Our Review: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2 Person Tent

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This is a part of our review series, where we give detailed reviews of all of the gear that we use on our trips. You can see the full list of gear here.

Whenever customers ask us what the best 2 person tent is for backpacking and camping, we always recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL. We love it so much that we use it on our Grand Canyon trip and in Yosemite!

It’s solid but light and a breeze to set up. It’s also surprisingly nifty, which I’ll go over in this review.

If you’ve got any specific questions about the tent, head to over to our Facebook page and send us a message 🙂

Overview: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL

Perfect for: those outdoor enthusiasts that don’t mind sacrificing a touch of pack weight and room for that added level of camping comfort.

The great outdoors offers a lot of opportunities for outdoor fun, but it can also be trying to be in. Be it the wind, the rain, the snow, or the sun, we may experience harsh environmental conditions while we’re out in the backcountry. a good tent will help you be prepared without weighing you down. For us, that’s the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL.

Specs

Model/feature	Copper Spur HV UL1	Copper Spur HV UL2	Copper Spur HV UL3	Copper Spur HV UL4
Number of people	1	2	3	4
Fast fly weight (without rainfly attachment)	1lb 10oz / 737g	2lb 2oz / 964g	2lb 13oz / 1.28kg	4lb 3oz / 1.89kg
Trail weight	2lb 2oz / 964 g	2lb 11oz / 1.22kg	3lb 8oz / 1.59kg	5lb 4oz / 2.38kg
Packed weight	2lb 6oz / 1.08kg	3lb 2oz / 1.42kg	3lb 14oz / 1.76kg	5lb 11oz / 2.58kg
Packed size	17.5″ x 5.5″ / 44 x 14cm	19.5″ x 6″ / 50 x 15cm	21″ x 6″ / 53 x 15cm	22″ x 7″ / 56 x 18cm
Floor area	20 ft² / 1.9 m²	29 ft² / 2.7 m²	41 ft² / 3.8 m²	57 ft² / 5.3 m²
Head height	38″ / 97cm	40″ / 102cm	43″ / 110cm	50″ / 127cm
Vestibule area	9 ft² / 0.8 m²	9ft² / 9ft² / 0.8 m² / 0.8 m²	9ft² / 9ft² / 0.8 / 0.8 m²	14ft² / 14ft² / 1.3m² / 1.3m²
Number of doors	1	2	2	2

Who the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL Is For

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL is the perfect tent for backpackers, hikers, and trekkers who are on the hunt for a tent that balances both camp comfort and packed weight. Sure, you’ll have to sacrifice a little bit of extra pack room and carry a bit more weight compared to other ultralight tent options but the added extras and comfortability of the Big Agnes Copper Spur is well worth it; at least it is in our eyes.

Additionally, the Copper Spur also comes in 4 different model options. So whether you’re hiking alone or are sharing backcountry trails with a few hiking pals, Big Agnes’ Copper Spur HV UL is a great option for many different backpacking applications.

Big Agnes Copper Spur Key Features

Alongside the standard features you come to expect from Big Agnes’ various backpacking tent models, details like reflective guylines and extra stability for strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the Big Agnes Copper Spur also has a ton of other great features you may not find in other lightweight tent options.

Awning-Style Vestibule

One of the best features of the Copper Spur is its large awning-style vestibules. These vestibules give campers plenty of room to hold and shelter all their hiking gear while leaving ample room inside for a good night’s sleep. And aside from the UL1, under the tent’s rainfly attachment, all other models feature two large doors that allow campers easy entry and exit from both sides. 

As an added bonus, the Copper Spur’s vestibules require no accessory tent poles or tent stakes to set up. All that’s need is the trekking poles you’ve brought along with you.

Large Livable Space

All the Big Agnes ULs are designed with ample living space. With a floor area that ranges from a massive 20 ft² / 1.9 m² – 57 ft² / 5.3 m² and headroom ranging from 38″ / 97cm – 50″ / 127cm, you’re sure to never feel cramped or claustrophobic. This means there’s ample room for your sleeping bag, pillow, and sleeping mat.

Storage

Adding even more livable space, the Copper Spur also has a ton of interior storage options that are sure to keep things up and off the floor and stashed nicely away so you have easy and quick access to them. For instance, there are 3 interior mesh pockets, 1 3D bin pocket, and 1 media pocket all located at various head height and hip height locations. 

Plus, the 7 DAC superlight aluminum J stakes & 2 awning guylines that are located on the tent’s ceiling can be used to hang camping accessories like lights or torches. These hooks can also be used in conjunction with the Big Agnes triangle gear loft (sold separately) which grants campers even more storage options.

Fabric

All Copper Spur tents are made from high-quality and lightweight fabrics that are not only super durable but also add extra stability to the tent’s overall structure. The tent body is made from an ultralight double rip-stop mixed denier fabric and polyester mesh. 

The fly and floor are made from a silicone treated proprietary ultralight double rip-stop material and mixed with a denier nylon that features a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating to ensure weatherproof protection. 

While proprietary tent corner construction with unique TipLok Tent Buckle™ combines to add secure tent pole-tip capture and give the rainfly attachment a secure fit.

In addition, the tent’s seams are all tap-sealed with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape for added durability, the tent body door features a super durable and easily accessed zipper, and the entire tent has discrete seams for extra tear strength.

Poles

The Copper Spur tent features pre-bent poles with a broad brow pole section. This pole frame design greatly increases the verticality of the tent’s interior sidewalls and maximizes the tent floor space available to campers. Additionally, the tent’s secure pole tip capture system ensures that the frustration of camp setup is kept to a minimum so you can get on with a well-deserved rest after a long day of backcountry trekking.

Added Extras

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL also comes with a ton of added extras, including:

• Ultralight plastic clips attach to the tent body and pole frame for a perfect pitch and added stability.
• A quick stash doorkeeper for quick storage of an unzipped door
• Pre-cut guylines make setup super quick and easy.
• A storm flap that protects the vestibule zippers from harsh conditions.
• Velcro tabs connect the rainfly attachment to the pole structure allowing the Copper Spur tent to stand up to the wind gusts and heavy rain.

FAQs

Is Big Agnes Copper Spur freestanding?

With two pre-bent poles featuring a broad brow pole section, the Big Agnes Copper Spur is more than equipped to work as a freestanding tent. Although if the weather turns and the wind picks up, Big Agnes has included aluminum j-stakes for a strong, taut pitch.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a tent that’s both lightweight and durable, but also comfortable and spacious, then there’s no doubt the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL should be high on your shopping list. 

After extensive testing and backcountry camping in both the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park, we can easily say that the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL is one of the best ultralight backpacking tent options currently available to trekkers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts.