Big Agnes  Copper Spur UL1 Tent

worth the little extra cost and weight than the fly creek. Vertical walls are great; was able to sit up right. only improvement I can see is the top cross pole has an over hang over the door, that with out the fly, is difficult to see. good design with fly on. very minor.

I used this tent on a week-long high Sierra trip, and I loved it. As others have commented, it's light, roomy, and easy to set up. I'd put it up once at home before heading out on the trail, but it was nice that the tent's stuff sack has the directions sewn in. It's clear a lot of thought and intelligent design went into the whole package. I'm 6'0", and I had plenty of room for myself, boots, and assorted gear in the tent, not to mention ample space in the vestibule. I never saw rain, but did have a couple of nights where frost formed on the underside of the fly, with some frost crystals on the netting of the tent, but it wasn't a problem -- I was dry and toasty. You can get more ventilation by keeping the zipper on the fly open, or, on nights that you don't need it, skip the fly and enjoy the stars. As others have commented the tent is free-standing, though in windy conditions you want to hold it in place one way or another. A fellow hiker with a Big Agnes on a solid rock site hadn't done that, and Agnes started off on an independent journey of her own. Fortunately, she didn't get very far before she was hauled in. So far, the tent seems very durable, and I'm looking forward to getting a lot more use out of it.

I love this tent. You could easily use it as a two man, if you are both average/slender people, but it would be snug. It has rained every time I've used this tent, but I have never had a drop inside except for the first time I tried setting it up tarp first in a downpour. It dries off incredibly fast too, which is a big bonus when you only get a few glimpses of the sun on an excursion. My absolute favorite thing about it are the tie-outs, which glow like laser beams in the dark when even the slightest light hits them. I can't count the times I've fallen flat on my face during a bathroom run due to non-reflective or inadequate reflective guy lines on my other tents.

I went from a Quarter Dome solo tent to this, because the Quarter Dome was too small to comfortably reside in during rain (taking off wet clothes was a nightmare). I was looking at the Big Agnes Seedhouse line to gain some living room but not pick up any pack-weight, but the vestibule on those seem a little awkward for storing gear and cooking in, especially when it is raining. The solo Copper Spur has so much room, it feels like a two person tent and probably could work as one if you didn't mind your feet touching your tent-mates. The main vestibule is very roomy, and fits a 65liter pack in one half along with boots, cooking gear, and with room to spare, giving me a clear path in and out of the tent during the night. However, with all the room inside the tent, I've started keeping a lot of stuff in it with me that I normally wouldn't of had room for. By the way, this tent is amazingly simple and quick to setup and is truly freestanding. My only complaint would be that it is a tad pricey, which almost made me go with something else. However, a few nights in this tent made me forget all about the hit on my pocket book.

Used it during my 300 mile AT section hike through PA, NJ to Bear Mtn NY. I have used several single and double wall tents since leaving GA. By far this is the best tent for the weight. It is roomy and comfortable yet as dry as one can expect from living in a tent in the rain and humidly of the Appalachians. I felt ventilation was adequate. Virtually all condensation was confined to the fly. Tent material is thin, but well constructed. I am 6' 175lbs and was able to comfortably fit myself and my gear inside the tent. I typically put my pack by my head and use it as a pillow...but there is still room for those that do not. No tent is perfect in a wet climate...but this tent has performed the best overall of all the tents I have used to date.

I have waited almost a year to rate this to really use and abuse it and give an accurate rating. Bottom line, this tent far exceded my expectations. I wanted a light weight solo tent for my backpacking, bike touring, and kayak adventures, and this one seemed to have the best combo of small and lightweight without sacrificing comfort. I am a decent sized guy (6ft, 220 lbs) and there is plenty of room for a weeks worth of stuff in the tent/under the vestibule. Other tents may be lighter, but only by a half a pound at best, and they require you to somersault once your inside due to a lack of side door. Plus their vestibule space is little to none. The tent is a little pricy, but worth every penny. If you are not too concerend about weight or pack size and just need a solid solo tent then get the Lynx Pass 1; it is the same tent with a little less expensive materials that weigh an extra pound and pack up a little larger, but still a solid tent. Lastly, this tent can handle anything. The first time I used it we were going on what was supposed to be a spring hike on the Superior Hiking Trail, but Minnesota's awesome weather turned that hike into a 5 inches of fresh snow and 20 degree winter hike. A few weeks later the tent shed off 3 plus inches of monsooning rain, packed it up wet, and it kept me dry through another 2 inches of rain the following night. I have been able to use it in fair weather on a few weekend bike touring trips, but it seems like the tent takes more abuse than it does in sunny weather and always keeps me dry and comfy. Luke

This tent is great. I've used it for car camping only as of now. I got it to replace my seedhouse sl1. That thing says it's freestanding but takes at least six stakes to set it up "Properly" but, it requires even more. The UL1 sets up with only two if you want to be that lazy. Also this thing is super roomy. I have actually fit in here with my girl and my dog. Great tent. Just wish the door opening on the fly was higher. Also the extra room in the back vestibule is nice for storing gear when you need that little extra amount of room.

The "very livable, roomy tent" description is absolutely true. I've felt more confined in 2-person tents that weighed almost twice as much as this remarkable design. I agree with all the positive comments and other reviews (and am perplexed by the critical notes). A pleasant surprise was the high-quality stakes that came with the tent, no cheap aluminum hook-style stakes. I've used the tent on canoe trips and backpacking treks. The relatively huge rainfly for a 1-person tent is a pleasant bonus beyond the roomy vestibules it provides (vestibule space was my trigger for paying the extra bucks for this tent). I once had to set up camp in a downpour of biblical proportions. For a person who enjoys the outdoors I loathe getting wet. But I was able to cover myself and my gear with the fly while scuttling around under it to set up the tent. I was a very happy camper that night.

Awesome tent. I researched tents for weeks before buying and do not regret this purchase at all. I thought about shaving off a few ounces for other less convenient options but am glad I didn't. This tent sets up great with only 2 stakes if needed, is very roomy for a solo tent, and breathes very well. I'd say the only downside is the price but it's worth it.

I tried several tents prior to this. I had one that was none free standing and worked very well until I found myself camping on what seemed like concrete. So I decided freestanding was the way to go. I tried the marmot eos1 but when I sat up inside it felt like was wearing a hat. The roof was pointed and very snug around my head. No way that would be fun after a night of rain. I'm 5'8 and have PLENTY of room in this tent. I don't feel confined at all. Light and packs small. The foot print is a good idea. The set up is not difficult, do it a couple times before you're camping in the dark. It survived a 5 day hike in the smokies with one night of heavy rain and another drizzle. No water got inside. The price was the only thing keeping me from initially buying this. But think of it this way. Imagine yourself at the end of a 12 mile uphill hike. you cook some warm food and get ready for bed. You set up this bad boy and think, "Yes, I'm glad I have this tent instead of (whatever)"