How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

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Designed for easy outdoor living, the 3-season Copper Spur HV UL 3 backpacking tent features a high-volume pole architecture that creates steep walls for more room without adding weight.
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View all Big Agnes Backpacking TentsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Seasons | 3-season |
Sleeping Capacity | 3-person |
Minimum Trail Weight | 3 lbs. 7 oz. |
Fly / Footprint Pitch Weight | 2 lbs. 12 oz. |
Packaged Weight | 3 lbs. 14 oz. |
Packed Size | 4.5 x 20 inches |
Floor Dimensions | 90 x 70/62 (L x W head/foot) inches |
Floor Area | 41 square feet |
Vestibule Area | 9 + 9 square feet |
Peak Height | 43 inches |
Number of Doors | 2 doors |
Number of Poles | 2 |
Pole Material | DAC Featherlite aluminum |
Pole Diameter | 9.3 millimeters |
Canopy Fabric | Ripstop nylon/polyester mesh |
Floor Fabric | Polyurethane-coated ripstop nylon |
Rainfly Fabric | Polyurethane-coated ripstop nylon |
Footprint Included | No |
Ultralight | Yes |
Design Type | Freestanding |
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I bought this tent last fall, and have used it twice now. 4nights in Brevard, NC & 3nights in Francis Marion Nat Forest. Both times I wished I had sprung the extra $80 for the footprint, instead of an old shower curtain. I just ordered the footprint. $500 is pricy but to me worth it for this tent. I like it’s lightweightness, ease of tent poles together, compacted size, and the his/hers tent openings. Both hubby and I can go in/out w/o having to trip/crawl over each other. He likes the pockets, I like all the extra loops for hanging. I don’t know how 3people would be comfortable, but a couple or 2close friends & gear- great.
My wife and I purchased this tent prior to a three week backpacking trip in the High Sierras. We were interested in this tent initially because of it's light weight. Not only did it save us three pounds in pack weight, the tent endured driving rain, sleet, hail and a night of very strong winds at Mt. Whitney trail camp. THe ten is large enough for two people plus packs and other gear. We don't like leaving our packs outside of the tent at night. Although three people inside would be a stretch, it is a great roomy and light tent for two people backpacking. We couldn't be more satisfied with this tent.
So impressed with the Big Agnes copper spur line that I purchased both the HV UL 3 hotel and HV UL 3 expedition. Quality, design, materials, warranty, and customer service provide peace of mind while backpacking/camping in the wilderness. On a recent trip, an unexpected thunderstorm enveloped my son and I. 8000 ft elevation.. Estimated temperatures in the low 40's. Winds were steady 15-25 MPH , with gusts to 35-40. Yes, tent did collapse despite all guylines deployed. But, DAC poles rebounded fly and tent throughout the night. We remained dry and warm the entire night. Condensation was minimal and expected due to weather conditions. With proper care, looking forward to a lifetime of camping with my 12 year old son. Outstanding performance and product BIG AGNES! Mahalo, Ivan
We really, REALLY, wanted to love this tent. We bought it specifically for a four month bike tour. We loved the space inside, loved the nice vestibules and were so thankful that we could set it up in less then 3 minutes. We loved everything about it... except that it dripped water on to us many times when it rained or even in heavy fog. We pitched the tent nice and tight and had no pooling of water, but there were times when it rained at night and the fly fabric would become super saturated and finally start drip, drip, dripping onto the tent mesh roof and then finally on to us. It was a slow drip, and we were in no danger of getting soaking wet, but for $550 the idea that water was dripping on our sleeping bags was really disappointing. After returning to REI and talking to them about it, they felt that perhaps the fly fabric was faulty, in which case we may have just asked for a new fly. But we experienced the same issue with the ground cover. It was the same material as the fly and purchased at another store, so no way it was a bad batch of fabric. Whenever we set the tent up on damp ground, which was a lot, moisture seeped through the cover and through the floor of our tent. We got the UL3 to have extra space living space inside in case of inclement weather, but that space was useless as the floor was almost always wet. Anything that was not on a sleeping pad was wet, not soaking, but wet enough. If my pillow slipped off the top off my pad in the night, wet pillow. Forgot to stuff my jacket in the pocket, wet jacket, and so on. So in the end we sadly returned it to REI. We're stuck with an expensive ground cloth that we bought elsewhere to save a few bucks. Should have bought it all at REI where they stand by what they sell!
Just used for first time on a backpacking trip in the Cascades. Loved everything about it--lightweight, size, fast setup. Unfortunately when I lightly tapped a mosquito on the inside of the tent mesh with a folded paper map, it resulted in a hole the size of the insect's body in the mesh. Really kind of disappointed that such a little impact would do this...I'm not sure whether to return it or repair it, but it's given me a poor first impression and I'd be very hesitant to invest in Big Agnes for our next tent. I understand the material should be cared for, but my experience with the Copper Spur doesn't pass the basic common sense test when a tent is promoted for backpacking.
I bought this product used at an REI garage sale and used it for the first time on a beach camping in Hawaii. The first night we had winds of 25+ mph winds and a ton of rain and the tent held up amazingly. For the next two days winds shifted from 20-30 mph and the tent never had any issues. The only rain that got into our tent was from the side vent flap which was our fault for placing it directly in the wind which prevented the flap from every fully closing. After the first night we rotated the tent ever so slightly to prevent anything form getting into the flap again and had no issues after that.
Planned 10-day backpacking trip in mountains, so I first bought the "REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus Tent", but then decided to spend 2.5 times more and get this one - it is amazingly light - lighter than Co-op 2P, yet it can fit three adults. I was glad to save some weight with my 57 lb backpack, and, besides, an extra person joined us so that extra space was handy. Had three guys in it , no problem (165, 175 and 225 lb); having two entrances was great. Easy to setup, pack. Handled rain well. Also got footprint for it, it is so light and compact that easily fits into tent's bag along with the tent. The tent's fabric is very thin, but strong - if it gets into zipper, it can be easily pulled out with no damage.
My wife and I purchased this tent a few months ago. Since then we used it on a 5 day backpacking tent in the Great Smokies as well as a 2 night trip here in Florida. The tent is amazing. In our opinion it's the perfect size for 2 people. You'll have no problem fitting gear and all inside the tent. Vestibules are also large enough to hold gear if you don't like having gear in tent. Sets up very easy, tears down even easier.
My wife and I splurged on the BA Copper Spur 3 person tent about 6 years ago. We went with the 3 person to give more space to me (I'm 6'4) and our pups (two Australian Shepherds) and I cannot be happier that we did. There is plenty of room inside for us all. We are not "ultralight" backpackers but we love the fact that the Copper Spur doesn't break our back. We typically go on 2-3 short trips a year and we take this tent 100% of the time. When we bought it, we knew that the material was "fragile" and we needed to take good care of it but this tent has truly stood the test of time. We did splurge for the footprint and I think that helps keep the floor of the tent in good shape. I am not sure when we will need to but a new tent, but when we do we will not hesitate to spoil ourselves with another Copper Spur!
Have been using this tent for about a year with heavy use. I have taken it all over North America backpacking and it is a great 3-season tent. The UL3 fits 2 people comfortably but would be nearly impossible with 3 adults. The tent pops up and folds very quickly, it is waterproof and well constructed. Highly recommend getting the proper footprint to go along. It is among the pricer tents on the market, but well worth it if you are looking for a tent to withstand heavy use.