Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

Just got back from a rainy weekend on Blood Mountain in the north GA mountains with this amazing tent. Frankly, I was worried about space and durability, but all my worries have been eradicated. compared to the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 2, this tent has the same floor dimensions and very similar set up. The Fly Creek actually feels roomier, however, when the fly is on and staked out. This is accomplished by a nifty trick on BA's part. They attached 4 hooks from the rain fly to the tent body's sidewalls; that when staked out, stretches the interior out but still leaves ample space between the fly and tent body for ventilation. The interior is widened out considerably making it feel much roomier than the Seedhouse SL 2.
The durability side of things was squelched as well. It rained the entire trip, with periods of thunderstorms and high winds that would last a couple of hours. Using 10 stakes to batten down the Fly Creek, the tent never budged in the wind, the rain fly didn't flap, and the NUMEROUS sticks and other debris that hit the tent didn't leave the faintest mark on the ultralight fly. I was amazed... and dry.
No leaks thanks to the very few seams on the tent. The few seam there are are all seam taped. I did use the footprint since I knew that the ground I pitched on would be wet if not sodden completely.
Big Agnes included my favorite features like the internal pockets (including the little pocket above the door that turns a headlamp into a great internal light for the whole tent), and the partial nylon body like the Copper Spur series as apposed to a full mesh body (i.e. more privacy and protection from the elements without loss of breathability).
There is room inside for two people and a bit of gear, just like the Seedhouse SL 2, but remember that this IS an ultralight tent, so this is not a palace, but compared to some tarp tents I've used, the Fly Creek is a little paradise. The vestibule gave enough room to leave my boots out with my pack and still cook me meals.
Other things to be aware of: while it is freestanding, like most tents, you will need some stakes to get the best ventilation and interior space, otherwise flapping and condensation will be your bedfellows. The Fly Creek has only one hub in the front of the tent, like the Seedhouse SL 1, so the back corners require stakes as well. Then there is the vestibule, which will require two more stakes. All in all, you are looking at using 6 minimum (two at front for the vestibule, two at the back corners, and one on each side), and 10 for a rock solid ad roomy set up, of the 11 stakes provided to get the optimum results from this tent (the stakes provided from BA are fantastic). This may seem like a lot, but for anyone that has sent up a tent properly, you are going to use at least 6 stakes anyway.
To top it off, the packed weight of 2 lbs 10 oz (it still blows me away includes all 11 stakes and guy lines. The tent packs down to the size of a softball, or folds flat like a full size envelope filled with valentines from grandma, and disappears in your pack. If it hadn't been for the poles, I would have sworn I had forgotten to pack it. It has taken the place of my wire bivy sack, my 2 person ultralight tent, AND my ONE person ultralight tent since it's lighter than all three, and roomier... absolutely amazing.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

Good things first. The weight is fantastic. The materials (which are same as the Copper Spur tents) seems to be sturdy for ultralight materials. Workmanship seems good overall except for a couple of the loops on the tent body that seemed a little questionable.

Negatives: This tent will not pitch tautly. The tent walls drape in enough that two people would have to touch the tent wall and even a single person (my intention was to use this for a solo tent) would be likely to brush the sides and his/her stuff, if packed in the tent would certainly touch the tent wall. The problem is the new BA design which departs from the Seedhouse and Copper Spur designs that have two short poles at both front and back connected by a single pole, and instead uses only a single pole going to the back. That means there is only a single clip on the back to that pole, leaving most of the pole without additional supporting clips, and leaving the two outside back points of the tent with only a little vertical support from two small triangular pieces of material. The clips and connectors that connect the fly to the tent body help somewhat but are too far forward to help the draping problem much in the back. Maybe touching the tent wall is less of a big deal on this kind of a tent (with extensive mesh in the body), but I have been backpacking for over 50 years, and touching tent walls to me means all kinds of bad things: condensation, possible damage to the tent, annoyance/discomfort to the occupant, etc.

It is not honest to call this a free standing tent. A free standing tent means to me one that you can pick up and reposition with the tent maintaining its full shape without any stakes. Where the stakes
(except for fly/vestibule tie-downs) are simply for keeping the tent down in wind, not for supporting its shape. Since the two rear outside points of this tent are not positioned by tent poles they would just flop on the ground if you tried to move the tent as you normally would with a free standing tent. The tent comes with 11 stakes and you really need most of them to get anything close to a reasonable pitch. The dependance of this tent on stakes means that you need to think about where you will be using it. If you are on rock you will need to have widely available free rocks heavy enough to hold the tent down in whatever winds you might expect. The pegs provided are nicely designed and light but they are short and might not be enough to hold in sand.

I have lost all confidence in Backpacker's awards. Besides the problems I had with this tent, I found the REI quarter dome UL to be unacceptably flimsy. And many REI reviewers have panned the new REI half dome that Backpacker also awarded. You may find that the low weight overrides all other considerations on this tent, especially if it does prove to be weather resistant, but you should realize that there are serious compromises involved in this tent and I would give myself enough time to evaluate the tent and possibly return it before taking off with it on a major trip. I bought this as a solo to save two pounds over the Copper Spur UL3 I use with my wife. But after trying twice to get a reasonable pitch with this I will return it and carry the extra 2 pounds (and unnecessary extra width) on my upcoming solo trip in the Olympics. If you are thinking about this for a solo I would recommend the Copper Spur 1 or 2 and if you are thinking about it for two I would recommend the Copper Spur 2 or 3. I only recently replaced my REI Quarter Dome UL3 with the CS UL3 but so far the CS UL3 seems like a perfect ultralight for two.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

After hitting my wit's end looking for a lightweight, freestanding tent that would pack up small, I gave up. Then, as if designed specifically to suit my needs, Big Agnes comes through...AGAIN! I have had the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 for a couple years now and have been more than impressed with its performance, but for minimalist, two man trips, it was just a little bulky, especially for my 40L pack (REI Venturi 40). The Fly Creek UL2 has met and now exceeded what I've come to love about Big Agnes products. Comfort and durability were expected, but combine those two great qualities with ease of set up and its size and weight, and you have the BEST freestanding tent in its class. I have had it out a couple times already and I didn't know it was in my pack, even with the footprint! With the single pole design, it takes 3 minutes to set up, which is a HUGE benefit, especially if weather moves in on you quickly. It's just a little cramped for two people, big or small and the vestibule barely holds one hiker's gear, let alone two, but I get the overall minimalist purpose of the tent, so no markdowns there. You will be hard-pressed to find a one person tent as lightweight and that packs as small as the Big Agnes Fly Creek 2, so do yourself a favor and get one imediately!!! Enjoy and happy hiking!!!

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

My wife and I just returned from completing the 30+ miles from Springer Mtn. to Neels Gap. It rained the third night so we got to experience the tent in both dry and wet conditions.

The tent is amazingly fast to setup and very light weight.

However, being 6'3", 175lbs., I would not recommend this tent to anyone even close to my size/height. When laying inside the tent, both my head and feet touched the tent. Laying side my side with my wife, we both touched the side of the tent.

In addition to this, the bottom of the tent is completely exposed to the wind (not rain). I would be cautious about using this anywhere near the winter months.

The tent held up extremely well to heavy rain and nothing inside got wet, so this is a major positive.

The vestibule is extremely small. With our 40 liter packs, boots and knee brace, there was almost no room to exit the tent. We actually had to lean the packs against the tent, under the vestibule, in order to keep them out of the weather.

Recap.
Pros: Lightweight, easy to setup, rain proof
Cons: Not for tall or fat people, not useful in remotely cold weather, bring an umbrella for your gear to sleep under.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

First night out using this tent I had 10 minutes to set it up in the dark before a 12 hour rain, hail, lightning storm at treeline in the Rockies. It was waterproof with no condensation, and had minimal wind penetration. The rain fly at the opening extends far enough to cover a pack, and a couple pairs of shoes. The tie down strings are ribboned with reflective material making it visable from a distance, and preventing trips. Quick setup, and teardown. Relatively small footprint makes for easier site selection. 3 interior pockets are a plus.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

This is an amazing solo hiker tent. I just took it on a long hike and found it amazing. Light, tiny to pack, easy to set up in (2 minutes), etc.

My pack fit well inside the tent (cramped, but fit) and it would just barely fit in my vestibule. As a solo hiker I just could not be happier with this tent.

That said...this is a two person tent. Unless you sleep literally shoulder-to-shoulder with someone there is no way you could share this tent. Even then the vestibule could never hold both packs, leaving them out in the exposed elements.

I cannot say enough about this tent for extended solo hikes where you need a touch more space than the standard tiny 1 person tents. I look forward to it being my primary tent for many more 10+ day hikes.

I give the a 4 star and not 5 for the only reason that, yes, 'technically speaking' this is a 2 person tent I just do not understand how any 2 people (even couples) could share this tent without being literally on top of each other.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

Scroll down for shorter summary, read on for field test.

This tent has been getting a lot of attention lately due to Backpacker's recent Editor's Choice award, and the fact that it weighs about 3 pounds in a pack with everything you need(tent, rain fly, 11 stakes, stuff sacks). If you want the footprint to save the tent floor from wear and provide a little extra protection from the cold/wet ground, it's only 5 ounces (total weight in pack: 3 pounds, 4 oz). Tents just don't get any lighter than that without some sort of trade-off, be it protection from the elements, durability, or space. So far, I've had to sacrifice nothing with this tent.

The tent I'm replacing is a Eureka Apex 2XT (also a pretty solid tent, and one of the best values out there), and the Fly Creek UL2 weighs a full 3 lbs less than the Eureka. Actually, my biggest complaint with most 2-person tents is that they weigh too much (about 5-6 lbs) and that it isn't always practical to share the weight with another person by splitting up poles, fly and tent and stakes. Also, if you see yourself camping solo (like me), this tent will feel massive in the interior. I finally had some time to camp it in the backyard to test it out after an impatient weeklong wait (I'd rather be in the woods, but sometimes that just doesn't pay the bills). If it was a clear, starry night I wouldn't have much to write about but my area got thunderstorms with 2 inches of rain and 15 mph winds, so I can at least speak to that:

First of all, I'm digging the 2-layer tent and rainfly design. The tent looks oddly shaped when the 3 poles are anchored into the grommets, and the pressure on the hump over the middle of the tent looks like it is going to snap your main pole; don't worry about that pole bending, it's solid (although time will tell how durable that design is, but I'm not worried). The odd floorplan is roughly a triangle, but if you skimp out on stakes (you need an additional 2 at your feet, and at least 2 more for sidewalls) you won't do yourself any favors. BA gives you 11 stakes for a reason: USE THEM. Like other reviewers have stated, your tent will be formless, cramped and flapping loudly in the wind if you just stake down the corners. On the other hand, when you have 10 stakes anchoring the tent and fly, your shelter looks pretty awesome like it means business, and stands up to the elements nicely. The rainfly was pretty taut, and I heard zero tent flapping the whole night: none. I camped in the Eureka 2XT 2 weeks ago in 35 mph winds and slept 30 minutes. The other 6.5 hours I was lying down I endured incessantly loud flapping and wind pressure on the tent that nearly collapsed it. No doubt the Fly Creek would have put that tent to shame in the same 35-50 mph winds.

The one vestibule design takes some getting used to, but it is a decent size and certainly not an inconvenience to use. I stored my fully-loaded pack, and mine and my girlfriends shoes in the vestibule and frequently climbed over the gear as I entered and exited the tent: smooth sailing, even in the rain. I did lean my pack against the door, but it slipped a few times and still got damp; I'm not convinced this is the tent's fault, because my ground cover was 8 mil painter's plastic tarp carelessly thrown under the tent with little thought given to pooling rain water. Also, some water got into the the first 3 inches of the tent area above my head because I didn't have the rainfly as taut and close to the ground as I could have. We're talking drops of water in the tent, not puddles. And that was my bad.

As far as space is concerned, I'll agree with others that the Fly Creek UL2 is BARELY a 2-person tent, but it was designed for minimalists and I'm not going to dock it for catering to it's core audience. My girlfriend noted at one point that it was cramped in there (you have room to sit up, but not much more), and I was sleeping against the tent wall, but the tent design allows you to do that since there are several inches of air between the tent layer and the rainfly layer; I did not feel cold, did not get wet, and wouldn't worry about being on the edge of the tent. Also, this wasn't the most scientific observation on sleep since my girlfriend frequently rolls around and pushes me out of bed, steals covers, etc; I also wrestle around a lot and I'm used to not sleeping comfortably all the time. Couples who roll/thrash around or fight for space may want to upgrade to Fly Creek UL3 for a more "cozy" feel.
With all that said, the tent is more than livable for 1 person(I'd even use the word "palace," in a camping context), plus at 3 pounds in your pack, it's one of the best space-to-weight ratios a solo camper can find. If you and your hiking partner took any other 2-man tent, divided the gear up evenly, and each carried 3 pounds, you'd still be worse off because at the end of the day, you'd be huddled together with a roommate when you could have gotten a camping castle like the UL2.

Here's the bottom line: The Fly Creek UL2 is ultralight but doesn't sacrifice much of anything that a regular tent would have. It's durable, weatherproof (with some extra attention staking the tent and fly), and workable for 2 people who are comfortable sleeping in close proximity to each other (the tent is, however, friggin' gigantic for a solo hiker, considering how little it weighs).

The best thing this tent has going for it is that it weighs almost nothing in a pack. Why even mess with bivy sacks, tarps and all that other mess when you can have an actually COMFORTABLE shelter for the same weight? Really, this tent works for minimalists/ultralighters who need to save weight and space, and car campers who would prefer a little more luxury than sleeping on a bed of rocks, pine needles, etc.

8.5/10 for 2-person capacity.
11/10 as a solo tent. It's a no-brainer, DO IT!

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

Just returned from a three week backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington State and the tent was outstanding until the last night when it rained heavily for 12 hours. I woke up at 12:30am wondering why I was cold. Turned on my headlamp and discovered the rain fly was leaking in three places - at the hub above me where it was pressing on the fly and the two side fly pullouts. My down sleeping bag was wet from dripping above me and from those two side pullouts hitting the side meshes of the tent. I was astonished especially since I had read the reviews here on the REI site and other places before I bought the tent and people said their tents were waterproof in heavy rain. Thankfully we were on our last night out on the trail so I didn't have to spend another night in a wet sleeping bag and tent. Another thing I would put on my wish list for this tent is to have a more vertical door so when the rain fly is opened, water doesn't drip in the tent. I love the tent (lightness, roomy, great in windy conditions) and am in a quandry in what to do... Did I get a faulty rain fly? Should I return it?

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

I recently took this tent backpacking up the Manzana River out of Nira back behind Santa Barbara, CA. It was a windy 3 days. Though the tent was easy to set up, I found it to be quite drafty and the back half of the tent would collapse in on me and the dog during the wind gusts. I'm glad it didn't rain. This tent needs a bit more design tweaking to make it the perfect tent— it's almost there but not quite. And don't call it a 2 person tent, it's really for a shorter, single person. I'm 5'8" and there wasn't much length left over. Perhaps by adding one more round of clips and connectors that connect the fly to the tent body allowing more stake-out options further back, this tent might be improved a lot. Why it was so drafty might have to do with the rain fly needing to be closer to ground, which is not allowed by it's current configuration. Call it nice and lightweight for a smaller person in weather without wind.

Comments about Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent:

I have used this tent in the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Rockies on numerous occasions and have found it to be an excellent tent. It is very light for a two person tent, and although not huge inside, it can accommodate an energetic labrador retriever and myself. I have not experienced any condensation inside the tent and it keeps me dry during heavy rains. I have used several light weight tents and this has proven to be the best.