Big Sky International Tents

I have an Evolution 3p. The tent is generally well designed, well made, spacious, and relatively easy to set up. I have used it in moderately strong wind and rain and had no problems. Very comfortable for 2 people. I don’t have any experience with the Mirage, but I have seen several other Big Sky models and think the same general comments extend across their product line. They tend to a little heavier than comparable models from other manufacturers, but you tend to get a little more room and a more robust tent in return. I think of them as something in between Big Agnes and Hilleberg.

Most of the reviews you will find are older, but still valid. Will Rietveld did a review of the Evolution 2P here and the Mirage 2P here.. BPL posted a review of the Evolution 2P here. A search of BPL will reveal additional user input from the same time period.

Most negative reviews I have seen comment on supply and customer service issues from the early days of the company. I think those problems were resolved as the company grew and built a better supply chain, though availability of some models may be limited. I have never experienced a problem with an order or communication, though their website is in serious need of improvement. I have never seen significant criticism of the tents themselves. I have encountered a few people carrying them and all were happy with their choice. I met one solo hiker, ultralight almost everything, but carrying a 2-person Big Sky Evolution because he liked the space.

All of their tents are variations on the same theme…if one of their models fits your application and you can accept the weight penalty, I think you will be happy with it.

Bottom line:  Very good tents. Heavier than some but more robust, better designed, and more livable than most. Check availability before you order.

Thanks so much Ken, that’s extremely helpful.

I think of them as something in between Big Agnes and Hilleberg.

That is a great way to put it, Ken. There are surprisingly few tents that fill this niche, with maybe Tarptent being another brand.

I’ve got a Mirage 1P now. If you search the forums, you’ll find I used to have a Revolution 1P, but sold it to justify getting the lighter Mirage. It’s been a mostly good move, although sometimes I do miss the full solid fabric inner I had in the Revolution.

Since you asked about the Mirage, here is the Mirage on a trip from just last weekend, where I camped on the edge of a cliff a couple thousand feet higher than the terrain beneath it. Very windy, totally exposed, could barely get any stakes in, and a low of 25F. The Mirage did well and was fairly quiet. It was a little too drafty inside.

Another cold desert night in the Mirage. Low of 26 or 27F. No wind and clear night sky. Slept with the opposite door open. Ended up with a thin sheet of ice above me. Note the sag because I didn’t re-tension the tent overnight.

This is more the environment the Mirage was meant for – temps above freezing and dry conditions. Slept with all doors rolled back. No condensation.

Shortly after dark at this campsite, it started raining and did so for the next 8 or so hours. Temperature ranged from about 35-32F. The forecast called for snow and I was excited to test the Mirage, but I only got rain. Lots of condensation on the tent, but my sleeping bag remained dry.

As long as you are aware of the limitations of the Mirage (being a single-skin design), it’s a good tent. More stormworthy and more liveable than my Nemo Hornet. Even when I do get condensation on the tent, it doesn’t drip onto my quilt for some reason, so I stay dry. A couple times, my quilt has gotten a little damp from the high bathtub walls – basically, the narrow floor dimensions and high bathtub walls means there is nowhere for moisture to escape to if I end up sweating a lot.

I don’t think the peak vents are well designed on the Mirage. Due to how the netting is sewn in, they are less open and effective than on the Revolution/Chinook tents. And in cold weather when my hands are frozen, I kind of wish I had Hilleberg’s over-sized zipper hardware instead of tiny #3 zips, but that’s part of the tradeoff for a lighter tent. Build quality is excellent and customer service has been good for me. Agree on checking availability before you order.