Big Sky shelters — who has ordered? who got their’s?

I ordered an Evolution 2P 2D2V on September 23 – just 83 days ago. I included a note in my order indicating that I needed the tent for a February trip. This didn't seem like an issue at the time because the delivery time listed on the Big Sky web site seemed to indicated that I'd get my tent in plenty of time for the trip.

Unfortunately, I've sent three emails to Big Sky / Bob Molen in the last few weeks asking about the status of my order but have so far received no response.

Good luck with that.

The good news is that tents are actually shipping now.

FWIW, here's my order timeline:

2/2/06- placed order for Evolution 2P2V, originallly march/april ship date was plenty of time, as I NEEDED the tent in AUGUST for a trip

9/4/06 cancelled my order

12/15/06 received shipping confirmation for tent that I cancelled the order for three months ago.

It sounds from his email like the current build of tents should fill most of the older orders. Mine (ordered late September 06) should get delivered out of the next build:

"The good news is that the factory is finishing your order… it is a new updated rev. E… world-class… our best one yet…

We see no reason why you should not have your order before your kayak trip in February.

Thanks for your patience,
Bob"

I've got my fingers crossed.

Chuck,
Teriffic news. Caution your son to drive very carefully. Remember he's carrying one of the world's rarest tents. Virtually irreplacable. Your Saskatchewan location sounds like winter to me. How early can you get out to use your Evolution? I'm located 50 miles north of San Francisco and, given some dry weather, I'll be trying to get out sometime in late January. Probably at Point Reyes National Seashore. They have some pack-in camps there. Some on the beach and some in the costal hills at 800' to 1200' elevation. I'm booked solid till then.

Dennis,
Sounds like you're next. Try to remain calm and wait for the Captain to turn off the seatbelt sign. Let us know when it arrives.

Brian,
We've all got our fingers crossed for you. I hope you get more than a "Bob's Promise". Let us know when you get a tracking number.

FYI: Bob does keep track of this thread. A few hours after I posted the photos below, Bob asked to use the photo of me giving a thumbs-up from my EP2. It's now on his website. BTW, From my examination of my new E2P, Bob's "world-class… our best one yet", is right on. I had a Rev. A loaner and it's not in the same class for improved design features and quality of finish.

An idea just crossed my mind. (Susan says "Danger Danger Danger") Wouldn't it be a trip if a bunch of us E2P newbies could rendevouz at ADZPCTKO 2007? It's a 3 day event held 55 miles east of San Diego CA. April 27-29. Google ADZPCTKO. I picture a gaggle (flock?, murder?)of E2P's. at Campsites 27 and 28. How about it? Post a "PM" email address and let's talk.

To all of you still waiting for Bob to respond, I say: Keep the Faith.

Alright, the good news is my Evolution 2P2V has finally arrived. The bad news is that I was not at home when FedEx arrived, as it requires a signature.

Looks like I'll have to make a trip to the local FedEx pickup on thursday (for whatever stupid reason they have to make three consecutive attempts to deliver it before I can pick it up). There's NO WAY I'm going to just sign the waiver and let FedEx leave my much anticipated tent on the front steps for just anyone to grab and make their Christmas merry.

Dennis:

Can't you get one of your neighbors to help? Once you clear it with your neighbor, you can then tape a SIGNED AND DATED note on your door instructing FedEx to deliver the package to your neighbor and have your neighbor accept and sign for it.

Ben/Dennis,
I don't know. It seems reasonable to me. I'd call the carrier and ask them how to help SOLVE the problem. Time for Captain Outside-Of-The-Box.

Fed Ex supposedly has some stupid policy that with home deliveries they have to attempt three deliveries and will then hold it at their facility for pickup for seven days.

I've already had two delivery attempts, so I will be able to pick it up on thursday (which isn't that bad after waiting 10 months).

I just don't trust the Fed Ex drivers. With some other deliveries that didn't require signatures, they've left the package on the front stairs or sometimes in a more secure location.

I'll patiently wait…..

As a lawyer who has helped a lot of start up businesses and specialized in it for awhile, it is hard to watch a start up business have problems like has apparently happened here.

I would not add to those problems by waiting for FedEx to do its thing. It is best to go to FedEx or call them and make specific arrangements to pick up or have the item delivered. Murphy's law I guess, when the start up is having problems, then so will FedEx … and you might just have another 10 months of waiting and gear inferno. As Dante said: Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Or, something like that.

Bill,

Not to hijack the thread but… It was 42° in my house when I got home just now. Do you have any photos of sunny beaches and palm trees that you could use?

Denis

I'll check that out. How about Hawaii?

How is that?

Ahhhhhh. That's better.

Thanks, I needed that.

You are welcome. Now we can get back to the serious business of studying and spending all our measily monetary repositories on gear, especially BMW and BPL gear. (Did you get sun burnt, and is that the Marin coast?) bd

I'm glad your tent is on its way – gives me hope for mine! I also needed a tent for an August trip and had to purchase an additional tent because of Big Sky's delays. Again I'm glad you got yours, but I ordered in December and have still not seen anything. Is Bob just shipping ramdomly or do you have to threaten him even at this point?

Brad

I ordered mine in june of 06 and I am hopping to get it in time for my spring hike.

Hawaii, great. Now I'm homesick twice! (Is that Ko'olina?)

So what happened to Dennis? Is he still chasing after FedEx?

Well, it finally made it.

Trying to shorten the FedEx wait was futile. I tried contacting them, but as I said, it's some stupid policy that they have with their Home delivery to have three delivery attempts before they will hold it for a week at their facility. I believe that regular FedEx (and yes, they are differernt, as I had to pick it up at a different facility) does not have this policy.

Anyhow, tent impressions:

Wow, all I can say is that after pitching the tent up in our family room downstairs, nearly knocking over the Christmas tree and nearly hitting my wife in the head with a tent pole, is wow.

I did not guy out the vestibules, but did put the fly on. Lots o' mesh, and two nice-sized high vents should make this tent breathe like someone with a CPAP machine.

Throwing the tent on my handy, dandy, trusty scale it measured a scant 3 lbs., 2.10 oz., in the compression sack, and 3 lbs, 4.6 oz with 8 Ti sheppard hook stakes. I have the carbon pole version with the pole sleeves.

I'm very impressed with this tent. I can almost justify my wait with the quality of the product that I received today. Just by my initial impression after pitching it, I can tell there was a lot of thought put into this tent. My only major gripe is that I might have to put down some silicone stripes on the floor for a little more grip on the sil-nylon floor, but I expected that.

I had ordered a footprint with my tent, but Bob did refund that amount to me as they were backordered.

This tent put a large smile on my face today. I hope everyone else that ordered one gets one soon (Bob did say the clip version would be a little longer- that's why I went with sleevers). I also hope that Bob is able to keep up with customer service, as this is a great product and should be selling like hotcakes.

Dennis,
Hooray! Hip, Hip, Hooray!!! Glad to see another Evolution on the ground. I hope some of the others arrive shortly. I'm hoping for be a Big Sky Christmas for lots of Evolution wannabe's.

Regarding silicone stripes. The loaner Bob let me use had silicone stripes installed. 2" stripes at about 12" on center. They didn't work very well (read "at all"). There is a thread somewhere in BPL that gives very comprehensive instructions for coating silnylon with silicone. I printed it out and put it in a safe place so I wouldn't lose it. Now… where might that good safe place be? I can't seem to find anything since Susan helped me clean house. The system uses pure silicone caulking and deoderized mineral spirits to make a slurry you paint on the tent floor. It suggests coating both inside and outside to protect the nylon floor from abrasion, increase the waterproofness and give a good non-skid finish.

I Bought one of Bob's footprints and used it with the loaner tent. I only used it on one trip and it got pretty well beat up. You can see pin holes, and larger, when you hold it up to the light. Bob's loaner tent was my first experience with silnylon. Suffice to say that silnylon is not as sturdy as the old PU coated rip-stop. It is easily damaged by crawling around in the tent even though I was very careful to smooth out the ground and pick up all the poky things.

I'm going to use Bob's footprint as a pattern and make a custom footprint of PU coated ripstop. I use the same stuff to make ground cloths for all my other tents and the material is cheap enough, certainly cheaper than Bob's. I buy Outdoor Research (or some cheap brand of 12'x12'coated nylon tarps and hot knife them to size. When they wear out I just make a new one. Used coated side up they usually last 5 or 6 years. For the new Evolution I'll even put the corner tapes on it. I'm also going to coat the top and bottom of the tent floor per the article, if I can ever find it. This will add some weight but the Evolution is a somewhat delicate piece of equipment and I hope to make good use of it for years.

I'm quite computer illiterate and perhaps one of the good readers might know how to search for said directions.

CPAP Machine??? RemStar Auto w/ cflex.

Try mixing three parts mineral spirits with one part GE Silicone II sealant. Pre-mix until clear in an empty soup can and paint on floor with one to one half inch brush. You can do stripes or paint entire floor to improve PSI. If you paint entire floor use two inch brush and mix as needed as it dries quickly. Stephensons’ uses 1:1 ratio to seal seems in their tents and I have sealed both my 3R and 2R tents. The 3:1 ratio to treat floors was recommended in a BPL article by a knowledgeable individual with a link to his web site so I want to be sure I credit him. I know it is referenced somewhere in BPL. It was also recommended to weigh 3:1 ratio on a scale before mixing. Mineral spirits/silicone sealant mix appears to be thinner and more pliable then McNett.

Be sure to use odorless (or at least low odor) mineral spirits. The regular kind stink for a long time (not a happy thing in a tent!). For the full description of this treatment, see:

http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Silnylon1/index.html

You can avoid the mess of mineral spirits entirely if you spread the silicone with a squeegee – the kind auto parts shops sell in packs of 4 for body repair. Set the tent on a smooth, firm floor. Use the squeegee to spread the sealant, then use it like a knife as if you were cutting the sealant off the nylon. Let it cure 24 hours. The result will be a thin, tacky coat of sealant. Just what you want.

Apply it to the bottom of your pad instead…its a whole lot easier and wherever you put the pad, you have traction.

Not-so-Crazy-Pete, Brilliant! A not so crazy idea. Pad stays in place. I've done this myself and was able to cut the two pad straps out of one of my bivies (like where is one going to go in a bivy??!! actually, one can slide length-wise in a 7' bivy if on a hill and one is not 7' tall.)

Or, to express it with a simple mathematical equation as NSCP might do:

brains + use_less_sealant = lighter_in_weight

What's not to like?!!

*in most equations, one can generally substitute for "brains" by using the quantity "Not-so-Crazy-Pete"