[pct-l] Big Sky Tents

Tue Jan 21 13:54:55 CST 2014

Sue,
	Yeah. I believe the old North Face Dyad 2/2 did that. It was a small, fully enclosed 1+ shelter that weighed 2#10 in silnylon. One of the first things that jumps out is the internal volume. While it has decent head room at around 40", it tapers quickly. This means that the air you breath out has lots of time to condense on the interior before it can be vented out the top vent. The result is a soggy experience at anything less than 40F. While comfortable to sleep in (it doesn't leak) it gets soo wet inside, it feels like you were sleeping in a rain storm every night. Small tents actually require a lot of ventilation, like 4-8 times as much as a 2 person tent, simply to offset the small internal volume. I still have the Dyad around somewhere. Except in summer, it is always wet due to the condensation. The Stephensons is somewhat larger and weighs about 2#15oz. It does not get quite as wet as the Dyad, again....condensation, not leakage. The side windows are the only saving grace with it, but this is not a lot different than Tarp-Tent. SMALL internal volumes magnify the effective humidity you breathe out. Past the 34sqft threshold (at about 40" high) I experienced almost none. For example the Exped Sirius had no condensation problems at 20F, but it is heavy at 5#11. A small 3 person "pup" tent (2#12) worked excellently, but it was larger than I needed. Scaling it down to a 1+ person tent, I again ran into lots of condensation. Anyway, I decided I needed to add the 6" completely around, then eliminated the floor. This sort of worked, but, I ended up needing a separate ground cloth. I cut down an existing tarp to a tapered 1+ size and attached 6" guy lines. This is what I have been using for the past 3-4 years. Even after 4 days of constant rain, my bag remains dry (though everything is at least damp.)   
	My thoughts only . . .
		jdm  

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Sue Kettles
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 1:57 PM
To: 'Matt Signore'; 'Jeffrey Olson'
Cc: 'pct-l'
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Big Sky Tents

I love my Rainbow Tarptent.  It has the most room and headroom of any 1 person tent I have used.  What I have a love/hate relationship with, is the venting on top of the bathtub floor surrounding the whole bottom of the
tent- which most often is wonderful, but in a rain-storm, it lets in water and a lot of dirt and sand when the wind is blowing fiercely in southern cal.  There is nothing like waking up with your eyes crusted closed with
dirt and sand.  Ahhhhhh - life on the trail....such fond memories   :-)
I have tried to baton it down really good - and that helps some, but nothing like a double wall tent does.  

So -   I am wondering why someone can't make a double walled free standing
tent that is 40 inches high, and 36 to 40 inches wide, with a sil-ny rainfly to make it lighter, -  and weigh around 2 1/2 lbs?  And not cost  over
250.00.   Is that too much to ask? Maybe its out there and I just don't know
what it is? 

I realize that in thru-hiking you can't have everything.  We are there to walk - not camp.  A perfect day and the feeling of wonder is not in our lack of pain or comfort, but in the beauty of just being out there.  

 I love many of the other double walled tents that are made in that range - but they are always about 36 inches high ....and often about 30 in wide...
some as skinny as 28 inches.  What's the deal?  What about us tall people who sleep on neo-air that gives the need for 2 more inches in height?  And
don't like to wake up with our noses in the wall?   I am not a cowboy camper
- I love my "home" at night.  Its just what I prefer.

I was just wondering.....

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Matt Signore
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 7:15 AM
To: Jeffrey Olson
Cc: pct-l
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Big Sky Tents

I "tested" an Evolution on the BMT, and gave it back immediately. Granted the BMT is a much different environment than the PCT.  The Evolution tent keeps out so little rain you might as well not have a tent.  In a nutshell the Big Sky Evolution would never go in my pack again.

The epic long delivery time is closer to scamming customers then tent manufacture.  Imagine the wait time to get replacement parts or warranty repair.

On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 8:06 AM, Jeffrey Olson
<jjolson60 at centurylink.net>wrote:

> I had a similar experience four or five years ago.  I paid for a new 
> tent up front and nine months later demanded a refund of my money. I 
> think I was part of funding their expansion...
>
> I think their website is clear on  delivery windows now...
>
> Jeff
>
> On 1/21/2014 5:15 AM, Jim Marco wrote:
> > Sue,
> >       Several years back, their delivery times were awful and 
> > customer
> service was nearly non-existent.  I was interested in the Evolution, 
> myself. There were some that had very long wait times for delivery, to 
> the point of deciding it would never be delivered...>90 days. I went 
> with another tent. I cannot say if they have improved over the last 
> few
years.
> >       My thoughts only . . .
> >               jdm
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:
> pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Sue Kettles
> > Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 4:27 PM
> > To: Pct-L at backcountry.net
> > Subject: [pct-l] (no subject)
> >
> > Does anyone out there have a Big Sky International brand tent - the
> Evolution?  It seems like a nice double walled free standing tent with 
> good height/and room and low weight.  Just wondering of anyone's 
> experience with the tent and the company?
> >
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--
Matt Signore
pcthandbook.com
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