Big
Sky International Summit Shelter
Convertible 2P
Test
Series by
Bob Sanders
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Bob Sanders
Age:
50
Gender:
Male
Height:
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:
210 lb (95 kg)
Chest: 48 in (122 cm)
Waist: 38 in (97 cm)
Email:
sherpabob(at)mac(dot)com
City:
Longmont, Colorado USA |
BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over
the years I have hiked the Wonderland Trail in
Washington and section hiked parts of the Florida Trail and the
Appalachian Trail. During a seven week trip I hiked 740 mi (1191 km) of
the Pacific Crest Trail. Best vacation I ever took. I hike and backpack
year round in the Colorado mountains. I have evolved from a heavyweight
to a lightweight backpacker. My summer solo adventures have me carrying
a 10 lb (4.5 kg) base weight. Winter trips include a tent and
additional clothing, so my base weight climbs to approx. 16 lb (7.2 kg).
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INITIAL
REPORT
April 1, 2008
Summit Convertible 2P tent
showing winter shell with snow/sod flaps and winter interior.
PRODUCT
INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer:
Big Sky International
Year
of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's
Website: www.bigskyinternational.com
MSRP:
$680.22 USD for components supplied (Varies with configuration)
Shell
Colors
available: Granite Gray, Marigold Yellow
Measured
Weights of components supplied: (Weights
of components not listed individually on site)
Winter Shell with snow flaps: 24.5 oz (694 g)
Winter Interior: 20.5 oz (582 g)
Summer Interior: 17.9 oz (510)
3 Piece HD Aluminum Poles: 25.1 oz (714 g)
Compression Stuff Sack: 2 oz (58 g)
Snow Anchors (2): 2.2 oz (62 g)
Titanium Hook Stakes (6): 1.5 oz (44 g)
Aluminum Tube Stakes (2): 0.7 oz(20 g)
Aluminum Y Stakes (4): 1.6 oz (46 g)
Reflective Spectra Guy Lines (4): 1.3 oz (36 g)
Stake Stuff Sack: 0.2 oz (6 g) |
Shell
Dimensions:
Head end width - 64 in (162 cm)
Foot end width - 52 in (132 cm)
Length -
99 in (251 cm)
Height at peak - 43 in (109 cm)
Interior Dimensions:
Head end width - 56 in (142 cm)
Foot end width - 46 in (117
cm)
Length - 84 in (213 cm)
Height at peak - 41 in (104 cm)
Vestibules - 24 in (76 cm) out from edge of interior
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Measured
Weight of winter setup supplied:
Complete set up includes winter shell, winter interior, 3 HD
aluminum poles, compression sack, guy lines, all stakes and anchors:
80.6 oz (2285 g)
Measured
Weight of summer setup supplied:
Complete set up includes winter shell, summer interior, 2 HD
aluminum poles, compression sack, guy lines, titanium stakes and
aluminum Y stakes: 66.4 oz (1884 g)
Manufacturer's
description (From Website): "The most versatile light weight
full size, full featured freestanding shelter in the world... perfect
for the lightweight backpacker for all seasons"
Warranty
(From Website):
"We use lightweight high strength materials, but a customer should not
expect our products to stand up to the same use/abuse as products using
materials weighing much more than our products. Big Sky warranty
products again manufacturing defects, but does not warranty products
against materials failure due to durability issues."
INITIAL
IMPRESSIONS
There are two big features that are
different than any other tent I have owned. One is the way the poles
support the tent fly which they call the shell (which I think is a
better way to describe this component). The two main poles slide into
pole sleeves on the outside of the shell and the third vestibule pole
utilizes pole clips. This allows the shell to be set up independently
and used as a stand alone shelter. The second feature is the two
interchangeable interiors which clip to the underside of the shell. I
am still trying to wrap my head around the usefulness of this
convertible feature since I can purchase a winter shell, winter
interior and a set of 3 heavy duty poles or a summer shell, summer
interior and a set of 2 lightweight carbon fiber poles. Purely from a
weight standpoint it makes sense to me to configure the tent for the
type of weather I might expect to encounter. Winter set up will be
warmer
and be able to handle snow loads and the summer setup will be lighter
and be able to ventilate better.
Setup: The instructions
included were dated 12-15-2007 revision A. After reading the
instructions I was wondering if these were the right instructions.
Listed is a pole clip option. This option is not available for this
tent. It also indicates numbers on the pole sleeve openings. There are
no numbers on the openings. I decided to put the instructions down and
just use my logic to set the tent up. Took me about 15 minutes to set
up the first time. The real stumbling block came when I installed the
third vestibule pole. I inserted the ends into the grommets and
attached the pole clips. It was just sticking up in the air and didn't
seem to be offering much support. Got the instructions back out and
there was nothing indicating how to install the third pole. But after
much searching I found 2 small holes located underneath the ventilation
cover on the top of the shell that allow the pole to be threaded
through the pole sleeves underneath the other poles. Once installed
correctly this third pole offers lots of additional support. My feeling
is the instruction sheet needs a complete overhaul and including
pictures would be a great help.
Clipping the interior to the underside of the shell was simple and
straight forward. Color coded cords help identify the head and foot
ends. Leaving the interior connected to the shell brought my set up
time down to 3 minutes.
Winter Shell: The shell is
available in Granite Gray and Marigold Yellow. I am pleased I chose the
yellow to test. During winter camping it will add a pleasant warm glow
to the interior. It is made of a lightweight silicone coated ripstop nylon. Around the bottom edge are
snow/sod flaps which are 9.5 in (24 cm) wide. Useful during winter
conditions to pile snow on top of to eliminate blowing snow from
getting underneath and the weight of the snow helps secure the shell in
high winds. The snow flaps do roll up utilizing small bungees and
toggles. The flaps do add an additional 3.5 oz (99 g) to the weight of
the shell and will have little use during the summer months. At the top
of the shell are two large vents. They can be held open with small
plastic rods with hook-n-loop on the ends or closed with the same hook-n-loop. There are two doors and two
vestibules. The vestibules extend out about 24" (61 cm) from the edge
of the interior then angle back to the corners. Plenty of room for
cooking or a medium sized pack and boots. The shell tapers from a head
end of 64 in (162 cm) to a foot end of 52 in (132 cm) and is 99 in (251
cm) long.
Winter Interior: The winter interior
is made of white lightweight breathable ripstop nylon and the floor is
made of dark blue
lightweight silicone coated ripstop
nylon. The doors are not
backed with no-see-um netting which makes sense because this interior
is to be used in colder conditions. There are mesh pockets in each of
the four corners. At the top of the interior are two large vents
matching the vents in the shell. These vents close with zippers and are
backed with no-see-um
netting. Also at the top are 5 hang loops that would accommodate
hanging a clothes line or lantern from the center loop. The two doors
are quite large and can be rolled up and secured with a bungee and
toggle. The interior tapers from a head end of 56 in (142 cm) to a foot
end of 46 in (117 cm) and is 84 in (213 cm) long. This helps save
weight and still allows for plenty of interior space. There is also
good headroom at 41 in (104 cm) peak height. The corners of the floor
are seam sealed. The other floor seams have a bias nylon tape around
them.
Summer
Interior: The summer interior has the same dimensions and
features as the winter interior but is made of no-see-um netting and the same dark blue lightweight Silicone coated ripstop nylon floor.
Workmanship: Everything about
this tent indicates it is well made with excellent engineering and
craftsmanship. The tent shell pitches taut with few wrinkles. The
vestibule door zippers are a little tight and hard to zip at the top
but loosen as I get closer to the bottom. Hopefully this will loosen
up a bit with time and usage.
_______________________________________________________________
FIELD
REPORT
July 1, 2008
The
weather has most certainly warmed up. So my desire to do more cold
weather backpacking has been dashed. I have managed to sneak out for a
quick overnighter in May and a three day trip in June.
Overnighter: On May 17, 2008
the weather was pretty typical for a Colorado spring day. The
daytime high was 73° F (23° C) and the evening low was 42°
F (6° C). I packed everything up Saturday morning and was on the
trail by noon after a short drive. I picked a new trail to try in the Cache
la Poudre area and hiked along the Little South Fork of the Cache
la Poudre River. Elevations were between 6200 and 7500 ft (1890 to 2286
m) Very pleasant trip. The tent didn't receive much of a workout but at
least I did.
After an 8 mi (14 km) hike I
camped for the night and hiked out the next morning. The weather
forecast was for a 30% chance of rain that never occurred, though I did
experience winds of 25 mph (40 km). The humidity was pretty low at
about 20% so condensation was kept at bay. Since the weather was so
mild I packed the winter shell and the summer interior. There were some spotty areas of snow but
I found a dry spot to set
up camp. During the
evening I slept with all the vents open and both vestibule doors open.
In the morning there was no condensation inside or on the exterior of
the tent.
Since on this trip I was going solo I had the tent all to myself. This
meant I had to carry everything but the accommodations were
luxurious. By the time I set up camp, explored the surrounding area a
bit and decided to cook dinner the bugs were beginning to swarm a bit.
Probably because I was close to the river. So I decided to see if I
could cook dinner and eventually breakfast while remaining (most of the
time) inside the tent protecting me from the bugs. First let me explain
that I was not cooking
inside the tent (never recommended). Nor was I even cooking inside the
vestibule. The doors
of the tent open quite widely and can be secured with little elastic
loops and small plastic rods. I placed my alcohol stove at least 2 ft
(0.7 m) away from any part of the tent. It was actually resting outside
of where the exterior door would be if it were closed (but it was
secured open). I sat in the vestibule
area and lit the stove and got everything ready. I always have my water
bottle ready in case anything needs to be doused. I then slipped back
inside the tent and closed the screen door. I relaxed inside until the
water boiled. All I had to do was unzip the door, lean out far enough
to reach the pot, take it off the stove and pour the water over my
dehydrated food concoction. My main purpose for trying this was to see
if it were possible during rainy, drizzly weather or even in light
snow.
It obviously wouldn't work in a down pour, with the door completely
open, but in a light rain or
drizzle it would be quite doable.
Three day, two night trip: On
June 6th the
weather was even warmer. The
daytime high was 80° F (27° C) and the evenings low was 48°
F (9° C). And once again there was a small chance of rain that
never materialized. So basically it was hot and dry. It was my son's
birthday so the two of us split the weight of the tent. I carried the
fly and the stakes and he carried the summer interior and the poles. It
is not quite half but hey, he is younger and in better shape than me.
We decided to leave the vestibule pole at home because the weather was
so mild and the extra support of the third pole was unnecessary. Most
of my trips are solo so it was a nice change of pace to have someone
sharing some of the weight. Plus I wanted to see how roomy the tent
really is with 2 people. We are both 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and the tent is long enough to
accommodate both of our long bags. I am a bit of a sprawler when I
sleep so I choose a summer weight down quilt. My son was using a down
sleeping bag and tended to stay on his side of the tent. Because of my
sprawling,
elbow room was at a premium. Thank goodness we know and like each
other. I didn't brush up against the ends but I did brush up against
the mesh sides on numerous occasions. Not a problem because this is a
double walled tent. Even if there was condensation (and there wasn't
any) I would not have come in contact with the exterior wall. Both of
us could sit up inside,
and we played some cards for about an hour while the bugs were out
starting at around dusk. Although, if I had to spend many hours or days
inside of the tent because of bad weather I would begin to feel a bit
claustrophobic. The real saving grace are the two doors. There was no
climbing over each other at night to answer the call of nature and the
two vestibules really helped with the storage and organization of gear.
There is plenty of room for our gear and a pair of shoes in each
vestibule.
Summary: This test got started a
little late in the year. So with that said I have not being able to
test this tent under snowy winter conditions, which it was designed
for. To be honest, I haven't even experienced any rain. So there are
some testing criteria that so far are missing. Short of testing the
tent
out in the back yard with the sprinkler on full blast (which I might
do) I have no way of knowing how waterproof it is. Now that the weather
is hot, being able to swap out the full fabric winter interior for the
all mesh summer interior has been a blessing. It saves weight and the
ventilation is greatly enhanced. So far everything works as expected.
All the zippers are smooth but the vestibule zippers are just a little
tight at the top of the door. Set up has gotten so much easier after
setting the tent up for the first time. New instructions for set up
were sent to us by the owner Bob Molen. The instructions are now
clearer but if he would add some pictures that would really help.
Things I Like: The pitch is
pretty taut so there is no annoying flapping of the tent walls while I
sleep. The mesh pockets are good sized and can hold a lot of gear.
Enough room for 2 tall adults. Extra room is always appreciated but
would also add to the weight, which we don't want. The marigold color
of the shell adds a nice warm glow to the interior which makes for a
pleasant morning when the sun comes up.
Things I don't like: Nothing so
far. Except for the fact that I need to carry a winter shell and heavy
duty poles during the summer.
_______________________________________________________________
LONG TERM REPORT
September 2, 2008
Winter shell configured with
summer mesh interior
It
was beginning to look like testing this tent in anything other than
sunshine and beautiful weather was not going to happen. Not that I'm
complaining about pleasant weather. We finally got some intense rain
and high winds for an extended period. On the same weekend I decided to
head to the backcountry. Not
just a
little bit, but nearly 4 in (10 cm) in 3 days during a 3-day 2-night
backpacking trip to Indian Peaks Wilderness in the Rocky Mountains.
3-Day
2-night Trip: Packed
everything the night before and hit the trail bright and early Friday
morning, August 15th. This trip I took the Buchanan Pass/Pawnee Pass
loop trail 24 mi (39 km). Elevations are between 9,000 and 12,500 ft
(2,743 and 3,810 m) The weather starting out was cloudy and cool at
55° F (13° C) but warmed up to about 70° F (21° C) by
midday on Friday. From there temperatures just kept heading down. At
night it hovered around 35° F (1.6° C) and Saturday and Sunday
it never got above about 50° F (10° C) during the day. Did I
mention it rained? It started drizzling at about 5:00 pm on Friday and it
didn't stop raining until late Sunday night. In between drizzles it
poured. Pretty sure the humidity level never got below 70% the whole
trip.
I was once again a solo traveler and I had the tent all to myself.
Which worked out great for me because I could designate one vestibule
as the wet side (for storing wet gear and boots) and the other
vestibule I could keep clear for fast
entry/exits and for cooking. Camping in wet, rainy weather is always a
challenge.
Wet weather setup: One of the
aspects of this tent that makes it especially easy to set up in foul
weather is the interior stays attached to the inside of the shell. Even
while it was raining I simply pulled the tent out of the stuff sack,
unrolled it with the floor facing down, staked down 2 corners to keep
it from blowing away and begin inserting the tent poles. The shell
protects the interior from getting wet while I set it up. The only
challenge came from trying to push wet tent poles through wet pole
sleeves. The solution was to push the pole in about a foot (0.3 m) and
pull the wet sleeve back with my other hand. Easy enough to do it
just took longer to set up and while raining it seemed like an
eternity. After getting everything staked out and taunt, I crawled
inside and everything was dry inside.
Condensation: In this kind of
weather condensation is inevitable. At night temperatures bottomed out
at 35° F (1.6° C)
and it drizzled all night so the humidity was probably between 90 and
100%. The good news is that there is good separation between the inner
and outer walls so even if I brush against the mesh walls I stay
dry. Any condensation that did accumulate on the inner wall of the
shell would just bead up, merge into larger beads and then just run
down the wall to the ground. When the winds picked up and the walls
would flap a bit a fine mist would rain down on me even through the
mesh inner tent. A little annoying but certainly manageable.
Waterproofness: Before the
condensation had a chance to built up inside, I checked the underside
of the shell for any leakage. There was none and even the top cap or
"hat" that covers the top vents was leak proof. The hat is large enough
to cover the vents and even in high winds no rain got in. Overall the
silicone nylon sheds water beautifully. The snow/mud flaps are just
dead weight on a summer tent and even while rolled up they just have a
tendency to collect water.
Water beading up on the top
cap or "hat" that covers the vents
Summary:
Now that this test is over I have some decisions to make. Will I
continue to use this tent in a winter set up (winter shell, winter
interior and heavy duty poles) or will I utilize this tent in a lighter
weight summer set up? If I choose the summer set up I would most likely
purchase the lighter weight summer shell and a set of lightweight
carbon
fiber poles. Right now I am leaning towards leaving it as a winter/cold
weather set up. For summer solo camping I most often utilize a tarp or
sometimes a hammock setup so I don't really need a summer tent.
Things I Like: Everything I
said in the field report and the fact that this tent is the easiest
double wall tent I have ever set up in wet rainy weather.
Things I don't like: For summer
use the snow flaps are just dead weight and collect rain. If I only
used the tent in the summer I would cut them off saving weight.
I
would
like to thank Big Sky International and BackpackGearTest.org for the
opportunity to test this item.
Read more reviews of Big Sky International gear
Read more gear reviews by Bob Sanders
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