Big Agnes  Copper Spur Limited 3 Tent with Footprint

I purchased the "Big Agnes Copper Spur Limited 3" for car camping and for two people to split the load for "light/ultralight" backpacking. My usual solo hiking setup is a 1-person Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform tarp, so the 3-person Copper Spur is massive in comparison. The "Limited" version is not an exact replica of the regular Copper Spur UL3. It does not have the "fly first" or "awning" features, and it only has two small pockets inside the tent. The "Limited" version is lighter because it is built out of thinner material and subtracts pockets, buckles, toggles, and zippers needed for the missing features. You can see most differences by carefully comparing the product photos. If the extra features are important to you, go with the regular version. Otherwise, you can probably use the footprint as a tarp/awning in a pinch. You can probably also achieve the "fly first" mode by staking out the footprint and fly, since the footprint is missing the plastic clips necessary for the "fly first" mode. A benefit of the "Limited" version is that the FOOTPRINT IS INCLUDED, so account for the additional cost and weight of the footprint if purchasing the regular version instead. "Copper Spur Limited 3" component weights as measured: Tent Body: 470g Rain Fly: 457g Footprint: 144g Poles (w/ repair segment): 483g 8 Stakes w/ bag: 76g Tent Bag: 16g Poles Bag: 7g Total Weight: 1653g NOTE: 4 additional tent stakes will be required to tension all guy lines. The MSR Mini Groundhog stakes are about the same size as the ones that come with the tent. Splitting the load will be 800-900g per person. I cannot see leaving any of the Copper Spur components behind except the tent/pole bags. The tent floor is fairly thin, so the footprint is pretty much mandatory. Overall, the Big Agnes Copper Spur Limited 3 fits my use case of car camping and lightweight 2-person backpacking. It will not last forever due to the thinness of the materials, but that's an accepted tradeoff for lightweight gear.

If you are looking for a well built, light, good-looking tent I think this could be a great fit -- however, my family ended up returning it because it doesn't have the functionality to do the awnings with poles or the fast fly that the other, "regular" Copper Spur tents offer. I'm sure this is a good fit for a person who actually wants something extremely minimalist but we wanted those features and didn't realize that this version doesn't offer them.

The specs sounded too good to be true but I’ve been using Big Agnes tents for 17 years and have always been impressed with the durability at such light weight. This one is amazingly light - roomy 3-person tent weighing 3.6 lbs with footprint, fly, and stakes. It comes at the cost of durability though. I camped one moderately windy night in the Tetons and had 5 guy lines rip and an abrasion through the footprint. I used it one more night that week and was very careful. The rainfly zipper pinched the material one time and cut a 2-inch slit in it. I realize lighter, thinner materials are inherently less durable but I never had these problems with my regular Copper Spur UL3 or Seedhouse SL3. Needles to say, I returned it.

Really excited I was able to snag one of the limited edition Copper Spurs. The simplified design gives you the reliability of a traditional Copper Spur at a lower weight. Love the easy set up/tear down. The color is great, too!

First all, let me state that this is my fifth Big Agnes tent since my first one in 2013. I work in the outdoor industry and have always liked & used Big Agnes products since I was introduced to the brand. I was excited to use my new Copper Spur Limited on a recent trip to the Boundary Waters in late August. The tent performed as expected in a few heavy rains and kept us dry. I knew the Limited Edition had somewhat lighter weight fabric, but it is more delicate than I expected. A day after initial set up, I noticed two small holes on the zipper flap of one vestibule. They were not there initially, and as it was on my side of the tent I know I did not catch the zipper slide in these spots. Then, after five nights in the same spot I saw two holes in the tent floor when I was taking the tent down. There was a small rock under the tent that I had missed when first setting it up. I assume the weight of me on my Big Agnes pad had helped rub the holes in the floor. It was my fault for not seeing the rock, but I only slept in the tent on my side for two nights out of five and the footprint has no holes. I will absolutely keep using the tent after I repair the holes. I was just a little disappointed after the first use.

Long time avid backpacker, I'm always on the look out for the lightest but strongest options out there. That's what led me to BA to begin with. I LOVE my old 3-person FlyCreek, but it's almost 15yrs old. More recently, my kids in Scouting-America (Boy Scouts) have been camping every month and have 'aquired' my favorite tent. So time for a new one. I took this out a couple times with the Troop. It's pretty easy to setup and wildly spacious (esp for its weight). I love that the footprint came with it, although the attachpoints for the footprint could be better (to stay hooked to the bottom of the tent). Last month we were camping on the Oregon coast, and we had a torrential downpour that night. This was my first time with the tent in the rain. I was super anxious about leaks, drips, or even soaking through the floor. NOT ONE DROP made it in. I was perfectly dry. I was the only person who was dry...every other adult and scouter had water issues (yeah, it was that wet!). Even my son in my 15yr old BA tent said there was one dripping spot (not bad for 15+yrs). I was impressed. 5 star rain performance. So yes, I would recommend this tent. Especially to my friends in the Pacific Northwest, where a sudden rainstorm always seems lurking in the background.

This is my third Big Agnes tent. When I climbed inside this tent it was huge! It is big enough for 3 people and is luxurious for 2 people. I look forward to using this tent when backpacking with my spouse.