One of the greatest joys of camping is sleeping under the stars. Yet, most tents fall short in this regard, often obstructing the view with an opaque rainfly. Joe Bissonnette, a camping enthusiast from Colorado, was frustrated by the discomfort of traditional camping. In a bid to deviate from the regular, he envisioned a tent that could merge the magic of stargazing with the practicality of wilderness camping.
The result is a line of innovative tents, including the Sky View XL and Backpacker, designed to deliver unobstructed sky views through ultra-clear Phifer UltraVue 2 Polyester mesh and an internal rainfly. Designed for both car camping and backpacking, these tents aim to provide the ultimate stargazing experience in versatile weight options.
Homecrux spoke with Joe Bissonnette, and he takes us through the inception story of Sky View Tents and its product development over the years. The Sky View Tents founder also reflects his thoughts on the technical challenges of creating a lightweight, wind-resistant internal rainfly and crystal-clear mesh, which were significant for product development and growth.
Homecrux (HC): What’s the inception story of Sky View Tent?
Joe Bissonnette (JB): Sky View Tents was born from a moment of inspiration on a beach in Mexico in 2022, when I watched a shooting star. That night on the beach, we were sandy and damp from the late-night dew, staring up at an incredible star-filled sky. It was beautiful, but we couldn’t enjoy it in comfort. Eventually, we had to leave and head back to our hotel. Before leaving, we talked about how amazing it would be to have a tent that let you stargaze like that. When we searched online, the only “stargazing tents” were plastic bubble types. There was nothing truly built for casual camping and hiking. That’s when we decided to create a wilderness-ready tent designed for clear night-sky viewing.
HC: How did that experience shape the vision for Sky View Tents, and what makes your stargazing tents a unique solution for campers and astronomers?
JB: Our tents are unique for two reasons. Firstly, the crystal-clear mesh that provides an unobstructed view while allowing you to feel immersed in nature, and secondly, our patent-pending internal rainfly, which allows campers to sleep under the stars but close the fly instantly from inside if the weather changes or it gets cold. In traditional dome tents, most campers keep the rainfly on because they don’t want to get out at 3 a.m. in the rain. Our design solves that problem and makes stargazing practical and easy.
HC: The Sky View XL and Backpacker tents feature a patent-pending internal rainfly and ultra-clear Phifer UltraVue 2 Polyester mesh for unobstructed stargazing. What were the biggest technical challenges in developing these features, and how do they enhance the camping experience?
JB: I had the idea almost immediately. The rainfly overlaps and underlaps with various components, just like siding or roofing. But the challenge was making the rainfly slide open and closed smoothly while also staying secure in high winds. Our first-generation system worked, but we marketed it as a “fair-weather tent.” After a full year of R&D, we’re excited to announce that our next generation will feature a simpler mechanism for opening and closing, plus a design improvement that ensures the internal rainfly performs just as well as any traditional tent, even in extreme winds.
HC: Your tents are designed for diverse users, families, astrophotographers, and backcountry adventurers. How do you balance the needs of these different groups in the design of products like the Sky View XL and Backpacker?
JB: For families, especially with kids and pets, durability is key. For astrophotographers and backcountry adventurers, weight matters most. Adventurers are hauling gear over long, steep trails, and astrophotographers already carry heavy equipment. We try to offset that by reducing tent weight where possible. Astrophotographers in particular love our tents; not only can they shoot through our mesh, but they can also monitor their exterior gear from inside, bug-free and comfortable, while staying ready to grab equipment and close the rainfly quickly if the weather changes.
HC: Buena Vista, Colorado, is a prime stargazing location with low light pollution, and your company emphasizes a connection to DarkSky Colorado’s principles. How does this commitment to preserving dark skies influence your product development and community engagement?
JB: Here in Buena Vista, we’re fortunate to have stunning skies and few bugs thanks to our dry climate. But many people don’t have both, and that’s where our tents come in extra handy. They allow anyone, anywhere, to enjoy the night sky in comfort. Our mission is to open people’s eyes to the stars, whether in the backcountry or their backyard. Through our products, social media, and website, we also promote awareness of light pollution and dark-sky preservation. As we grow, we hope to play a real role in protecting these skies for future generations.
HC: The Sky View Backpacker is notably lightweight at 4.6 lbs, with an option to use trekking poles to reduce the weight to 3.25 lbs. What drove the decision to create an ultralight option, and how do you see it fitting into the growing ultralight backpacking trend?
JB: Living in Colorado, we know firsthand that many trails to the best views are steep and long. Our goal is to give people gear that lets them reach those remote, dark-sky locations with minimal weight, so they can experience the clearest skies possible. Our Backpacker is a two-person tent, but we’re also in the process of developing a truly ultralight one-person version for long-distance hikers.
HC: Your new retail store and workshop in Buena Vista features an immersive tent demo room with a simulated night sky. How do you plan to use this space to connect with customers and showcase the stargazing experience?
JB: The main reason for our immersive demo room is simple: people don’t believe us until they see it. I’ll tell someone the mesh is practically invisible, and they nod politely. Then they step into the dark room, lie in the tent under the simulated stars, and say, “It really is invisible!” The showroom lets customers truly experience the panoramic night-sky views our A-frame design and ultra-clear mesh provide. Until you’re inside at night, it’s hard to imagine how breathtaking it really is.
HC: Sky View Tents donates a portion of profits to organizations like Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi and Dark Sky Colorado. How did you choose these causes, and what role does social responsibility play in your business model?
JB: In my 20s, I was solo backpacking across South America, and I came across Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi in the Jungles of Bolivia. I was planning to leave Bolivia the next day and ended up staying at CIWY for about 5 weeks. They rescue Amazonian animals from abusive situations that they couldn’t survive if released back into the wild, and give them the best life possible. It was the most rewarding experience of my life. Supporting them now through profits is my way of giving back, and I hope that as we grow, we can make a real difference.
I learned about Dark Sky International while looking for a constructive way to encourage my neighbors to turn off their lights at night. Light pollution wastes energy, ruins the view, disrupts ecosystems, and harms night pollinators — all serious issues. We chose to financially support DarkSky Colorado in particular because we feel that keeping our money local will keep dark skies a priority for those living in and visiting our great state.
I chose these causes because I’m passionate about them. I used to work seasonally in Antarctica and live in my van on barely any money. I lived for climbing, hiking, and mountain biking, and it was pure bliss. Working in a big corporation to make a bunch of money, which I was doing up until I started Sky View Tents, just isn’t very motivating for me. But believing I can make a difference in the world, that’s the real motivation.
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HC: Customer reviews praise the ease of setup and clarity of the mesh in your tents. Can you share a specific story of how a customer’s experience with a Sky View tent has reinforced your mission to create “unforgettable outdoor experiences”?
JB: Every time a customer tells me they are going to get out with their kids and explore the cosmos and find the constellations, it brings me hope that those kids will have a higher chance of growing up understanding that we’re all the same speck of dust. Maybe I’m just a hippie, but I think that’s important.
HC: The outdoor gear market is crowded with innovative camping solutions. How does Sky View Tents differentiate itself from competitors, particularly in the niche of stargazing tents, and what’s your strategy to stand out?
JB: We stand out by offering a true outdoor tent that integrates stargazing into the camping experience without sacrificing protection. Our internal rainfly makes us completely different from anything else on the market. Other “stargazing tents” either have tiny windows — which is far less immersive — or are plastic bubbles that aren’t practical for real camping or bad weather. Our focus is on combining immersion in nature with reliable performance — something no other tent does as well.
HC: Looking forward, what innovations or expansions are on the horizon for Sky View Tents? Are there plans to develop new tent models, enhance existing features, or explore other outdoor gear to further revolutionize stargazing and camping?
JB: The ultimate goal is to make our tents so functional, simplistic, and durable that it doesn’t make sense to have any other tent than a Sky View Tent. Why have an external rainfly when you can have an internal one? You don’t have to exit your house to open and close the blinds, right? Whether it’s a car camper or an ultralight. We’re going to be the only tent you want. We might already be there next year when we release gen2 models.
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