REI Co-op  Dash 2 Tent

I purchased this tent in February of 2014. I have used it on three two-night backpacking outings so far. The first night was in a wind/rain storm (moderate) and the tent very performed well, no leaks at all. In general the tent is made of strong but very light weight material. I wanted a two person light weight tent specifically for backpacking and wanted to keep the weight to a minimum. It does weigh in as advertised. So far I am very pleased with the quality and performance. I can assemble it in less than 2 minutes without any issue. I did replace the tent stakes to shave off a couple more ounces and get something stronger.

When I saw this tent in the store, I was very excited about the specs and had to buy it. I love that it was as roomy as the Big Agnes Copper Spur, but Wade about the same as the Fly Creek. However, after setting it up in my living room and truly thinking through the design, I will be returning it for a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 instead. First the positives. This was by far the easiest tent I've ever set up. It is completely intuitive, the poles spring into shape, and takes less than a minute. Interior height was terrific, as was the room inside. The floorplan is similar to the big Agnes fly Creek, but the addition of a second door makes it much friendlier as a two-man tent. Now for the reasons I'm returning it. 1. Although this tent is marketed as being lighter than its competitors, it really isn't. The weight savings on the body of content is accomplished by using a 15 denier nylon, but it's hard to imagine using that thin a tub on the type of terrain we encounter in Texas without the footprint. The 3-5 oz savings on the tent body is more than offset by the footprint which is significantly heavier than the footprint on my old REI quarterdome and it's competitors. For example, the total weight of this tent plus footprint is greater than the big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 with footprint. Also, the coated tub of the Copper Spur makes it possible to use the tent without a footprint - something I would never do with the Dash 2. 2. The rain fly design curves at the bottom and provides less coverage from the elements than one would expect. The shape and height from the ground on the vestibules would not protect a pack or boots well, especially since you have half the space of its competitor. The rain fly also misses on extra ventilation that is featured in the old quarterdomes and the big Agnes designs. Bottom line is that this might be great if you're camping on soft terrain and you are easy on gear. But if you are spending this much money and want something built to last, the Copper Spur UL2 is a far better choice. Less weight (total weight for real conditions), stronger materials, DAC stakes, and double the vestibule space.