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I used the Skyscape Trekker solo tent in a recent trek to Peru and I really liked it. The big pluses are the generous size of the tent and the minimal weight (614g), inevitably these impressive specs are only achieved with a few compromises - its a trekking pole tent, so if you don't use these anyway this isn't the tent for you, its predominantly single skin, and there's no vestibule to speak of ( although there's plenty of room inside for your gear).

The tent is diamond shaped with one blunt end and pitches with just five pegs. The support is provided by your trekking poles, the spikes of which locate into either end of a very lightweight cross bar which sits acorss the centre of the tent, the handle ends of the trekking poles locate at two corners of the diamond, creating a strong hoop-like structure.

With two pegs at one end of the tent and one at the other the hoop-tent structure is very stable.

The 'inner' tent has a bathtub groundsheet and is completely mesh. Its not exactly a true inner tent as the main panel is single skin and part of the flysheet. Single skin tents can suffer from condensation but are completely waterproof, so this design tackles the condensation issue by having most of the inner tent double skin.

I like single skin tents because I don't mind the occasional condensation problem, and in my experience the problems are only occasional. I didn't have the conditions to experience condensation but clearly the single skin panel is where any condensation has the potential to drip onto you or the groundsheet, and since it is quite steeply angled the condensation with roll down to form drips at the foot end.

This main panel is also the largest on the tent and it forms an angle of about 30 degrees with the ground, in windy conditions this is the most vulnerable part of the tent and it can be blown inward thus reducing the internal volume.

I experienced some heavy rain and some wind, neither of which caused any issues at all with the tent - I remained perfectly dry and comfortable. I managed to cook my meals outside the tent every night and I don't think I would have managed trying to cook inthe vestibule, although you can tie one half of the door back to create an vestibule that could be used if the weather was really poor.

Overall I liked the Skyscape Trekker very much because of its stability, space and overall weight, the fact that it only needs 5 pegs also keeps the weight to a minimum. Six Moon Designs is a small company and although the Skyscape Trekker is made in Asia it has the feel of a product thats not mass produced. I had a problem with a small area of stitching coming away, the company tels us that this area has now been improved. The apex stitching can come under some stress so I made sure I treated mine with silnet before I used it in anger.

Mark R