How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

A favorite for ultralight backpackers, the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 tent has a high-volume pole architecture to maximize interior space for comfortable camping all while keeping the weight under 2 lbs.
Imported.
View the Big Agnes Fly Creek Product LineView all Big Agnes Backpacking TentsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Seasons | 3-season |
Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
Minimum Trail Weight | 1 lb. 14 oz. |
Fly / Footprint Pitch Weight | 1 lb. 8 oz. |
Packaged Weight | 2 lbs. 4 oz. |
Packed Size | 6 x 19 inches |
Floor Dimensions | 86 x 52/42 (L x W head/foot) inches |
Floor Area | 28 square feet |
Vestibule Area | 8 square feet |
Peak Height | 42 inches |
Number of Doors | 1 door |
Number of Poles | 1 |
Pole Material | DAC Featherlite NFL |
Pole Diameter | 8.7 millimeters |
Canopy Fabric | Breathable recycled 15-denier ripstop nylon and polyester mesh |
Floor Fabric | Proprietary HyperBead fabric technology; recycled 15-denier ripstop nylon with 1,500 mm waterproof coating without intentionally added PFAS |
Rainfly Fabric | Proprietary HyperBead fabric technology; recycled 15-denier ripstop nylon with 1,500 mm waterproof coating without intentionally added PFAS |
Footprint Included | No |
Ultralight | Yes |
Design Type | Semifreestanding |
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I used the Fly Creek UL2 over a week in the Sierra. It's lightweight is great. The tent itself felt a bit delicate and need to be careful with fabrics. The 2 person is perhaps made for two very small kids. Not 2 full grown adults. It's a roomy 1 person tent at best. I did not use the rainfly as it was beautiful and clear every night. Okay for star gazing, mesh is still not completely see through. I give 3 stars for not really feeling like a 2 person tent. I ended up returning the tent and will be looking for a more roomy tent for 2 full sized adults. REI associate recommend getting a 3 person if I wanted a true 2 person tent.
The only thing this tent has upgraded from the older version is the ways in which it will fail you. The poles brittle, the pole connection points are weak and not nearly strong enough to defy a light wind, and the fly is like single-ply toilet paper. There is no headspace, which is a shame, because you'll spend unfathonable hours sitting upright in it holding up the sides in any sort of weather. The zippers bunch constantly, the interior pockets rip immediately, and the plastic clips for the rainfly will barely survive leaving the tent leaving its box. I could give example after example about how this tent has failed us in the most questionable situations. But, by far, the absolute worst aspect of this tent is that the support behind it, Big Agnes, is about as worthless as the tent itself. Buy this thing, if you must, through REI. At least you'll have decent customer support behind the purchase. If not, you can add about a third of the cost of the tent to the top of the price for future maintenance. Big Agnes will sell you anything you need to fix the tent...and they know you'll need to fix the tent.