Big Agnes  Salt Creek 2 Tent

While I have owned this tent for several years, I finally had an opportunity to give it a thorough test last month. In August, I completed a 2 week bike ride around Lake Michigan. The Salt Creek 2 was the tent I chose for this trip. It proved to be ideal. Even though I traveled solo, I came to appreciate the extra space, especially when the weather was bad. Several mornings, I packed up wet, due to rain or heavy dew, but then at lunch break, it would quickly dry when hung over a line or bushes. Some nights were quite warm, so the generous mesh outer was a real benefit. The fly design is awesome too - Like a clam shell, it's designed to cover the back 1/2 of tent, but then can quickly be pulled all the way over if the weather turns through the night. Pocket placement is well thought out too - glasses, phone, charger, etc - a place for everything. Plus a nice loop in the ceiling to hang you headlamp too. Although I typically use just Tyvek for a ground cloth, I popped for the official BA ground sheet, and am really glad I did. I proved to be quite tough, dried quickly, and integrates well with the tent. I know there are bike specific tents, but for this trip I used a rear rack and panniers, so the longer pole length wasn't an issue for me. Bike touring or backpacking, this tent is a solid choice.