Custom Trailstar inner / bug net: Video and photos

Sean at OookWorks has made me a custom inner for my Trailstar. I felt that the OookStar inner was a bit too much ‘inner’ than I required at this time and so I chatted with Sean about an alternative.

I wanted something small and light that I will use only when there are midges about and at other times I will just use it as a groundsheet. I wanted to be able to place it in different positions inside my Trailstar depending on the terrain (how many times have you pitched your tent only to find you didn’t realise how uneven the ground was right where your inner tent has to go), the weather and my mood! Its an inner that I can use under a tarp too or just on it’s own if I was bothered by midges and confident of no rain!

So this is what we came up with. Sean made a great decision to have the zip go all the way down to the ground sheet which, as you can see in the images below, allows ease of getting in and out but I can also easily make a cuppa first thing in the morning. The tensioner at the head end is adjustable from the inside and the sloping ends allow it to fit under the Trailstar more easily (something I have not tried yet!)

It weighs in at 240g at the moment, with the stuff sack and generous amounts of shock cord.

Much appreciation to Sean for pulling the stops out to get this to me this week. I am looking forward to trying it out this weekend ahead of the Rab TGO Challenge.

Here are some photos and a quick ‘walk around’ video:

5 thoughts on “Custom Trailstar inner / bug net: Video and photos

  1. Looks good!

    I’ve recently asked Sean if he could do a similar thing. I prefer sleeping with my feet or head to the door – to maximise headroom. This looks a bit like I’d like it. How do you lift up the netting inside the Trailstar?

    I played with an MLD Bug bivy over the weekend – and found it was easy to use the centre pole and a line out to the back end to hook on the netting. With a door (Sean is doing me one) it is less easy to supend the netting at the foot end – ( or head end – if the other way round).

    I can’t quite make it out – does the zip go down the front and along the groundsheet on one side? (Not sure if this is what you said.)

    • Hi Gordon, I think this new blog post will answer some of your questions.

      The zip runs along the ridge from the feet end and then down the head end to the groundsheet. This last point is really useful because it allows the side on the inner to open up so I can make a cuppa without getting out of bed! :)

  2. Pingback: Custom Trailstar inner / bug net: Under the Trailstar | bryan waddington

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