Sell Me on What My Next Tent Should Be

[Islander]

Thanks all for the replies...keep em coming.

Copper Spur is getting a lot of love. For those that do have that specific tent, what have your experiences been using it for winter camping?

And good advice on looking for sales. That is definitely what I plan to do. Just trying to decide which tent I want to purchase so that way when a sale does pop up, I’m ready to make moves.

Thanks!

I use mine exclusively in what passes for winter here. Good wind stopper. No snow here, so hopefully someone else can help with that.

Out West in winter I'd go with Hilleberg if you don't want floorless. Copper Spur really is a 3 season tent and not one I would push into 4 season unless very close to the truck. Conversely, I also wouldn't run a Hilleberg in warm weather except as a floorless with no inner, but as you know that won't work for us here in the South due to bugs.

 

[mxracer317]

If you can’t afford a new Hillberg, go find a used Hillberg. They’re worth the extra cost.

Help me understand why? Seriously wanting to know as its a big investment.

 

[DouglasR]

Help me understand why? Seriously wanting to know as its a big investment.

 

[brymoore]

Help me understand why? Seriously wanting to know as its a big investment.

It’s more comfortable than other designs. I don’t know my proper tent parts name so bear with me. It has an outer shell and an inner sleeping shell. My tent is a gt and has a covered vestibule. We have cooked in it during bad weather. Packs, boots etc stay there. Sleeping shell is only sleeping gear. If you set it up right and open the vents to allow air circulation, it’s a great place to sleep. Bomb proof.

I own several backpack tent of different designs. They stay home now unless we need another tent due to too many people. We have drug that heavy tent sheep hunting and high alpine mule deer hunts.

 

[Islander]

Help me understand why? Seriously wanting to know as its a big investment.

A true four season tent is a very different animal than a three season. Hilleberg will send you a catalog that includes swatches of their fabric. Try to tear it with your hands. Not possible.

Easy and fast to set up. No ground sheet required. Optional full net inner for warmer months (as opposed to the standard solid inner with vents). Bullet proof. The only issue is weight and condensation. Running the full net inner improves condensation resistance.

Also makes a great floorless. My Nallo 4 GT can sleep 3...in the GT vestibule alone. 7 person tent in a pinch.

 

[ChaosOneZero]

I have a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 and love it. It’s incredibly light (<2 lbs) and is super easy to set up with the mono pole. Previously used a BA Seedhouse SL1 which was even lighter but is def short on space. I found the Fly Creek UL2 to be more spacious for me (6 foot, 230) and some of my gear. It packs down to about the size of a football with a solid compression sack.

All of that said, I don’t know that I’d trust it to hold up under a substantive amount of snow. It does well in hard rain if it’s guided out well, but you def sacrifice some stability and durability for heavy snow with the low packable weight/size.

If you need a four season, I’d def go with a Hilleberg, but if you’re not worried about snow, you have a lot more options.

 

[ArcticArcher]

I retired a Sierra Design Wilderness after about 40 years, only because I ruined the rain fly trying to restore the waterproofing. Then I bought a 1 person Hilleberg because they were so popular. I am only 5'3" and it was an absolutely uncomfortable cramped tent space that collected enough condensation inside to get everything wet. Good riddance. Really loved my MSR Hubba Hubba that replaced it, and was saddened when it exploded at 4am last year under hurricane force gusts while hunting Dall sheep. Shopping for another tent now also.

 

[DirtyDan]

i have no first hand knowledge with a BA CopperSpur but, On an 8 day trip on the Colorado Trail I did see 2 different people having to wait in town for Big Agnes pole kits to fix their tents. They both said that they would never buy them again. Also, with 15d floors with ratings of 1200mm head pressure I don't think I'd be comfortable using them in anything but 3 season conditions.

 

[PorterHouse]

Thanks all for the continued feedback.

So based on feedback I’m getting here and doing further research online, maybe I should really be looking at a 4 Season Tent instead of pressing a 3 season design into potentially cold weather usage. This tent will be specifically for hunting in the mountains so we’re talking usage primarily from September to November.

School me on 4 Season Tents then. Any first hand user experience? And how toasty would one get if I am out in September in the high country with unseasonably warm temps?

 

[mxracer317]

Doesn’t BA have tents that people use on winter climbing expeditions?

 

[JLS]

I run a Seedhouse SL3 3-man, 3season. It seems like it would be tight for three grown men. I've used it for two and gear.

One solo trip this last September I was in a downpour for two days. My gear stayed dry inside and in the vestibule.

EASY to pitch. I got to my spot at very last light and had it up and staked out in a couple of minutes. Got my gear inside and the stove boiling water for dinner in no time at all.

I was shopping for a Copper Spur and the Seedhouse was all the store had in stock. I'm glad I got it. I'm still planning on getting a Copper Spur as well at some point.

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I’ve used both, the vestibule design is far better on the Copper Spur.

 

[44hunter45]

I’ve used both, the vestibule design is far better on the Copper Spur.

I know! And they make a hotel rain fly for the Copper Spur. Copper Spur HV UL3 hotel definitely on my list.

 

[44hunter45]

Doesn’t BA have tents that people use on winter climbing expeditions?

Mountaineering Tents

Shop our Big Agnes mountaineering tents. Our lightweight 4-season tents can be taken to the highest points, lowest canyons, and everywhere in between.

www.bigagnes.com

There are some on eBay right now. Shield 2 and Battle Mountain 3

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Doesn’t BA have tents that people use on winter climbing expeditions?

I took a Big Agnes string ridge (now it’s called the battle mountain or something) up Rainier for a stint, not in the winter however.

 

[270elk]

Big fan of Seekoutside products.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I don’t think a BA Copper Spur is the “best” bombproof tent for all seasons in the mountains (not that there is one “best”), but when you factor in space, cost, weight, materials, liveability, and weatherproofness it’s hard to beat for 3+ seasons. Most users will never max out the capability of a well made three season tent.

If you use a regular length bag the Nallo 2 is a good place to start in the 4 season dept. I’m sure the SG/SlingFin tent is nice. Many models get real heavy real fast. Nothing wrong with a well set tipi either, just not my thing.

 

[HUNTNNW]

Been using

Looking for a new backpacking tent to use for hunting. Not overly interested in a tipi with stove set up. More so looking at good 3 season options that would also work fine in a pinch in some serious cold (I have a good 0 Deg bag and pad). While Hilleberg is honestly probably the answer, I don’t have a grand to spend on a tent at the moment.

There are obviously plenty of options out there (which is a good thing as a consumer). I’m just looking for some input and first hand user experience.

Thanks in advance!

 

[HUNTNNW]

Been using the KUIU 3p refuge. I’ve liked it a lot and it’s light

 

[PorterHouse]

So many options...again, I appreciate everyone's feedback!
If I'm not careful, I'm going to get into "paralysis by analysis"...though it is an important purchase so I want to be well informed.

 

[PorterHouse]

I’m a really big fan of my tarp tent. So light and packs really small. The quality is outstanding. I got the 2 person stratospire and put a 1 person liner in it for more floorless space. Only downside is not free standing. They have other designs that are though. Mine still held up to 40-50mph winds out in the wide open.
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I know I started this by saying I wasn't interested in tipis but the more I read, the more intrigued I am. How weatherproof is your tarp tent? And would you have any reservations using it in winter?