My family teases me about the fact that I have more tents/tarps/shelters than I have family members - significantly more. Out of all those options, I prefer the Mountain Laurel Design Trailstar. Mountain Laurel Designs makes high quality products (I have several). I love their gear - it is well thought out, very robust/strong, and the right blend of light weight and durable. They are a cottage manufacturer, which means you won't find them on Amazon or REI. The wait time for them to make gear is several weeks. It is worth it - period.
Trailstar in the Indian Peaks Wilderness (kids are napping inside)
My all in, heavy as it can be weight (seam sealed, 3 mm line, and 10 stakes (mix of MSR Groundhogs and Easton Nano Ultralight)) is 1.9 lbs. Yes, I wish that were about a pound lighter, but that 1.9 lbs gives a setup that has weathered rain/hail and 40 mph winds (use the handy Kestrel weather meter). Gram counters (OK, I am one too - most of the time) will also make fun of the 10 stakes and I don't often take all 10 - just when it is going to really be windy. The way I pitch it most of the time, 6 work great (see photo above), but it can also be pitched in a more open manner (see photo immediately below) with just 5 stakes.
The Trailstar does require a relatively large area to set it up. That has been problematic a few times, but generally nothing a few more minutes of looking around for a suitable site can't fix. This shelter is uber luxurious when I use it by myself. I can sleep on one side (or in the back if the weather is really bad) and can put all my gear plus my recliner on the other side. There isn't any crowding at all with two people sleeping in it and I have squeezed in two of my kids with me on a couple of trips and been just fine. Three people in any real weather wouldn't be fun, though.
Lost Creek Wilderness
I have the SilNylon version and am not tempted by the Cuben fiber version. Given the size of the Trailstar, I need the "bendability" of the SilNylon to deal with uneven terrain and to help me achieve a drum-tight pitch. Yes, cuber fiber isn't going to sag when it cools or gets wet, but 30 seconds of my time with the fantastic line-locks that are built in takes care of that.
Evening sun on the Trailstar at Twentymile Lakes
One of my most-loved aspects of this shelter is the "always-there" (unless you really want to pitch it to make it go away) door. I love waking up in the morning and looking out the triangular-shaped door. It is kind of like sleeping on a big front porch. You are sheltered from the storms, but are still outside, not walled off, and can enjoy the happiness that comes from being more connected to outside. I can also sit inside and cook just outside (when not concerned about wildlife issues).
Looking out the front door on a chilly morning.
Snug and cooking up hot chocolate while watching the rain on the Snake River.
Taking shelter from the wind, November 2013.
As you can see in the photographs, the Trailstar relies on trekking poles. Because I am an avid trekking pole user, this is not an issue for me. If you don't use trekking poles, this may not be the shelter for you or you will need to purchase the optional poles to support it.
The ability of this shelter to deal with wind is exemplary. I've only pushed it into the 40 mph zone, but based on that performance, it could still easlily handle more (not like that is much fun to backpack in, though). Overall, this is a well-engineered, excellently-crafted, and storm-worthy shelter that I recommend in the highest way possible.
Downsides:
- Obviously, a bivy is required in bug season. That adds to the weight (about 6 to 8 oz).
- It can take some squatting or crawling to get in or out of.
- Does require a large area to pitch it, but I have pitched it over rocks and stumps just fine.