Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout Evaluate

Backside Line

The Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout 1-person tent earns excessive marks in our information to the very best price range tents. It has the right steadiness of affordability and weight, clocking in at a mere 2.4 kilos.

The Skyscape Scout has a ridiculously quick setup for a backpacking tent, with solely three stakes required to pitch and your alternative of trekking poles. It is also particularly designed for taller hikers, boasting over 8.5 ft in size and twin doorways and vestibules for straightforward entry and ample storage. 

One other neat characteristic of this tent is its hybrid double wall design which permits for greater than 80% of the cover to be separated from the mesh. This additionally implies that the cover will be tied again to create an virtually full bug web tent – good for stargazing and having fun with hotter nights freed from bugs.  Nonetheless, this tent shouldn’t be seam sealed by the producer. To fully repel water, these tents have to have sealer utilized to the seams earlier than use in moist climate.

Consolation

The Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout checks the entire packing containers for a snug one-person shelter. With an immense quantity of size at 8.6 ft and a peak peak of three.75 ft, it’s very roomy with beneficiant quantities of house for additional gear on the foot and head of the tent. Its distinctive diamond/pentagon-shaped footprint is boxed off on the toe and tapers on the head. Throughout testing, we seen that this allowed for extra room within the higher vestibule. As soon as staked out, the poles slip into higher bolstered pockets contained in the tent, and after lengthened correctly, merely push outward to stabilize the construction. 

Whereas arranging our gear, we discovered that we have been capable of neatly set up all of our belongings as a result of ample additional house overhead and down previous the foot. This allowed us to maintain the within of the doorways freed from litter when coming into and exiting throughout the day. 

Come dusk, we even discovered sufficient room to deliver our pack inside due to the semi-diamond form of the tent. Inching the air mat over to at least one facet opened up extra space to retailer a pack inside and preserve it bug free. There’s additionally an higher hook, which we used to hold headlamps for overhead mild and two triangular facet pockets, the place we have been capable of match a cellphone and sun shades so that they have been protected and out of the best way.

The offset space for the poles is a delicate, but very efficient and considerate characteristic permitting for elevated inside headroom when sitting up and mendacity down. It additionally enhances stability and rigidity when absolutely guyed out for additional power throughout notably inclement climate. There may be additionally a small built-in ridgepole on the prime of the tent for added stability. As soon as your alternative of poles are in place, the built-in ridge pole helps to proceed the assist construction throughout the roof of the tent so it’s not free or saggy.

Climate Resistance

The Skyscape Scout contains a distinct offset A-frame design with steep partitions to shed any precipitation you would possibly encounter within the backcountry. Throughout testing, we discovered that after staking out all of the man line factors and adjusting every little thing accordingly for full pressure, this tent is rock stable. The pull-out factors all have brief, pre-attached man strains and pressure adjusters to cinch every little thing down.  

Since this tent is a hybrid double wall design, correct air flow is essential in stopping the shared wall from producing condensation. We discovered that this was no concern as a result of, other than that wall, the remainder of the tent is mesh, nearly all of the cover is separate, and it will also be absolutely rolled again for immense air flow choices. Due to the polyurethane coated 190T polyester, after seam sealing and getting a taut pitch, this tent received’t sag within the rain like some nylon materials does.    

The vestibules on the Skyscape Scout are very helpful with their 16 sq ft. of outside storage room due to the tapered head of the tent. They supply adequate house for storing packs, moist boots or anything you’d prefer to preserve out of the inside, however protected from the weather. 

If there’s any space the place this tent got here up barely brief, it must be the dearth of sealed seams. This isn’t an enormous concern although. It’s pretty simple to do, but when it’s one thing you don’t wish to cope with, preserve this in thoughts when contemplating this tent.

Sturdiness

The place the Skyscape Scout falls brief on lack of waterproofing, it totally makes up for in lots of different elements, together with sturdiness. The thick 190T polyester materials that contains the ground feels very robust, in addition to the 40D no-see-um mesh. We weren’t anxious about punctures when pitching this tent on the rougher, rockier areas throughout testing. Six Moon Designs does promote additional footprints, however in our expertise, it positively might maintain its personal with out one. 

Some semi-freestanding tents is likely to be vulnerable to elevated put on and tear from utilizing trekking pole assist and heavy reliance on man line pressure. The Skyscape Scout thoughtfully mitigates this by reinforcing the higher and decrease pole pocket areas, the pull-out factors the place vestibules and corners get staked, and the additional guyline attachment on the middle hybrid panel. The shut consideration to element on this shelter makes it a super alternative for reliability and resilience.

Portability

The Skyscape Scout ranks proper on the prime of our lineup when it comes to sheer portability as a result of it’s solely 2.4 kilos. Though not the entire tents on this class are geared in the direction of light-weight backpacking, this one earns excessive marks for low weight. 

As with all semi-freestanding tent, pitch time can take a bit longer and relocation will be harder. Nonetheless, with solely three crucial stake-out factors for the poles, the Skyscape Scout has the least quantity of anchor factors required to pitch or relocate if want be.   

It simply matches right into a backpack with negligible weight acquire and leaves loads of  room for the remainder of your gear. Throughout testing, we discovered that it was simpler for us to maintain the tent rolled up in a backpack slightly than attempting to always take it out and in of the included stuff sack.

The carrying sack is a primary cinch sack with a pinch lock to maintain the opening safe and a grommet to maintain it from tearing. Nonetheless, there may be not a lot additional room for looser pack jobs, so when you do plan to retailer it within the included bag, you’ll want to roll it up very tight to make sure it matches.

Ease of Use

The Skyscape Scout had a very simple setup. Its distinctive A-frame design and built-in apex ridgebar enable the poles to face freely as soon as the three major anchor factors are staked down. It’s because they’re really on the within of the tent and assist push the edges out, appearing as de facto anchor factors and eliminating the necessity to pack two additional man strains and stakes. We thought this was a extremely distinctive design characteristic that differentiates itself from others within the lineup which have the poles positioned on the skin.

As soon as your poles are set and the three major anchor factors secured, there’s solely the 2 vestibules and the additional man out level on the hybrid panel that may be staked out. After we have been tenting and pitching the tent, we didn’t have to make the most of the additional man out level on the hybrid panel, however when you needed to additional enhance inside house and pressure, you’ll want to deliver an additional stake and man line to make use of it.

Ought to You Purchase the Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout?

When you’re a tall backpacker over 6’ in search of a roomy, extremely light-weight, fast-pitching shelter to chill out in after miles on the path, this tent is for you. When you prioritize light-weight gear, ease of use, and ample inside house in a one-person shelter at a surprisingly reasonably priced value, you’ll want to take a look at the Skyscape Scout. It’s a worthy price range purchase that comes absolutely geared up for any demanding backpacking journey the place low weight and safety from the weather is prime precedence. 

It comes full of nice options like prolonged size, a hybrid double wall design, glorious stargazing and air flow, and tons of additional room to stretch out or stash additional gear. Twin doorways, vestibules, and inside pockets add to the superior storage and accessibility attributes. Of the 4 backpacking tents within the Finances Tents Class, this was solely considered one of two that weighed in below 3 kilos. We might positively advocate this tent for longer backpacking journeys the place weight and mileage are priorities. 

What Different Finances Tents Ought to You Contemplate?

Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Clothing store Evaluate: In case you have a barely greater price range for backpacking tents and are in search of a bit extra inside house, take a look at the Lunar Duo Clothing store. One other nice price range purchase from the Six Moon Designs group, this 2-person tent contains a bigger width and peak peak due to curved roof bars that get inserted above the doorways. Additionally produced from the identical value efficient 190T polyester and 40D no-see-um mesh because the Skyscape Scout, it additionally wants separate seam sealing to be absolutely waterproof.  

TarpTent Stratospire 2 Evaluate:  The Stratospire 2 is one other price range backpacking tent to think about when you’re available in the market for light-weight shelters. Though notably costlier than each the Skyscape Scout and the Lunar Duo Clothing store, The Stratospire 2 is a workhorse of a tent geared up nice options and excellent cloth akin to 30D double ripstop silicone nylon 66 flooring, a 20D nano ripstop silicone coated polyester fly, and 15D nylon no-see-um mesh. At 2.7 kilos for a 2-person shelter, it’s not that a lot heavier than the Skyscape Scout and positively price testing.   

Naturehike CloudUp 2 Evaluate: When you’d slightly keep on with smaller freestanding tents which might be nonetheless mild sufficient for shorter backpacking journeys and also you’re below 6’, then positively peruse the CloudUp 2. Weighing in at solely 3.7 kilos, it’s definitely mild sufficient to hold backpacking and in addition has good high quality supplies. Product of 20D silicone coated nylon rated at 4000 mm, it comes with factory-taped seams for added moist climate safety.