Big Agnes - Fly Creek UL4

You need to count the dog as a person. We are a family of 3 with 2 mini Aussies who together are like a small person. We have the Big Agnes UL4 for this reason. It's 5lbs but my husband and I share the weight. Before this we had two 2 person tents so honestly it's the same either way you slice it. I've seen some UL teepee type tent options that fit more people, but they are PRICEY too. I agree with others... You might be better off with two 3 person tents. You're gonna need that space!

Do you want it to actually fit 2 people? I love my big agnes fly creek UL but when two people are in it, you better be down to cuddle. Me and my bag have sooo much room though

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.

I had a bad experience with the north face 6 person tent, 2nd time using it and the bug netting on the doors started ripping at the seams. I had to send it in and they did fix it but beware. It’s a shame cause my other tents from them lasted at least a decade before starting to fall apart. We also have a Big Agnes 4 person tent since 2018 and it’s been flawless.

Big Agnes, MSR, and Nemo are 3 of the best tent brands available. I ran the warranty desk for an outdoor gear company, and saw the least amount of warranty issues with those brands. They’re not inexpensive, but, you get what you pay for. I have a Big Agnes tent that’s at least 10 years old, we use it regularly and only have to hose the dirt off. It’s amazing. Nemo is awesome too, I know a lot of people with Nemo tents and they love them. I just got an MSR 3 person tent and absolutely love it. Definitely get a 2 person tent. The general rule is to take however many people will be sleeping in the tent, and add 1. So 1 person = 2 person tent, 2 ppl = 3 person tent and so on. A 2 person tent is more comfortable for having your gear inside the tent, changing your clothes, etc. If you don’t plan to go backpacking with it, I’d get a 3-4 person tent just for the space.

Big Agnes Tiger Wall. Get the 3 person if either of you are over 5’7”. My husband and I are both 5’7”-ish and barely fit inside the Tiger Wall 2. I love it though, it has 2 doors, is easy enough to set up and pretty comfortable for an ultralight backpacking tent. I do NOT recommend the Fly Creek, at all. I had one for a good section of my thru hike and it was so uncomfortable to climb in and out of. I hate that overall design.

Looking at the poles will tell you quite a bit about sturdiness. The Freelite 1 uses DAC NFL 8.7mm poles with a forked design. So one end of the tent has essentially 2 archs of 8.7mm while the other end has a single arch of 8.7mm. That would be comparable in sturdiness to other tents that also use a forked arch of 8.7mm, such as Big Agnes Fly Creek and Tiger Wall, and Nemo Hornet. Tents that use essentially dual arches of 8.7mm at both ends are going to be sturdier, like X-Dome 1+ but also BA Copper Spur, MSR Hubba, and many others. Easton Carbon 3.9 is very similar to DAC 8.7 mm in sturdiness. Then both brands of tent pole makers make numerous stiffer options but with higher weights that would likely put the tent over your 1 kg goal.

something like the Big Agnes Fly Creek. Avoid the "solution dyed" ones, they literally stink. Not great in a storm, but super lightweight and big inside.

General comment on the BA Fly Creek: If you're considering the Fly Creek, get the Tiger Wall instead. It is basically the same sent, but the difference is having two side entrances on the Tiger Wall vs. a single rear entrance on the Fly Creek. With two adults (especially two adults and two kids), you'll be tripping over each other if you do not make having _two side entrances_ a must-have feature for a _backpacking_ tent. If you were getting a car camping tent, which would be much larger and spacious, you could get away with a single entrane. But not a backpacking tent. TL;DR - Fly Creek is a great tent, just probably not the right design for your application.

Yeah that’s something I like a lot about big Agnes tents. No rainfly=bug free cowboy camping. I used the fly creek for two pct thru hikes, tiger wall for the azt and at.

My favorite car camp tent is the REI half dome. It’s actually comfortable. If you want a cheaper option, the Ozark Trail tent from Walmart is pretty decent, but doesn’t have aluminum poles. The half dome can do backpacking, but it is on the heavy side. When I care about weight, I bring my Fly Creek from Big Agnes. Copper Spur and Nemo Hornet are also great options. The fly creek is crazy light, but you really have to like the second person if you’re going to fit two.