The Big Sky International Summit Convertible 2P shelter is a modular shelter system. The fly can be setup alone or with either the summer or winter interior. Therefore, package weights vary depending on what the user decides to pack.

A typical spring configuration could include the following: Winter shell, Summer Interior, 3 HD Aluminum poles, Compression Sack, Guy Lines, 6 Titanium Hook Stakes and 4 Aluminum Y stakes for a total packed weight of 4.7 lbs (2.1 kg).

Warranty: (from manufacturer 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."

Numerous locations will be visited during the testing time frame. My usual backpacking areas are the Catskill and Adirondack regions of New York as well as some Northern Pennsylvania trails such as the West Rim Trail. Also, the Finger Lakes Trail passes very close to my home and I often incorporate this into my "regular" destinations.

In general, temperatures will range from around 40 F (4.5 C) to 90 F (32 C) during the testing time frame. Over the last few years, Upstate New York has had a lot of rain so I would expect quite a wet and muddy spring.

Elevations in my normal hiking areas generally range from 500 - 2500 ft (150 - 750 m).

First Impressions

Initial inspection of the Convertible 2P showed exceptional workmanship. Attention was paid to details and all seams were tight with no loose threads. The seams didn't appear to be sealed, but I will hold off sealing them unless I find they leak. All poles slide together easily and everything fits nicely in the included compression sack.

Unlike any other tent I have used before, the pole system for this shelter supports the fly alone. However, this is not the typical exo-skeleton type tent as the poles actually go in sleeves on the fly. From here (living up to the Convertible name), either the winter or summer interior can be "hung" from the fly. I can see the advantage to this system immediately as it allows for a lot of versatility. It also allows the tent to be pitched without exposing the interior which I hope will prove handy in the rain. It should also be noted that there are additional Convertible options available from the manufacturer which I was not supplied. These options make this shelter system ideal for an all season individual who like to tailor their shelter to the expected conditions.

Stakes and snow anchors

Initial Setup

I must confess -- for such a well made shelter, I was sorely disappointed in the included instructions. They are quite brief and list features which do not exist on this particular tent. Deciding to forge ahead on my own, I went out to my pasture to begin the initial setup. After about 10 minutes, I was becoming somewhat frustrated. The idea is that the shell has two pole sleeves running in an 'X' pattern. In these sleeves, the two straight poles are supposed to slide. However, I found that it is quite difficult to actually slide the poles through the sleeve owning to the fact that the top of the fly requires the pole to bend somewhat severely. It's not so bad getting the first pole in place, but trying to slide the second pole in was where my problem started. Once I realized that it was necessary to reach over and assist the pole in sliding over the first (already in place) pole, things went much smoother. It should be noted that the HD aluminum poles I was provided are indeed quite strong. This somewhat exacerbates the problem as they don't really like to bend up and over the fly. Once the two poles are secured, things progressed much easier.

Shell Pitched
Vestibule Pole Incorrect!

With the shell pitched and staked, it becomes elementary to line up the chosen interior and clip it in place using a series of small plastic clips on the underside of the pole sleeves. The interior also fastens to the four corners where the fly stakeout points are located. Overall, this part was very easy and was accomplished with little stress.

At this point, I had a functional shelter! However, I still had the extra vestibule pole. Things looked simple enough and I inserted it into the grommets on either side of the fly and clipped the fly to the now flexed pole. While I can see this keeping the vestibule away from the tent and offering a bit more room, I really didn't understand how this was at all supporting the tent or offering any real advantage. All of the pictures I have here are with the pole installed this way which I later found out was incorrect. Closer inspection revealed that there are two small holes under the vent at the top of the fly through which the vestibule pole can be threaded. Secured like this, there is a significant improvement in the rigidity of the fly and I can better appreciate the purpose of this feature. It should be noted that the vestibule pole is not mentioned in the instructions.

Shell with Winter Interior (Door Open)
Vestibule Pole Incorrect!

Winter Shell

The winter shell is available in both Granite Gray and Marigold Yellow. I specifically chose the gray option as I really don't want to draw undue attention to my camp site. I enjoy the solitude of nature and wish to keep a somewhat low profile so others can see the beauty around and not my tent. Sitting under the fly it becomes apparent that sufficient light still enters the tent. Around the edge of the shell are snow flaps which lay out on the ground. These can be buried for winter use to seal off the floor of the shelter from drafts and blowing snow. They can be secured up using plastic toggles and elastic loops for use during the summer months where ventilation is key. The dual vestibules offer a substantial amount of additional storage space -- especially with the additional vestibule pole. The top of the shell is somewhat unique. From inside, it becomes clear that the shell really has a rectangular hole at the top which is covered by an additional rectangular piece of nylon. This provides the opportunity for ventilation and there are two small poles which can be held in place using hook and loop fastener to keep these vents open which is a nice touch.

Interiors

The summer and winter interiors are functionally the same except that the summer interior is made from a light weight netting while the winter interior is made from a breathable nylon material. The floor of both is made from a silnylon material which is dark in color. The other difference is that the winter interior has vents at the top corresponding with the shell roof vents which open with a small zipper. Opening the zipper reveals bug netting.

The interior is quite cheery and there are numerous conveniences. There are mesh pockets in all four corners which I think will be great for small items (head lamp, wallet, etc...). There are also numerous loops sewn into the top seams. This should allow the occupant to hang lights or other items from the ceiling. Finally, the doors are quite tall making it very easy to enter and exit the shelter.

Summary

My initial likes and concerns can be found below:

Likes

• Everything appears very well made
• The doors are quite large making it very easy to get in and out of the shelter

Concerns

• After my initial setup problems, I hope I am able to set this up quickly when necessary.
• The small clips holding the interior to the shell worry me. I see no signs of them stressing or breaking, but I somehow feel they are the weak point of this setup.

This concludes my Initial Report. The Field Report will be appended to this report in approximately two months from the date of this report. Please check back then for further information.