As revealed in my last post, I really haven’t got on all that well with the Trailstar, so I’ve decided to pass it on to someone who will and replace it with a shelter that’s more to my liking – i.e. one with a bit more headroom and an actual attached door. I also don’t need the acres of space the Trailstar has.
So anyone that’s interested in buying part or all of the following Trailstar setup, please get in touch. Prices are quoted and I’ll consider offers. The Oookstar has already gone though.
| Component | Condition | Weight(g) | New Price | My Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trailstar tarp (yellow) | Used (see notes) | 601 | £205 | £100 |
| Cuben curtain | Used | 39 | £43 | £25 |
All “new” prices in the above table have been calculated from the actual manufacturer’s website and in the case of the cuben door/curtain, from the nearest equivalent I could find. All prices have been converted to £ at approx current exchange rates of $1.61 and €1.26.
Weights quoted are per my own kitchen scales, and include the stuff sack for the Trailstar itself and a small ziplock bag which the cuben door is in.
Depending on where you live, we can either do this by collection or 2nd class post. If you want it fast or live somewhere remote, you may have to pay the extra though.
Payment by Paypal or bank transfer.
Trailstar Details
This particular Trailstar is a veteran of two TGO Challenges (with its former owner, not me) and numerous outings in the Lakes. Personally, I’ve used it on one 5 night trip to the Lakes, which was enough to realise it’s not for me.
The fly comes complete with guys, but no stakes – anyone looking at a Trailstar will obviously have their own stakes anyway. The main rear anchoring guy is colour coded blue, as is the long front guy used to create the porch. The rest are yellow. You’ll need your own trekking poles too.
Pictures of every pitch I’ve used it for below, except for the 4 times I’ve pitched it in the garden to check it, dry it and service it.
Cost New: A brand new Trailstar costs $220 direct from Mountain Laurel Designs, plus a shipping cost of $25. At current exchange rates that’s about £152. But then you’ll be stuffed for 12% import duty and 20% VAT, bringing the landed cost of a new Trailstar to about £205. There would also be a Royal Mail “admin” fee on top of that – last time I suffered this I think it was about a tenner.
Condition: Clearly the Trailstar has seen some service. All is in good working order, with the exception of a small tear in the fly near the apex, that I have now repaired with a patch and a generous dose of Silnet. While I was doing the repair, I also topped up the seam sealing on the whole tarp. Neither the original owner’s sealing nor mine is the most elegant job, but it works.
I believe, although I can’t be 100% certain, that this damage was clumsiness on my part whereby something sharp poked a hole, rather than any inherent weakness. I suppose it is possible that the hole was there or on the point of forming when I got the tarp, but I didn’t spot it if so, so that’s my fault too.
Pricing: Even with the repair, this is a tarp with many years of use left in it. £100 or sensible offer.
Manufacturer’s Specs and Product Page
Cuben Door/Curtain
I got this with the Trailstar, but haven’t used it, and its former owner used it only twice. This is a trapezoidal sheet of cuben fibre with attachment loops at each of the 4 corners and an extra one on the long side.
Cost new: Apparently this cost £37 new, and you can also get something similar from As Tucas for €55. I would emphasise though, that what I have here is NOT the same as that product (which is triangular), although it does the same job.
Condition: used twice, and you really wouldn’t know.
Pricing: As it’s in good nick, I’m pricing this so that it saves you buying one new from Spain, but also so that I get rid of it. Any cheaper and it’s not worth the effort to sell: £25
