I bought one of these almost a year ago and I'm hoping to use it this weekend at the ASV star party. I will have to cut a hole in the floor to fit it over a pier, though. Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for the great, informative video, Mark :)
as a all year round wildcamper, i need to put tents up in ridiculous comditions so ill give you a tip... The four poles that stand the tent up, always slide in before starting to erect, once you start putting the poles in their attachment points it adds tension and makes sliding the other poles in difficult.. however, great review, keep it up
Thanks alot! I just purchased the upgraded one last night. Decided to look and see if anyone has any experience with this. As far as I can see, I'm gonna be very happy with it. Very excited. Thanks alot brother! Greetings from South Carolina USA
Thanks for the tute. Saved a headache. My tent arrived inverted. Probably would have worked it out myself, but your video really helped. Couple points, you don't mention the pegs beyond naming them. I'm going to work on the assumption the poles go into the small holes of the tags attached to the bottom of the tent, and the pegs through the large. Also, I was delivered four small rope things with tension tighteners on them. It's obvious you didn't have them with yours. If I eventually work out what they're for I'll update this post with info for anyone else coming looking. I'm in Tasmania, so your being in Scotland and using this tent is reassuring for using it in the conditions I am likely to find midwinter down here at the best viewing spots. Thanks again for your video, mate! Absolute champ.
Thanks Martin for the review. I purchased the improved tent yesterday after your detailed review. I purchased a two room tent a couple years ago but was never happy with it. It is too cumbersome to maneuver in at night when viewing. This appears to have move room to maneuver and is better thought out.
Bought this in Australia where it comes with no setup instructions at all. Maybe we are supposed to be expert tent erectors! Your video has helped immensely. Thank you. Once up it's obvious of course. If it's a bit windy I would recommend pegging the groundsheet at four corners first and readjust these as the walls go up.
I had a few doubts about this tent but your review has put my mind to rest. This tent is just what I am looking for. Many thanks for your time doing this review.
Thanks a lot for the explanation! I wasn’t so sure but after looking at your video I realized it was right what I needed. I did order it and indeed, no instructions.... Good that you showed how to mount it, made me saved 30 minutes at least 😀 Clear sky!
Thank you for this very informative post. I'd like to see a one piece roof that could be put on and taken off in one piece. I also agree that additional height would be of benefit.
Especially when using a long focal telescope, My 115 APO Triplet doesn't fit in, I have to move the RA & Dec Axis so that the telescope is in the horizontal position, so the roof can be fitted over the tent.
I would be interested in a follow-up to see how well the tent has weathered over time. BTW I love that comment, “If you’re a man, just toss the instructions aside and crack on.”
Great suggestion! I have used it a few times now and still good, I might show it another video buts not as a review, but show parts of it. Yep agree I am known to give gaffs like that!!!
Great video! I Have a similar tent arriving this week to replace my homemade observatory that I made with tarps and a frame hinged to fold up. It finally wore out and I was going to use plywood instead of the tarps But with the price of supplies and the cost of plywood and boards up since covid I decided to try out a tent observatory as a cheaper solution.
Great demonstration thanks I think what will do is buy three kitchen heavy duty plastic type chopping boards and modify them to take the three legs of the tripod to save damage to the groundsheet.
Hi Martin thanks for the review of this product I found it informative and good critique of the recommendations you've made to the tent. Keep up the good work! well done!
I wonder how the floor does with you being in there and moving around. I’d imagine that it would make the flooring and the tripod shift slightly and put your alignment off?
Bought this tent, put it up and after 3 weeks it was broken. Seller claims that am not a honest person. Extremely surprised and handing this case over to my lawyer.
I have the 2 room Kendrick observing tent myself. For the floor of the observing room I just got myself a piece of 6'x6' indoor/outdoor carpet .. makes it much nicer inside and will protect the nylon floor from getting holes from tripod legs. It rolls up nicely for transporting, and I just strap it down to my Jeep Cherokee's roof rack. My scope is a 10" f/5 Newt in a fiberglass tube assembly with rotating rings, and the mount is a Schaefer with 8" Buyers gear .. so its very very heavy .. so I also put thin hardwood pads under each pier leg .. but with my new smaller and lighter EQ6r and 8" Quattro I will only be using a set of Celestron anti-vibration pads with it in the tent. I've had my Kendrick tent 15 years .. its a much bigger and better design than this one .. but a lot more expensive too, but for me its worth the extra for the the two rooms .. one for the scope, battery, laptop, and work chair, and the other room for living quarters which includes an inflatable bed, inflatable lounge chairs, and my portable stereo which sits on top of one of the two large Rubbermaid plastic storage containers that we pack all our clothes, food, etc. in. Observing tents are THE way to go short of having a permanant observatory. Very nice review of this particular model. 👍👍 P.S. Before the indoor/outdoor carpeting I used a piece of astroturf .. the kind they have on those big rolls at home depot .. also makes a nice pad to put your rig on at public star party sites where they have concrete pads.
You would leave expensive telescopes inside this through wind/rain, possible theft though? I see it more as a temporary shield from wind and dew maybe?
I live up in Scotland and the weather does get pretty nasty up there, it handled the strong gales and wind very well. I reinforce the top roof if the weather gets pretty tough, with I use this additional tarpaulin for extra protection, and it keeps my telescope and computer imaging equipment dry. www.amazon.co.uk/camouflage-tarpaulin-waterproof-sheet-ground/dp/B00FBBGOJE/ref=sr_1_5/259-5459220-0050264?ie=UTF8&qid=1532028278&sr=8-5&keywords=camouflage+tarpaulin And I wild camp which I camp in very remote sites away from the holiday camp sites which I make sure I have all the equipment and supplies I need for the duration of a few nights to image or stargaze, so I never leave my kit unattended, it's a good tent for what it is intended for. Maybe not for your taste but may suit many others, as there ain't many tents which are designed for Astronomy use, but I would prefer if you shared any links or ideas for tents which maybe suitable for Astronomy?
each to his own but I guess I wouldnt sleep in the same tent to prevent unnecessary condensation from breathing etc. would it take a GM2000 HPS II and a 14" 130x42 cm atm newtonian on an ioptron 360 pier? :D nah, i guess not. i have to atm my obsy tent too ...
Thank you David Dowson, I have to agree my thoughts on this video made think, why not make a video as a review but also a guide to setting it up!! To prove to people that this Obsy tent is not difficult to set-up!! I have not found any Astronomy videos that demonstrate this!! And I think that other tent manufacturers like Coleman or North-face, should really think about manufacturing astro tents designed for Astronomers!! I cannot believe that there are only a few Astro companies that sell a few designs. I am shocked considering a lot of Amateur Astronomers travel all the round the world to find dark skies!! And this tent set-up is awesome for it's purpose!! Thanks for watching, please subscribe onto my channel, as there are many new A4B projects coming soon, and please support A4B.
hello still satisfied with this tent and how is this tent with outdoor lighting seems to me a very thin fabric that allows good light through or does it help for blocking off straylight? thanks in advance greetings
Good question! You coud use Balcony Screen Lawn Garden Outdoor Privacy Screening Sunshade Protective Fence Screen and surround it around the tent to block off some stray light and also helps to block the wind as well. Maybe this could work?? Here's the link : www.amazon.co.uk/vidaXL-Screening-Sunshade-Protective-Windbreak/dp/B08ZYMH3QY/ref=sr_1_5?crid=BO6L1IP0LS5B&keywords=black+screening&qid=1663404736&sprefix=black+screening%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-5
Yes they are waterproofed. But if your talking about the roof itself, it can hold some water, but in heavy rain!! Where I do get a lot up in Scotland. I use a 3m x 3m waterproof tarp to drape over the existing roof and I use tent pegs and bungie cord to strap it down. As rain water may seep through the sides. I've used this method and worked very well indeed even in heavy wind as well.
I've just came accross this product video. Well done. I wish I had time to do it, but many years ago when I used one of the first versions myself, RUclips was not that popular yet... Martin, would it be O.K. if I embedded it in the product description on our website? Thanks, Zoltan from 365astronomy P.S.: You mentioned the instruction manual that I wrote. I'd like to mention that for those who don't like a long read, on the last page there is a short reminder of the main ideas in bullect points. That's a very short read... Otherwise, the instruction manual gives lots of ideas about how to further improve the tent and make it safer and it is a result of both personal use and customer feedback. I was usually putting a tarpaulin cover underneath ot the tent, especially if the ground is dirty or wet. Another UV-proof tarpaulin cover on top of the tent is also a very good idea, I used that myself, too. Plus I was using a white fleece inside on the floor (can buy in garden centers where they sell pond rubber. They use the same fleece under the rubber...) With this fleece on the floor I could comfortably sit on the floor, although on cold winter nights I also had a mattress heater there powered from a safe mains extension (with RCD). If it is windy, you have to lower the tripod to min height, then the tent gives better protection. When I was imaging long nights in the tent I also covered up about 1/3 of the top from the North side and I was sitting under that part with my laptop. This way it well protects from dew.
Thank you Zoltan for your feedback, Please do embed the video on to your website, the more info gets put out there the more it will appeal to the Astro community. People like to see more of these product review videos than reading blogs. Has with video viewers like to see what it actually looks like in the flesh before they make their purchase. I always would give out a honest review on the product on the positives and the negatives, and look at ways of how to improve and give feed back to the manufacturers. So that they can improve on the design on where on the areas which are needed to be assessed. Good feedback is always good which help to improve on the product. Astronomy equipment is expensive enough and I totally agree that the way I see, the way the people on a tight budget can be quite daunting for Astro gear. Hence why my videos are showing with great interest. Again I bought this tent from your company, fantastic product without doubt. I never make videos on products which I feel are not up to the standard. But I highly recommend this product to anyone who want's a strong durable Obsy tent for remote star gazing or imaging in remote areas. This tent even handled against the strong winds where I live up in Scotland and it handled the winds up here with ease, which clearly shows how good it is!!!!
I should add mine did not come with a manual, i had to work it out pretty much as Martin did. That said a lot of the initial points i had were echoed by Martin, i am not sure the roof is sturdy enough to withstand a major storm. But to be fair i had it out just for an hour to ensure all was there. I will add though, i was impressed with the tent pegs! Also the bag it comes in is a decent size to role all up quickly and put away, many tent bags dont take that into account. I will be putting it back together within the next week and offering full review as well.
hi Alastair, sorry for that. Maybe we sent it out in a rush and forgot to include the manual... I've now added the latest version of the manual to the product description. It is a small PDF file that can be easily downloaded. Also, there has always been a sort of setup instruction in images that you might find helpful... Cheers. Zoltan, 365astronomy
no harm done Zolton, perhaps just ensure its there for the next customer. Tbh its not rocket science. Somehow we astronomers tend to muddle through without destructions! :)
IMHO Child like product. Takes half and hour to assemble, lots of effort, and has a load of water sitting in a roof with a depression in it. Not well thought out. Maybe they can try again with a Mark III ? Thanks for the review, it helped my decision. The Explore Scientific one doesn't even come with a "roof". Kendrick's Stargate tent was a more intelligent solution, but they are No Longer Available!
I totally agree on your constructive comments, They should have designed the roof with at least a natural dome structure. Till this day I have to drape a heavy duty tarp across the roof so that the rain water doesn't saturate through the material, plus I have to occasionally shake off the water it the roof sags down a bit!! Again the MK2 should be designed a little bit better. To even this day there hasn't been a decent Obsy tent available on the market for a while and this tent is no longer available at 365 Astronomy, but is found on EBay at stupid price, which is a real shame, This MK2 was the only one which was decent enough despite it's flaws. I cannot believe that there is no market for tent companies who possibly jump in the Astro Market and design a perfect Obsy tent which could be made better and enable them to grab the Astro communities attention. But the tent Manufacturers are only interested with the wild campers and occasional holiday makers luxury tents!!! Again yet another blow to Astro community!!
I would want a tent like this primarily to protect the scope from wind for AI but It appears these observatory tents are not high enough to shield the main part of the OTA.
Hi Martin - 2 years on, how has that tent performed? I mean for the price, it seems a dream, but I was wondering how it stood up in your garden and whether or not you travelled with it.
Good question, I'm sure there are many others thinking the same thing. I could be way off base, but the material doesn't seem that robust and looks like it could tear easily.
@@JohnS916 This tent is ridiculously easy to setup, and like Martin, I had no help. There are straps on the inside of the top cover that keep the short head-room poles in place. I just set this tent up on my balcony as I don't have a grassy backyard (garden for you UK folks). What I noticed from inside the tent is that the top cover seems to have potential to let in rain. Between the outside elastic hooks of the top cover and the velcro points on the outside, there is a slight airflow gap, and I would imagine rain in windy conditions would easily blow inside. That said, a large tarp over everything would easily eliminate that potential hazard. I just need to weigh it down as the grounding stakes are useless on a cement tiled balcony.
Gday Martin Just wondering what your thoughts are on tent now? It’s been 4 years according to RUclips Only asking as local supplier here in Oz are selling Cheers mate Ben
All still good mate, the tent is showing signs of wear, but I do live in Scotland, the wing is super strong up here, so 4 years is done a good job. It is worth the money
Ok,The Scene Is Safe,and The Structure Sound😂Im Looking For This..or Something Like..I Cant Find This 1,But Found The Clear view Tent Observatory By Meade Think Im Going To Give Them a Call,Great Review..and Im 5’2”❤️.Perfect,I Have a 6se on a SW Eqm35Pro,With The SW Evoguide50ed Guide Scope,I Dont Have Issues With Anyone Messing With Our Things As We Live Near An Amish Community..Yeah,Horse and Buggy Amish,lol..Wonderful People…What Your Doing Is Exactly What Ill Be Doing,Additional Ground Sheet,and Insulate a Little Better,But Tomorrow Is My Birthday😂52,I Own It,lol..This Is 1 Gift,and The Asiair Pro Is The Other..Im Inside This Winter,Goggling Over Betelgeuse🤣❤️🙏🏻✨🌏🔭
Have fun PafMedic,Jan The Obsy tent is good set-up and you can be sure you have all your telescope equipment stored away, and in event of incoming rain, you can quickly hood up roof and stay inside the tent with your gear by your side!! Makes camping much more Fun indeed!!
Mine Is Only A Year Old,Havent Had a Sky To Use It Yet,My Poles Are Not Carbon Fibre,Their Aluminum,and I Do Have The Rain Fly..So….Whats Missing..Now Your Guessing😂Instructions?,lol..Im Not Even Going Back And Attempting It Again..Loss Of $350 For Me
Great videos - very informative. It would be great to condense them down a little bit. Streamline them by omitting all the side issues and irrelevant chit chat. This particular video could have been effectively uploaded as a 10 or 12 minute video - easily mate. Maybe even 4 minutes Whats with the 35 plus minute Global Documentary mate?
I bought one of these almost a year ago and I'm hoping to use it this weekend at the ASV star party.
I will have to cut a hole in the floor to fit it over a pier, though.
Can't wait to try it out.
Thanks for the great, informative video, Mark :)
Good luck!
as a all year round wildcamper, i need to put tents up in ridiculous comditions so ill give you a tip... The four poles that stand the tent up, always slide in before starting to erect, once you start putting the poles in their attachment points it adds tension and makes sliding the other poles in difficult.. however, great review, keep it up
I was going to make one from PVC pipe and tarps but your review made me change my mind! A very good and detailed review. Clear skies.
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks alot! I just purchased the upgraded one last night. Decided to look and see if anyone has any experience with this. As far as I can see, I'm gonna be very happy with it. Very excited. Thanks alot brother! Greetings from South Carolina USA
Glad I could help!
nice job explaining setup. I think I’d be ready for a pint and a mattress after assembling.
@@mheib9904 enjoy your new obsy tent!!
Thanks for the tute. Saved a headache. My tent arrived inverted. Probably would have worked it out myself, but your video really helped. Couple points, you don't mention the pegs beyond naming them. I'm going to work on the assumption the poles go into the small holes of the tags attached to the bottom of the tent, and the pegs through the large. Also, I was delivered four small rope things with tension tighteners on them. It's obvious you didn't have them with yours. If I eventually work out what they're for I'll update this post with info for anyone else coming looking. I'm in Tasmania, so your being in Scotland and using this tent is reassuring for using it in the conditions I am likely to find midwinter down here at the best viewing spots. Thanks again for your video, mate! Absolute champ.
Thanks Martin for the review. I purchased the improved tent yesterday after your detailed review. I purchased a two room tent a couple years ago but was never happy with it. It is too cumbersome to maneuver in at night when viewing. This appears to have move room to maneuver and is better thought out.
Glad it was helpful!
Bought this in Australia where it comes with no setup instructions at all. Maybe we are supposed to be expert tent erectors! Your video has helped immensely. Thank you. Once up it's obvious of course. If it's a bit windy I would recommend pegging the groundsheet at four corners first and readjust these as the walls go up.
Not a problem, please use video if you get stuck, it's quite an amazing tent with plenty of space for 2 people with one astro rig!!
I had a few doubts about this tent but your review has put my mind to rest. This tent is just what I am looking for.
Many thanks for your time doing this review.
Thanks a lot for the explanation! I wasn’t so sure but after looking at your video I realized it was right what I needed.
I did order it and indeed, no instructions.... Good that you showed how to mount it, made me saved 30 minutes at least 😀
Clear sky!
Glad it helped!
Nice! Looking for one for less hospitable winter conditions. Might be a good start.
Hi Martin. This is a very nice Video. I want to buy a Tent like this soon and now i know how i have to build up it. Greatings from Germany
Cheers Martin it was good to see a real overview of this tent. I don't have an Obsy so this could be useful for me. Cheers 👍
No problem 👍
Thank you for this very informative post. I'd like to see a one piece roof that could be put on and taken off in one piece. I also agree that additional height would be of benefit.
Especially when using a long focal telescope, My 115 APO Triplet doesn't fit in, I have to move the RA & Dec Axis so that the telescope is in the horizontal position, so the roof can be fitted over the tent.
I would be interested in a follow-up to see how well the tent has weathered over time. BTW I love that comment, “If you’re a man, just toss the instructions aside and crack on.”
Great suggestion! I have used it a few times now and still good, I might show it another video buts not as a review, but show parts of it. Yep agree I am known to give gaffs like that!!!
Great video! I Have a similar tent arriving this week to replace my homemade observatory that I made with tarps and a frame hinged to fold up. It finally wore out and I was going to use plywood instead of the tarps But with the price of supplies and the cost of plywood and boards up since covid I decided to try out a tent observatory as a cheaper solution.
Good luck! It's a good tent and serves it's purpose, you'll defo be happy with it!!
I'm using for my cem120 and Meade12 since last year😁
Thank you for the great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Great demonstration thanks I think what will do is buy three kitchen heavy duty plastic type chopping boards and modify them to take the three legs of the tripod to save damage to the groundsheet.
Sounds great!
Hi Martin thanks for the review of this product I found it informative and good critique of the recommendations you've made to the tent. Keep up the good work! well done!
Thanks for the review. I am considering it for my husband.
Fab review Martin. Please keep them coming
Plenty more up my sleeve!! Thanks Andy Podmore
Yet another good review Martin, keep them coming.
Use a lower mount .
I wonder how the floor does with you being in there and moving around. I’d imagine that it would make the flooring and the tripod shift slightly and put your alignment off?
Bought this tent, put it up and after 3 weeks it was broken. Seller claims that am not a honest person. Extremely surprised and handing this case over to my lawyer.
I have the 2 room Kendrick observing tent myself. For the floor of the observing room I just got myself a piece of 6'x6' indoor/outdoor carpet .. makes it much nicer inside and will protect the nylon floor from getting holes from tripod legs. It rolls up nicely for transporting, and I just strap it down to my Jeep Cherokee's roof rack. My scope is a 10" f/5 Newt in a fiberglass tube assembly with rotating rings, and the mount is a Schaefer with 8" Buyers gear .. so its very very heavy .. so I also put thin hardwood pads under each pier leg .. but with my new smaller and lighter EQ6r and 8" Quattro I will only be using a set of Celestron anti-vibration pads with it in the tent. I've had my Kendrick tent 15 years .. its a much bigger and better design than this one .. but a lot more expensive too, but for me its worth the extra for the the two rooms .. one for the scope, battery, laptop, and work chair, and the other room for living quarters which includes an inflatable bed, inflatable lounge chairs, and my portable stereo which sits on top of one of the two large Rubbermaid plastic storage containers that we pack all our clothes, food, etc. in. Observing tents are THE way to go short of having a permanant observatory. Very nice review of this particular model. 👍👍
P.S. Before the indoor/outdoor carpeting I used a piece of astroturf .. the kind they have on those big rolls at home depot .. also makes a nice pad to put your rig on at public star party sites where they have concrete pads.
You would leave expensive telescopes inside this through wind/rain, possible theft though? I see it more as a temporary shield from wind and dew maybe?
I live up in Scotland and the weather does get pretty nasty up there, it handled the strong gales and wind very well. I reinforce the top roof if the weather gets pretty tough, with I use this additional tarpaulin for extra protection, and it keeps my telescope and computer imaging equipment dry.
www.amazon.co.uk/camouflage-tarpaulin-waterproof-sheet-ground/dp/B00FBBGOJE/ref=sr_1_5/259-5459220-0050264?ie=UTF8&qid=1532028278&sr=8-5&keywords=camouflage+tarpaulin
And I wild camp which I camp in very remote sites away from the holiday camp sites which I make sure I have all the equipment and supplies I need for the duration of a few nights to image or stargaze, so I never leave my kit unattended, it's a good tent for what it is intended for. Maybe not for your taste but may suit many others, as there ain't many tents which are designed for Astronomy use, but I would prefer if you shared any links or ideas for tents which maybe suitable for Astronomy?
Man of praxis 👍😁
each to his own but I guess I wouldnt sleep in the same tent to prevent unnecessary condensation from breathing etc. would it take a GM2000 HPS II and a 14" 130x42 cm atm newtonian on an ioptron 360 pier? :D nah, i guess not. i have to atm my obsy tent too ...
Finally a video on that tent, thanks
excellent review Martin thanks
Thank you David Dowson, I have to agree my thoughts on this video made think, why not make a video as a review but also a guide to setting it up!! To prove to people that this Obsy tent is not difficult to set-up!! I have not found any Astronomy videos that demonstrate this!! And I think that other tent manufacturers like Coleman or North-face, should really think about manufacturing astro tents designed for Astronomers!! I cannot believe that there are only a few Astro companies that sell a few designs. I am shocked considering a lot of Amateur Astronomers travel all the round the world to find dark skies!! And this tent set-up is awesome for it's purpose!! Thanks for watching, please subscribe onto my channel, as there are many new A4B projects coming soon, and please support A4B.
hello still satisfied with this tent and how is this tent with outdoor lighting seems to me a very thin fabric that allows good light through or does it help for blocking off straylight? thanks in advance greetings
Good question! You coud use Balcony Screen Lawn Garden Outdoor Privacy Screening Sunshade Protective Fence Screen and surround it around the tent to block off some stray light and also helps to block the wind as well. Maybe this could work?? Here's the link : www.amazon.co.uk/vidaXL-Screening-Sunshade-Protective-Windbreak/dp/B08ZYMH3QY/ref=sr_1_5?crid=BO6L1IP0LS5B&keywords=black+screening&qid=1663404736&sprefix=black+screening%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-5
@@MPAstro hey thanks for the tips, very use full greetings
Are the tent seams waterproofed or do you have to apply waterproofing so water doesn't seep into the seams ?
Yes they are waterproofed. But if your talking about the roof itself, it can hold some water, but in heavy rain!! Where I do get a lot up in Scotland. I use a 3m x 3m waterproof tarp to drape over the existing roof and I use tent pegs and bungie cord to strap it down. As rain water may seep through the sides. I've used this method and worked very well indeed even in heavy wind as well.
I've just came accross this product video. Well done. I wish I had time to do it, but many years ago when I used one of the first versions myself, RUclips was not that popular yet...
Martin, would it be O.K. if I embedded it in the product description on our website?
Thanks, Zoltan from 365astronomy
P.S.: You mentioned the instruction manual that I wrote. I'd like to mention that for those who don't like a long read, on the last page there is a short reminder of the main ideas in bullect points. That's a very short read...
Otherwise, the instruction manual gives lots of ideas about how to further improve the tent and make it safer and it is a result of both personal use and customer feedback. I was usually putting a tarpaulin cover underneath ot the tent, especially if the ground is dirty or wet. Another UV-proof tarpaulin cover on top of the tent is also a very good idea, I used that myself, too. Plus I was using a white fleece inside on the floor (can buy in garden centers where they sell pond rubber. They use the same fleece under the rubber...)
With this fleece on the floor I could comfortably sit on the floor, although on cold winter nights I also had a mattress heater there powered from a safe mains extension (with RCD). If it is windy, you have to lower the tripod to min height, then the tent gives better protection. When I was imaging long nights in the tent I also covered up about 1/3 of the top from the North side and I was sitting under that part with my laptop. This way it well protects from dew.
Thank you Zoltan for your feedback, Please do embed the video on to your website, the more info gets put out there the more it will appeal to the Astro community. People like to see more of these product review videos than reading blogs. Has with video viewers like to see what it actually looks like in the flesh before they make their purchase. I always would give out a honest review on the product on the positives and the negatives, and look at ways of how to improve and give feed back to the manufacturers. So that they can improve on the design on where on the areas which are needed to be assessed. Good feedback is always good which help to improve on the product. Astronomy equipment is expensive enough and I totally agree that the way I see, the way the people on a tight budget can be quite daunting for Astro gear. Hence why my videos are showing with great interest. Again I bought this tent from your company, fantastic product without doubt. I never make videos on products which I feel are not up to the standard. But I highly recommend this product to anyone who want's a strong durable Obsy tent for remote star gazing or imaging in remote areas. This tent even handled against the strong winds where I live up in Scotland and it handled the winds up here with ease, which clearly shows how good it is!!!!
I should add mine did not come with a manual, i had to work it out pretty much as Martin did. That said a lot of the initial points i had were echoed by Martin, i am not sure the roof is sturdy enough to withstand a major storm. But to be fair i had it out just for an hour to ensure all was there.
I will add though, i was impressed with the tent pegs! Also the bag it comes in is a decent size to role all up quickly and put away, many tent bags dont take that into account.
I will be putting it back together within the next week and offering full review as well.
hi Alastair, sorry for that. Maybe we sent it out in a rush and forgot to include the manual... I've now added the latest version of the manual to the product description. It is a small PDF file that can be easily downloaded.
Also, there has always been a sort of setup instruction in images that you might find helpful...
Cheers.
Zoltan, 365astronomy
no harm done Zolton, perhaps just ensure its there for the next customer. Tbh its not rocket science. Somehow we astronomers tend to muddle through without destructions! :)
I am looking into something like this. Is this waterproof?
Thanks for this review. It looks like it does not protect the scope from wind though.
Very informative. Thank you
IMHO Child like product. Takes half and hour to assemble, lots of effort, and has a load of water sitting in a roof with a depression in it. Not well thought out. Maybe they can try again with a Mark III ? Thanks for the review, it helped my decision. The Explore Scientific one doesn't even come with a "roof". Kendrick's Stargate tent was a more intelligent solution, but they are No Longer Available!
I totally agree on your constructive comments, They should have designed the roof with at least a natural dome structure. Till this day I have to drape a heavy duty tarp across the roof so that the rain water doesn't saturate through the material, plus I have to occasionally shake off the water it the roof sags down a bit!! Again the MK2 should be designed a little bit better. To even this day there hasn't been a decent Obsy tent available on the market for a while and this tent is no longer available at 365 Astronomy, but is found on EBay at stupid price, which is a real shame, This MK2 was the only one which was decent enough despite it's flaws. I cannot believe that there is no market for tent companies who possibly jump in the Astro Market and design a perfect Obsy tent which could be made better and enable them to grab the Astro communities attention. But the tent Manufacturers are only interested with the wild campers and occasional holiday makers luxury tents!!! Again yet another blow to Astro community!!
I would want a tent like this primarily to protect the scope from wind for AI but It appears these observatory tents are not high enough to shield the main part of the OTA.
Hi Martin - 2 years on, how has that tent performed? I mean for the price, it seems a dream, but I was wondering how it stood up in your garden and whether or not you travelled with it.
Good question, I'm sure there are many others thinking the same thing. I could be way off base, but the material doesn't seem that robust and looks like it could tear easily.
@@JohnS916 This tent is ridiculously easy to setup, and like Martin, I had no help. There are straps on the inside of the top cover that keep the short head-room poles in place. I just set this tent up on my balcony as I don't have a grassy backyard (garden for you UK folks). What I noticed from inside the tent is that the top cover seems to have potential to let in rain. Between the outside elastic hooks of the top cover and the velcro points on the outside, there is a slight airflow gap, and I would imagine rain in windy conditions would easily blow inside. That said, a large tarp over everything would easily eliminate that potential hazard. I just need to weigh it down as the grounding stakes are useless on a cement tiled balcony.
Does the top close?
Gday Martin
Just wondering what your thoughts are on tent now?
It’s been 4 years according to RUclips
Only asking as local supplier here in Oz are selling
Cheers mate
Ben
All still good mate, the tent is showing signs of wear, but I do live in Scotland, the wing is super strong up here, so 4 years is done a good job. It is worth the money
Ok,The Scene Is Safe,and The Structure Sound😂Im Looking For This..or Something Like..I Cant Find This 1,But Found The Clear view Tent Observatory By Meade Think Im Going To Give Them a Call,Great Review..and Im 5’2”❤️.Perfect,I Have a 6se on a SW Eqm35Pro,With The SW Evoguide50ed Guide Scope,I Dont Have Issues With Anyone Messing With Our Things As We Live Near An Amish Community..Yeah,Horse and Buggy Amish,lol..Wonderful People…What Your Doing Is Exactly What Ill Be Doing,Additional Ground Sheet,and Insulate a Little Better,But Tomorrow Is My Birthday😂52,I Own It,lol..This Is 1 Gift,and The Asiair Pro Is The Other..Im Inside This Winter,Goggling Over Betelgeuse🤣❤️🙏🏻✨🌏🔭
Have fun PafMedic,Jan The Obsy tent is good set-up and you can be sure you have all your telescope equipment stored away, and in event of incoming rain, you can quickly hood up roof and stay inside the tent with your gear by your side!! Makes camping much more Fun indeed!!
The music is not loud enough.
Wow why didn’t they just make it a pop up ?
These videos as good as they are are a bit on the long side with a lot of needless chat
Well done though.
Glad you like them!
Just about to buy one would you still recommend!
Without a question, it's a great buy
Martin Pyott cheers can’t wait for it to come great demo video !
Wow dear, knowledge video 💖💖💖,🙏 thank you 😊❤️ for sharing 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎉🎉🎉
So nice of you
Thank you. Without your video I'm sure I'd of sent it back. Just looked to origami and difficult for one person to erect.
Not a problem, at least you know now, I always make truthful videos to show you all, at the end of the day I am not sponsored by any company!! 100%
Im Going To Have Serious Issues With Aluminum Poles
Mine Is Only A Year Old,Havent Had a Sky To Use It Yet,My Poles Are Not Carbon Fibre,Their Aluminum,and I Do Have The Rain Fly..So….Whats Missing..Now Your Guessing😂Instructions?,lol..Im Not Even Going Back And Attempting It Again..Loss Of $350 For Me
you needed a microphone or should have done this on a NOT WINDY DAY
does it have the lateral doors ? Thanks!
It doesn't I'm afraid to say
My ears!!!!
Great videos - very informative.
It would be great to condense them down a little bit. Streamline them by omitting all the side issues and irrelevant chit chat.
This particular video could have been effectively uploaded as a 10 or 12 minute video - easily mate. Maybe even 4 minutes
Whats with the 35 plus minute Global Documentary mate?
I agree with an otherwise good video. I had to shut it off near the end because it became so redundant.
Well I’d say it’s good to mention the side issues. Not all surprises are pleasant. Lol
the intro music is un-necessary
Great review Martin thanks
Thanks Gollond!! Please subscribe and please support A4B!!! The forum for budget Astronomy and newcomers are always welcome!!