Big Agnes  Copper Spur UL2 Tent

I've used this tent on four trips this summer, the longest spanning 17 nights and 193 miles on the Oregon PCT. I purchased the 2 person tent, because my canine companion joined me and I wanted her to have a mosquito-less dry area to sleep. The tent provided plenty of space for both of us and my pack. The materials stood up well to stretching paws and excited morning canine dancing and leaning against tent walls. It kept me dry on rainy nights and handled strong gusty winds at Clark Lake. With a BA footprint and three additional lightweight stakes the total weight was 3lbs. 7oz. Next summer I get to share the weight with a friend on the JMT. LOVE this tent!

I own 2 Copper Spur Tents. A UL2 and a UL3. The UL2 is the one I use when going solo. At first I was concerned with the thinness of the material, but so far, so good. I did purchase the optional Big Agnes footprint for added durability. I prefer to keep my pack and other gear inside the tent, and the UL2 is the perfect fit. Dual entrances, with large door openings, make getting in and out easy. At first I wasn't sure if I would like the way the doors open, but after using the UL2 and UL3 on several trips, they are just fine. Having used the tent in both summer and winter, have had no issues with condensation. Setup is quick and easy with the hub system. Just a few minutes from start to finish. The trail weight of this tent is very acceptable. Lightest tents I've ever owned.

This is my goto tent when I don't know what the weather & terrain may hold, and more so when my wife is along. Although I wish it could be lighter, it's not that bad considering the versatility. My first thought is no tent at all (only a survival blanket) but this depends on other gear factors like a warm waterproof sleeping bag, etc. This tent meets all the comfort factors; side double entry, room to store stuff, headroom (verticle walls), double walls (keep away from condensation), freestanding (ease of positioning & setting up on rock), high bathtub floor (cleaner & dryer), and bug netting. It can be set up without fly or without tent (fly & footprint only). A word about condensation. All tents have this problem, some more that others. Something tells me that sil-nylon materials are not the same, but mostly condensation is a result of poor ventilation. The more ventilation and ability to adjust the the tent the better. That's where the double side entry helps unless it is raining, wind blowing, and cold. If this is the case, choose your poison. Or, get out of the tent and start walking. I have other tents that are lighter, but often wished I had my BA. Like when pelting rain on the outside was knocking the inside condensation into a fine mist (on me!). Although I try to match my tent to anticipated conditions on the trail, I find that my BA gives me more pease of mind, which for me is the whole point of the journey. So this tent is a good choice. I even gave one to my son who has been using it in Colorado, the PCT, Big Bend, and currently in Idaho (he says it's cold in Dec) .

I used this on my 1000 mile hike on the PCT with my husband. It was roomy, the vestibules had plenty of space to store extra gear at night, and had plenty of interior pockets to keep things organized. Also it's so light for how much room it has. My only complaint is that it wore pretty quickly. We used the footprint and camped on durable surfaces, but we quickly got holes in the bottom of the tent. Given the fact that we used it everyday for about 3 months, this can be expected, but it was annoying to have to patch the holes all the time! Also I wish it had one more vent on the other side to create a cross breeze. It collected a lot of condensation.

My first trip on this tent was four days of rain up the Necklace Valley to Tank Lakes in the Central Cascades. We didnt get many clear hours but the Copper Spur kept me dry every night. Plenty of space for a 65L pack in each vestibule, and ample space between the tent body and rain fly to prevent condensation drips. Stayed comfortable into the low 30s. One big plus is the ability to pitch under the rain fly, I didn't have to expose the body to rain during setup or takedown. Given the very thin and light floor material, a footprint is a must. I can't recommend BAs fly because of cost, but be sure to get something. The weight and space of this tent are fantastic, on a solo trip it is light enough to carry and big enough to spread out your gear inside to dry.

After pouring over many test comparisons and reviews, I bit the bullet and ponied up the big bucks for this amazing tent. It's first test was at the top of the Snow creek trail in Yosemite NP. We dropped our packs and had the BA up in minutes. It kept us dry and snug in the cloud/rain storm we slept in. The only issue I've had is that the stuff sack is coming apart at the seams after it's first trip afield.

Wanted to love this tent but the tapered footprint makes it crowded for two people of average height and build (thus the 4 stars). I use a wide mat since I'm a side sleeper and this left inadequate space for another normal sized matt and left my parter squished to the side. Even with two normal sized matts I felt that this tent would have us both crammed in and our matt/bags touching the tent sides. If the footprint were rectangular like the rest of the tents in this series, it would likely have been ok. Decided to go with the 3 man. It is a little heavier but worth it to get a good night's sleep and be comfortable.

After a lot of research and a few returned tents, this is the one me and my friends settled on. Really, really easy to set up. Very light, and sturdy. We had really strong winds, and this stood up to them. It rained on us daily, and not a drop inside. This one is better than Fly Creek, because of the extra head room. I use a two person for just me. Worth the extra pound. If I go with someone, it is wide enough for two, but I am not sure if I use my 25 inch wide sleeping pad, if there is room at the foot for the second pad even if it is 20 inches. I will have to try it.

I purchased this tent after many MANY months of deliberation over how the Copper Spur UL 2 would compare against other tents in it's class, including the incredible Fly Creek UL1, which I returned for the Copper Spur. But now that I've been able to take it out on a few outings, I can say with confidence that I'm incredibly happy with my decision! 1. This tent is TRULY free standing, technically only needing stakes if you're using the rain-fly. The number of stakes required is further reduced because a single stake at the back of the tent can be used to secure three separate guylines. When camping in very rocky areas, soft dirt real estate can be tough to find, so having fewer stakes or rocks to tie things down reduces setup time. 2. Light weight, with everything coming in at 2.5 to 3 pounds. Poles also collapse down into a much shorter profile for easy packing that tents with longer poles. 3. Roomy design with TONS of head room, and actually enough space for two medium sized adults. At 5'10, I had a lot of space while laying down, so taller folks will enjoy. The cross bar at the top of the tent is awesome! 4. Two HUGE doors and vestibules, making for great ventilation and comfortable tent sharing. e.g. Bag storage, bathroom exits, etc. 5. Ventilation with and without the fly is superb. When staked out properly, there is plenty of room for air to move in and out of the tent. There is a little vent at the top and to the back of the tent that allows for hot air to rise and exit, without letting water in. There's really only couple of issues I have with this tent. First, the cost of the footprint is ridiculous. I opted for a generic lightweight tarp for literally less than a tenth of the cost and is much more versatile and durable. Second, I wish I could open and close the rainfly top vent without having to exit the tent. I might look for a way to modify the tent for this purpose, perhaps by adding a zipper to the mesh. I will likely buy this tent again as a second shelter for my kids. Love it. Highly recommended!

I bought this for an overnight backpacking trip at the end of April on Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts. It rained and snowed and kept me warm and dry. - Quick and easy set up (took me less than 5 mins) - Rainfly included - Rainfly allows for a little "portico" so you can be in your tent and out of the rain/snow but take your boots off (and on) easily outside without having to bring in mud - Plenty of room (though it was just me + all of my gear, another person + their gear could have squeezed) - Convenient pockets to store things you want to reach easily in middle of night (headlamp, phone, TP, etc.) My only suggestion would be to devise a small clothing line you can hang up inside to dry out gear (I will do this for my next trip). **I also splurged and purchased the coordinating footprint which was worth it because the ground beneath my tent got muddy fast so it just kept the tent that much cleaner