[pct-l] Big Sky Productions WAS Lunar Solo vs Tarptent

[cmkudija at earthlink.net (cmkudija@earthlink.net)]

Rita asked: <<Just have found online: Summit Evolution 1P shelter
www.bigskyproducts.com/SummitShelters/SummitEvoution1Pdetails.htm
Anyone has experience with this one ?-) >>

This spring we won the Big Sky Productions Revolution 1P with carbon-fiber
poles at the ADZ's silent auction, and then bought the Evolution 2P (also
with carbon-fiber poles) after being impressed with the construction,
roominess and attention to detail in the products.  I've since spent about
20 nights (16 continuous) in the Revolution, several of them below freezing.
My husband & I have spent somewhat fewer nights in the Evolution because we
had to cancel a trip this summer and didn't get out much together :(.
However, he took an 11-day trip in New Mexico with his brother, using the
Evolution, and enjoyed the tent tremendously.

I am impressed with both tents.  Here's my take:

Revolution 1P
http://www.bigskyproducts.com/SummitShelters/SummitRevolution1Pdetails.htm :
This tent is a single-wall version of the Evolution, using breathable Epic
fabric for the walls & silnylon for the floor.  It does have an  integrated
vestibule and mesh door - the vestibule is essentially the exterior wall of
the tent, extended out from the body, and an integral no-see-um mesh wall &
door connects to the bathtub-designed tent floor.  It's light (not ultra),
easy to set up, tall enough for me to sit up (I'm 5'6") with room left over
in at the foot for my pack.  It's reasonably free-standing but really needs
staking to be stable.  The vestibule allows additional protected space for
shoes, stove, etc., and can be tied back with integral loop & toggle ties to
gain ventilation.    I particularly like the design of the mesh door's
zipper opening and the quality of the zipper - the door unzips from the foot
end and can be tied back with toggles to keep it entirely out of the way and
off the ground.  The zipper is smooth and can be unzipped and closed with
one hand if the tent is staked out properly.

 Neat feature: Instead of webbing, Bob Molen (the designer) has used sewn
strips of the tent fabric for tie-outs - they're probably not as strong as
webbing but this is not a four-season tent, intended to withstand high winds
or blizzard conditions.  Using these fabric strips incrementally reduces the
tent weight.   I was able to achieve a nice, tight set-up using either
stakes or rocks when bedrock interfered with stakes.   There are
supplemental tie-outs that can be used to stabilize the tent in windy
conditions.

Rain/Condensation: I was rained on twice in the Revolution with no apparent
leakage.  I haven't seam-sealed the floor, but probably should, as I
experienced minor leakage during the first rain.  Neither rain was a real
downpour, however.  I did get some condensation, and used a Tentsponge
(synthetic-chamois-covered sponge) successfully to get rid of most of it.  I
did not get condensation "raining" from the tent body, however.

Comfort: The tent provided good shelter from freezing temps when camped just
below Forester Pass and Glen Pass, the former campsite about 12,400'.  Then
again, I also had a 15 degree bag from Mont-Bell, as well as a MB down
sweater and pants.  I slept warm and comfortable, not wanting to get up in
the middle of the night to (ahem) answer Nature's call (the almost-full moon
helped).

Other comments: You have to be VERY CAREFUL with the carbon-fiber poles,
making sure that the male-female ends are fully engaged before bending the
pole, and fully separated before collapsing it.   It's very easy to break or
tear the cf sleeves.  This said, Bob Molen's pole supplier will replace &
restring pole sections for a nominal fee and extremely fast turnaround time
(yep, I speak from experience).  If you're not patient or careful by nature,
get the aluminum poles and carry the additional 5 oz.   Additionally, the
tent could use a couple more tie-out points to stabilize the interior mesh
door.

All in all, the Revolution 1P is a very stable, comfortable 1-person
shelter.   I'm pleased with it.  I could save a pound by using a tarp, but
like the tent features considerably - I like being able to shut out the bugs
and drips and sleep worry-free.  I think one could sit out a storm in this
tent without too much claustrophobia.  It certainly was not a burden to
carry.

Evolution 2P: Also a great tent - similar layout & footprint to Sierra
Designs Meteor Light (our now-backup tent) but half the weight and
two-thirds the room.  Similar construction to the Revolution, except that
this is a double walled tent; the interior wall is largely no-see-um mesh.
We've experienced significant condensation only in one situation so far,
deep in a tributary canyon of the Escalante River in Utah.  The ground
around us had been saturated by thunderstorms and flash floods the week
before, and was still quite wet.  Everything was wet in the morning -
including our packs that we'd left outside.  I don't think that any tent or
tarp would have prevented condensation.   This tent is comfortable for both
my husband and me - he's 6'-1" or so, of medium build.  It's not quite as
roomy as the Meteor Light - but at half the weight, I don't mind.   He
experienced rain while camped with his brother in New Mexico this summer,
with no leakage or excessive sagging of the tent fly.

Customer Service: Bob Molen came to the kickoff, and has corresponded with
us frequently.  He's definitely committed to advanced design and quality
control.  He's suffered some production delays, but hey - he's running a
cottage industry and deserves some slack.  I've been impressed with him and
his products.

Hope this helps - happy kloms back at ya -

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
PCT partially '94

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