Wanted: cheap 2p windproof palace

Mole

Thru Hiker
I think I don't mind 225 grams for a better built shelter, thanks for the info @Mole
Do you own one as well?
I'm afraid I do.
Bought it to lend out and use as a dayshelter/for checkpointing Explorer Scouts. Originally had the orange one, but sold it and bought the green when it came available.
To save wear and tear on my MLD Trailstar.
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
I think they are still bound .Look at the grid on the edges. And there's an edge inside and out. And see the corners. ( The other one has curved "corners" to facilitate quick binding.)

Reinforcements have curved edges and bonded though. And seams taped?

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Taz38

Thru Hiker
I've got the orange trailstar copy in 20D, good to see they now do a green one in 40D for next to nothing. Still got to use it in anger tho.
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
I've got the orange trailstar copy in 20D, good to see they now do a green one in 40D for next to nothing. Still got to use it in anger tho.

I've a green one ….also unused :whistling::rolleyes::oops: - I wonder just how many of us are in this club ?? :D
 

Padstowe

Thru Hiker
I had an orange one unused for over a year, so I gave it away 2 months ago
edit: bought it off mole :whistling:
 
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Enzo

Thru Hiker
Obviously depends on how high you pitch the tarp but at the recommended 170 there is ~2-3" at the two closest points from memory, more in the middle because of the near circular pitch.
The two rear shock cord tie outs attatch OK but you need two stakes for the front tie outs.
 

Taz38

Thru Hiker
I bought mine so I could take the kids out and I really like the shape and the fact they are good in a breeze.
Kind of like the orange.
 

KVerb

Ultralighter
I think I'll use the green mostly for stealth camping since we don't have the luxury of being allowed to put up a tent wherever we like here in Belgium...
If you're caught wild camping, you could get sent away and even be fined. Fortunately if the ranger sees you're just spending the night, making no fires and respecting LNT principles, he might let you off with a warning. It's dependent on the guys philosophy and mood though so not getting caught is still best practice.
Although I think it's for the best, bivouac zones where free camping is allowed are often used by people who haul tons of beer and leave tons of trash. Some sites have already been closed down due to abuse. Imagine what would happen if there were no restrictions...
 

Taz38

Thru Hiker
:rolleyes:

Same here tho, but the UK has more 'space' than Belgium.
I know in Holland they are super strict, tho I have wild-camped there, even in the Veluwe National park (many moons ago-when I was young, reckless and travelled on a shoestring)

There is a minority that spoils things for others by for instance using disposable bbqs or having fires (where they shouldn't), leaving litter, cutting trees, thrashing/defiling bothies (mountain huts) etc etc.
Thankfully they are not too strict with wild camping when its obvious that you respect the land (IMO).

My main tent is green so I can blend in better. I would've bought the green trailstar from Ali had it been available at the time, but at least the orange 20D is lighter.
 

Stumpghes

Summit Camper
KVerb, as to your earlier question about my experience with the Knot M Octo and weather - I don't have much. Haven't used it very much here in the forest. Bought it for 2p trips on exposed grasslands, which hasn't happened yet.

I didn't notice the 3F Hex pyramid (Canguan) on your list. I have been using that a lot with my dog lately. Great shelter. The sil outside/PU inside fabric is very solid. Not as fine or light as the high end fabrics of that type used by the big American tent manufacturers (Big Agnes, Nemo, et al.) but robustly coated, very water proof and seems durable so far. I'm not a fan of this pyramid for couples, though, because of the center pole. You can offset it to make space for two lying side by side, but it's not ideal. In addition, the inner is great but you don't get a dry entry nor a convenient fly-first pitch if setting up in the rain. For those reasons I favor the Knot Octo for couples - easy to set up the fly first and then hang the 2p or 4p inner after. And with the 2p you get a massive vestibule/living room and dry entry. It's true, though, that sleeping space is not palatial with the 2p inner, and only one door might rankle some occupants. But if dry entry is not a concern, the Knot Octo with 4p inner is truly palatial, and if footprint size is not an issue I would take it over the 3F Hex Pyramid - about the same weight, way more space, ability to lie side by side without pole in the way...

Did I see that 3F is making a Trailstar clone with sil/PU fabric? If so, I wouldn't think that works well. I think the Trailstar needs the stretch of silnylon to pitch taught. The 3F fabrics, with the heavy PU coating on the inner side, doesn't stretch much. In fact, for a nylon fabric it sags little in cold and wet; great for the 3F pyramid, but that lack of stretch might be a problem with the Trailstar design. (Could be wrong!)
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
I favor the Knot Octo for couples - easy to set up the fly first and then hang the 2p or 4p inner after. And with the 2p you get a massive vestibule/living room and dry entry. It's true, though, that sleeping space is not palatial with the 2p inner, and only one door might rankle some occupants. But if dry entry is not a concern, the Knot Octo with 4p inner is truly palatial, and if footprint size is not an issue I would take it over the 3F Hex Pyramid - about the same weight, way more space, ability to lie side by side without pole in the way...

How would the Knot Oct work with 2 x single inners - possible? - better 'living'space' ? - less 'pole issues' ? Curious.
 

Stumpghes

Summit Camper
Yep, and that works great with 1p and 2p rectangular mids using only trekking poles inserted into the DPTE, but with a 5 foot tall hexagonal structure you need 2 extra long and rather stiff poles. No easy or convenient solution with trekking poles that I've found.
 

KVerb

Ultralighter
Enzo and Stumpghes didn't seem to have any problems with laying 2p on one side of the pole though? My gf and I currently don't really mind sleeping in a narrow inner (lanshan2 110cm works great for us).

When I said I'm looking for a palace I meant total space under the fly because I assumed we'd use a bivy under a fly-only setup. I see now that with the cat cuts on the octo that would probably be too draughty in the windy conditions that we'd use it. So if I gained space and then had to divide it again because of using an inner. I'd rather gain vestibule space than inner space. It would speed up packing and unpacking and searching for gear by a lot!
 

JKM

Thru Hiker
2 people, 2 poles each means you can make a nice solid extra long pole for each side to use dpte style?

Using both the bottom sections of my poles and a small spare bit of centre tube I can make a nice stiff pole alround 1.8-2.0m long iirc.
 

Stumpghes

Summit Camper
JKM, Using that method the 3F UL hex pyaramid would be a true palace for 2. The only remaining problem would be lack of dry entry. One nice thing about this pyramid is that the walls are quite steep and straight and should shed snow very well. The deep cat cuts on the Knot pyramids, by contrast, should make them better able to slip wind, but also makes the bottom 1/3 of the walls rather horizontal and apt to collect snow loads. All that said, the 3F UL hex with full inner weighs about the same as the Knot M Octo w/ 1/2 inner, and the latter is much larger - would be a matter of sleeping space vs. vestibule space.

I would trust the 3F UL silicone outer/PU inner fabric much more in heavy cold rain. The Knot silnylon is lightly coated. If wanting to trust a Knot for a trip where survival could be at issue, I would re-coat the entire shelter with silicone to augment the fabric's hydrostatic head just to be sure.
 
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KVerb

Ultralighter
Green Knotstar arrived this weekend. (It's branded Flame's creed though, which is 3F UL knockoff iirc? So it's actually Flamestar then?)
Haven't set it up yet due to lack of backyard at my current house. Will post pictures if requested when I get the time to set it up at my parents'.
The Knot Medium Oct is next on the wishlist.

The former will be used for stealth camping in Belgian forests, the latter for windy trips abroad.
 

KVerb

Ultralighter
Set it up today. No pics as I couldn't get it tight enough for my liking... Who puts slippy 2mm line in a 3mm linelok?! 3mm line on the way...
Seems like the fabric is indeed less stretchy compared to typical silnylon but it's still stretchy enough to get a nice pitch on the knotstar, at least in its most used configuration with all the corners to the ground and a straight side pulled up as entrance.
 
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