Big Agnes - Blacktail 4

I have a Big Agnes. Love the tent and love the brand.

I have a copper spur 2 person that I’ve taken both my kids in on separate occasions. I didn’t want anything too fragile so stayed away from the platinum models. I’ve since picked up a xmid 1p and obviously use that for solo outings. We are now at the point where we need two 2p shelters and I’m looking to add a xmid 2p+ at some point. We have a 4 person big Agnes tent but it’s a bit heavy and 4 people in a 4 person tent is a little rough when they get older. The best part of the copper spur is pairing it with a two person pad and two person quilt. The entire floor becomes a bed and is very comfortable. The two person quilt keeps the jimmy legs in without having to carry two sleeping bags, so for the person carrying it saves a good bit of weight. If I had to start over I’d probably make the same decisions. A freestanding tent is a bit easier if you aren’t used to trekking pole tents. My first outing with my xmid was on hard packed ground in the desert where it was really difficult to get stakes in the ground. The tent blew over during a thunderstorm that evening. If I were going on the same trip again I’d probably just take the copper spur. So for me it was about having some flexibility and diversity of functions when building out my gear closet.

Big Agnes, MSR, and Nemo are 3 of the best tent brands available. I ran the warranty desk for an outdoor gear company, and saw the least amount of warranty issues with those brands. They’re not inexpensive, but, you get what you pay for. I have a Big Agnes tent that’s at least 10 years old, we use it regularly and only have to hose the dirt off. It’s amazing. Nemo is awesome too, I know a lot of people with Nemo tents and they love them. I just got an MSR 3 person tent and absolutely love it. Definitely get a 2 person tent. The general rule is to take however many people will be sleeping in the tent, and add 1. So 1 person = 2 person tent, 2 ppl = 3 person tent and so on. A 2 person tent is more comfortable for having your gear inside the tent, changing your clothes, etc. If you don’t plan to go backpacking with it, I’d get a 3-4 person tent just for the space.

After dealing with a warranty issue with Durston I would rather deal with Big Agnes

Big Agnes warranty and customer service help is top-notch. I sent them an email earlier this week and they responded within minutes with a fix that allowed me not to send the tent in and repair it myself.

Tough to choose light AND strong. Since the strength comes from the tent poles and lighter tends use less tent poles. I would say the strength would also come from how and where you pitch the tent. Pitching it slightly protected or if the wind will help a ton. Also pitching the vestibule into the wind will help with the aerodynamics. Don't just pitch the tent any which way. Think about how the wind will hit the tent. Check out Big Agnes... I've been in some blizzards with them... held the weight of the snow and kept Standing after heavy winds

Try the REI re/supply. I got a Big Agnes tent that retails for $499 for $134. Also, REI sale is coming up in a few weeks and there will probably be a good deal on their own brand tents and others.

I ended up ordering a Big Agnes Blacktail 4p tent with footprint. I'm also looking at picking up a tarp or blanket to line the inner of the tent. The Blacktail has got a much roomier interior (including 50" peak height) and tougher/heavier materials (75-denier floor and fly) than the ultralight 1p and 2p backpacking tent I'm used to using, but is still more lightweight and compact than a full-sized family car camping tent. I almost went with the Blacktail 3p but the 50" peak height on the 4p really sealed the deal for me. Other boxes it checks for me are good ventilation (two peak vents in the fly plus low vent configurations for the fly doors), generous vestibules, and minimally curved door zippers on the inner. With the footprint I think I can also do a fly first pitch in wet weather to keep the tent inner a bit more dry. I'm hoping it hits that sweet spot between giving my dog and I plenty of room to spread out and maybe even set up a (very low) chair for hanging out inside if it's rainy/buggy, toughness to withstand extra wear and tear from my dog, but also not being so huge that it's a struggle to set up solo or takes up tons of space in my car or stored in my house. Plus it's a size that I could still use for actual backpacking if split between 2-3 people, or even carry it solo for short distance, walk-in campsites. The lower profile versus the high rise style tents will hopefully help keep it from getting damaged or blown away if the wind picks up, something I've read about in a number of reviews for tents like the Aurora Highrise or the Wawona.

I have two Blacktail tents from Big Agnes that I use for car and canoe camping that have been great. We were just out in the BWCA last week and stayed dry in a 24 hour rain that included ~3 inches of rain with an inch of it coming down in about an hour. They are more expensive, but have held up very well over the six or so years we’ve owed them.

https://geartrade.ca/ they stock a bit of budget gear and they are not amazon. Also try thelasthunt.com, and https://www.sportchek.ca/en.html they can have some good gear in clearance. I really enjoy my big agnes tent and they are available in long, but they are pricy when not on sale.