Big Agnes - Mad House 4
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 25, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
22
5
"My tent is about 11 years olds and still kicking."
"Ive had my big agnes longer than any other tent ive owned so far! ... I think its at least ten years old."
"stood up to a windstorm or two, and a snowstorm that collapsed several of the other tents in my group."
46
14
"I've had it up in a downpour and it stayed totally dry inside."
"Also pitched it on bare rock using rocks to hold the stakes on a decently breezy night and it was pretty bombproof."
"The osmo material is amazing in the rain and stays taught ... I’ve camped in 40mph wind and lashing rain in Dartmoor and it didn’t miss a beat, no leaks and I felt secure all night."
2
0
"Big Agnes warranty and customer service help is top-notch. ... I sent them an email earlier this week and they responded within minutes with a fix that allowed me not to send the tent in and repair it myself."
"Both have great customer service imo."
129
5
"I was hesitant about the instant part of it having not used one before, but I love it. I can put it up/take it down by myself"
"Coleman is stupid easy to set up ... this is so easy and takes a lot of stress away ... It’s easy ... You don’t have to think about it."
"Goes up super fast"
2
1
"We use a 6 person discontinued Big Agnes model for my wife and I with our 2 kids, and have plenty of room."
"A '6-person' is ideal for a family of 4 to actually have space. ... Don't underestimate the value of good headroom and a big vestibule for shoes/gear, especially with kids."
Disliked most:
36
21
"Im camping now in a Coleman 4 person tent. 1 is comfy, 2 is cramped. 4 if we were midgets."
"I find that you basically have to halve the number of people advertised to fit in a tent to get a comfortable experience with space for gear and to be sleeping without being up against the side walls (which can cause moisture to transfer inside of the tent). ... my Coleman rent that is advertised as a 6 person tent but sleeps three plus gear better than it fits 6 sardines."
"Door is only on one side, which makes it hard to use 2 cots (6 person)."
9
2
"Unfortunately, we HATE the door design, so much that it's needed to be returned. ... In a heavy or blowing rain it is very easy for water to enter here, even when you have the zipper guards velcro'd on the outside. ... So much water came in during one thunderstorm it saturated one of my beach towels and then some, and the leaking here was a recurring issue driving us to decide we needed to return it."
"1 of them lasted under 2 years with CONSTANT HEAVY USE, until the rain fly started leaking a lot and the zippers broke."
0
1
"I’ve had trouble with zippers on Big Agnes tents, but I’am in the sand often."
0
2
"1 of them lasted under 2 years with CONSTANT HEAVY USE, until the rain fly started leaking a lot and the zippers broke."
"I’ve had trouble with zippers on Big Agnes tents, but I’am in the sand often."
3
6
"The pole design means they are under twist pressure, and after I'd replaced the third set of poles I decided to go inflatable. ... and the poles kept breaking."
"A week in, a pole broke in the wind"
"the poles bent irreparably in mild/moderate wind conditions ... It lasted less than a year"
I have a Big Agnes. Love the tent and love the brand.
r/overlanding • Tent Recommendations ->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.
r/Ultralight • Backpacking with a toddler: Why did you go ultralight—or not—when choosing your tent? ->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.
r/CampingGear • What brands or types of tents should I be looking to get? ->After dealing with a warranty issue with Durston I would rather deal with Big Agnes
r/Ultralight • Big Agnes' new ultralight tents (VST) coming in January 2026 ->Big Agnes warranty and customer service help is top-notch. I sent them an email earlier this week and they responded within minutes with a fix that allowed me not to send the tent in and repair it myself.
r/CampingGear • Gearlabs top 19 tents are all 200$+. One is even over a thousand. Are those of ua getting the 70$ amazon special really buying junk?! ->Tough to choose light AND strong. Since the strength comes from the tent poles and lighter tends use less tent poles. I would say the strength would also come from how and where you pitch the tent. Pitching it slightly protected or if the wind will help a ton. Also pitching the vestibule into the wind will help with the aerodynamics. Don't just pitch the tent any which way. Think about how the wind will hit the tent. Check out Big Agnes... I've been in some blizzards with them... held the weight of the snow and kept Standing after heavy winds
r/camping • Lightest strong Dome Tent (1-2ppl) I can find please? ->Try the REI re/supply. I got a Big Agnes tent that retails for $499 for $134. Also, REI sale is coming up in a few weeks and there will probably be a good deal on their own brand tents and others.
r/CampingGear • Need advice regarding a Packable tent ->https://geartrade.ca/ they stock a bit of budget gear and they are not amazon. Also try thelasthunt.com, and https://www.sportchek.ca/en.html they can have some good gear in clearance. I really enjoy my big agnes tent and they are available in long, but they are pricy when not on sale.
r/CampingandHiking • Question about budget backpacking tents. ->Ive had my big agnes longer than any other tent ive owned so far! I think its at least ten years old.
r/CampingGear • What brands or types of tents should I be looking to get? ->Paria is a glorified dropshipping company. Durston and Big Agnes are good options, you don't need anything more niche honestly
r/CampingandHiking • Alternatives to the big names/lesser known companies? (Tents) ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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