How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

Simple, durable, and superlight, the Big Agnes Crag Lake 2 tent is your ideal companion for quick overnights in the backcountry or any 3-season camping adventure you dream up.
$34
10% Reward
on this and every eligible full-price item*
+
$30
Bonus Card
valid for 60 days after joining*
=
$64
Value
Keep shopping
Imported.
View all Big Agnes Backpacking TentsBest Use | Backpacking |
---|---|
Seasons | 3-season |
Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
Minimum Trail Weight | 3 lbs. 12 oz. |
Fly / Footprint Pitch Weight | 2 lbs. 13 oz. |
Packaged Weight | 4 lbs. 4 oz. |
Packed Size | 6 x 18.5 inches |
Floor Dimensions | 86 x 52/42 (L x W head/foot) inches |
Floor Area | 28 square feet |
Vestibule Area | 9 + 9 square feet |
Peak Height | 42 inches |
Number of Doors | 2 doors |
Number of Poles | 2 |
Pole Material | Lightweight 7000-series aluminum |
Pole Diameter | 9 millimeters |
Canopy Fabric | High-tenacity, recycled Mipan regen robic double-ripstop nylon with PFAS-free water-resistant finish; polyester mesh |
Floor Fabric | High-tenacity, recycled Mipan regen robic double-ripstop nylon with PFAS-free water-resistant finish and waterproof polyurethane coating |
Rainfly Fabric | High-tenacity, recycled Mipan regen robic double-ripstop nylon with PFAS-free water-resistant finish and waterproof polyurethane coating |
Footprint Included | No |
Design Type | Freestanding |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
I looked long and hard to find a 2 person tent under 4.5 lbs and under $400. This was the best I could find, and after multiple multi night trips I’ve been very pleased. The set up is easy and the fabric is thick and durable(I hike with a rambunctious mini ausie and the fabric gives me way more peace of mind regarding punctures and tears). I’ve only had it out through one storm(and it was a good one!) and I had zero leaks. My only complaint is the absent footprint. But I easily made due repurposing my old footprint as it fits ‘good enough’. Is this tent ultralight? No. But it’s plenty practical for the vast majority of backpacking. People seem to forget that there was backpacking long before ultralight gear.
Just got this tent. Took it out for an over nighter. It's what I've been looking for. The weight is good for a 2 person free standing tent. I have wanted a free standing because I some times camp in wilderness areas where the ground is so rocky the trying to drive tent stakes into the ground is impossible. Also the fact that the zippers are straight and not curved means that they will hold up longer. If you are looking for a good free standing tent you can't go wrong with a Crag Lake.
I sold my Z Packs Plex Solo ultralight non-freestanding tent and purchased this Big Agnes Crag Lake SL2. I did a couple sections of the Arizona Trail in February 2023 and really struggled with my non-freestanding tent. At the end of each long day, my buddy was snoring away in his freestanding tent while I was still trying to find spots to drive stakes into the rocky Arizona landscape. Not cool. This does weigh 2 lbs. more than the non-freestanding tent I sold, but I'm willing to compromise the couple of extra pounds for easy set-up. I set it up in the front yard for the first time today after REI delivered it last week and it was sooooo nice! It quite literally took me a matter of just a few minutes after perusing the instructions. Tons of ample ventilation. HUGE doors. Plenty of room inside for my sleeping pad and all my gear with room to stretch out. I'm 6'0" and did not all feel claustrophobic. I am going to invest in a cheap piece of Tyvek for a ground sheet due to all the jagged rocks here in Arizona. While I've not actually used the tent as of yet, I cannot wait to give this a try on the trail!
I tested this at one of Santa Cruz/Capitola campgrounds where it is close to the ocean. It's such a really nice warm water during the day. But we did had a storm a week ago, so the campground were slightly muddy and the grass were still wet. Luckily our area had a dry tan bark area where I laid the tent under a foot print. Once my friend and I staked all of the corners of the tent, it started to produce some moisture inside. So we left the doors open for ventilation. Opened that one side of the vent on the rainfly. Once it was time to sleep inside, in the middle of the night, a drip of water landed on my face, waking me up in the middle of the night. There's too much condensation inside. Morning of, I woke up with a wet tent on the sides, Though we are dry, but the side walls and my glasses were wet and foggy. The space is also very small for two people.
I'm very happy with this tent. Easy to set up and take down, appreciate the pockets on the inside. I've only used it in good weather conditions so far, but it seems sturdy. I think it would probably be a bit of tight fit for two people honestly, but it's very comfortable for one. Highly recommend.
Took this to my first backpacking and loved it. Light and easy to set up. I love the clip feature to attach the tent to the poles. Unfortunately it was so windy at the camp that I had to cover the mesh ceiling and didn’t get to see the stars. Excited to use this feature next time!
I haven't used it "in the wild" yet, but I did set it up in my bedroom to make sure that I knew how to set up and break down. It was very easy to do both. I did sleep in it with my dog. I had plenty of room. Love the zippers on each side and there are loops inside where I hung my solar lantern. I stored my cell phone etc. in the mesh pockets. Once down, I had no problem folding it up and fitting it into the sack. Nice product. Can't wait to use it outdoors.
Though there are some pros to this tent, we had a hard time getting past the fact that the footprint is so much smaller than other 2 person tents we've used in the past. I backpack with my daughter and though we are close, we do like our space while sleeping. Our air mattresses literally overlapped, and there was NO room for anything in the tent but us when we were both in there (our backpacks, food, essentials, etc. We like to warm water for meals and hot drinks early in the morning inside because of the freezing temps, but found it impossible to do with the lack of space. Also, it's not like we are large people... We liked that the tent was easy to set up. I also liked that the mesh part of the exterior walls is higher than most tents and I felt that kept a lot of the cold breezes blowing up the canyons out. It snowed 6 inches on us one night and the tent was waterproof and held up well. Someone nearby our camp had a larger BA tent that did not fair so well and the poles snapped under the pressure. All in all, I will return for a bigger tent, but will probably go with the same brand.
Great tent. Not the lightest but suits me and my gear well. Every bit of quality that one would expect out of Big Agnes. I like the higher ‘bathtub’ on it and the rainfly/footprint option.