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Lightweight enough for the backcountry and strong enough for the front country, the Big Agnes C Bar 3 tent has a roomy interior with plenty of space to store your gear, should the skies turn stormy.
Features
Simple head-entry design with single door and single vestibule featuring stormflaps on the vestibule zipper
Spacious interior with DAC Angle Hubs and an attached cross pole
Easy and efficient setup and take down with single pole system architecture
Quick Stash door keeper on tent body allows you to quickly and easily stow the unzipped door
Oversize ceiling pocket gives you a spot to stash gear out of the way
Precut guylines and tensioners attached to fly make it easy to pitch
Hook-and-loop tabs that connect the fly to the pole structure add extra stability
Reflective guylines and webbing offer enhanced visibility at night
Multiple interior loops give you a spot to attach gear lofts, accessories and mtnGLO Tent and Camp lights (accessories not included)
To extend the life of your tent floor, manufacturer recommends using a Big Agnes footprint (not included)
DAC Pressfit pole system with lightweight Angle Hubs
Pole Diameter
8.7 millimeters
Canopy Fabric
Polyester/polyester mesh
Floor Fabric
Polyester taffeta with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Rainfly Fabric
Polyester taffeta with 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Footprint Included
No
Design Type
Freestanding
Buying Advice
How to Choose a Backpacking Tent
What capacity tent do you need?
How many are in your group? Backpacking tent models usually hold 1 to 5 people.
There’s no industry standard for what each size means, so check product specs.
Assume a close fit for the number of people your tent is designed to accommodate, especially with ultralight models. If you need more elbow room, consider the next size up.
Decide whether you need all-year protection
Many backpackers, especially beginners, choose a 3-season tent for great all-around protection.
3+- season tents are a little sturdier and warmer than their 3-season cousin, and with less mesh.
4-season tents are engineered to handle high winds and other severe weather. This can make them stuffy in warm weather.
Consider alternative shelters like hammock tents, bug shelters or bivy sacks depending on your preferences and the conditions you may typically encounter on backpacking trips.
Tent weight
Backpacking tents are a tradeoff between weight and comfort. Pay attention to the difference between packaged weight (every part included) and minimum trail weight (the weight of just the tent, rain fly and poles).
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Customer Images
Pam
Denver, Colorado
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most underrated tents
1 year ago
I own the 2-person version of this tent, and I must say it's one of the most underrated tents on the market. It strikes a great balance between being lightweight enough for backpacking while maintaining excellent durability for various terrains, surpassing many ultralight tents in this regard.
Setting it up is a breeze, and it proves to be reliable in windy and rainy conditions. Additionally, it packs down incredibly small, making it convenient for backpackers. I appreciate that it has less mesh than other tents, providing larger fabric walls and excellent wind and temperature protection without compromising on condensation management.
The 2-person version can be a bit snug. It's ideal for one person and a dog or for two people who are quite close. If you opt for the 3-person version, it should comfortably accommodate two people along with their gear or a furry companion. While the vestibule is on the smaller side, it's adequate for storing and protecting gear. Overall, this Big Agnes tent is a solid choice without breaking the bank.
Age:45–54
Yes , I recommend this product
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Kodiak Jack
Pennsylvania
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for the Weekend Warrior/New Backpacker
10 months ago
My girlfriend is just getting into coming backpacking with me, we fit comfortably in a 2 person tent but I often like bringing my dog (a 60 lb pit bull) which really left us cramped in the past. The 3 of us fit FAIRLY comfortable inside on our own (she is 5'4" athletic, narrow build; I am 5'10" muscular build with broad shoulders). I was looking for something kind of light, but durable enough to withstand the destructive, dirty paws of a pup. And because I knew my dog would be putting extra stress on a tent, I went with this tent because it was cheaper than the tents I would typically use (Nemo, MSR) plus I got 20% off with an REI coupon. We purchased the footprint from BA's website, mostly to have the fast fly option.
As I said, we fit fairly comfortable. Even with the two of us, we'd unlikely be able to comfortably keep our packs inside the tent with us, and the single vestibule is a little too tight to realistically hold two full size packs. With our dog? We aren't able to keep much aside from the gear lofts in the roof and the front corners. This would be a great car camping option, however, where you can simply keep any excess gear in your trunk.
I've never had a single-door, front-loading tent before and was curious to try it. And I can confidently say, double vestibule is way better. You may eat some more ounces with a second door but the extra vestibule gear space is invaluable and you don't have to step on your partner's head at night when you have to take a midnight potty break.
Set up is incredibly easy, as it generally is with free-standing tents. Poles, footprint, and tent are all color coded to make it idiot proof, even in low-light. Brighter green attachments at the feet, safari-color attachments at the head, done. Taught my gal how to use the fast fly function and she, never having set up a backpacking tent before, had it down in 2 seconds. Really great for a first-timer, weekend-warrior, or amateur backpacker.
For the price (especially with my extra 20% discount), this is a pretty good tent for 2 people and SOME gear. If you and your S.O. have narrow/skinny frames, you could probably fit your gear with you more comfortably. If you and your S.O. are on the plus-size side, this tent will comfortably fit the both of you but I wouldn't expect to fit much gear inside. If you're taking a dog more than 20lbs, you're going to be a little tight.
This review was completed after setting up in the backyard and test fitting ourselves with our dogs and a single 60 L pack.
Age:25–34
Yes , I recommend this product
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Tony
Kansas
Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars
Smaller than I had hoped
10 months ago
I would not consider this a three person tent. First, (my fault) I didn't realize it tapers at the feet making the space feel much smaller. Considering the size I wish it would have been about 10oz - 1 lb lighter. Felt like great construction and durable. Only set it up in my yard to discover how small it really felt. Returned and bought the Nemo dagger 3 person.
Age:35–44
No, I do not recommend this product
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Anonymous
NW Oregon
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Great value
1 year ago
my first backpacking tent. Great little tent. Super light, great vestibule. Definitely a 1 person tent.
Age:35–44
Yes , I recommend this product
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joengr
NJ
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE IT! But could use some improvements
7 years ago
I was surprised at how light it is! Before getting this one, I debated whether I should get this C-Bar 2 or the HV UL2, however I wanted it to be fully free standing. The tent is super easy to set up, the poles can be put together and taken apart easily. The rainfly attaches easily, however the vestibule is a bit small for two backpacks and shoes. We got a surprise middle of the night thunderstorm, no leaks. No condensation during the hot months, probably will happen during the cold months. However, here are a few things I noticed. It is a bit narrow for two adults; you might feel a little cramped in there. I have broad shoulders, so trying to get comfortable next to my wife wasn't easy. Our air sleeping pads were too wide; the corners poked out the tent sidewall causing it to stretch. You might want to consider the C-Bar 3 or even the HV UL3 (since the 3 person version is fully freestanding) and they're still fairly light. The bottom red sidewall is a bit too tall and the mesh is too high on top, so you don't get much breeze in. I tried it during the heat wave, and it was a bit too warm inside especially with the high humidity. BA: What I would recommend is bring the ceiling down a little bit, maybe 6" and widen the tent by 6" to 10", it will make a big difference. In reality, you don't need too much headroom since most of the time, most backpackers stay outside the tent. Most of us just go in during sundown and sleep since we're tired after miles of carrying our stuff. But having width would be more crucial. This way you can keep the material use low to keep the same low weight. The sidewall should come down a few inches as well, increase the mesh.
