Mountain Laurel Designs SoloMid Pro and Cricket Pro Are Incredibly Light

Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) has unveiled its updated SoloMid Pro and Cricket Pro shelters, designed for ultralight bikepacking and backpacking. These new iterations focus on extreme weight reduction, with the SoloMid Pro weighing in at a mere 240g for the Dyneema version, and the Cricket Pro at 255g. Both models are now available in either Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) or SilPoly, offering options for various budgets and durability preferences while maintaining their minimalist, single-pole or trekking-pole pitch designs.

This release underscores the ongoing arms race in ultralight gear, particularly relevant for bikepackers where every gram impacts performance and maneuverability. MLD has long been a vanguard in this niche, known for its no-frills, function-over-form approach. The introduction of SilPoly options alongside the premium DCF also reflects a market trend towards making high-performance gear more accessible, acknowledging that not every adventurer requires or can afford the absolute lightest material. It’s a strategic move to broaden appeal without compromising their ultralight ethos.

Ultimately, MLD continues its tradition of shaving grams where others add features. For those who measure their gear in ounces, these new shelters are less an option and more an inevitability.