Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Six Moon Designs Europa II > Bill Jeffrey > Field Report

Six Moon Designs Europa II Tent - Field Test

This is the second of three reports of the Six Moon Designs Europa II tent and is based on my experiences with this tent in the field. The first report contains a detailed description of the tent and my initial impressions. A final report will describe my experiences with the Europa over the next four months.

Product Description:

Europa II Manufactured by Six Moon Designs, whose owner, Ron Moak, has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails. http://www.sixmoondesigns.com Received September 2003 A single-wall tent made of 1.1 ounce silicone nylon (silnylon) and is available in light blue (tested) or kelly green Large mesh panels to increase ventilation Front door is mesh only, without a storm door, but cantilevered to shelter door from rain Listed weight 33 oz (936 g) Approximate total packed weight as delivered 30 oz (850 g) Weight includes:     Tent, with guy lines attached (See description below), 26 oz (737 g)     One aluminum pole with shock cord insert, 3.5 oz (99 g)     Silnylon stuff sack, 0.5 oz (14 g) Six Easton aluminum tent stakes (available from Six Moon Designs but not included) adds 3 oz (85 g) and brings the total weight to the advertised 33 oz (936 g). Manufacturer recommends using a ground cloth of Tyvek or some other material, which will add another 6 oz (170 g) or so. Approximate dimensions measured:     Length 89 inches (226 cm)     Width 59 inches (150 cm) at entrance, 54 inches (137 cm) at back     Height 41 inches (104 cm) just inside front door, 24 inches (61 cm) at rear Manufacturer says to "seal exposed outside seams with a Silicone based seam sealer" such as SilNet (not included). (See first report for comments.)

I have described the tent in greater detail in my Initial Report.

Test Conditions

The field test was conducted on a two-night backpack in the mountains of Southern California. Separate camps were made each night: the first at a meadow at 5,500 feet (1,700 m) and the second at 4,200 feet (1,300 m) streamside in a forested canyon. Temperatures ranged from a high of 70 degrees F (21 C) to a low of 37 F (3 C) the first night at 50 F (10 C) the second. Conditions were generally mild with a light misty fog the first morning.

Field Test

Set-up: Setup is quick and easy:

1. Stake the front two corners.
2. Insert the rear pole into the sleeve.
3. Stake the rear guyline.
4. Insert the tip of a hiking pole into the front grommet and stake out the front guyline.
5. Stake out the side windows.

There are two areas which the user needs to consider when setting up the tent, although they do not require any extra time or effort other than being aware of them: Lightweight tents are made of lightweight fabrics, in this case, 1.1 ounce silicone nylon. This fabric can tear easier than heavier traditional fabrics. Watch for hanging branches or sharp sticks and rocks that could damage the thin fabric. The front pole should be adjusted to 48 to 50 inches (122 to 127 cm) high. It is tempting to extend the pole higher to tighten the tent, but this results in a steep drop in the ridgeline from the front pole and causes the roof to sag at this point. I normally hike with my trekking poles set at 53 inches (135 cm). The tent pitched much more taut when I lowered the pole to 49 inches (125 cm). Similarly, the side window awnings do not need to be pulled drum tight, and doing so can also cause sagging.

See my Initial Report for further information on setup.

Comfort and Fit: It was easy to enter the front door, as the door is not divided by the front pole. The door opens wide, but closes quickly to keep any bugs out.

There was just enough headroom to sit up and change clothes. To do so, however, I had to sit with my back to the door and put my back right against the front door. Sitting with my feet outside the door to put my shoes on, I tended to bump the roof unless I slouched a bit, which made it hard to tie the shoes.

Camping by myself, I had plenty of room for my frameless pack inside the tent. There was enough room at the foot of my sleeping bag to keep it from blocking the rear window, while there was still room at the front to store small items like eyeglasses and a headlight. While I have not actually camped with a second person inside this tent, my adult son and I determined we would have just enough room to be comfortable, although our packs would have to stay outside, and our sleeping bags would push towards the side mesh windows.

In early 2004, the Six Moon Designs will offer "an optional, removable vestibule." According to the manufacturer, "This vestibule will provide additional privacy, weather protection and protected storage for gear. The vestibule is removable so you can opt to carry it or not depending upon weather conditions. The vestibule will also fit on the existing Europa or Europa II tents. We are trying to design the vestibule to provide the extra protection with out compromising the ventilation of the tent." As this is still in developement, I was not able to test the vestibule.

Weather Readiness: I have not had this tent in any precipitation. I have noticed, however, that the front screen door tends to sag just a bit, apparently from the weight of the zipper. This causes the a small strip of mesh between the side wall and the zipper to run close to parallel to the side wall (roof) rather than to the front. This could result in the entry of rain at this point. I will test this theory in the coming months for my final report.

According to the manufacturer, "The 2004 model of the Europa II has an additional flap of material sewn on the front of the tent and tapering down to the stakes." This is claimed to eliminate heavy rain entering at this point.

Because the tent seams are single stitched, it is important to seal them as instructed with a silicone sealer such as SilNet.

The tripod formed with the offset front pole and two front stakes is claimed to reduce sway in high winds. The tent was very quiet in the light breezes I have experienced.

Ventilation and Condensation: Other than tarps, this is probably the most airy tent I have ever slept in. With ample mesh on all sides, there is excellent air circulation while being quite protected from rainfall. It is almost like sleeping outside. In spite of dampness on the roof of the tent on a damp morning, I have yet to have any condensation at all inside this tent.

Quality: Construction is generally very good. I found two locations on the bottom of the rear window where the mesh was pulled too tight while sewing, resulting in slight perpendicular tears in the mesh. One of these tears results in a very small hole in the mesh. I simply covered this with SilNet when I sealed the seams.

In my Initial Report I described a conversation with Ron Moak about the use of single stitches rather than flat-felled (double stitched) seams on the Europa II. On the second night on the trip, shortly after setting up the tent, it appeared that a tent peg had come out of the ground. I went to push it back in and found instead that one of the front tent stake loops half tore off the bottom seam, ripping about 2 inches (5 cm) of seam. As it was nearly dark, I simply tied the loop, which was now a straight piece of webbing, around the stake. Hand stitching the seam back together from the inside of the tent, I intend to add some extra machine stitching on the outside of the tent to reinforce both front corner tent stake loops. (BackpackGearTest informed the manufacturer of this fault, and of my preference to make the repair myself rather than return it to Six Moon Designs for repair. I have been told that, although this is the first such failure reported, Ron is looking at reinforcing this area .)

The torn stake loop and seam. The top two arrows show the ends of the tear in the seam. The bottom arrow shows where the tent stake loop was stitched into the seam.

Summary: I am very impressed that Ron has designed a real tent that weighs so little. So far, I have been very comfortable in the Europa II, and expect it will travel with me often. The problem I had with the seam, and minor flaws in the rear netting, do cause me some concern, although not enough to keep me from saying, "I really like this tent!"

Note Regarding Model Changes: The tent tested is a 2003 model. I have included information provided by the manufacturer regarding changes which will be made in the 2004 model tent. I have not seen those changes and have not been able to test any claims made about those changes. Therefore, such information is provided for information only.

Next: I will be using this tent over the next four months on several weekend trips in the foothills and deserts of Southern California. Elevations will range from sea level to 5,500 feet (1,700 m) or more. Based on my experiences so far, I specifically want to test:

• Does the "Advanced Condensation Management" system really minimize condensation in wetter conditions, or will it rain down upon me when I bump the ceiling?
• Does the "tripod front support" really create a "very rigid front" in erratic desert winds?
• Does the long tunnel-shaped tent withstand wind without the flapping keeping me up all night?
• Does the Europa keep rain outside? I will especially look at rain entering the front mesh door, experimenting with possible solutions if I find a problem. If it does not rain on any of my outings, I will test the same under a large sprinkler at home.
• Does the tent hold up under extended use, especially on the seams? I suspect my experience was an isolated case, but I have used two other silnylon tents with no seam failures.

Tester Personal Biographical Information

Bill Jeffrey
45 year old male, 6'4" (193 cm) tall, 200 pounds (90 kg)
San Diego County, California
Email: wjj2001 "at" yahoo "dot" com

I have more than 30 years backpacking experience, starting with Scouting as a youth. I am currently the High Adventure Leader for a Scout Troop. I try to get out once or twice a month, plus at least one week long trek each year. My trips are of two types. First, I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in sections, and generally use a lightweight approach on these typically solo trips. Other trips involving family involve more traditional backpacking equipment. Terrain varies from sea level to 14,000 feet (4,300 m), desert to mountains, and trail to cross country, occasionally including snow travel.

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