Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2 Tent Review

big agnes copper spur hv ul2 backpacking tent

Best freestanding tent of all time

If you want the best overall and most highly rated freestanding backpacking of all time, choose the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2. Compared to similar backpacking tents, it’s smarter, taller, lighter, sturdier, better ventilated, and more livable.

This is the most well-rounded small 2 person tent for all types of weather. On warm nights, open the massive vestibule awnings. On cold rainy days, the near-vertical sidewalls and fully lofted ceiling provide excellent headroom for sitting up and spending hours inside.

Features

As gear reviewers, we tend to be unimpressed by most bells and whistles, but we love, love, love the innovative awning vestibules which help ventilate the Copper Spur and create good vibes when you’re stuck inside. We prefer them open in all but the nastiest of weather, in which case each vestibule offers 9 sq ft, notably larger than average.

We are also huge fans of the interior pocket array, especially the “3D bin mezzanine” at the foot end, which in conjunction with sidewall and ceiling pockets, easily keep all of your gadgets organized and easily accessible.

The frame is a sturdy and well-designed x-bar plus spreader, a famously simple and storm worthy design. The poles are pre-bent to create superbly vertical sidewalls, which maximizes the perceived space and felt livability of the tent. Setup is as easy and intuitive as one could hope; literally anyone can figure it out.

At 2 lbs 11 oz, it’s a bit too heavy to be considered ultralight, which is really our only dig against it, aside from the high price tag. But that said, it’s still very lightweight overall, and significantly lighter than the average backpacking tent.

Verdict

Add it all up and you get, what we consider to be the best freestanding backpacking tent that money can buy. It’s just such a smart design with so many great lightweight features. The Copper Spur HV UL2 is great for beginners and experts alike. This is one helluva great tent.

Copper Spur HV UL 2 Tent Key Stats

  • Price: $550
  • Weight: 2.7 lbs
  • Material: Sil-Nylon
  • Interior: 29 ft² | Vestibule: 18 ft² | Area/Pound: 17.4 ft²
  • Pros: Lightweight. Extra headroom. Easy Setup. Great Features.
  • Cons: Expensive. Not ultralight.

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Read about more great tents in our complete guides to the best tents for backpacking, and the best small 2 person crossover tents.