In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, I sit down with Joe Bissonnette, founder of Sky View Tents, a Colorado-based tent company building what Joe calls a true stargazing tent.
Sky View Tents started from a simple frustration: Joe loved sleeping under the stars, but hated the usual rainfly problem. If you leave the fly off, you get the incredible open-sky experience — but you risk bugs, critters, wind, and a surprise 2 a.m. rainstorm. If you put the fly on, you stay protected — but you lose the stars.
So Joe designed a tent with a patent-pending internal rainfly system that can be opened or closed from inside the tent in seconds. The result feels like cowboy camping, but with mesh protection, bug protection, and fast weather coverage when conditions change.
We also dive into:
• How Sky View Tents started from a late-night beach stargazing idea
• Why Joe thought most “stargazing tents” were just normal tents
• How the internal rainfly system works
• Why clear mesh matters so much for the experience
• The challenge of designing a tent that feels open but still handles weather
• Why Gen 1 started as more of a fair-weather tent
• How Gen 2 was tested in heavy Oregon coast rain and Buena Vista wind
• The reality of sewing tents by hand while trying to run a business
• Why Joe had to move from local production to factory production
• The stress of raising money before the business ran out of cash
• Why getting into stores could be huge for Sky View Tents
This episode is full of invention, product design, startup stress, stargazing, tent talk, and honest lessons from a founder still deep in the grind.
If you’ve ever stared at your rainfly and thought, “I wish I could see the sky right now,” this one is for you.
Connect with Sky View Tents
Website: https://skyviewtents.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyviewtents
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyviewtents
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skyviewtents
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxkkYqB79iQaiEZ-FJbtuZA
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skyviewtents

Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcast
Website: https://obristimagery.com

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