I’d Like to start a new BIG SKY (BS) thread.

1. What did you order: Evolution 2P 2D2V Clip version with both AL and CF poles, and ground cloth. 2 Better-Than-Fleece jackets.

2. How Long did you wait for delivery: 373 days for the tent. Not long for the jackets.

3. Did you have to ask for a refund: After I gave Bob a deadline for the tent and asked for a refund he sent the tent within a few days.

4. A brief description of you experience: I won't buy anything from Bob again (except if I run across Big Sky at an event, and he has stock for sale).

1. What did you order: Evolution 1D1V

2. How Long did you wait for delivery: 113 days – then gave up!

3. Did you have to ask for a refund: Yup.

4. A brief description of you experience:

Ordered in 9/05 and got the 4-6 weeks song and dance. When BS did its big "20% off if you pre-pay" sale back in 12/05 — and folks were paying in — I figured that was the time to get my money back! Funny, Bob Molen always answered my email's within a day — but suddenly became silent! When I started asking for him publically in all the forums, I got his response within the hour — and got my refund within the week. I knew he wouldn't want me ruining his great big sale.

1. Big Sky Evolution 2P2D2V
2. Not received yet – ordered Dec. 31st 06
3. No, but Bob offered me one
4. Ordered it. Got confused about when my CC would be charged (for 20% discount orders CC get charged right away). Bob answered quickly and reminded me of the CC deal and offered to refund my money if I was not happy with the process. Inquired in May about delivery and was promised delivery by the end of May. Have been trying to contact Bob for the past three weeks with no response.

This is a post from today in the yahoo lightweight backpacking forum. I have deleted the header and signature for privacy concerns even though it is a public forum. However it fits the criteria elicited in Denis's post:

"Freestanding is important, and the
Tarptent looked interesting. Think I will go for the Seedhouse SL1. At 2.5 pounds, its in the range I was looking for.

For you and others, I can confirm your opinion of Big Sky. Great looking tents for what I want, but I just cancelled the order I placed back in December. The latest shtick was that they couldn't deliver by the promised March thru June delivery window they gave me in February. Offered a Evolution 2P and pushed delivery for the requested 1P back to July.

Another shtick suggested they might have it to me by the date I was pleading for, April. I never forgot their statement when I checked with them in early April: The good news is we will meet the March to June delivery time we gave you, the bad news it won't be in April. Wrong again.

The truly good news is, the Seed SL1 is almost identical in the features I want, is a little bit roomier than the 1P, ounce for ounce it is in the same weight zone, and Big Agnes is a reputable company. I wasted some time and learned of a company to stay away from, but otherwise no harm. "

But who has actually received anything from BS but a "Bob's Promise"? Chuck from Canada is one. I remember there were a couple of others. I'd like to hear about deliveries, if there are any. Where do all his tents and jackets go? There's a tent review on Backpack Gear Test so that's another. Any one? Let's start a movement: the "I got mine from Big Sky Movement". All you got to do to join is to have actually received something from Bob.

Do you think that if all the folks that Bob stiffed joined together they might sway the next presidential election?

The reason people are not receiving their tents is because BS tents are not sold in the US, or anywhere else for that matter. I buy all of their production, and then I bury them out back.

Some day they'll be worth a fortune.

It's all your fault after all. Poor Bob, if he only knew.

AHHHH! The old supply and demand ploy!

Ok – I just received my tracking number! To be fair – 16 days after the end of the promised delivery window (i.e. by the end of May) is something I can live with. Now if communication were a bit better, it would save everybody a lot of aggravation. Anyway, I am looking foward to getting the tent.
Cheers,
S.

Ordered 2/19/06
Claimed dilivery date is moving (started with May 06)
Heard nothing, but then The E-mail adress that we had then has gone inactive.

Hi all,
I'm starting to see posts of folks receiving their Big Sky gear. I'll be interviewing Bob Molen at the OR show this week.
If you have ordered from Big Sky and NOT yet received your gear, please e-mail me (carol@backpackinglight.com) with the following information:
Product ordered
Month ordered
Month credit card charged
Details on communication between you and Big Sky

that Bob Molen is finally turning a new page.

But I still want to know:

(1) Why he strung people along for more than a year — after taking their money?

(2) If the backlog problem is indeed solved — I want to know exactly what's different that buyers can now feel assured of timely delivery?

Bob Molen owes the backpacking community an apology!

Carol — if after interviewing Bob Molen, you are not absolutely convinced that he has truly turned the page — then please DO NOT give him any more publicity!

Bob is always at the summer show. Last year he was right next to the men's bathroom, I'm pretty sure I mentioned that…

A close friend of mine ordered a tent from BSI this summer, and got it in fairly short order.

His story starts off in that he orginally got burned last year when he tried to order one, waited several months, and never got it or heard from Bob despite repeated emails (and he may have tried to call too…can't remember). His credit card was not charged, so he just cancelled the transaction.

Being the big dumb animal (dude, I'm just kidding if you read this) that he is he tried again this summer, and this time he was successful. Not only did he get his tent quickly, but he recieved replies from multiple emails to BSI when he was notified that the particular model in the color he wanted was on backorder. He chose a different color.

So, I just relay this information on for your use as you see fit. I won't give my personal opinion of BSI cause I want to stay out of all this junk. You can read his personal account on the forums at Backpacking.net (thread is titled something like ("Big Sky – Big Turnaround").

I will say that I have seen the tent setup in person, and judging the product based on its own merits I find it pretty impressive.