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OWNERS REVIEW – TENT - Europa by Six Moon Designs
Personal information:
Owner/Tester: Marge Prothman (the old gal)
Age: 70
+
Female
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 145 lbs
Hailey, Idaho
email: marge@prothman.com
Product
information:
Product: Europa Tent
Website: http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/
Purchased
and made May/June 2002
Weight as delivered: a little over 2lbs
Weight as
set up with guy lines and stakes – 2lbs 3.5oz
At last, something I have
wanted for several years. An AFFORDABLE 3 Season Silnylon TENT.
The past
three to four years I have used a tarp-tent. A tarp-tent is a structure without
a floor. A TENT
has a floor. I made the tarp-tent and copied it from Henry
Shires original tarp-tent. Mine was bigger than
Henrys. It accommodated two
people and their gear. I used it in very high winds, lightening and
thunder
storms. And of course many rain storms. I did fine in it.
It
was made from 1.1oz silicone impregnated nylon or Silnylon as it is called
today. I had mosquito netting and zippers
on both ends and used Tyvek as a
ground sheet. There are many ways to utilize a tarp, but I chose to set
it up
like an A Frame, using my hiking poles each end and using 10 stakes. It weighed
complete 2lbs 9oz and
if the second person came I would add the extra Tyvek
for 7 ounces.
I enjoyed the tarp-tent, but usually more when someone
would share it with me. Alone, I was always a wee bit
scared, of what, I do
not know. Snakes maybe, or Critters that could come in under the sides, or my
imagination.
When I went down to the PTC Kickoff at Lake Morena last
month, I saw the Six Moon Designs Tent called the
Europa. I crawled in to it
with all my gear and immediately wanted it. I fell in love with it or maybe I
just lusted for it.
.
Here was a Tent made from 1.1oz Silnylon and the
floor made from 1.9oz Silnylon for added durability.
It utilizes one hiking
pole on the front. It has a Cantilevered front (Like a Beak) and this moves the
front support
pole away from the tent which creates a sheltered front door.
It has a screen door and also a storm door. The cantilevered
front allows you
to leave both the screen and the storm door open and still be sheltered from the
rain. If you wish some
privacy while getting dressed etc. the storm door can
be closed.
The foot end of the tent has a low rear hoop, but still high
enough to keep the canopy off your sleeping bag.
The Europa has 33 square
feet of floor space and has room for two if you are cozy. As a single person
tent it is
Marvellous, it fits you and all your gear inside.
I first
set the tent up in the yard and it was so easy. Find your spot and lay out the
Tent. Put the two front stakes in,
then go to the rear and set the one stake
in the hooped end. This end has a strap coming from each corner and
is joined
in the centre by a strap that holds the rear window ( for a better word) which
is partially covered by a flap so no rain
can come in. However this window is
an important feature in stopping condensation. I went back to the front and put
in my
hiking pole and guyed it out. Next I unzipped the screen and storm
doors and reset the two stakes in the front.
The tent complete with the
four stakes weighs 2 pounds 3.5 ounces. I am using Kelty Nobendums stakes and
plan
to check out the Easton Aluminium stakes which are recommended on the
Six Moon Designs Website. The Tent is sold
without stakes and the
introductory offer is $190.00 plus shipping $10.00. At the present time the
Europa Tent is
offered in three colours. I chose Yellow and like it. All the
floors in the various colored tents are black.
FIELD TEST
Location: Trail Head at Cascade Locks, OR
Slept at 2000 - 3000 ft. for
three nights.
Weather was perfect, no rain and not too hot.
This tent
is really easy to set up in a few minutes. This is a plus in my book.
The
first and third nights we camped by roaring creeks which put a lot of moisture
in the air.
I was not prepared for the condensation that accumulated in the
tent. This condensation was
not on my sleeping bag until I made the effort to
sit up or move around. I think I would keep
a towel handy if I were put in
the exact situation again. I would use this towel to wipe off as
much
moisture as possible.
The second night we camped on a very nice flat area
just a minute or two from a small water
source. There was absolutely no
problem with condensation. Everything was dry in the tent.
My other
concerns: If the tent area is not flat then I did slide around off my pad, or
the pad slid
around off me. I think I can fix this by putting some seam
sealer as a grid area.
Getting dressed in the tent was a challenge to
start with, but I found if I sat with my back directly
on the door openings I
could manoeuvre into my clothes. I think this may be due to the slope
down
from the roof area from the Beak overhang, as opposed to a tarp where
the ceiling height is the same
all the way across (most of the
time).
I am also wondering if the flap at the rear window was pulled up
and open then possibly there
would be more airflow? Also, the loft of the
sleeping bags is quite high these days, perhaps this
may be blocking the
airflow.
I would certainly use this tent as a one-person shelter with all
my gear inside.
Nor will the concerns I have noted, stop me from using
this tent, I do like it and plan to use it on my next
hike. I have posed
these concerns to Ron Moak and will be anxious to hear his reply when he
returns
From the Continental Divide hike.
Read more reviews of Six Moon Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Marge Prothman
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