Tent capacity: Without a doubt, this is a two person tent. Three people in emergency only. Tent set-up: I've owned a couple of BD ultra light tents that set up from inside. They are without rival for ease of use once you set them up a few times. The Skylight takes a little more time due to its odd three pole design but once you do it a few times, you'll love it. Breathability: Breathes well, but not as well as the firstlight I had been using. If you are able to keep the top rolled back you'll have no issues... When you have to extend out the vestibule and rain fly you'll have some challenges with condensation. Weight/Packability: Awesome. Lightweight. Very packable. Seam sealing: Everyone is afraid of the seam sealing. It's not a big deal. You need to take your time. If done right, no problem. Have patience --- this tent is worth it.

This tent has been great so far. We've used it year round in Utah. Recently we were out in the mountains and the forecast said rain. After about 4 hours of rain, it turned over to snow. The following morning we had a layer of ice covering the tent and a few inches of snow but there was no condensation on the inside or leaking. Very impressed. No problems setting up with the poles being on the inside of the tent, you get used to it after the first time. I definitely would suggest buying another tube of Silnet right when you buy this tent. I tried to be conservative but in order to cover the seams adequately 2 tubes were needed...you dont want to be in the middle of seam sealing waiting for another tube in the mail. As almost everyone has mentioned, 2 people and SOME gear is a comfortable fit but 3 people is pushing friendships to the limit.

Well, my girlfriend loves this tent. This summer we spent three weeks hiking in Finland with three nights of pouring rain- yes, there is condensation, but in this conditions it will happen even with double wall tents.(I own two of them)But we also had beautiful sunsets on the bank of one of the million lakes, and even more beautiful nights in the really quiet woods. With the roof pulled back you get a super cinemascope view. You can`t get any closer to nature while being safe from all this nasty sandflys. It`s light, simple to pitch as long it`s not pouring with rain and it`s roomy for two people with big backpacks.It`s not my first choice for real alpin or winter tours, however, but this is not what it`s suppose to be. Lucky me, I have bought the Tempest as well.Oh, did I mention…I love the tent.

My son loved his new "home." He is an avid hiker and traveler who will soon be living in Maine. He had a hammock tent which served him well, but more and more he seems to be needing more sleeping/living space without the weight. This is the perfect solution: light as a feather, great design for rain or shine and roomy as can be... and we put it up in five minutes on Christmas morning with the help of a two-year old rolling around inside! Worth every penny!!!

The above reviewer is right, with 3 people plus gear you'd never fit inside this thing. The entrance is a little tight when the fly is guyed out but other than that the tent is awesome. Could use some more ventilation.

This tent is super light and is great for backpacking! It kept my back happy and if I didn't mind packing it in and out even though my buddy didn't have room for it.

Let me tell you about the best tent EVER!!! I knew going in this tent would be amazing. The first set up is tricky because you set it up from the inside. It’s Weird at first because most tents poles are on the outside. Once I figured it out it is a snap though. It took me three minutes the second time. The water proofing takes time. But so does every other tent when you do waterproof the seams. I used this baby in Zion’s. It was perfect for starry nights, and then on many beaches in San Diego. It was amazing for the fog rolling in the early mornings. No dew got in. I couldn’t believe it. This is expensive. The best over priced product I ever bought. Translation: IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY! And it packs light for backpacking. LOVE IT. It actually makes you want to sleep outside!

I have owned this tent for about 3 years or so and I like it. It is very light and worked very well at the bottom of the Grand Canyon when it was super hot. The mesh allowed for air circulation.
However, I agree with the earlier comment about sealing the seams...do it...with lots of sealant. I never had the seams leak but did have condensation.
Condensation reared its' ugly head at Yellowstone when it had rained all night and got down into the high 30's. Another night during my RAGBRAI trip it rained and condensation was a problem again.
Seems as though when you button up condensation becomes a problem otherwise I enjoy this tent.

It will fit "three people" if you are "little (very little) people." I quantify it a two person only, with not much room for gear.
Defiantly a fussy setup.
I was very conservative seam sealing the tent according to specs, so don't forget to buy another tube as you will need it if you follow BD application instructions. Added cost to an already expensive tent.
Stitching on the outside fly is hanging out in 1/16in loops in places. Suspect the Silnet should cure that.
God hates a coward, I'll give it a try - haven't even been out with it yet (waiting for more Silnet via mail order)
So far, I’m not impressed.

My friends and I just came back from Mt. Whitney backpacking trip. I purchased the Skylight for Whitney and some future extended backpacking. It’s really matching its name - very light at the same time durable and stable. We were able to fit 4 people (not small people - 4 adults - 2 of them 6' tall - in this 3 person tent, it was a little tight. With the low temperatures during the night at Mt. Whitney’s Trail Camp (12,000 ft elevation) it was nice and cozy inside the tent. I really like the Epic canopy that you can roll up in nice weather or star watching during the night and roll it down in nasty conditions. It is giving you more dependable protection and a spacious vestibule so you can have the dog, backpack, hiking shoes protected. The only concerns: I have applied the Silnet seam sealer and it’s quite time taking and tedious work. It took me several hours to do it. But for such a quality tent at such expensive price you should take better care. I’m planning to do some tropical hikes in near future and the sealer would help protect the tent. The other thing – during the Mt. Whitney trip - there was some condensation inside the tent in the morning, quite possible from the temperature drop or from the head count. Overall, I am very happy with the Skylight tent – with its single wall design and light weight, quality, durability and easiness to assemble - it’s a great addition to my hiking gear. It’s so compact that I can fit it in my day hydration backpack if needed.

Like a mozzie tent but with more substance. The 3 person is strictly for midgets. I'd say a comfortable 2 adult tent. Well built and very very light.

This tent is fantastic, I tell strangers I meet on the street about it. The setup is unorthodox but once you get used to it poles on the inside have some significant advantages. If you're setting the tent up in the rain, you dive inside and stay dry while putting the poles up. Also the fly is built on there so it doesn't become a rain catcher during setup like traditional double wall tents. Three can sleep in there if you don't mind getting cozy with your neighbor, and there is room in the vestibule to store boots and packs, however I consider this tent a two person plus pup. Great for stargazing.

3 trips, 9 nights total. Both pockets that the hoop poles go into delaminated from the tent body. B.Country was great about sending me a new one, but I am concerned this is an inherent problem.
This aside, I love every thing else about the tent!
Being a single wall tent, it gets VERY warm inside so opening the vestibule is an important feature.

I used this tent over Memorial Day weekend down in Moab, Utah. Tent was fairly easy to set up. The poles are great, but the hook and loop closure tabs on the inside of the tent are not the most convenient way to attach the tent to the poles. The vestibule/rainfly just folds back over the tent, you don't have to worry about zipping it off or anything, which was great when it cold down at about 2 a.m. as I was able to jump out fold it back over and close it up.
The tent itself is not big enough for 3 adults, we got two in but really didn't have much room for gear, the rainfly/vestibule isn't really big enough to store 2 peoples packs/gear. I liked the tent, but would prefer something a bit bigger to be able to comfortably have two people and gear.

Skylight Tent is a little tricky to set up, especially in 40-mile-an-hour winds, but once complete, nice view of the stars and cozy feel for two. The size is great for trekking around, but I don't think it would be very comfortable for 3 unless you needed to stay very warm or you really like each other.

This is a really great tent. Super durable materials and great functionality make this tent one of my favorites. It's pretty interesting to have the poles on the inside of the tent. I was surprised at how easy it was to set it up even from the inside. One feature that is really nice is the reflective materials where the poles are to be inserted - Makes setting it up in the dark a breeze. It’s also very good in the wind and rain. I had no problems with either.

Once all set up and figured out it goes up relatively fast and easy. I wouldn't want to fit 3 people in it on a hot day maybe in the winter. Wish it would breath a little better with the tarp down. The skyligt is great when I don't want to take my 4 season.

No way you can fit 3 people in this. Two is OK. I'm glad I set the tent up in the yard first, it was a little tricky, but after the first time it was OK. The skylight is nice to have.

All features blended this is a very versatile piece of gear. Yes it is a three person tent, but only if all three of you are packing in a true ultra light manner. Climbers and most campers will use this as a two person tent. I forgot to seam seal the tent before I went out and we spent the first 10 hours inside the tent being pummeled by the big black clouds we saw rolling in when we were setting up our camp. Fortunately the materials were up to their claim and we had relatively little condensation (most likely it was our own fault for not venting properly) and the only leaks came from the seams on the guy line flaps(which were hanging loose). It took me a few rounds to figure out how to set up the tent, but once I read the instructions I cut my time in half. the process is somewhat time consuming but you are inside the tent the whole time, so if the elements are an issue you have coverage. Vestibule was a spacious and creative design with good vent options. The drafting in the tent works excellent (even in the rain). Thank you Black Diamond for a terrific lightweight tent that is tough.

My son and I used this tent on a 12-day Philmont, NM backpacking trip. The quality of materials and construction of the tent were very good. During 5 days of rain, not a drop of water came into the tent. The only negative was that on nights when temperatures dropped 40F plus degrees, there was condensation on the inside of the tent. It was much less than other tents in our crew (just dew, no dripping), however in articles I had previously read about this tent, others claimed there was no condensation at all. The tent stakes are the best I have ever used. Overall, very good equipment.

I haven't actually used this tent in the field yet, but it seems solid and it is indeed light and compact. Interior pole-set up was difficult the first few times, but intuitive after that. Only real complaint so far is the seam-sealing chore. This took me nearly 4 hours on a beautiful Sunday! This is really something that should be done at the factory, especially for such an expensive tent.