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

The Copper Spur UL 3 Hotel is really livable and enjoyable to use. The massive Hotel vestibule makes a big difference practically and psychologically. For wind, i add more guylines and stakes and it has been OK. Including those extras it's 2.1kg.

Yes, how a tent feels is very hard to gauge on paper. I often spurn the CS Hotel because you could go lighter (and for that I have the wonderful Tarptent Dipole-2-dw). But... I keep going back to the CS Hotel because of that fabulous vestibule. You can sit on a chair inside it. You can scatter your gear around. You can leave it open as a welcoming large entrance.

Just ordered the copper spur hv ul3 long!

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

Almost hesitate to say, but BA are doing -50% on their current (going out) line up. Just bought a CS UL3 long for half price this week They might not have all models on sale, of course

I have the 3-person. It is amazing. A little heavy on solo trips but overall, it's a fantastic tent. For half price, it's probably one of the best deals on a tent you'll ever see. Just get some patches in case you get tears. It's not super rugged being so lightweight.

1. Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 Weight: ~3 lbs 14 oz (trail weight) Price: ~$650 Pros: Freestanding with excellent interior volume Two doors and two large vestibules High-quality materials and DAC poles Good for long trips and moderate weather Cons: Expensive Thin fabric requires some care 2. MSR Hubba Hubba 3P Weight: ~3 lbs 12 oz (trail weight) Price: ~$600 Pros: Excellent balance of weight and durability Symmetrical design, spacious for two or cozy for three Great ventilation and weather resistance Cons: Slightly tighter vestibule space than Copper Spur

Comparing the Copper Spur HV UL2 to UL3: a 3 person tent will be about 25% heavier (12 oz, 35g), only marginally more expensive, and the extra space will help with keeping your bags inside. To me, the worst part is the extra weight, and the extra size of the tent would prevent it from fitting in the side pouch on my bag. But if you're strapping it underneath anyway, and you're not weight-constrained, maybe it's fine. I went with the UL2 because I think it's fine to leave my pack in the vestibule of the tent, only taking the essentials inside. You can possibly find space for it near your feet if you're not big people. After all, when you're at camp, all the bulky things aren't in the pack any more! I like my tent, but there are lots of good brands out there. You might find a better deal online, but check your local outdoor store to get a feel for how big/heavy they are. If feasible, buy it there, too! I liked my REI Half Dome tent but it was so much larger and heavier than the Copper Spur, and I'm glad I replaced it.

Though the Copper Spur is truly free standing. I do like the features of the Rainbow DW though. The symmetrical shape and size is more usable than people realize.

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

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.

In your shoes I'd get a TarpTent Triple Rainbow DW (double wall). $499, weights 48 oz. Compare that to the admittedly great Big Agnes Copperspur UL3, which costs more, weights 68 oz, and has a square foot less floor area. This will fit your bags and each other inside the tent, with vestibule space if you want to keep anything outside. You can deploy the fly in such a way to allow for sky viewing through the mesh in good weather. It is also made of Silpoly which doesn't sag as much as Silnylon when wet. Speaking of wet, keep the Rainbow's inner attached to the fly and pitch it all together if you get caught in the rain. I own BA Copper Spur UL2, UL3, Fly Creek UL2, and Tarptent Double Rainbow DW. If you were cool with your gear outside, I'd recommend the Double Rainbow DW which weights about 42 ozs and saves $90. The BA Copper Spur UL3 is a good one as well, but is heavy by comparison.

In your shoes I'd get a TarpTent Triple Rainbow DW (double wall). $499, weights 48 oz. Compare that to the admittedly great Big Agnes Copperspur UL3, which costs more, weights 68 oz, and has a square foot less floor area. This will fit your bags and each other inside the tent, with vestibule space if you want to keep anything outside. You can deploy the fly in such a way to allow for sky viewing through the mesh in good weather. It is also made of Silpoly which doesn't sag as much as Silnylon when wet. Speaking of wet, keep the Rainbow's inner attached to the fly and pitch it all together if you get caught in the rain. I own BA Copper Spur UL2, UL3, Fly Creek UL2, and Tarptent Double Rainbow DW. If you were cool with your gear outside, I'd recommend the Double Rainbow DW which weights about 42 ozs and saves $90. The BA Copper Spur UL3 is a good one as well, but is heavy by comparison.

I have the tarptent you are looking at, plus ba copper spur ul 2 and 3, plus a fly creek 2. The double rainbow dw is roughly the weight of the fly creek with superior capabilities to the copper spur 2.

Take a look at Big Agnes tents. Not sure if available in UK. My copper spur UL3 has done me 9 years in all sorts of conditions in US and Canada.

Be aware- the Copper Spur is tapered. The 2p cannot support two 25-in rectangular pads. I went for the 3p version and it’s great for two.

After one trip with another backpacker in a Copper Spur 2, I bought the 3 person size for two. I have had it seven years. I took it to Philmont, NM and all over Colorado. It handled wind and thunderstorms.

The 3p allows two of us to sort backpack items inside the tent during a storm. The 2p is too small for that. It is just enough for two 6 foot tall people to sleep. Yes the bottom is super thin. I always use a Gossamer Gear plastic tarp under the copper spur bottom. I could have bought the Big Agnes foot print.

Big Agnes. Our family of 3 takes the UL3 on trips. My daughter took a UL2 on the AT.

It’s lighter to carry one tent than multiple and at the point I did this more one kid was too small to carry their own. also would have been too scared to sleep on their own. used a copper spur 3p with two kids. Bit of a squeeze these days I have a handmade tent similar to a soloplex and a The One. Could take both of them with oldest kid. With youngest probably still the copper spur.

I bought a Big Agnes Copper Spur 3-person this past summer. It packed down much smaller and was half the weight of my old REI Mutha Hubba. Had a few rainy nights and it was perfectly dry inside. And if you have trekking poles, you can create an awning with the door. It's not as light as some of the ultralight tents, but some of those really cut corners.

I recommend looking for a 2 or 3 person tent for the humans with a vestibule for the dogs and gear. We have the Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 person tent for the humans and the Hotel vestibule accessory for our dog.

Seconding that the Copper Spur is an awesome tent. I love how easy it is to set up and how it is essentially bomb proof. I use a 3 person version for trips with my wife and big dog. For solo trips, I think trying out one of the lighter trekking pole tents (you can use a substitute pole that is NOT a trekking pole too) is the way to go. There are tons of options nowadays so you can pretty much get whatever thing you want between a tarp and a full on tent.

I have the XMid Pro 2 and backpack with one of our huskies almost every trip. Mika is 45lbs, Max is 50lbs. Just one dog and me fit easily with extra room for gear. Two people and one of our dogs would work but be tight. (replaced a Strat Li but below applies to both tents) To protect the floor, I bring a full size z-fold pad (generic z-lite). I cut it into two pieces - about 1/3 and 2/3rds. I place them together to put where the dog will be sleeping. I cut it into two pieces so that I can use the 2/3rd piece under my pad in the event I get cold. They can still use the 1/3rd. I lay a costco quilt over the top of the pad. The like to "dig" sometimes. Between the pad and quilt, it protects the floor long enough until I can tell them to stop. For just casual walking in and out of the tent, laying down etc, there would be no need to protect the floor. Kneeling on a sharp rock or stick would probably do more damage than a dog stepping on the floor. We also have a Big Agnes UL2 and UL3 we've used for people and dogs. Only damage to any of the tents (first time out in a brand new UL3) was when I walked away with the dog in the tent and she paw'd at the screen and ripped it. Luckily, she hit the pocket so it didn't affect the door.

Can’t go wrong with a Big Agnes and at that price I’d definitely scoop it up. Me personally I’d try to get a 3P. I just upgraded to a 3P from my REI half dome 2.5P tent that I’d used for over a decade. I wanted a little more room for me and my pup. Additionally I’m right at 6’ tall and I always struggled to keep my feet or head off the sidewalls when I was sleeping.

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 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.

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

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…

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

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.

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?

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.

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.