Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout Review

Bottom Line

The Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout 1-person tent earns high marks in our guide to the best budget tents. It has the perfect balance of affordability and weight, clocking in at a mere 2.4 pounds.

The Skyscape Scout has a ridiculously fast setup for a backpacking tent, with only three stakes required to pitch and your choice of trekking poles. It also is specifically designed for taller hikers, boasting over 8.5 feet in length and dual doors and vestibules for easy access and ample storage. 

Another neat feature of this tent is its hybrid double wall design which allows for more than 80% of the canopy to be separated from the mesh. This also means that the canopy can be tied back to create an almost full bug net tent – perfect for stargazing and enjoying warmer nights free of insects.  However, this tent is not seam sealed by the manufacturer. To completely repel water, these tents need to have sealer applied to the seams before use in wet weather.

Comfort

The Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout checks all of the boxes for a comfortable one-person shelter. With an immense amount of length at 8.6 ft and a peak height of 3.75 feet, it’s very roomy with generous amounts of space for extra gear at the foot and head of the tent. Its unique diamond/pentagon-shaped footprint is boxed off at the toe and tapers at the head. During testing, we noticed that this allowed for more room in the upper vestibule. Once staked out, the poles slip into upper reinforced pockets inside the tent, and after lengthened properly, simply push outward to stabilize the structure. 

While arranging our gear, we found that we were able to neatly organize all of our belongings due to the ample extra space overhead and down past the foot. This allowed us to keep the inside of the doorways free of clutter when entering and exiting during the day. 

Come nightfall, we even found enough room to bring our pack inside thanks to the semi-diamond shape of the tent. Inching the air mat over to one side opened up more space to store a pack inside and keep it bug free. There’s also an upper hook, which we used to hang headlamps for overhead light and two triangular side pockets, where we were able to fit a phone and sunglasses so they were safe and out of the way.

The offset area for the poles is a subtle, yet very effective and thoughtful feature allowing for increased interior headroom when sitting up and lying down. It also enhances stability and rigidity when fully guyed out for extra strength during particularly inclement weather. There is also a small integrated ridgepole at the top of the tent for added stability. Once your choice of poles are in place, the integrated ridge pole helps to continue the support structure across the roof of the tent so it’s not loose or saggy.

Weather Resistance

The Skyscape Scout features a distinct offset A-frame design with steep walls to shed any precipitation you might encounter in the backcountry. During testing, we found that after staking out all the guy line points and adjusting everything accordingly for full tension, this tent is rock solid. The pull-out points all have short, pre-attached guy lines and tension adjusters to cinch everything down.  

Since this tent is a hybrid double wall design, proper ventilation is key in preventing the shared wall from producing condensation. We found that this was no issue because, aside from that wall, the rest of the tent is mesh, the majority of the canopy is separate, and it can also be fully rolled back for immense ventilation options. Thanks to the polyurethane coated 190T polyester, after seam sealing and getting a taut pitch, this tent won’t sag in the rain like some nylon material does.    

The vestibules on the Skyscape Scout are very useful with their 16 sq ft. of outdoor storage room because of the tapered head of the tent. They provide sufficient space for storing packs, wet boots or anything else you’d like to keep out of the interior, but safe from the elements. 

If there’s any area where this tent came up slightly short, it would have to be the lack of sealed seams. This is not a huge issue though. It’s fairly easy to do, but if it’s something you don’t want to deal with, keep this in mind when considering this tent.

Durability

Where the Skyscape Scout falls short on lack of waterproofing, it thoroughly makes up for in many other aspects, including durability. The thick 190T polyester material that comprises the floor feels very strong, as well as the 40D no-see-um mesh. We weren’t worried about punctures when pitching this tent on the rougher, rockier areas during testing. Six Moon Designs does sell extra footprints, but in our experience, it definitely could hold its own without one. 

Some semi-freestanding tents might be susceptible to increased wear and tear from using trekking pole support and heavy reliance on guy line tension. The Skyscape Scout thoughtfully mitigates this by reinforcing the upper and lower pole pocket areas, the pull-out points where vestibules and corners get staked, and the extra guyline attachment on the center hybrid panel. The close attention to detail on this shelter makes it an ideal choice for reliability and resilience.

Portability

The Skyscape Scout ranks right at the top of our lineup in terms of sheer portability because it’s only 2.4 pounds. Although not all of the tents in this category are geared towards lightweight backpacking, this one earns high marks for low weight. 

As with any semi-freestanding tent, pitch time can take a bit longer and relocation can be more difficult. However, with only three necessary stake-out points for the poles, the Skyscape Scout has the least amount of anchor points required to pitch or relocate if need be.   

It easily fits into a backpack with negligible weight gain and leaves plenty of  room for the rest of your gear. During testing, we found that it was easier for us to keep the tent rolled up in a backpack rather than trying to constantly take it in and out of the included stuff sack.

The carrying sack is a basic cinch sack with a pinch lock to keep the opening secure and a grommet to keep it from tearing. However, there is not much extra room for looser pack jobs, so if you do plan to store it in the included bag, be sure to roll it up very tight to ensure it fits.

Ease of Use

The Skyscape Scout had a very easy setup. Its unique A-frame design and integrated apex ridgebar allow the poles to stand freely once the three main anchor points are staked down. This is because they are actually on the inside of the tent and help push the sides out, acting as de facto anchor points and eliminating the need to pack two extra guy lines and stakes. We thought this was a really unique design feature that differentiates itself from others in the lineup that have the poles positioned on the outside.

Once your poles are set and the three main anchor points secured, there’s only the two vestibules and the extra guy out point on the hybrid panel that can be staked out. When we were camping and pitching the tent, we didn’t need to utilize the extra guy out point on the hybrid panel, but if you wanted to further increase interior space and tension, be sure to bring an extra stake and guy line to use it.

Should You Buy the Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout?

If you’re a tall backpacker over 6’ looking for a roomy, ultra lightweight, fast-pitching shelter to relax in after miles on the trail, this tent is for you. If you prioritize lightweight gear, ease of use, and ample interior space in a one-person shelter at a surprisingly affordable price, be sure to check out the Skyscape Scout. It is a worthy budget buy that comes fully equipped for any demanding backpacking adventure where low weight and protection from the elements is top priority. 

It comes packed with great features like extended length, a hybrid double wall design, excellent stargazing and ventilation, and tons of extra room to stretch out or stash extra gear. Dual doors, vestibules, and interior pockets add to the superior storage and accessibility attributes. Of the 4 backpacking tents in the Budget Tents Category, this was only one of two that weighed in under 3 pounds. We would definitely recommend this tent for longer backpacking trips where weight and mileage are priorities. 

What Other Budget Tents Should You Consider?

Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo Outfitter Review: If you have a slightly bigger budget for backpacking tents and are looking for a bit more interior space, check out the Lunar Duo Outfitter. Another great budget buy from the Six Moon Designs team, this 2-person tent features a larger width and peak height thanks to curved roof bars that get inserted above the doors. Also made from the same cost effective 190T polyester and 40D no-see-um mesh as the Skyscape Scout, it also needs separate seam sealing to be fully waterproof.  

TarpTent Stratospire 2 Review:  The Stratospire 2 is another budget backpacking tent to consider if you’re in the market for lightweight shelters. Although notably more expensive than both the Skyscape Scout and the Lunar Duo Outfitter, The Stratospire 2 is a workhorse of a tent equipped great features and superb fabric such as 30D double ripstop silicone nylon 66 floor, a 20D nano ripstop silicone coated polyester fly, and 15D nylon no-see-um mesh. At 2.7 pounds for a 2-person shelter, it’s not that much heavier than the Skyscape Scout and definitely worth checking out.   

Naturehike CloudUp 2 Review: If you’d rather stick to smaller freestanding tents that are still light enough for shorter backpacking trips and you’re under 6’, then definitely peruse the CloudUp 2. Weighing in at only 3.7 pounds, it’s certainly light enough to carry backpacking and also has good quality materials. Made of 20D silicone coated nylon rated at 4000 mm, it comes with factory-taped seams for added wet weather protection.