View Full Version : Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 mtnGLO, Copper Spur, or something else?
Hi all,
I'm in the early stages of building up my collection of gear for 3 (2 adults, 1 child). I'm doing well so far, having only been able to settle on...socks. Needless to say, I have paralysis by analysis at this point. Research is a tough mistress...
Rambling aside, I'm currently trying to settle on tents. I'm going to get a 1 person tent, as well as a 2 person tent, as it seems to be the most flexible solution. This post is about the 2 person tent.
I'm currently looking at:
Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 mtnGLO
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 (I'd be trying to find a good sale on this)
The Rattlesnake sounds rugged and like it'd be great in a variety of weather. Unfortunately, it's got a bit of heft to it.
The Copper Spur weighs a lot less and sounds great, but some people on the REI product page experienced durability issues and water leaks.
Question time!
Does anyone have experience with these tents?
Is the Rattlesnake SL2 too heavy for thru hiking?
Is there a better alternative?
Would these not work in an environment like Denali? (Most of my hiking would be on the AT or PCT, but thought I'd ask)
Sorry about the dumb questions! I'm just trying to make sure I get what's best for my family so that they have the maximum amount of fun and get as excited at the prospect of backpacking like I do. If that means going in a completely different direction than these 2 tents, then I am all ears!
Cheers
illabelle
02-23-2018, 13:55
Before you go spending a pile of money....
Have you backpacked before? Do you know if you even like it?
We have a Big Agnes 3-person tent (for me and my husband), and it seems to hold up well. I'm no gearhead, so feel free to ignore me...
Seems like a lot of people hiking solo still want a 2-man tent because the weight penalty isn't that great and the payoff in additional space is big. If that's true for you, then the 1-man tent won't cut it.
Ain't no such thing as a dumb question. And :welcome to the WB community!
Thanks for the quick response!
I have, and I do :) I'll definitely consider a 2 person for myself as well.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
ADK Walker
02-23-2018, 14:08
Some thoughts:
I just bought a BA HV UL2 from REI for $263. It's tight for two adults but would be a bit better with 1 Adult/1Child. It's ideal for 1 person.
The Copper Spur UL 3 is a a great tent. I've used mine in some heavy rain and no problems. It fits 2 people VERY well and would allow all three of you to hang out and play games when the weather forces you inside.
Check Craigslist. You might be surprised how often you find BA tents on there that have only been used once or might even be new. That's where I scored the Copper Spur. It was never taken out of the stuff sack. Saved a ton of money.
As for taking these tents on Denali, there is no way I would do it. You don't want any exposed mesh on a mountaineering tent. Blowing snow will come thru in no time and cover/soak you and your gear.
For mountaineering I like a small single wall tent (using the Black Diamond First Light now) and a Mega Mid if I'm doing more slogging then alpine climbing with a group. I set up the Mid as a hangout/kitchen area. Dig down into the snow and create all the headroom you want. This allows my tent to be sized for sleeping only which means a smaller/lighter tent.
Cool to see you are planning with your family in mind!
Good luck!
No perfect answer - gear selection has a lot of personal preference incorporated into the decision.
You can borrow gear from a friend, rent gear from an outfitter, or just go with something that seems to fit the bill then go on a shake-down run and adjust.
As stated, a 1 person tent is a little more than a bivy
Are you SURE you got the right socks?
Some thoughts:
I just bought a BA HV UL2 from REI for $263. It's tight for two adults but would be a bit better with 1 Adult/1Child. It's ideal for 1 person.
The Copper Spur UL 3 is a a great tent. I've used mine in some heavy rain and no problems. It fits 2 people VERY well and would allow all three of you to hang out and play games when the weather forces you inside.
Check Craigslist. You might be surprised how often you find BA tents on there that have only been used once or might even be new. That's where I scored the Copper Spur. It was never taken out of the stuff sack. Saved a ton of money.
As for taking these tents on Denali, there is no way I would do it. You don't want any exposed mesh on a mountaineering tent. Blowing snow will come thru in no time and cover/soak you and your gear.
For mountaineering I like a small single wall tent (using the Black Diamond First Light now) and a Mega Mid if I'm doing more slogging then alpine climbing with a group. I set up the Mid as a hangout/kitchen area. Dig down into the snow and create all the headroom you want. This allows my tent to be sized for sleeping only which means a smaller/lighter tent.
Cool to see you are planning with your family in mind!
Good luck!Craigslist is a great suggestion -- thanks! I've heard some good things about the "Garage Sales" at REI as well, so am awaiting that.
Thanks for the tip in regards to Denali! With that in mind, maybe I should go single wall. Decisions, decisions!
Are you SURE you got the right socks?I was until your comment! :eek:
:D
JoeVogel
02-23-2018, 15:19
You might consider the Tarptent Stratospire 2 (https://www.tarptent.com/stratospire2.html). It has a ton of room for two people and you can get an additional enclosure for your kid that fits right in the vestibule. I think the stratospire is very spacious for ist's weight.
HooKooDooKu
02-23-2018, 15:26
General words of wisdom on tents:
1. When you read specifications on tent dimensions, the dimensions for width and height will be based on where the support poles hit the ground, not the about of usable space inside a tent. Count on reducing the amount of usable space by about 5" in both width and height.
2. Many tents now a days are not square. So when you see a tent specification that only has one number for width, check around to ensure you know the shape of the tent floor and therefore can better gauge it's actual width. I've seen many tent specifications like "88x55" when I know the tent has a trapezoid shaped floor and 55 is the widest point, while the actual width at the feet are likely 45" (and that's BEFORE that 5" deduction I mentioned above).
3. There was a time when there was such a thing as "standard" size 2 person tents, and "wide" size 2 person tents. But in the race to make the lightest tent possible, almost every manufacturer no a days is making only "standard" size tents. And a 2-person "standard" size is a tight squeeze for 2, and a comfortable space for 1.
Here's a great tent to get you started: Kelty Gunnisson 2.2 (https://www.sierratradingpost.com/kelty-gunnison-22-tent-2-person-3-season~p~7892f/?filterString=s~tent%2F#specsSection) at Sierra Trading Post. I consider this tent a steal at only $99. This that cheap because it's a model from a few years back... when some tents were getting made wider than others (and this is one of them). Where today's typical tent lists specs of 88x55, this one is 93x57 (and it's a square). The tent is definitely on the heavy side (compared to a Copper Spur), but it has more room and is more durable (around kids). So for only $100, I would highly recommend this to be a great "starter" tent for someone.
BTW, I have the Kelty Gunnisson 3.2 (3-person version of this exact model) that I currently use when taking two kids on weekend trips.
And to prove my point about tents have been getting smaller, the specifications for the current model of the Kelty Gunnison 2 is only 89x51
You might consider the Tarptent Stratospire 2 (https://www.tarptent.com/stratospire2.html). It has a ton of room for two people and you can get an additional enclosure for your kid that fits right in the vestibule. I think the stratospire is very spacious for ist's weight.I've heard some good things about the TS2. Sounds like I need to research it some more!
General words of wisdom on tents:
1. When you read specifications on tent dimensions, the dimensions for width and height will be based on where the support poles hit the ground, not the about of usable space inside a tent. Count on reducing the amount of usable space by about 5" in both width and height.
2. Many tents now a days are not square. So when you see a tent specification that only has one number for width, check around to ensure you know the shape of the tent floor and therefore can better gauge it's actual width. I've seen many tent specifications like "88x55" when I know the tent has a trapezoid shaped floor and 55 is the widest point, while the actual width at the feet are likely 45" (and that's BEFORE that 5" deduction I mentioned above).
3. There was a time when there was such a thing as "standard" size 2 person tents, and "wide" size 2 person tents. But in the race to make the lightest tent possible, almost every manufacturer no a days is making only "standard" size tents. And a 2-person "standard" size is a tight squeeze for 2, and a comfortable space for 1.
Here's a great tent to get you started: Kelty Gunnisson 2.2 (https://www.sierratradingpost.com/kelty-gunnison-22-tent-2-person-3-season~p~7892f/?filterString=s~tent%2F#specsSection) at Sierra Trading Post. I consider this tent a steal at only $99. This that cheap because it's a model from a few years back... when some tents were getting made wider than others (and this is one of them). Where today's typical tent lists specs of 88x55, this one is 93x57 (and it's a square). The tent is definitely on the heavy side (compared to a Copper Spur), but it has more room and is more durable (around kids). So for only $100, I would highly recommend this to be a great "starter" tent for someone.
BTW, I have the Kelty Gunnisson 3.2 (3-person version of this exact model) that I currently use when taking two kids on weekend trips.
And to prove my point about tents have been getting smaller, the specifications for the current model of the Kelty Gunnison 2 is only 89x51That's a great point about tent size.
I'll be sure to check out the tent you recommended! Thanks!
A tent for Denali:
Are you talking about backpacking in Denali National Park using the park shuttle bus? Or are you talking about climbing Denali the mountain? I would trust my MSR Hubba Hubba NX or StratoSpire 1 for backpacking in the park. A Hillleberg Black Label tent for climbing.
An SS 1 + SS 2 would be a nice family tent inventory. How old is the child? If still an infant, the SS 2 would work initially. Add the SS 1 as needed.
Wayne
Saw these on Craigslist, I don't know anything about the people or tents other then whats in the ad.
https://greensboro.craigslist.org/spo/d/3-person-tent/6506514663.html
https://greensboro.craigslist.org/spo/d/big-agnes-fly-creek-hv-ul3/6487971457.html
A tent for Denali:
Are you talking about backpacking in Denali National Park using the park shuttle bus? Or are you talking about climbing Denali the mountain? I would trust my MSR Hubba Hubba NX or StratoSpire 1 for backpacking in the park. A Hillleberg Black Label tent for climbing.
An SS 1 + SS 2 would be a nice family tent inventory. How old is the child? If still an infant, the SS 2 would work initially. Add the SS 1 as needed.
WayneBackpacking and using the shuttle bus :) Climbing the mountain would be amazing though, but I'll have to wait for my little one to be older first (she's 12).
That's 2 recommendations for StratoSpire tents so far! They must be pretty solid.
ADK Walker
02-23-2018, 19:02
To adjust my comment above regarding BA tents like the Fly Creek and Copper Spur: They would be great for lower elevation Alaska. I've done three trips there and we used similar tents with great success. I was thinking you were going up on the mountain where a different tent would be better suited.
Another option...BA Happy Hooligan UL 2 or 3.
They are a little heavier than the Copper Spur line but, I think the floor is more durable and they are cheaper. My family has a two of the 2 person models that we use for friends or scout camp outs. We also have a Copper Spur UL2 HV which is a little less durable in my opinion but, it is lighter. The attached photo was our setup Friday night. Plenty of room for two. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180430/9c56f5c07386fd162b16e26c3365db62.jpg
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Runner2017
04-30-2018, 16:40
I bought a Copper Spur HV UL2 last year from REI. The 1st test use was in my backyard. In the middle of night during a storm, the fly couldn't fend off rain and lets water drop down. So it went back to REI right away. I thought I had a defective fly so I did an exchange.
It turned out the 2nd one has the same issue. This time the storm wasn't as hard so the fly held up without issue. But the issue was the bottom of the floor (without a footprint) isn't entirely waterproof. So it goes.
I bought a Copper Spur HV UL2 last year from REI. The 1st test use was in my backyard. In the middle of night during a storm, the fly couldn't fend off rain and lets water drop down. So it went back to REI right away. I thought I had a defective fly so I did an exchange.
It turned out the 2nd one has the same issue. This time the storm wasn't as hard so the fly held up without issue. But the issue was the bottom of the floor (without a footprint) isn't entirely waterproof. So it goes.I agree. I wouldn't use most of BA's UL tents without a footprint. The HH has a better floor but, I still have footprints for them as insurance.
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I love my Copper Spur UL1, and have scores of nights in it. Assume the seam tape will fail though, and treat all outside seams with a GE Silicone II and mineral spirit blend (see Tarptent's website).
Big Agnes replaced my tent after
seam tape failure in multiple locations. I don't trust any seam tape, period. I had to seal my tent at 1,000 miles because the seam tape was coming off. do like the Copper Spur though, so I seal it myself and ignore seam tape failure now.
Sirenobie
07-02-2018, 00:59
I was looking at buying the Copper Spur but kept hesitating because of the price. After a bunch of research for an inexpensive UL tent, I ran across River Country Products.
I started looking at their 2 person UL tent. Old school design (think pup tent) but weights a total of 2.5lbs including stuff sack and stakes! It uses hiking poles, is single walled, needs to be staked down and doesn't have a vestibule- but it has bug netting, a weather flap over the bug netting, plus two addition vents to ease interior condensation and is roomy inside, especially if the sides are staked ouy.
And here is the best part... $49, including shipping (gulp). I was a little dubious when I saw it on Amazon but the reviews were very good and, well.... it was $49.
So, I went to their website https://RiverCountryProducts.com and ordered one. They ship out of Washington state and it arrived three days later. The craftsmenship is very good and and I feel like it was a total bargain. Definely worth checking out, especially if you don't want to spend $300- $500 to get you a tent that will only weight, at most, 0.5lbs less than the River Country 2 Person tent.... 😉
I was looking at buying the Copper Spur but kept hesitating because of the price. After a bunch of research for an inexpensive UL tent, I ran across River Country Products.
I started looking at their 2 person UL tent. Old school design (think pup tent) but weights a total of 2.5lbs including stuff sack and stakes! It uses hiking poles, is single walled, needs to be staked down and doesn't have a vestibule- but it has bug netting, a weather flap over the bug netting, plus two addition vents to ease interior condensation and is roomy inside, especially if the sides are staked ouy.
And here is the best part... $49, including shipping (gulp). I was a little dubious when I saw it on Amazon but the reviews were very good and, well.... it was $49.
So, I went to their website https://RiverCountryProducts.com and ordered one. They ship out of Washington state and it arrived three days later. The craftsmenship is very good and and I feel like it was a total bargain. Definely worth checking out, especially if you don't want to spend $300- $500 to get you a tent that will only weight, at most, 0.5lbs less than the River Country 2 Person tent....
I just ordered the 1 person for 39$