Evolution 2P – sleeves or clips?

ordering with clips or sleeves, you should seriously think about reading the NUMEROUS threads/complaints both here and in many other backpacking forums that folks who paid up as long as NINE MONTHS AGO still haven’t gotten their tents!

Until this huge backlog is finally filled — and subsequent orders are also filled as a matter of routine — I would strongly advise that you hold on to your cash.

I ordered my clip version last December 6. As yet all I get are promises, and more promises.

That notwithstanding: In my experience the clip version is eaiser to erect. Especially in windy conditions. One stakes the tent and footprint to the ground and erect and clip the poles. Then install the fly.

With pole sleeves one may lay out the footprint, tent and fly together, then install the poles. This is very handy in rainy conditions. The tent is fully covered while you erect it and stays dry.

I hike in the Sierras mostly, and don’t have to deal with much more than afternoon thunder showers. If you’re in the Pacific northwest, or some other rainy area, you might like the “dry” erection better. That sounds dirty.

You ordered your tent nearly 9 months ago and you don’t have it yet? Their web site is promising 4-6 weeks + another 4-6 weeks if the clip version is ordered for a total of 8-12 weeks.

What have they told you about delivery of your tent?

Has anyone received a tent from this company in a timely fashion? I’d like to order one but don’t want to be left hangin for 3-4-5… months. –Mike

I think “natural selection” is going to solve the issue of this firm, in time. Meanwhile, don’t encourage them by ordering— pay heed to Benjamin’s words, above.

Tim and Michael:

Be very careful about wanting something SO MUCH that you find yourself desparately wanting to believe a company’s website, announcement, etc.!

Step back a bit and look at this objectively. Folks are still replying that they haven’t gotten their tents — even after 9 months! Now, during the interim 9 months, lots more folks have paid up, and have thus joined the queue. You won’t be getting anything until after they’ve — finally — gotten theirs!

Now, you might be thinking that Big Sky has ordered a huge production run and all this backlog will clear in one fell swoop! Well, I know that Bob Molen — the owner of Big Sky — visits this and other forums very, very frequently. You think that if he has a bunch of tents nearing completion, that he would be posting announcements??? His prolonged silence is his clearest message!

Hopefully, we’ll hear from the man himself some day — and sooner rather than later — but don’t commit your cash just yet.

Tim,

The last word I got, about 2 weeks ago, was that Bob expects to ship around October 17. I believe the text message term is “lol”. Is that laughing out loud or lots of luck?

PFT. (Pray for Tent)

.

Seriously, if anyone is thinking about buying anything from Big Sky, read this thread first – – http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/2700/index.html

I have really been wanting to try out their “better-than-fleece” and epic jacket and pants, but Im not interested in waiting 6 months. Sure, the site says its in stock, and it might be, but how can anyone know? BigSky cant be straight about their tent ship times, why would they be straight with their apparel ship times? Besides, why would I want to support a company that cant be trusted to be straight with its customers to being with?

looks like I’ll wait and see if you (& other) get their tents in mid-October before I consider ordering anything.

Thanks all for the heads up.

Tim

I ordered an Evolution 2P2V on Feb. 2nd, and requested a full refund on Sept. 5th, and I’m still waiting for either to show up.

So far, I’ve had six “promised” delivery dates, and two new revisions that I doubt have ever shipped. My order was for a “Rev. C” model, and then there was the whole “we wanted to suprise you with a Rev. D, but they weren’t produced fast enough so be patient” speech, now there’s a Rev. E on the websit., After three email requesting a refund in full, three phone calls and a message left with no return call, I’ve had all I can take.

I’ll be speaking to my attorney on monday morning, if I still haven’t received a tent or refund.

Did you paid by credit card? If so, have you tried getting a refund by complaining to the credit card issuer? I would think that that would be more efficient than filing a lawsuit. See the following for more info:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/billed.htm

Just an addendum that if you paid by PayPal, you may have recourse to a refund as well!

Paypal only allows 45 days from payment date to open up a fraud claim. I already contacted them, and they cannot do anything after the 45 day limit, and almost eight months is obviously well beyond 45 days.

I did, however, use my CC while using PayPal for payment, so I still have that route.

I plan on going through my credit card, as I’ve had to do this once before, but I’m still contacting my attorney just in case.

Dennis:

I hope your credit card company will take care of this for you. If they ask why you “waited” so long — hopefully, you have the string of emails from Big Sky showing repeated “promises and model upgrades”! These will come in handy for your lawyer as well — if it comes to that.

If you end up going the lawyer route, you might want to round up other dissatisfied payers for “stength in numbers” or even a class-action lawsuit! I’m sure there are plenty of them around. Good Luck!

FWIW I’ve desputed a credit card paid through paypal and the credit card company reversed the charge. It took a couple days longer than immeditate chargebacks like they sometimes do but I gave them the info and they did it. Hopefully those of you who paid via CC can do the same. Just call them up and say you never recieved the product and want a refund.

EDIT: Mine was not through Big Sky, just another shady vendor. Life’s too short to be strung out endlessly by someone who can’t deliver.

I’m not completely sure about how things like this work in the States, but wouldn’t it not also be a good idea for all those who didn’t receive their tents to report this to the Better Business Bureau? I think it is time to stop giving Bob Molen the benefit of the doubt and make things serious for him. It is good for people to be tolerant and nice, but he needs to learn to take responsibility. I think people have given him too much leeway.