How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

An ultralight shelter for 1 camper, this Big Agnes tent goes up quickly and easily. Its single-pole system is easy and efficient, and the single vestibule expands the usable space.
Imported.
View the Big Agnes Tiger Wall Product LineView all Big Agnes Backpacking TentsBest Use | Backpacking |
---|---|
Seasons | 3-season |
Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
Minimum Trail Weight | 1 lb. 14 oz. |
Fly / Footprint Pitch Weight | 1 lb. 7 oz. |
Packaged Weight | 2 lbs. 2 oz. |
Packed Size | 5.5 x 17 inches |
Floor Dimensions | 86 x 38/28 (L x W head/foot) inches |
Floor Area | 19 square feet |
Vestibule Area | 8 square feet |
Peak Height | 39 inches |
Number of Doors | 1 door |
Number of Poles | 1 |
Pole Material | DAC Featherlite NFL aluminum |
Pole Diameter | 8.7 millimeters |
Canopy Fabric | Solution-dyed nylon ripstop breathable and polyester mesh |
Floor Fabric | Solution-dyed, silicone-treated nylon ripstop with a 1,200 mm waterproof polyurethane coating |
Rainfly Fabric | Solution-dyed, silicone-treated nylon ripstop with a 1,200 mm waterproof polyurethane coating |
Footprint Included | No |
Ultralight | Yes |
Design Type | Semifreestanding |
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
I bought this tent less than a year ago, I have used it a few times. It's great for good weather, although people are right when they say you have to find the perfect spot to stake the tent down. The floor basin of the tent requires stakes to stand up right, so if you can't get the right spot to stake, your tent will not be set up properly. I recently took this tent on a 4 day trip with rain in the forecast. The rain fly completely failed. I woke up to a huge puddle in my tent, all of my gear completely saturated with water. I also had a constant drip on my head all night long, and I was struggling to keep warm. On top of this, the flap on the rain fly door (that folds over the zipper) got jammed so badly in the zipper that I was locked in my tent. I had no choice but to bust the door open, which resulted in a huge rip. I do not recommend this tent. For the price, I am so disappointed. I unfortunately am not buying Big Agnes again.
Plastic clip that holds the rain fly and tent to the stake broke in the first 5 minutes of use. Highly disappointed in the Big Agnes quality on this one, especially for the cost.
While this tent is awesome when it comes to weight and packability, it fails supremely in durability. I just used it on a six day backpacking trip in Sequoia Kings Canyon NP, and by day four, the rainfly had tiny little holes starting to appear. I babied this thing. I used a more durable footprint from another tent to protect the floor and rolled the tent up ever so gently on top of the footprint each day. Nonetheless, it still shows significant wear. I am just thankful that I had clear weather for my trip. I’m going to seam seal the worn areas and hope that I can still get some use out of it. I’ll probably carry it only when the weather is certain to be clear because I don’t trust that I can rely on it for rain protection. For the money, this thing is just not worth it. What good are all the environmental considerations taken into place when it was manufactured if the user has to buy another tent to stay dry?
At less than 2# this is definitely a UL tent. However, in achieving that objective it also has the typical issues of durability found with UL tents in general. Consequently, care needs to be taken in site selection and handling to reduce wear and tear. A ground cloth is a must to protect the bottom material. That said, the $60 price for the BA Footprint is ridiculous. There are several much less expensive options that fill the need. The setup is easy and intuitive. Overall the tent is sound in most weather. Extended high wind and downpours can cause problems if not securely staked out. The 8 stakes supplied are insufficient for extreme conditions, I recommend 4 additional stakes to fully stretch and support the tent during windy and wet conditions. With a $370 price I find it annoying that you need to pay for additional stakes that are necessary for a sound setup! At 6'-1" the tent is roomy enough to accommodate my length when laying flat or seated to change clothes. The full double wall design really aids in minimizing condensation issues. Overall this is a good UL 1 person tent. I use it in the mountains of Colorado and it supplies the required protection I need. That said it is a 1 person UL tent and has the design restrictions of that objective.
I ordered this tent and set it up in my living room, and immediately returned it and ordered the copper spur. You have to stake out the footbox of this tent in two places, however, the chords that run from the footbox are NOT adjustable at all and are a fixed length, meaning if you don’t get an absolutely perfect stake, you have to re-stake it instead of just adjust. For me, an extra 4 ounces for the copper spur fully free standing tent was immediately worth it. Also, the material of the tiger wall is incredibly thin. The tiger wall is made of 15D fabric, while the copper spur is a blend of 15d and 20D fabric. From setting up both tents in my living room, I noticed a difference in durability for sure. I can understand the choices they made with the tiger wall, thinner fabric and non-adjustable cords, in order to save 4oz from the copper spur 1p. Because who in their right mind would by the semi freestanding tent if the freestanding one was practically the same weight? But I don’t like the sacrifice in terms of durability and adjustments while staking out the footbox. It’s a well designed tent and if you are super into weight savings and good at staking, I would still recommend this tent. But to me it is not worth the hassle for 4oz.
Used in the Grand Canyon for 7 day backpacking trip. Held up to rain, sand, and rough gravel. Material is quite thin however.
Would use it only for summer trips. Good tent for weekend trips.
Solid ultralight one person tent. I just came back from five nights in sawtooth wilderness and this tent delivered. I’m 6’4” so my toes touched the bottom and my head touched the top, but the mosquitoes could not get to me and this thing set up really easily. It was super light. It did not rain much when we were there so I don’t really know how it would do in a storm, but it’s great for bugs and it’s super easy to set up and I’m satisfied with my purchase.
I bought this tent last year on sale. Although it is a 3 person tent I wouldn't (but could) use it for 3 people. It is perfect for 2 people. Very easy to put up and durable. Love that it has a door on both sides. The only negative is that the fabric gets stuck in the zipper of the fly.
I bought this tent several years ago and had several years of good use on frequent summer car camps and backpack trips. When the seams started leaking I bought this new one and expect to get several more years of good use from it. I like its light weight and ease of entry, by having its entrance on the side. I'm glad it was still available when I needed a replacement.