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Big Sky International Convertible 2P Tent REVIEW Review


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable Big Sky International Convertible 2P Tent REVIEW Review

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Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
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  • #1230737
    Addie Bedford
    BPL Member

    @addiebedford

    Locale: Montana
    #1447777
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi Will

    Interesting.
    > as the photo shows, the snow flaps are extra clutter when summer camping.
    Seriously, just how much of a problem are the flaps in the summer time? I confess, the concept of them creating 'clutter' is not one which would have occured to me.

    Cheers

    #1447785
    Christopher Holden
    BPL Member

    @back2basics

    Locale: Southeast USA

    Ben must be out in the sticks. I expected to see a post from him within an hour of this posting online. Stay tuned.

    #1447787
    Adam Rothermich
    BPL Member

    @aroth87

    Locale: Missouri Ozarks

    Christopher, you just made my day :D.

    Adam

    #1447803
    Will Rietveld
    BPL Member

    @williwabbit

    Locale: Southwest Colorado

    Hi Roger, as your post illustrates, it depends on the individual whether the flaps are an issue while summer camping. I brought it up to make readers aware of it, and they can decide for themselves whether its an issue or not.

    I suspect that many buyers of this tent will only use it for summer camping, so they don't need the snow flaps. Of course then can cut them off, but the point is they can't buy a fly for the Convertible without snow flaps.

    Another thing to note is the flaps serve a useful purpose when winter camping in a snow storm, but they greatly reduce the tent's ventilation because they seal off the bottom.

    Best,
    Will

    #1447818
    Mary Gillam
    Member

    @mlgillam-2

    I've had a few uncomfortable nights when dune sand blew under the fly and settled on my face for hours. Maybe the snow flaps on the fly would help in this situation?

    #1447880
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    > I've had a few uncomfortable nights when dune sand blew under the fly and settled on my face for hours.
    New one on me!
    But of course. I think the tents used by nomadic Arabs have sodcloths too.

    Cheers

    #1447883
    Peter Atkinson
    BPL Member

    @peterbob

    Locale: Yorkshire, England

    Looks a cracking all round tent; I've been looking for a good light all-rounder for a while, and there really is not a tent that can be that – but this comes very close. The other tent I'm very tempted by is the Stephensons Warmlite (I also like smaller independent companies, of which there seem to be lots in the USA). This review is timely – have BPL reviewed the Warmlite?

    #1447912
    Will Rietveld
    BPL Member

    @williwabbit

    Locale: Southwest Colorado

    Hi Peter. Ask and you shall receive; we just received a Warmlite 2X from Stephensons and Chris Townsend will be doing the review. It will be published in early fall sometime, along with a State Of the Market Report on single wall tents.

    Best,
    Will

    #1447913
    Peter Atkinson
    BPL Member

    @peterbob

    Locale: Yorkshire, England

    Ace! I really look forward to it (too much really, my son and partner despair how much I visit this site!).

    #1447914
    Will Rietveld
    BPL Member

    @williwabbit

    Locale: Southwest Colorado

    Hi Mary. Great comment. Camping in the desert when its windy results in a lot of fine sand inside your tent, and sand in everything inside. The snow flaps could be covered with sand around the perimeter to keep it from blowing in. Seems like that would work.

    Best,
    Will

    #1447963
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Hi Will

    Given the rather rough past history, do you have any idea what the delivery schedule on these tents might be? I'm curious, and I am sure many would be interested.

    Cheers

    #1447992
    Robert Molen
    BPL Member

    @bigsky-2

    As of today, some Convertible 2Ps are in stock at dealers and at Big Sky…

    For current availability, please see:
    http://www.bigskyproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=43

    or

    http://tinyurl.com/3ygqh2

    Thanks for your interest,
    Bob

    Big Sky International
    http://www.BigSkyInternational.com
    online store: http://www.BigSkyProducts.com

    #1448037
    Jason Brinkman
    BPL Member

    @jbrinkmanboi

    Locale: Idaho

    If you wanted a dedicated summer fly AND a winter fly, couldn't you just buy one extra fly and cut the snow flaps off? It can't cost much more with the flaps than if one was offered without, right?

    #1448045
    Robert Molen
    BPL Member

    @bigsky-2

    As of today, some Convertible 2Ps are in stock at dealers but NOT at Big Sky…

    If you need help finding a dealer with one in stock, please let us know.

    For current availability, please see:
    http://www.bigskyproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=43

    or

    http://tinyurl.com/3ygqh2

    Thanks for your interest,
    Bob

    Big Sky International
    http://www.BigSkyInternational.com
    online store: http://www.BigSkyProducts.com

    #1448054
    Robert Molen
    BPL Member

    @bigsky-2

    I was just informed by our warehouse they "found" a couple more Convertible 2Ps… so as of today, some Convertible 2Ps are in stock at dealers AND at Big Sky… sorry for the confusion…

    For current availability, please see:
    http://www.bigskyproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=43

    or

    http://tinyurl.com/3ygqh2

    Thanks for your interest,
    Bob

    Big Sky International
    http://www.BigSkyInternational.com
    online store: http://www.BigSkyProducts.com

    #1448259
    Joe Westing
    Member

    @pedro87

    It was mentioned in the article that the poles attach to the outside of the fly. Is there any possible way of just pitching the inner mesh tent? If not, that seems like a big disadvantage, at least for me. In warmer weather, I often just pitch the inner mesh tent for superb ventilation, views, and star-watching while still keeping the bugs out. What is the advantage of having the poles attach to the outside of the fly?

    #1448260
    R K
    Spectator

    @oiboyroi

    Locale: South West US

    What is the advantage of having the poles attach to the outside of the fly?

    If you have to set up your tent while it’s raining, having the poles attached to the fly will allow you to set up your tent without getting the inside wet.

    Ray Jardine mentions this in his book Beyond Backpacking. He sees many tent designs as flawed because typically you have to set up the inner tent, then throw the fly over the top. In the mean time, your nice and dry tent is becoming not so nice and dry. Makes sense to me.

    Edit: Seems many non-American tent makers have figured this out already ;)

    #1448270
    Joe Westing
    Member

    @pedro87

    Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't think of that. However, I still personally do not like the idea of having poles attach to the outside of the fly. Many tents can be stored and stuffed w/ the fly still attached to the inner tent. When I pitch my tent in the rain, I can push the poles through the sleeve on the inner tent while the attached fly is protecting the inner tent from rain.

    #1448313
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    > What is the advantage of having the poles attach to the outside of the fly?
    > If you have to set up your tent while it’s raining, having the poles attached to the fly will allow you to set up your tent without getting the inside wet.

    Very true.
    Another advantage is that having the poles sleeved to the fly and the guys means the tent is a LOT more stable in bad weather.

    > Seems many non-American tent makers have figured this out already ;)
    INDEED! INDEED!

    #1448336
    Richard Scruggs
    BPL Member

    @jrscruggs

    Locale: Oregon

    Will, do you believe that it is advisable (even if not necessary) to seal any of the seams on Evolution tents?

    My understanding when I purchased the 2P2V three season version was that it's not necessary to seal any of the seams, and I haven't done so. No problems so far.

    However, even if not necessary, I wonder if applying seam sealer, at least for high-stress areas like the corners, would signficantly help strengthen the tent.

    Thanks for any info or suggestions.

    JRS

    #1448647
    Dave T
    Member

    @davet

    .

    #1449024
    Kenneth Knight
    BPL Member

    @kenknight

    Locale: SE Michigan

    Due to a mix up when publishing this review we did not get Will's video tour of the Convertible 2P in the initial release of the article.

    That's ben fixed now. If you go to the original article and scroll down through the Field Testing section you'll find a video tour of the tent as used by Will during an early May camping trip at a campsite at nearly 12,000 feet in the southern Rockies.

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
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