The MSR Twin Sisters 2-Person Tarp Shelter is MSR's four season entry into the fun world of minimalist 'mid' shelters.

An Introduction to ‘Mids’

If you aren't up to speed on the world of 'mids', they represent a class of minimalist shelters which forego any non-essentials to save weight. Probably the best known example is the Black Diamond Mega Light. The Mega Light, is basically a pyramidal tent fly that's held up by a single central pole (or a couple of ski poles held together with a couple of ski straps). No tent body to carry, no poles (if you're using ski poles) - you can save a ton of weight if you're willing to give up having a floor to your tent or same level of bug and wind protection. The BD Mega Light clocks in at 1.05kg advertised minimum weight and sleeps up to four people.

Meet the MSR Twin Sisters Tarp Shelter

A few months ago, Christine and I were heading to Norway for Christine's first ski tour since her concussion. We wanted to minimize how much she was carrying by tossing most of the communal gear into my pack, so I was really interested in minimizing the weight of that gear and that seemed like a fantastic opportunity to try out the MSR Twin Sisters Tarp Shelter.