Big Agnes - Copper Spur HV UL3 Long Tent: 3-Person 3-Season

Hi all, Looking to get a new 3P tent for my partner and I! We currently have an older version of the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3 (pre-Hyber Bead). It's a great tent that has held up to our use for a solid 7+ years, but we're looking to upgrade / renew it since the waterproofness seems to be fading a bit. We're considering just replacing it with the new Copper Spur UL 3, but wanting to poll the group to see if other options are worth considering – especially the Tiger Wall, Nemo Hornet, or Dragonfly. **Our use case:** \- backpacking around PNW mostly \- Our preference is for a 3 person for use with our dog, a friend for those rare occasions, or a future child. \- semi-freestanding or freestanding (we have an X-Mid for when weight really matters, but lately my partner hates the fiddle factor of trekking pole tents, and I don't mind splitting the weight of a larger tent when I camp with her). \- we will also use the tent for some car camping / front country campgrounds... so take that FWIW. That said our Copper Spur has been totally adequate for this; we don't need more space than that. \- I'm 6 foot if that is an issue in these smaller tents \- Want to keep weight around 1800g total (Copper Spur is the heaviest we want to go) \- Durability is a big concern for us. The Copper Spur has held up well, being a bit careful, with no major issues. I've anecdotally heard the Nemo stuff holds up better than the Big Agnes stuff, but we want this tent to last a while or be able to be serviced / repaired should issues come up. \- storm worthiness - nothing crazy, just 3 season conditions, but it gets WET here in the spring/fall. Performance in wind would also be a benefit, but we do have a dedicated 4-season tent for winter stuff. \- warranty support (in Canada, if possible) - while I haven't had issues, I've heard Big Agnes' warranty is suffering a bit vs Nemo's, which I've heard is excellent. \- Hyperbead vs. Osmo, any differences here? \- Is the portion of the body on the Nemo Hornet an issue in rain/wind?

thanks! Yea we figured it's probably the Copper Spur. That said given we haven't had durability issues with it, wondering if we could get away with one of the lighter models like the Tiger Wall or Hornet and use it with a footprint when we're car camping. Car camping comfort isn't a big need – the space of a 3 person is more than comfortable enough and fits our exped megamat just fine (we don't need one of those mega walmart palaces!).

Definitely 3. I have a Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 long and it’s the perfect size for my wife and I and our clothes, etc. 

Admittedly, I've got 3 tents (1-3 person). We are a 3p family and that's it. I've got a 3 yo. We've been camping with our kid since she was 7 weeks old. When we backpack as a family, I use a copper spur UL3 (us parents have wide pads so a regular 2p tent would never work for us). To be blunt. Toddlers are crazy AF - I'd be crushed if my kiddo ripped up a UL non-freestanding tent. They are SO pricey! Cost and durability alone is worth the extra weight for me. It's just less risky and more likely to stay standing when I turn around for 3 seconds and my ferral child decides to break the rules and jump around on the tent walls. Not to mention wandering around camp tripping on the guys, pulling out stakes, you name it. A freestanding tent is tidier. And if you haven't taken your kid out yet - 1.5 is prime to break stuff, fall, bite, chew, trip, etc. I feel like when she's much older, we may opt for a different setup as a family, but this works great for now and I know I can rely on it. Frankly, you'll be forced to carry stuffies, rocks, other random unnecessary "treasure" they insist on taking, heavier food, packing out diapers if you're using them, and of course - them. Another pound isn't going to kill me at that point. But I'm also an alpine trad climber - so heavy bags were a part of my life before a child. Just trading my rack for her stuff. We go UL with absolutely everything else. I would think about growth a little bit. Will the Durston Pro 2+ fit 3 of your pads? Your kiddo will need their own pad by next year. Are you expanding your family? That would impact my choice if that were the case. In my experience, purchasing a tent that will "do it all" did not work for us - hence why we ended up with 3.

I know I’ll get downvoted but I tend to agree with this. I own an x-mid so don’t at me universe. But I think durston is a bit over-hyped. There are lots of quality issues - especially with the x dome series - just peep the gear heads sub.  Durston makes good tents imo, not great ones. They seem to do a lot of r&d with paying customers which I’m not a huge fan of - especially if you’re paying tariffs.  My x mid is fine - suitable for certain trips, while my freestanding tent (big Agnes) is great. Both have great customer service imo. But I’ll take the Xmid when I really have to count ounces and I’ll take my big Agnes into the desert where a trekking pole tent would just be a nightmare to fiddle with - weight penalty be damned. 

My copper spur did just fine in 45mph winds. Guy it out and pitch it right it does fine. I trust it in wind more than my Xmid. 

I’ve got a CS 3xl for my family of 3. This checks all the boxes on your list. (Maybe not the xl part but the tent itself. We’ve got 2 wide pads and a toddler (regular pad).  For sure not UL, but that’s a tall order when you have a toddler around.  The other one if look at is a triplex but I’m thinking they don’t have a flex kit for it (can’t remember).   Tarp tent has some really interesting designs. I’m trading my Xmid for a double rainbow Li. But I haven’t personally used one.  I’m not sure I understand your comment about BA’s customer service. I had an old tent break with BA once. Sent it in to get fixed, they couldn’t fix it and ended up sending me a new, upgraded tent totally for free. My friend has used their sleeping pads for 12 years because every time they spring a leak they can’t find, BA’s customer service department replaces it with an upgraded one. They’ve gotten 3 this way. I legit cannot think of anything else a company can do for you aside from pay you on top of that. 

I agree. I have that tent. It's solid, roomy, and easy to set up. Beautifully designed. But do use a footprint.

We love everything about our Big Agnes tents.

Copper Spur HV UL3 Long is 8foot. Marmot's Limelight is 88". You might have to lay diagonally in shorter tents.

I would do the same. I carry a copper spur 3p and I love it !

We have a HV UL 3 Long, which we got so our dogs can sleep at our feet. So far, we really love it, and despite being bigger than the tent it replaced (2015 Half Dome 2+), it is actually lighter. As for durability, we've managed to tear the stuff sack halfway open, in the first year of use. No offer of warranty replacement when I contacted BA. Outside of that, it is intuitive, roomy, light, and has decent storage.

Copper Spur 3P with equipment divided between 2 people it is fairly lightweight

25 and 30oz for a 1 person? My big Agnes cooper sour ul 3 person is 40 oz The lightest and best 1P I know of is the zpacks 1P

Yup. Best tent for two people is a three person ultra-light. Camp/backpack a LOT. And still like my partner. In a 3p Big Agnes.