great!

The silnylon trailstar is a magnificent beast in strong gusty winds. But I have no experience with cuben fibre at all. Does anybody here have any idea of how the cuben trailstar will fare in strong winds relative to the sil version? I assume the weak points would be the tie-out points, and I know Ron has quite a bit of experience with cuben by now, but I still wonder.

So. Cuben trailstar in strong *gusty* winds:
better than sil?
worse than sil?
much the same?

Ron Bell
(mountainlaureldesigns) - F - M

Locale: USA
Re: MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/11/2011 18:02:05 MST Print View

A .75 oz Cueben shelter will be stronger in every way vs the same one in Silnylon if it is built correctly - meaning properly bonded and reinforced seams and tieouts.

I would not say that for .5 cuben. It would be closer to Silnylon in my opinion for various reasons . We do build with all those types of materials.

That said, it's extremely rare you ever hear of a well made Silnylon shelter "breaking" in any way much less a Cuben one- so maybe a moot point for 99.95% of the time as a comparison.

The only small difference between .7 Cuben and Silnylon on the same shelter or tarp design ( assuming small designs differences have been addressed) is that the greater stretch of silnylon allows a slightly sloppier pitch technique to be compensated for by just pulling the tieouts harder to stretch in into a shape. A cuben version needs little bit more care in pitching to get it "squared up" so to speak and get the same nice looking and wind shedding taught pitch.

But- it's pretty close and about the only time you would see a difference is when a novice is first
learning the shelter - it may take a few more test pitches to get it just right. The upside is they would learn to do it right and not develop bad habits.

Stuart Allie
(stuart.allie) - M

Locale: Australia
Re: MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/11/2011 18:14:46 MST Print View

Ron,

Thank you for the prompt and detailed response! You've just made the cuben trailstar that little bit more tempting... :)

Cheers,
Stuart

Fred eric
(Fre49) - MLife

Locale: France, vallée de la Loire
proto pitch on 12/12/2011 09:24:19 MST Print View

Am i wrong in seeing 2 guylines for the "door"

cuben proto


is there a specific purpose ?

Edited by Fre49 on 12/12/2011 09:27:37 MST.

Jason Elsworth
(jephoto) - M

Locale: New Zealand
MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/12/2011 16:33:21 MST Print View

Does anyone else think that a being able to attach a guy line about half way down each side of the door opening would be useful in high winds? I have spent 7 nights in my Tstar, so far but all have been strangely calm.

Kyle Meyer
(kylemeyer) - M

Locale: Portland, OR
Re: MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/12/2011 17:27:30 MST Print View

I really doubt that'd help. If the tarp is pitched well, there isn't any slack in the door at all. On the contrary, the whole thing is drum tight. If the tie-outs were there, you could conceivably make a larger door with a third pole though!

Has anyone else found it fairly difficult to get a tight pitch when making a corner tieout the door? Will this be even more difficult with the cuben trailstar's lack of stretch?

Ron Bell
(mountainlaureldesigns) - F - M

Locale: USA
Re: Re: MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/12/2011 18:22:25 MST Print View

-The line on the right is just the extra length on the line hanging down.

- When making the corner tieout the door ( not shown in the pic above ) it helps to make the rear two corner guylines a bit longer- and to pitch the whole thing a bit flatter so that one door corner is not super high off the ground.

Thanks

Kyle Meyer
(kylemeyer) - M

Locale: Portland, OR
Re: Re: Re: MLD TrailStar - Cuben on 12/12/2011 21:38:11 MST Print View

I'll have to try that next time I'm out. Thanks Ron!