Big Agnes - Copper Spur HV UL1

Hmmmm,  I used to own a Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 and never had any problems with it.  It worked very well in high winds and rain if I had it properly staked out with guy lines.  I currently have a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 that I love.   It holds up in the wind rain and light snow without a problem and weighs just about 2lbs.  There is a reason why it has received highest honors for years now throughout the backpacking industry.  Now with that being said I purchased a Durston DCF X Mid 1Pro about a year ago and have used it a few times instead of the Copper Spur.  Mainly because of the weight savings- roughly a pound.  Both tents are top notch and have their pros and cons.  Just as every other tent out there.  For me, I like that the Copper Spur is totally free standing and quite easy to setup.  It has plenty of interior space inside the tent as well as the vestibule.  I like that I can set it up without the fly for clear nights.  The Durston is a bit more finicky when it comes to getting a good pitch.  Once you have figured it out the tent is like nothing else.   It's incredibly light and it works as a bomber shelter.  The drawbacks are that it doesn't ventilate as well as the BA and tends to have more issues with condensation.  Of course that is common with all single wall tents.   Other than that the Durston is very roomy and I like the fact that it has 2 vestibule. You can't go wrong with either tent.  I have to say that there several tents mentioned in the comments that have caught my eye.   Nemo makes a nice 1 person semi free standing  shelter  as does Slingfin - Tarptent has one I would like to check out as well.  It's hard to make a bad choice with all the good options out there .

Finished the Continental Divide last September using a 2-person trekking-pole tent. Now I’m in my 70th day of winter hiking in Italy using a freestanding one person. I much prefer the freestanding. I don’t use trekking poles most of the time and have left that weight at home. I don’t believe the freestanding is necessarily giving me better wind protection, but it certainly does better structurally in high winds. And because it’s a 1 person it’s lighter. It also, as you mentioned, can be used on hard surfaces. Oh…I’m in a big Agnes…but I’m stealth camping, don’t know the name and don’t want to light up the tent. Copper spur?

big agnes copper spur hv ul1 That was easier than I thought. Got it on sale for $160 US. Very happy with it while simultaneously very angry at Big Agnes for their defective pads. ( seam welds leak after 1 month on the first, two weeks on the replacement…and I expect the same when I get the third. Also they couldn’t replace the light model I had “not in stock” both times. They replaced it with a much heavier model) Anyway…why do I like it: Good storage slots in the mesh; big one over the foot area, one on the right above your head, a similar one on the left but that has an additional slot under it but smaller. And then one near your head in the basin area. There’s a few attachment loops I haven’t used. There is a band of material you can stuff the end of the open door in so you don’t need to carefully roll it up. Like it. In the mountains I had miserable high winds for ten days. Didn’t do all the guy lines and while the fabric certainly got blown around, I never had to go out in the freezing rain to do and emergency fixes. Could just be luck though. Don’t like: the clips from the tent to tent-fly connection are a little fussy. Since I stealth close to cities sometimes, they can be difficult in the dark. Also, they can easily get jammed with dirt in certain soil conditions. This could be my slob personality though. Anyway, the fussy clips are a minor issue. I think it’s great. I do mis being spoiled with a two person and having my gear inside…but my pack was too bulky and it’s always way heavier than other distance hikers. ( hate the cost and low durability of ultralight gear I’ve used)

I have no info about this tent, however, you could order your tent from a US site ( much cheaper because of lower taxes due to crap healthcare) and have it delivered to a hotel where you’ll be staying. Contact the hotel and ask first, then make the reservation when they say yes. Or if you know someone, have it sent to them. I have had things delivered to hotels about 5 times. I time it to get there a few days before me and make sure the address includes, “hold for Aussie guest ____”. Or ignore this. As far as tents: I have extensive camping and hiking experience (I’m winter camping in Italy now in the tent I’m about to recommend,45 days out in snow and rain so far) I have camped on average 250 days/year for the last 14 years (including your Grampians). I’m using the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 now and it’s my favorite of the 25 tents I’ve owned or made from tyvek. I got lucky and found it on sale at $150usd. It’s a 3 season and I’ll use it for all 4. As far as tents good in heat…I’ve never had one. The Cpper Spur will be fine without the fly for ventilation, but in full sun, with the fly for shade, I always get baked no matter the tent. Have a good trip. Edit: it weighs just over a kilo and has withstood the last week of winds over 70 freezing kph. Great storage pockets, obviously designed by someone who camps often. Also, my beige color is great for my “stealth”camping needs.

That is one of the best free standing, backpacking tents you can get without spending a fortune. I have the 1P and the 3P versions of that tent. They are my favorite tents (I have several others, too many if you ask my wife). The 2P tent will not fit two 25 inch sleeping pads, which is why I got the 3P tent for me and my wife. That price is a steal. You almost never see that tent at 50% off.

If you want a free standing tent and like your MSR Hubba NX, you can’t go wrong with a copper spur. I own an MSR Hubba Hubba, Copper Spur HV UL1, and a Zpacks duplex. The MSR and copper spur are basically the same tent with a few minor differences: - copper spur is marginally lighter - msr has more metal clips so is likely more durable than some of the plastic clips on the copper spur (although I haven’t had any issues) - I prefer the interior pockets on the copper spur vs the msr and like that it’s two perpendicular zips per door instead of one big curved zip which is sometimes harder to open when not pitched perfectly taut.

I have that BA tent. I love it and will never use a trekking pole tent again.

Sorry, the Copper Spur 1

I don’t get the arguments about not being able to fit your gear in a 1p tent. People can fit all their gear into a 50 L backpack, but once the sleeping bag and sleeping pad are removed they’re not able to fit the rest of the stuff near their feet? Getting him a huge tent just because you want the extra room is actually a bit selfish in my opinion because of all the extra room you take at campsites. Big Agnes has been running a lot of sales in local sporting good stores and I think their Copper Spur 1p fantastic.

I gave up on trekking pole tents because I too am getting old and hate spending time finagling 6 guy outs and still rarely getting a great pitch. The one man copper spur is my new freestanding tent. It did fine for a week in the high Sierra - stood up to wind and weather and has a huge shelf for storage which I came to love. They go on sale periodically for around 300 bucks. Of course the Durston freestanding tent came out and I'm intrigued...

I like my BA Copper Spur 1p tent. But I started with an REI half dome 2p tent because I was going with others more often. My next tent will probably be a Dursten tent to save weight on the poles.

Yeah, I figured. I have a Big Agnes tent that I got for a great deal. It's only a one man tent, and I wish I would have opted for the two man tent so I have more room for my gear. I think you're right, just a gimmick. Happy trails my friend.

I actually have a very nice Big Agnes one man tent. I was more interested in this pop-up tent for like 2 day picnic trips with my family every blue moon when the weather is fair. I usually camp alone, but I was recently welcomed into a beautiful family. Would be nice to just pop out that fuggin' thing.. like a lame-a** magic trick.

Big agnus, copper spur HV UL 1 or 2 person tent, pair it with a NeoAir pad, get the wide size

Great tent. Would jump on it if you don’t have any other preferences. We push the shoulder seasons in the Rockies with a Big Agnes.

Big Agnes’s Copper Spur HV UL. Great tent. The foot print is extra but is really nice as it allows you to set up the fly without the tent canopy. Then it serves more like a tarp when appropriate and saves you weight. Nice option. You can find them in the upper end of your price range if you watch the sales.

Excellent tent and an excellent deal. I'm an Eagle Scout and I would have flipped out if my mom had ever bought me camping gear this nice. I will say, it is a "2" person tent but like most it is tight with 2 people. One person and their gear inside the tent will fit fine. For me, I much prefer ultralight tents nowadays like the Durston Xmid style, which really are around the same price and quite a lot lighter. But. For short scout trips and for a free stranding tent this cannot be beat. It's worth the $500 retail and at less than $300 it's an absolute steal. Also I'm 6'4" so the "long" version would be appreciated. What I'm trying to get at is... I'm 38 yrs old but will you adopt me and get me one too?

I have this tent as well great tent, personally I would prefer to buy from Backcountry or Public Lands or REI instead of Amazon, get the footprint as well which would be a separate purchase

I have this and while I like it I kind of wish I got an MSR instead. Nicer for the same weight

It held up getting clipped by a typhoon camped on the side of a mountain. The winds were intense enough that the crosspole very occasionally dipped down and touched me but it was otherwise very good. Many other tents collapsed, etc., but it was at a music festival so you can bet it was some of their first times camping. But yeah, that was the one and only time that's ever come close to happening so I would take that more as a positive. Anyway, the walls of the tent are solid at the bottom and that's enough to keep any wind off of you while lying down.

Excellent purchase. That tent has been good to me over the years.

I’ve got this exact tent and paid twice as much. I think the long is overkill for your use case. I’m almost 7’ and have a little extra length. If he’s 6’ he’ll have 14”-16” of extra length. As for the tent itself it’s fantastic, easy to setup, great in strong wind & rain, versatile. I’d definitely recommend it. Also get the footprint for the tent, will help preserve the floor, and acts as a moisture barrier.

I’ve got several tents and the one in your picture is one of them. Blackmail 3P I think. I’ve also got the copper spur. The black tail is a tank. I only use it for trips where there’s support, like ragbrai. I use the copper spur for overnight/easier riding trips. For actual bike packing / serious miles, I go with an ultra lite HMG mid-1. The black tail is cool and giant, but it’s a big heavy load too.

I have the same two tents and I totally agree. I only keep my Copper Spur as a backup.

I love my Copper Spur!

They are great tents and you don’t have to use trekking poles for them. On the Copper Spur it’s optional. Otherwise it’s a normal vestibule.

The critical feature for use on tent platforms is to be completely free-standing. Not semi-freestanding,  not mostly free-standing. 100% free-standing. I would recommend a tent with its own poles rather than a trekking pole tent for platform use. Our Big Agnes Copper Spur has worked well. We've never tried to share a single platform with another tent, but since we are not going solo we have a tent large enough for the two of us. The Whites can be a tough place to camp because they are so heavily used.

The main tent that comes to mind as stronger, cheaper, and lighter that doesn't make large compromises to usability is the durston x-mid. And it still makes some compromises in that it isn't freestanding. For 3 season backpacking in Colorado/rocky mountain US the copper.spur is solid.

big agnes, copper spur. its only 3 season but i've used it in light snow. also doesnt way a tone

I love my copper spur! It’s very similar to the dragonfly.

I use a free standing because I normally need my hands free for kiddos (or even when I camp with the Boy Scouts) so no poles I like my BA copper spur

Tiger wall is semi free standing IIRC. Not sure if that matters to you, but worth noting. I have the copper spur and it's incredible. None of these are bad options though

Through the PCT and CDT I’ve had a Big Agnes copper spur, Zpack duplex, Tarptent Notch Li and a Durston Xmid Pro in search of the perfect tent. Xmid pro was my favorite. I recommend the dyneema bathtub on it.

Me too. I’m 6’1, 180, and it is just right. I do have the hotel fly, so my pack can sleep outside; it would be pretty cramped if I had to bring my 60L pack inside with me…

I bought one last year for individual use, since it was 55% off. It’s super light and good for summer conditions. Spacious for a single person. Pitched it on hard dirt and was fine. It’s flimsy and I wouldn’t trust it high up on a mountain with winds. For recent July Rainier summit, I used a BA Copper Spur.

Also thumbs up on copper spur. Have 1P - Long enough to my 6'5" frame and can sit up in it. Paks nicely onto bike. Pricey though

I second the big agnes copper spur

Tents— big Agnes copper spur/ hilleberg Get a 3 person if bringing 2 people Sleeping bags— western mountaineering Get a bag designed for colder than you plan. You can just unzip for a blanket. Sleeping pad— excellent options for fairly lightweight with minimal deflation issues. Check out big Agnes and Nemo. Flextail makes an inflater that I cannot say enough about. Camp chair— nice feature to have for comfort. I have tried a bunch, but for me, the big Agnes skyline sits just right for the size and weight. Tarp— this may be an overlooked option, but Cooke custom sewing makes a tarp that is absolutely second to none. I strung this 10x15 rascal over the firepit this spring in the BWCA and it withstood two days of 60 mph winds, hail, and driving rain while being completely leak free. 10/10 Have a headlamp or flashlight. If you leave your phone(recommended), you shouldn’t need a power bank at all. Probably a couple spare batteries. Trowel, toilet paper, saw, axe, lighter, compass, maps, depending on your location. Bug spray/ sunscreen/headnet/hat/ Fishing gear? Book? Paper, pen? Coffee—you don’t need to cook, but coffee or tea are nice sometimes. Consider a jetboil. Lightweight, but can make drinks or heat up water for freeze dried meals/ oatmeal. Pocket knife is handy Have a good time!

Just spent 5 days in a friend's copper spur and it was great. Not too heavy between two people.

Yea copper spur is top dog here

I've had the Copper Spur for about five years and recommend it. The fabric is so thin that I was worried about durability at first, but it hasn't failed me yet. Not a lot of vestibule space, though. Just enough for your shoes. The shock cord inside the tent poles went loose on me about a year ago, but they were easy to replace.

I camp a lot in the whites. I hate camping on platforms or in areas with other people but when I do I use a big agnes. Seedhouse I believe. It's a tiny 2 person so it's a nice one person tent. Sort of semi freestanding so you don't have to go to much effort to secure it and once you are inside it isn't going anywhere. I have a few two person big agnes tents and they are all similar. Copper spur and something else.

Honestly, it's plenty big for 2 adults. Two 25" mats fit easily and head room by the poles is great. Not that bad on the low sides either. My main problem in the mountains has always been finding a big enough spot to put it. The footprint under the fly is huge for a two-person. Often have to get creative to get a stormworthy pitch. Getting the perfect pitch can be tricky, but getting one that's good enough isn't usually too hard. As far as other options, the tarptent triple rainbow might be worth a look as well. I Believe the double rainbow can accommodate two wide mattresses, but it gets narrow towards the top. I've personally preferred the triple over the big Agnes because it uses more durable fabric. I had a copper spur for two seasons and had to patch the floor multiple times.

My only note about CS- the floor is tapered, not square. So are you sharing it and what shape/size are your sleeping mats?

"very, very heavy" is a bit of an exaggeration. The most popular options like Big Agnes Copper Spur or Nemo Dragonfly are 1.4-1.6 kg and would fold down at half the wind speed OP is asking for. If the Salewa can take the 90 km/h they claim, it is impressive. I know there are light strong tent options like the Tarptent Scarp 2 (once you add the crossing poles is a bit over 2 kg) or the Portal Slingfin (it mar be able to take strong winds too, 1.5 kg with the option of adding trekking poles for strength). And of course some even stronger from Hilleberg, but are not lighter. What options do you suggest for tents that can take 100 km/h and are much lighter? edit: for context, this is the description of a 100 km/h wind, a storm/whole gale, 10 on the beaufort scale *Seldom experienced inland; trees uprooted; considerable structural damage* [*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort\_scale#Modern\_scale*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale#Modern_scale)

Big Agnes Copper Spur. I’m 6’4 240 and I use the 3 man for backpacking with 1 other person and a dog and it’s great. The 2 man is a single or 1 person + 1 dog. If you’re going to use on a moto with any regularity get the bike packing one. It’s the same as the other except the poles are shorter and fit in panniers better.

Big agness copper spur is a great tent that has served me well. I like the looks of the durston x dome but haven’t tried one.

Family of 3 and we won tickets to the Kerrville Folkmusic Festival. We had a Big Agnes Copper Spur and a Coleman 4 person dome, but we wanted to be able to stand and get dressed, as well as have room for an air mattress and a cot, though we ditched the air mattress for 2 more cots, so we got a Coleman Evanston 6. Since then we bought a Coleman Weathermaster 8 as it has two rooms, but honestly it’s just about the perfect size to have plenty of room to even bring in the folding chairs if we need, which then makes it a little crowded. For the two of you I’d think a 6 person should be just enough to stand as long as nobody’s over maybe 6’ or so. If it’s raining or too windy and cold you should be able to squeeze in a couple of chairs and be happier. The Evanston has a screened porch which has been handy a few times.

I don't know how any of those name-brand tents made it into a "budget" list. You may be able to find older models of the BA tents on clearance right now, in which case they do actually approach "budget" status. From those, I would choose the Copper Spur for livability, but everyone's different. If you are open to trekking pole tents, look at the Lanshan tents. Lightweight, proven and actually a budget friendly option. Even some of the Amazon knockoffs can be okay for the price (and I'm not one to usually utter that sentence) - I have a $100 knockoff from a nothing brand on Amazon that I've actually gotten so much more than my money's worth out of over the years. Weighs a kilo. It's a gamble, though. With big brands at least you get warranty support.

Big Agnes Copper Spur is my choice. And I’m a Mountain Hardware fan but for tents I swear by Big Agnes’s, seam sealed from the factory and always kept me safe from the rain. I also don’t see any guy-outs on the ends of the MK3, I can imagine that might lead to some poor ventilation and sticker living. The half-dome is basically a heavier copy of the copper spur so of the two options go with half dome.

I use a 3-person tent by myself. I use it for car camping, but the ultimate goal for that tent is to backpack and share with my son. So if I carry the weight it will be for 2 people. I have a Big Agnes Copper Spur.

Big Agnes Copper Spur. It's cozy for two people, but it's our go-to for hiking in warm weather. Biggest downside - polar day gets annoying fast if you don't have eye blinds

Used Big Agnes copper spur.

The Big Agnes Copper Spur is the best lightweight tent I’ve ever had by a country mile. It’s still better to stake it since the vestibule doors need to stay away from the body of the tent for full rain protection, but I’ve had that thing all over the most remote parts of the Colorado Rockies and it has always performed perfectly. I usually only bring two stakes for the vestibule doors on either side.

The Big Agnes Fly Creek uses the same material and was the highest rated tent on several of those Halfway Anywhere PCT surveys for a few years, it was my primary pre-UL tent and survives to this day like 8 years later as my loner, and it's the tent used by the professional guides at the local outdoor shop. It's plenty durably. The Copper Spur is similarly rated on those surveys. They're both covered by Big Agnes warranty. Yes, they're very durable. You would, however, save over a pound by switching to the TarpTent Hogback. When the Copper Creek isn't on sale, you'd also be saving literally hundreds of dollars with the Hogback, too ... which is nice.

I have the Xmid2 (cheapest one) and it's SO easy and fits both me and my husband great. I actually picked up a Copper Spur for another trip where I was afraid my XMid would be too big and found it such a pain to set up compared to the XMid.

After months of research, I chose the BA Copper Spur and went up a size. The extra weight will mean zero, and the extra space will mean so much as you move through various conditions and needs.

The extra space allows you to bring all or most of your gear inside, with an area for boots/shoes etc. The tent is very well constructed and quite robust, with high-end materials. Construction quality has been much better than expected

I have and it managed pouring rain and high winds without issue. The key is workarounds with wind direction and staking

In my experience I’ve found the copper spur to be a very upright & tall tent, whenever there is high wind the tent does get blown over and flattened out. I rather take my old vango or lanshan in windy conditions to be honest. Copper spur is a great tent though literally my only issue with it.

What are you using it for? Backpacking with family? I have Durston and Big Agnes UL tents. Car camping? I have a couple of Coleman Sundomes. Backpacking solo? I have a tarp and hammock setup for some place and others I take my Durston. Depends on the availability of trees.