your ideal 2 person tent that fits two people
just wondering if there were any true two person tents that are ideally lightweight and affordable?
Depends on size of people.
My TarpTent (Double Rainbow) is genuinely large enough for two but I couldn't share it comfortably with my son as he has a 25 inch wide mattress and it pushed me into the side wall too much.
Two 20 inch mattresses - no problem.
The answer is yes, and it's a relative question.Originally Posted by xalex
The two things that make tents light are:
- materials (expensive materials)
- minimal amount of materials used (space, or lack thereof)
So your question is a little of an oxymoron as a affordable tent generally won't use the lightest materials, and a 'true two person' tent most likely refers to having some extra room to spread out, which will mean a heavier tent.
If $300 is affordable, I would consider this...
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/De.../jackrabbitsl2
If you can't swing $300, I would strongly recommend something like the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, this tent probably has more AT miles than any other tent ever, and priced at $170ish, but I wouldn't call it roomy.
You an also check out the Eureka Spitfire 2, very cheap and will do the job for 2
Lightheart Duo!
Room for two people (up to 6' tall), full-size sleeping pads, AND their packs inside, and only weighs 2 lbs. Cost $295.
http://www.lightheartgear.com/index....products_id=12
Last edited by Train Wreck; 09-29-2013 at 04:46.
You may want to define what you mean by lightweight and affordable. Usually the cheaper a 2 person tent is, the more it will weigh. And I would consider $300 + affordable when considering a tent for two people.
I was going to post the Duo as well. It falls within the same price range as most other 2 person tents from larger companies, with a listed weight that at 2 pounds is half what most all other 2 person tents weigh. My personal experience is with the Solo, and I thought it was a great, well made tent.
As well, the customer service from Judy and her husband at Lightheart is great.
Last edited by Tuckahoe; 09-29-2013 at 07:27.
igne et ferrum est potentas
"In the beginning, all America was Virginia." -William Byrd
Our MSR Hoop is really roomy
I always try to pinch pennies on backpacking gear but last spring I stepped up from the 200-300 price range that I usually am looking in for a tent and got what I consider an expensive tent. I got a BA Copper Spur 3 which retails for around 500 bones. I used the 20% rei coupon and my dividends and got out the door for less than 400 including a ground cloth and tax. Every time I set it up I am impressed with the quality and little features that are not present on lower priced tents. Whenever I spend a night exposed with sideways blowing rain I am even more impressed. I can't say enough good about this tent as a true two person (plus dog) tent and wish I would have stepped up on the price point sooner.
Where do you get a 20% off coupon for REI!?
We are looking at the copper spur but thought the copper spur 2 might be enough for 2 people, especially with the vestibules? How much extra space or value is there in the 3 person to you?
I guess I should have been more clear in what we're looking for.. price really isn't an issue, it would just be ideal if it was cheaper.
Two doors is ideal, freestanding, ultralight is a plus but also want something that's durable and can last. It sounds like the copper spur meets most of what we're looking for but was wondering if there was something better out there. thank you for your replies
http://www.tarptent.com/stratospire2.html
I own a Tarptent Stratospire 2 - 40 oz, $325 and huge enclosed space. Very versitile for varied rain, bug conditions. Like a 5-start room on a 3-star budget.
Good Luck
CS2 does fit two reasonably well, better than a lot of other tents advertised as 2p, but you will still be touching the walls and your you couldn't bring gear inside. On days that we have been pinned down by weather or on those looong winter nights we really appreciated the extra space. I don't remember there being much of a weight penalty going from the CS2 to CS3, and I have never regretted getting the bigger one. And yes, I think you are right about 2 door. We used to have a front entry Clip. The single door saves a bit of weight, but it is a pain to get in and out of, and the two doors are more versatile and give easy access.
The rei coupon comes out twice a year for members. You might get one when you join as well.
I also have the Copper Spur UL2, it's great for me & my 8 y.o., but for 2 adults I would go for the Copper Spur 3.
I bought the Big Agnes Seedhouse 2 for me and my son. We fit our packs in also. Now more than enough room for just me, so I am looking to switch to a BA Fly Creek 1, or something else.
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
About twice a year, members get a 20% off of one item (good for a very limited time).
So if you KNOW what you want, and you're willing to wait 6 to 9 months to get it, you can get it 20% off at REI.
It's how I afforded a NeoAir Large.
My wife and I use a Tarptent Rainshadow II.
Not only is it roomy and lightweight, but there's room for our 100 pound dog and some gear too.
Yes I know it's made for 3 people, but with 2 there's lots of elbow room.
I have a Kelty Trail Ridge 2. It's big enough for two and very roomy when it is just me. And big enough for my two boys (6 yr olds) and me .
As well as TT Double Rainbow I have TT Rainshadow 2 AND a Copper Spur 2.
Rainshadow 2 is enormous for weight but I would call it a two and a half season tent.
The Copper Spur 2 I consider a fantastic tent and I love it - for me alone.
I think it would only really be something I could recommend for two reasonably thin people (height is good to well over six feet in all of these tents). It would be OK if both slept on mummy shaped mats as two full mats would get "tight" at the narrow end.
If the answer was yes, then everyone would be buying the same tent.
So it really becomes a personal taste in what tent has the right mix of weight, quality, features, and cost.
What I can tell you is that if you research tents online, when you look at the specifications for size (of rectangular tents), they will be quoting the corners of where the support poles are, not the usable inside dimensions of the tent. As an example, I needed a 3 man tent for me and my sons. I use a large sleeping pad (25") and both sons use a standard sleeping pad (20"). So I needed a tent that was 65" wide. The specifications for a Mountain Hardware Drifter 3 is 66". Sounds tight but is should fit. But when I got a chance to see the Drifter 3 in person, it was IMPOSSIBLE to fit a large and two regular sleeping pads inside the tent.
Here's what I can tell you. I've had a Kelty Vortex (for-runner to the Gunnison) and it has been a huge tent for two people, plenty of room. The specifications for the Gunnison is 93"x57". That is a great size tent. But it is also a 6lb tent for $200. Compare that to the BA Copper Spur and it is only 90"x52", half the weight and twice the price.
I would say that those are your two extremes. You'll need to pick one of those two tents, or start looking for something in between.
For the criteria of the OP (price, size etc), I strongly recommend the TT Double Rainbow. $250 I think.
But I will continue to use the BA Copper Spur as MY tent.
I will probably go with one of the TarpTents if I am with my wife.
Some floor plans need to be interpreted a bit..
The width of a tent floor is measured at the corner.
Looking at photos of the tent set up you may notice that often the floor is not a rectangle but a "concave rectangle" therefore both length and width are less at the center than on the sides.
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