The incredibly ridiculous Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Carbon fell into my lap...

[Wuff]

Let me tell you a tale. The wife and I are headed to Campo to start hiking in a couple weeks and decided to buy a Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2. $550 is a lot for a freestanding tent but fine. Well, REI sent us the Tiger Wall 2 CARBON (https://www.bigagnes.com/Tiger-Wall-2-Carbon). Customer service has offered an exchange or for us to keep this tent instead. A few things:


I would (and SHOULD) be embarrassed to be seen sleeping in a $1000 tent
Carbon tent poles make me very nervous
The DCF used is super thin. It's going to need to be babied.


However, it seems like the universe wants us to give it a try- it certainly lightens our load and makes room in my pack. I can find zero field tests for this tent beyond a preview from Andrew Skurka that doesn't fill me with confidence.

What would you do? Try the Carbon or return it? I'm thinking we have to try this thing.

Frizz

[Puddlefish]

Let me tell you a tale. The wife and I are headed to Campo to start hiking in a couple weeks and decided to buy a Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2. $550 is a lot for a freestanding tent but fine. Well, REI sent us the Tiger Wall 2 CARBON (https://www.bigagnes.com/Tiger-Wall-2-Carbon). Customer service has offered an exchange or for us to keep this tent instead. A few things:


I would (and SHOULD) be embarrassed to be seen sleeping in a $1000 tent
Carbon tent poles make me very nervous
The DCF used is super thin. It's going to need to be babied.


However, it seems like the universe wants us to give it a try- it certainly lightens our load and makes room in my pack. I can find zero field tests for this tent beyond a preview from Andrew Skurka that doesn't fill me with confidence.

What would you do? Try the Carbon or return it? I'm thinking we have to try this thing.

Frizz

Seems like half of the product description was "This tent is kind of a fragile mess." I'd probably return it, and get the one you can trust. How much of the weight savings is false when you need to carry a footprint along?

[TNhiker]

i'd keep it...

use it...

see if it fails....

if it fails-----get new one from Big Agnes and tell them what went wrong.......

[bigcranky]

Hmmm. The Zpacks Duplex is lighter (<20 oz) and $400 cheaper. Plus it's pretty well established as a good long distance tent for thru-hikers. Similar interior sizes, 2 doors, etc. Sure, it's not freestanding, but even "freestanding" tents need to be staked, especially the really fragile ones.

That said, there's no real downside to trying the BA tent. If it gets wrecked, you can cowboy camp until it can be replaced.

[ldsailor]

I'd keep it - especially if it is lighter than the tent you originally ordered. I wish I could afford a lighter tent, so believe me, I'd keep it and baby that sucker and be satisfied as long as it didn't let the rain in. By the way, doesn't REI and Big Agnes give warranties? If it turns into a problem then return it.

[Tipi Walter]

The Big Agnes website says "These products are intended for only the most advanced user."

So if you feel you are the most advanced user then you may be permitted to use it. If you are very experienced but NOT advanced, well, you should never attempt to use this tent.

But remember, this tent will " . . . require careful use to decrease the possibility of damage." And aren't we all supremely careful during our backpacking trips? And I know Miss Nature will recognize it as something incredibly fragile and not unleash Her usual Hell Storms on the thing.

If you feel you are not at the vaunted Advanced Level---you could consider a step down with this---

45079

[blue indian]

Keep it!

If anything goes wrong REI/Big Agnes will take care of you.

Plus you should be able to give real world feedback on it

[Maineiac64]

Sell it for $600 and get a zpacks duplex.

[Hosh]

I wouldn’t worry about the carbon fiber. If it’s been engineered properly, it will perform very well. Think, Indy car front wings, America’s Cup sail mast, military aircraft, DCF is tough, easily repaired. Both REI and BA have excellent reputations for Customer Service. I own 3 BA Cooper Spur tents, 5 sleeping pads and find their design and quality to be well above average.
UL tents do require some care, as does any piece of high performance equipment, extra care with the zippers will go a long ways.
Zpacks is also a good option.

[Ethesis]

Hmmm. The Zpacks Duplex is lighter (<20 oz) and $400 cheaper. Plus it's pretty well established as a good long distance tent for thru-hikers. Similar interior sizes, 2 doors, etc. Sure, it's not freestanding, but even "freestanding" tents need to be staked, especially the really fragile ones.

That said, there's no real downside to trying the BA tent. If it gets wrecked, you can cowboy camp until it can be replaced.

The Zpacks seems to have a lot of condensation complaints this year.

[jefals]

I disagree with the logic to keep it since REI/Big Agnes will take care of it if anything goes wrong.
You don't want to be out backpacking, worrying if you're tent is gonna fail...

[Feral Bill]

Get the tent YOU want, not the one that fell in your lap.

[MuddyWaters]

No way
No how
Do you want a 0.34 cuben shelter for sustained use.

[bigcranky]

The Zpacks seems to have a lot of condensation complaints this year.

It's a single wall tent. They get condensation under many different conditions. Part of dealing with it.

[CalebJ]

I wouldn’t worry about the carbon fiber. If it’s been engineered properly, it will perform very well. Think, Indy car front wings, America’s Cup sail mast, military aircraft, DCF is tough, easily repaired. Both REI and BA have excellent reputations for Customer Service. I own 3 BA Cooper Spur tents, 5 sleeping pads and find their design and quality to be well above average.
UL tents do require some care, as does any piece of high performance equipment, extra care with the zippers will go a long ways.
Zpacks is also a good option.

Sure - DCF and carbon fiber are each materials that allow for excellent strength when used properly. By any normal standard, however, Big Agnes has not done so in this case. .34 ounce DCF for the main tent body? ZPacks and Mountain Laurel Designs won't go there, and they have years of experience designing these products and testing them all over the world.

[MuddyWaters]

Sure - DCF and carbon fiber are each materials that allow for excellent strength when used properly. By any normal standard, however, Big Agnes has not done so in this case. .34 ounce DCF for the main tent body? ZPacks and Mountain Laurel Designs won't go there, and they have years of experience designing these products and testing them all over the world.
This is akin to a runway "fashion design" or a "concept car"

Its not really something meant to be used, imo. Its a showcase to show limits of whats possible.

I have lightly used 0.34 stuffsaks that are falling apart.

[Dogwood]

You aint seen nothing yet. Fox is torching DCF. He's going to melt a TW next. :D Bring 3 D glasses. See the pretty colors.

[CalebJ]

This is akin to a runway "fashion design" or a "concept car"

Its not really something meant to be used, imo. Its a showcase to show limits of whats possible.

I have lightly used 0.34 stuffsaks that are falling apart.

So take it to a trade show as a demonstration, then sell a realistic product. The last thing BA needs is the publicity of all their high dollar tents getting shredded in the real world.

[MuddyWaters]

So take it to a trade show as a demonstration, then sell a realistic product. The last thing BA needs is the publicity of all their high dollar tents getting shredded in the real world.
Im guessing the person that would pay their $$$$ price for such a fragile tent..... wouldnt mind buying a new one now and then. I doubt they sell that many

[Maineiac64]

It's a single wall tent. They get condensation under many different conditions. Part of dealing with it.
I haven’t found it too much of an issue, camped next to ocean, lake, and river with mine; when there is condensation it runs down and out the vent screen; just need to keep sleeping bag away from tent wall.

[bigcranky]

I haven’t found it too much of an issue, camped next to ocean, lake, and river with mine; when there is condensation it runs down and out the vent screen; just need to keep sleeping bag away from tent wall.

Exactly. We also carry a small towel to wipe it down.

[chknfngrs]

Just rolling my mouse over it’s pic on the REI website caused it to rip

[Feral Bill]

I wonder if the dire warnings from BA about this tent are part of their marketing scheme. Its oh so special only the best can use it, with the glory reflected on their lesser offerings.

[CalebJ]

Part of their marketing scheme or not, the fabric is insane. ZPacks only uses it on their emergency pocket tarps, and only because of an accidental production run from a few years ago that was well received. As I recall, MLD doesn't use .34 at all, and .51 only at special request with the disclaimer that no warranty coverage exists at all.

[Wuff]

Thanks all, I basically agree with all of you... so we're going to try the tent out and then exchange it if/when it disintegrates. We have a backup tent at the ready we can ship if needed as well.

We start hiking April 30, I will report back on how this thing performs and we can all have another laugh.

[Wuff]

OK OK - it's funny what happens sometimes when you sleep on a decision. We reversed our decision from YESTERDAY and decided we don't want to worry about our tent breaking for 2700 miles. If we had wanted a DCF tent we'd have ordered a ZPacks months ago. I've never been on a trip that doesn't have at least SOME terrible weather - I'm picturing this .34 dyneema rain fly ripping in half during a rainstorm and both of us attempting to cover up our DOWN quilt with a compactor bag. No thanks.

We'll stick with our old school freestanding Big Agnes and let the "advanced" Big Agnes users do the Carbon field testing.

Seriously - thank you all for your thoughts.

[OwenM]

That's what I'd have done, too.
Along with materials that I'd rate a 0 in durability for the floor and fly, a review with a carbon pole breaking on first use certainly doesn't make the picture any prettier.
Aside from the carried weight, there's no part of those Carbon series tents that I'd personally consider desirable.


A friend of mine recently bought his wife a Fly Creek Carbon, and a >1oz/yd groundsheet to go under it. Since she had a dog in it in the pic I saw of its first use, that might oughta go on the inside!
Yeah, it's light, and it's super cool, but she does long section hikes and "short" thrus(up to and including the 1100+ mile MST), pretty much yearly. Time will tell, but I have low expectations for that thing's lifespan. This year she's doing the Long Trail again. That's just ~3 weeks, and I imagine she'll be using shelters most of the time, so I don't know how much of a test that will be.
Maybe I'll get to see it in action if we all go to CO next year. Hopefully it's still in action...

IIRC, the MLD guy(Ron?) said they expect ~150 nights from .51oz/yd, 250 for the .74, and 500 or 600 from silnylon.
I'm debating one of their "tarps"(Deschutes) in .74oz/yd, but it would mainly be for trips out West, not regular use. At 2-3 weeks per year max, it'd take me over a decade's vacation to hit 250, so I'm ok with that.

[poolskaterx]

I have carbon poles that came with my 4 season tent that are bomber; it is an easton tent. The poles have outlasted the fly. Dyneema .34 is pretty skinny though for durability...

[hikermiker]

Here are a bunch of reviews of the tent. Watch them & make up your own mind.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=big+agnes+tiger+wall+2+carbon +review

[cmoulder]

OK OK - it's funny what happens sometimes when you sleep on a decision. We reversed our decision from YESTERDAY and decided we don't want to worry about our tent breaking for 2700 miles. If we had wanted a DCF tent we'd have ordered a ZPacks months ago. I've never been on a trip that doesn't have at least SOME terrible weather - I'm picturing this .34 dyneema rain fly ripping in half during a rainstorm and both of us attempting to cover up our DOWN quilt with a compactor bag. No thanks.

We'll stick with our old school freestanding Big Agnes and let the "advanced" Big Agnes users do the Carbon field testing.

Seriously - thank you all for your thoughts.
I'd have taken the advice earlier to sell it for $600 and get a Duplex. The thing that kills the BA tent for me (even more than the .34 DCF) is that it has only 1 door. Very annoying for 2 people.

[CalebJ]

I'd have taken the advice earlier to sell it for $600 and get a Duplex. The thing that kills the BA tent for me (even more than the .34 DCF) is that it has only 1 door. Very annoying for 2 people.
It has two doors.

[cmoulder]

It has two doors.

OK never mind. I didn't see them in the REI pics.

But I'd still get a Duplex. I'm now hammocking 99.9% of the time but still can't bear the thought of selling mine... just seems like one of those things I might regret.

[T.S.Kobzol]

I have a lot of gear in cuben fibre, including 2 tarps and a pyramid shelter but the more I see of the Duplex the less inclined I'm to get it. I'm sure it it s light but wind performance and torrential downpour performance seems to be lacking.

[cmoulder]

Been thru both wind and torrential downpours with mine with few issues. One time I had to wipe up some backsplash but that's about it.

That said, IMO it's too well ventilated to be a winter tent and I would never subject it to a snow load (mine is .51 DCF).

[trailmercury]

Been thru both wind and torrential downpours with mine with few issues. One time I had to wipe up some backsplash but that's about it.

That said, IMO it's too well ventilated to be a winter tent and I would never subject it to a snow load (mine is .51 DCF).

Yeah, it doesn't claim to be 4 season. For Maine winters, look elsewhere.

[Five Tango]

Your shelter is the most important item you carry.I would not be able to carry any shelter into the wet and windy woods that did not have my complete confidence.

[Cboon]

I have a duplex and love it. the description of an item should never say delicate...its a camping tent not lace lingerie

[T.S.Kobzol]

I have a duplex and love it. the description of an item should never say delicate...its a camping tent not lace lingerie

Agreed but duplex is almost a lingerie IMHO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OwenM]

A friend of mine recently bought his wife a Fly Creek Carbon, and a >1oz/yd groundsheet to go under it....Maybe I'll get to see it in action if we all go to CO next year.
Guess not. No details, but it turns out that tent was quickly returned for being too flimsy. Think its first use was its only use...

[macdiver]

Go with the Z packs duplex.

[firefly]

I got the Carbon Tiger Wall and returned it immediately... to thin for me.. For years I used a Fly Creek Platinum but it finally broke down and delaminated- stunk up all my gear with dead squirrel smell which the older tents are notorious for doing. I have a Duplex now. Great tent but not for everybody. I would get the tent you wanted.. a regular Tiger Wall .. tried and tested and it’s got poles.. a very excellent tent.