Copper Spur 2 Platinum

I agree, I don’t think a post about freestanding tents belongs on this subreddit at all. I have BA Copper Spur 2 and I would never recommend it for UL. I’m looking to upgrading to a DCF trekking pole tent soon myself.

I kinda had the same thing. We decided to get a 3p tent because our two wide pads were smacking together in the copper spur 2. The whole copper spur line is on sale rn bc of the new hyperbead copper spur. We’re also eyeing a zenbivvy double bed, but that’s very expensive and will only be a purchase I’m willing to make if we end up camping together a lot or one of my buddies takes up cuddling.

All copper spurs can pitch fly first with the footprint.

My first backpacking tent was a half dome. Great bang for the buck buck and watch for their big sales when REI brand gear gets discounted. I have since purchased a BA Coper Spur 2 but don’t recommend that if you are looking for a bit of durability… it is light light light… but you also have to be careful with it.

Why would you carry a two person tent on the pct? Do not underestimate the impact of carrying more weight than you need. I hiked the pct - my tent was 16 oz vs the copper super 2p at 2lb 10oz, a massive weight penalty. Given you almost certainly will be carrying trekking poles I think you’d be insane to carry a 2 person freestanding tent. Get a 1 person tent period. Extra space and weight is a NEGATIVE. you will want a small floor plan to fit into tight spaces. You want light weight. You will be carrying trekking poles, so make sure those poles are double duty meaning they also support your tent.

2 person tent is probably the worst ‘bang for the buck’ weight upgrade you can do on trail, unless you are literally too tall to fit into a one person tent. Sleeping in a two person tent is exactly the same thing as a one person tent. It’s not more comfortable. It’s far worse. It’s an extra pound you are carrying for 2650 miles. If op is a big guy he should be 1) getting a long & wide sleeping bag and 2) getting a long and wide sleeping pad. Those two things will make a huge difference in terms of comfort. A 2 person tent gives you almost zero positives unless you are literally over 6’5” Having a larger tent gives you nothing but downside unless you physically cannot fit into a one person tent due to being 6’5” or above. I’m 6’2”. Having a roomier tent isn’t nicer in trail, it’s worse. I’d much rather carry a 1 person tent, and put the extra weight / bulk into almost anything else except a 2 person tent. I don’t think it’s common at all for people to use 2 person tents on trail at least when I hiked the pct. When do you hike the pct?

I have the copper Spur 2 and my buddy has the Nemo 2 man (don’t know the model). It’s a tossup on which is better in the rain.

Keep your eyes on sites like Geartrade and Steep & Cheap or even FB Marketplace. I bought a BA Copper Spur 2L about four years ago. Best piece of camping/backpacking equipment I ever purchased.

Check out geartrade.com. I have a Big Agnes Copper Spur 2L. Takes about 7 minutes to set up and can handle some serious weather.

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.