Big Agnes - Copper Spur HV UL3 mtnGLO®
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Based on 1 year's data from Mar 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
25
4
"I love having the extra space. ... I hate feeling claustrophobic in a tent, so it’s worth the weight expense over the 2p for me."
"It’s an absolute palace for two people"
"there is no going back ... with the hotel fly, man there is room for packs and to take the near 5yo on his first bigger trip soon. Dog, whatever! ... more height with the square shape so it feels a lot less crowded"
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1
"Copper Spur is perfect though I have also used a 20+ pound REI Kingdome when space was less of an issue. ... I do a fair amount of trips that start with a flight so a lighter tent that takes up less room is a must."
"it's about 4lbs so my husband and I split the weight."
"If you want a 3 person tent for the weight of a 2 person tent, get an ultralight tent like the big agnes cooper spur hv ul3 ... All for the weight of a typical decently priced 2 person tent (about four pounds)."
19
5
"It has lasted me 7 years of backpacking trips with no issues except a broken pole section that Big Agnes replaced for free."
"Ive had my big agnes longer than any other tent ive owned so far! ... I think its at least ten years old."
"Super durable, essentially bomb proof"
3
2
"capable of perfectly handling harsh weather"
"I have a one year old big Agnes copper spur UL and it kept me dry when it was absolutely pissing down."
"My Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 ULV (fully-staked taut fly) in the High Sierra would be comparable and has tolerated and removed a lot of condensation."
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0
"well designed, and easy to pitch"
Disliked most:
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7
"My tents are UL backpacking (Durston XDome and BA Copper). The BA wets out too easily ... It’s the floor that starts to wet out- it doesn’t become completely wet, but if there’s a hard rain, patches of the floor will start to darken and become damp bc water is underneath. ... Except I lifted the floor of the tent up to see what was going on and saw water had gathered, not dew."
"I was disappointed with our Copper Spur. The floor got tons of tiny holes in it after one use, on clear, soft ground. ... We used the footprint, so I have no idea what caused it."
"The optional footprint and the tent body floor for my tent now have a few holes before I started doing this."
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1
"Big Agnes specs 53oz for the copper spur ul3 at trail weight."
CommanderAGL 0.9The BA Copper Spur is available in 3, 4, & 5 person sizes. note that the regular 3P is tapered and will only fit (3) 20" or mummy pads. There is a 3XL that will fit (3) 25" pads. I have the 3 MTN Glow which has built in lights. Highly recommend the entire series
The BA Copper Spur is available in 3, 4, & 5 person sizes. note that the regular 3P is tapered and will only fit (3) 20" or mummy pads. There is a 3XL that will fit (3) 25" pads. I have the 3 MTN Glow which has built in lights. Highly recommend the entire series
AliveAndThenSome 0.4We have a CS UL3 HV for us and our 40lb Heeler, with two 20" rectangular pads. The dog has a cut-down ZLite. It's just about perfect. It'd be nice to move to 25" tapered pads, not sure how that would work though, given we have a double quilt.
Almost everything I've heard is that the non-free standing tents require significant guying out for just a basic setup, and to me, that'd be a lot harder with 1.5 hands. I have a Copper Spur 3P tent and it's pretty easy. One thing that might be a bit annoying is that the zippers often require two hands; one to hold the fabric taut while pulling the zipper.
Grouchy_Tone_4123 0.41. 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
HwyOneTx 0.4This is my choice also. Occasionally on sale but get the UL3. And if not on sale may stretch the budget.
I have been in the middle of wind and hail storm in Texas in the Copper Spur and it held up perfectly. Not sure the issues they had, but wind can dramatically vary.
Lusinsimesc 0.4Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3, lighter than you can imagine, made with high-quality materials, capable of perfectly handling harsh weather, the only problem is that its around $500 ....
RiderNo51 0.4Though 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.
WestCoastLoon 0.4Boy howdy. I've wrestled with this nuisance a lot the past few years with two 50-80 pound dawgs with me. Given ur tent size, my Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 ULV (fully-staked taut fly) in the High Sierra would be comparable and has tolerated and removed a lot of condensation. My three other 3P-6P high-end tents do very well if just mindful to give all the vents full exposure too. In a pinch, pack some calcium chloride in a crappy sock, place in an open-ended ziploc, and pull that juice out of your tent.
wrunderwood 0.4I have a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 because my wife prefers fully enclosed tents. Pros * Nearly vertical walls * Double wall, so less issues with condensation * Two doors * Vestibules for shoes, though not big enough for packs Cons * Extremely expensive, even though I got mine used * Very thin fabric, 10 denier top and 15/20 denier ripstop floor * Quite bulky to pack, I have to take a bigger pack * Light for a dome tent (4 pounds), but heavier than my sub 2 pound tents * Still not all that roomy * I would not trust the fly+footprint setup in any kind of wind, because the inner tent keeps the poles in place for stability
EducationalCookie196 0.4I've been really happy with my Big Agnes double-wall tent. It's over 20 years old now and still kicking. The BD-pyramid type thing, or just a snow-cave are my favorite options for ski tours though.
jeeden_1 0.4Also agree, but take it up a notch to the ul3 Hotel so you have the "garage" to keep the gear in and maximize the space inside. I backpack with this tent and if it quit tomorrow I would buy another with the hotel, I love it and while a luxury for one (although I'm a big guy) it is still pretty perfect for two