I've wanted to get out with my Trailstar ever since it arrived last month and I finally got the chance last week, so I thought I'd share a few photo's/words from my trip. With a couple of days free I decided to head up to the Lakes, back to one of my favourite areas around Borrowdale/Ennerdale.
I left the car just before mid day and headed up to Fleetwith Pike which soon got the legs warmed up! I then headed back down and along to Blackbeck Tarn and on to Innominate Tarn where I stopped for some lunch. There're some really great views all around this area and as usual I took a few photo's along the way.
View on the way to Blackbeck Tarn
Last time I was up this way I had a good look around to find pitches for my Laser Comp, I'd found a few and as such had a spot in mind for the Trailstar. After having my lunch by the Tarn I went to double check that the pitch I had in mind would be big enough for the Trailstar (It has quite a large footprint).
Once I had a quick look and decided it was a goer I carried on up to Haystacks and then dropped down a little towards Black Sail Hut. At this time of year it gets dark around 4pm in this area, as I haven't used the Trailstar yet I wanted to make sure I had some light whilst getting set up, as such I headed back to the spot I'd found and got the Trailstar set up.
I have to say that I love this thing already. The space underneath it is immense and it's so easy/quick to pitch, it packs down small and is nice and light. The workmanship on it is really good too, I can see this becoming a firm favourite amongst my kit!
Once the Trailstar was up it was time to get a brew on, I've recently put together a new cook kit and so far it's performed really well. It's based around the Evernew Ti DX stand and Ti burner and all packs downin to the Alpkit MytiMug, really pleased with it.
Once I'd had a brew I got set up inside the Trailstar, stuff I took with me included my MYOG lantern, MYOG bathtub Floor, Borah Gear Bivy, Thermarest, sleeping bag and liner.
Once this was all set up I got some water on again and had something hot to eat, I took a mountain house meal with me this time, Chicken Tikka with rice, which was pretty tasty and it was nice to have something warm to eat as it was starting to cool down a bit.
Once I'd been fed a had a good look around my camp area and took a few photo's in the last of the light.
Trailstar in the mist
Checking in
MYOG lantern at work
Inside the Trailstar
Once it got dark I climbed in to bed and read for a while and listened to some tunes before nodding off. I didn't have the best nights sleep, I woke up once needing to answer the call of nature, once when the rain started, and another 3 or so times due to my Thermarest slipping around and out from underneath me. When I made the bathtub floor I added a few strips of seamgrip to stop me sliding around inside it, I'd forgottn to do the same inside my bivy so my Thermarest refused to stay still on the slippery silnylon bivy floor. Looks like i'll need to get the seamgrip out again!
In the morning I took a few more photo's, had a brew and some porridge and was all packed up and ready to head off by around 8.
Spot the Trailstar
I spent the next few hours walking, taking in Haystacks, Seat, High Crag, High Stile, and Red Pike, before heading back to the car. Whilst up on the top of High Stile the clouds well and truly dumped themselves on top of me taking the visabilty down to around 10m! It got pretty chilly up there too
In the clouds
All in all a great couple of days and apart from the slippery Therma issue I was really happy with all the kit I took with me, can't wait to get out again!
Matt
A few more photo's
Tea
One of the many views in this area
Sawyer Squeeze
Time for a brew
I left the car just before mid day and headed up to Fleetwith Pike which soon got the legs warmed up! I then headed back down and along to Blackbeck Tarn and on to Innominate Tarn where I stopped for some lunch. There're some really great views all around this area and as usual I took a few photo's along the way.
View on the way to Blackbeck Tarn
Last time I was up this way I had a good look around to find pitches for my Laser Comp, I'd found a few and as such had a spot in mind for the Trailstar. After having my lunch by the Tarn I went to double check that the pitch I had in mind would be big enough for the Trailstar (It has quite a large footprint).
Once I had a quick look and decided it was a goer I carried on up to Haystacks and then dropped down a little towards Black Sail Hut. At this time of year it gets dark around 4pm in this area, as I haven't used the Trailstar yet I wanted to make sure I had some light whilst getting set up, as such I headed back to the spot I'd found and got the Trailstar set up.
I have to say that I love this thing already. The space underneath it is immense and it's so easy/quick to pitch, it packs down small and is nice and light. The workmanship on it is really good too, I can see this becoming a firm favourite amongst my kit!
Once the Trailstar was up it was time to get a brew on, I've recently put together a new cook kit and so far it's performed really well. It's based around the Evernew Ti DX stand and Ti burner and all packs downin to the Alpkit MytiMug, really pleased with it.
Once I'd had a brew I got set up inside the Trailstar, stuff I took with me included my MYOG lantern, MYOG bathtub Floor, Borah Gear Bivy, Thermarest, sleeping bag and liner.
Once this was all set up I got some water on again and had something hot to eat, I took a mountain house meal with me this time, Chicken Tikka with rice, which was pretty tasty and it was nice to have something warm to eat as it was starting to cool down a bit.
Once I'd been fed a had a good look around my camp area and took a few photo's in the last of the light.
Trailstar in the mist
Checking in
MYOG lantern at work
Inside the Trailstar
Once it got dark I climbed in to bed and read for a while and listened to some tunes before nodding off. I didn't have the best nights sleep, I woke up once needing to answer the call of nature, once when the rain started, and another 3 or so times due to my Thermarest slipping around and out from underneath me. When I made the bathtub floor I added a few strips of seamgrip to stop me sliding around inside it, I'd forgottn to do the same inside my bivy so my Thermarest refused to stay still on the slippery silnylon bivy floor. Looks like i'll need to get the seamgrip out again!
In the morning I took a few more photo's, had a brew and some porridge and was all packed up and ready to head off by around 8.
Spot the Trailstar
I spent the next few hours walking, taking in Haystacks, Seat, High Crag, High Stile, and Red Pike, before heading back to the car. Whilst up on the top of High Stile the clouds well and truly dumped themselves on top of me taking the visabilty down to around 10m! It got pretty chilly up there too
In the clouds
All in all a great couple of days and apart from the slippery Therma issue I was really happy with all the kit I took with me, can't wait to get out again!
Matt
A few more photo's
Tea
One of the many views in this area
Sawyer Squeeze
Time for a brew
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