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  1. #1
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    Default Skyscape X.....looks great, ultralight.....but...

    EXPENSIVE!!
    Has anyone seen this one or knew someone who did...wish I had the bucks!!



    http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/tents/ssX.html

  2. #2
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    I have one on order, which should be arriving today! I'll post an update after I've had some time to play with it (that may be a while, alas...).
    Last edited by moongoddess; 02-20-2012 at 16:22.

  3. #3

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    Wow that's a lot of tent for 15oz. but with a price tag to match. SMD makes great gear, I have a Wild Oasis and Lunar Solo and like them both.

  4. #4
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    I've got 3-4 pieces of SMD gear and think all of them have been a good value for the money. I've also needed some repair work done a few times and it was done inexpensively, quickly and I got it back as good as new.

    Resell value seems to be pretty good too.

  5. #5
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    Default moongoddess....that would be great...would love a review....

    Quote Originally Posted by moongoddess View Post
    I have one on order, which should be arriving today! I'll post an update after I've had some time to play with it (that may be a while, alas...).

    of the tent. I am curious to see how easy to put up, and how roomy it may be for one plus pack.

  6. #6
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    I'll definitely post my thoughts on the tent (and perhaps a few photos as well) after I've had a chance to play with it a bit, nawlunz. The SMD Skyscape tents (all three models) have been out for a while now, but strangely there don't seem to be many reviews of them posted on the web. I'm not sure why that is, but it does make it harder for a prospective purchaser to decide whether the tent is right for him/her.

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    Gotta love that set up. 15 oz. Why do they not include the stakes ? I mean, you need stakes. To be honest they should include the stakes and the weight of the stakes. Am I missing something? They include line and stuff sack, etc. They sell the stakes, and pole and footprint but don't include them in the weight.
    Why don't they just play it straight? It's like batteries not included.
    Everything is in Walking Distance

  8. #8
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    They don't include stakes becasue most people have their own favorites, or so they told me a few years ago. Not like they're trying to hide it.

    And cuben gets pricey.
    Con men understand that their job is not to use facts to convince skeptics but to use words to help the gullible to believe what they want to believe - Thomas Sowell

  9. #9
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    Bamboo Bob, a lot of people don't use footprints with their tents, and they already own stakes. And while SMD does sell optional poles (both aluminum and carbon fiber versions) for the Skyscape, it's really intended to be used with trekking poles, and everyone's poles have different weights. So I can see why SMD lists only the tent weight sans options. It's easy enough to add the weight of the optional stake kit, tyvek ground cloth, and aluminum or carbon fiber poles to the tent weight to get a "complete" weight for the entire setup before you order, as SMD does list the weight for each of those components on their website.

  10. #10
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    :banana The tent's here!

    Well, after some unavoidable delays the tent arrived, and I opened the box last night. I haven't even had a chance to take the tent out of it's stuff sack yet, but my first thought upon picking it up was "I paid $450 for a potato chip bag?!" Cuben fiber's amazingly light stuff! It's hard to believe something so seemingly insubstantial can actually protect a hiker from severe weather (although I know it can).

    With any luck, I'll get the chance to set the tent up in my back yard this weekend and try some "camping at home". More updates (and pictures) to follow!

  11. #11
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    Default Skyscape X - First Impressions

    I finally got a chance to pitch my new Skyscape X in my backyard this weekend. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet in rough weather, but first impressions are definitely favorable.

    The tent, pitched:
    skyscapepitched-M.jpg

    skyscapeside2-M.jpg
    The mat you see inside is a large, wide Exped Downmat 9: 77" long, 26" wide, and about 3" thick. It pretty much fills the tent. but there's a little room left on the foot end where I think a pack could be stowed, and a small space at the head end where a few personal items would fit. Using a standard-length mat, there's definitely room inside for a pack - which is a good thing, because the vestibules are on the small side. I think this tent would be a tight fit for anyone over 6' tall.

    The tent has only one entrance. This limits the utility of the second vestibule, as you can't access it from inside the tent. It also means that if you have the rainfly rolled up on that side and the weather changes overnight, you have to get out of the tent to close the fly. It's really a pity that Six Moon Designs doesn't put a door on both sides of the tent (or at least a small zippered opening, like the one on the older version of the Big Agnes Copper spur tents) so both vestibules would be equally accessible from inside the tent.

    The rear of the tent features an extra tie-out point, which you can use to raise the rear of the tent an inch or two if you're using a long, thick mat:
    reartieout-M.jpg

    The supplies spreader bar for the trekking poles is rather flimsy: a rod covered with a heavy synthetic leather fabric, with fabric pouches at either end for the trekking pole tips to slide into. It's a bit too flexible, and it's easy for the pole tips to come out during tent assembly if you're not careful. I fashioned a studier spreader bar out of Pex tubing, which works much better. This photo shows the Six Moon Designs spreader bar on the left, and my homemade bar on the right:
    spreaderbars-M.jpg

    A look at the trekking pole assembly. Note that the spreader bar goes inside a fabric sleeve, which holds it very securely:
    skyscapepole1-M.jpg

    skyscapepole3-M.jpg

    Inside the tent, looking toward the head end. For some reason, the floor up there wants to billow up:
    skyscapeinterior2-M.jpg

    A look toward the foot end. As you can see, there's not a lot of extra space down there with this large mat in place, but the mat (and my sleeping quilt) did not hit the end of the tent:
    skyscapeinterior1-M.jpg

    The door zipper seems sturdy, but the zipper pulls are small. I think I may tie some reflective line to them, to make them easier to locate at night:
    skyscapezipper-M.jpg

    A snap tie holds the rainfly in place when it's rolled up:
    skyscapetie-M.jpg

    When the rainfly is closed, the flap over the zipper is secured in place with a small strip of velcro:
    skyscapeflap-M.jpg

    The supplied guylines are yellow, but don't seem to be reflective. The tent requires five stakes (six if you want to use the optional rear tie-out point). Stake placement is a bit fiddly; if you don't position the stakes just right, either the front or the rear rainfly will flap a bit. Still, I had the tent up in under five minutes on my very first try. None of the guylines come with tensioners or linelocks, but since Cuben fiber doesn't stretch much, I don't think that's a big omission.

    Overall, I'm pleased (although as I said, I haven't had a chance to test it in a blowing rain). A bit more interior space would be nice - but that would increase the weight and the footprint (which is small). So far it seems a very nice solo shelter.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by moongoddess; 03-12-2012 at 17:08.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by bamboo bob View Post
    Gotta love that set up. 15 oz. Why do they not include the stakes ? I mean, you need stakes. To be honest they should include the stakes and the weight of the stakes. Am I missing something? They include line and stuff sack, etc. They sell the stakes, and pole and footprint but don't include them in the weight.
    Why don't they just play it straight? It's like batteries not included.
    Some well know in demand cottage makers dont even include the weight of the guylines, and people are upset when their new $500-600 shelter weighs 2 oz more than it was supposed to.

  13. #13
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    Default Informative Review of This Tent

    FYI, John Abela recently posted a very detailed and informative review of the Skyscape X on his website. Here's the link to his review: http://hikelighter.com/2012/04/03/si...ns-skyscape-x/

  14. #14

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    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, you paid $450 for that? Your money!
    Cherokee Bill ..... previously known as "billyboy"

  15. #15
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    Yep, my money - and I expect the tent to be worth every penny of it.

  16. #16
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    You know what's more expensive? Buying something less expensive and heavier, figuring out it's not right and too heavy, and then buying the expensive thing you should have bought the first time. Sometimes buying the most expensive item is the least expensive path.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by leaftye View Post
    You know what's more expensive? Buying something less expensive and heavier, figuring out it's not right and too heavy, and then buying the expensive thing you should have bought the first time. Sometimes buying the most expensive item is the least expensive path.
    +1

    Not to say I would pay over $200 to save a pound of tent weight

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by moongoddess View Post
    I finally got a chance to pitch my new Skyscape X in my backyard this weekend. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet in rough weather, but first impressions are definitely favorable.
    Thanks for this report
    My trekking sticks are fix lenght (non ajustable) and about 120 cm (Black Diamond Ultra Distance)
    What is your sticks lenght? Because if mines are too long or too short it will be impossible to build the tent.

    My second remark is about the space betwwen the main cover and the ground. I am afraid in case of big rain to have somme water inside the tent.

    I hesitate a lot between this one or the Vaude Tokee which is heavier but with a true double films.

  19. #19
    Registered User moongoddess's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raoulglloq View Post
    Thanks for this report
    My trekking sticks are fix lenght (non ajustable) and about 120 cm (Black Diamond Ultra Distance)
    What is your sticks lenght? Because if mines are too long or too short it will be impossible to build the tent.
    I can't help you much with that, as my poles are adjustable in length and I didn't really measure just how much I extended them when I set the tent up. I'd suggest emailing Ron Moak at Six Moon designs and asking him how well he thinks your fixed-length poles would work with the Skyscape.

    Quote Originally Posted by raoulglloq View Post
    My second remark is about the space betwwen the main cover and the ground. I am afraid in case of big rain to have somme water inside the tent.
    I think that's a reasonable concern, but most people using the ten don't seem to be having an issue with that. (I can't say myself, as we're having a drought here, so I've no rain to test it in!). For what it's worth, the points where the attaches fly is farthest from the ground are also the points where the fly is farthest from the tent - I think it would take a very strong wind-driven rain to blow any significant water inside.

    Quote Originally Posted by raoulglloq View Post
    I hesitate a lot between this one or the Vaude Tokee which is heavier but with a true double films.
    We're lucky that there are so many great choices available to backpackers these days!

  20. #20
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    I just read it. The only big problem he mentioned is that when ther is a strng rain and the grund is wet, some water goes true the floor at the place of the pression points (poles, mat)

    Not big problem for the pole place but it is anoying for the mat when it s cold. Did you experienced this problem?

    For the pole lenght I looked at the website and the lenght is 45" which is 114cm. My pole are too long with 120 cm but I can put them at a position of 108cmm. Additionnog some clothes could perhaps let me having about 114cm but I am not sure it will be very tight. Did so experienced that?

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