Big Agnes - Copper Spur UL1
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
422
104
"It's also absolutely unbreakable ... I have it since 3 years, done ton of afters, street parties, beach parties, etc, with it. Saltwater, beers, dust, sand, falling on the ground, etc, nothing broke or deteriorated it the slightest, and I am a pro for breaking anything technological."
"will last you forever as they are absolute tanks"
"amazed how the quality resembles logitech g pro 1"
28
3
"Freestanding! No more agonizing over getting the right angles to avoid the roots/rocks/dips and finding out you were off by a few degrees after everything is setup, just pick it up and adjust before staking out. I know this is obvious and the main reason the tent was created, but it is HUGE!"
"I do think it offers high performance *for an ultralight freestanding tent* (e.g. I don't think another doublewall freestanding tent under 1kg could hold up to more but a 2kg tent certainly can). ... it is working very well for what it is (an ultralight freestanding tent around 1kg)."
"Personally I just like the simplicity and easy setup of a free standing tent ... I can pick the entire thing up and flip it upside down to dry it out in the sun, or easily pick it up and move it, etc, and if you're calling on rocky or hard ground you don't need to pound stakes in."
175
36
"The best part is the huge vestibule. ... On super rainy days we can set up our camp chairs in there and cook with the stove no problem, the dogs sleep out there and it's a great place to dry stuff."
"I’m 6’4” and I have plenty of room ... I sleep on the diagonal just for extra head room but I can fit straight across ... I can sit straight up in the tent and move around ... there’s still room in the tent for most of the extra gear in my pack"
"Can fit 2 cots, 2 camp chairs, and the dog bed no problem."
48
4
"The Mesa II's are super light ... something like 8oz lighter than the Vivo Hydra ESC ... I got spoiled by super light shoes and it's hard to wear anything else. now. ... So I'm a big Mesa fan."
"Copper Spur is perfect though I have also used a 20+ pound REI Kingdome when space was less of an issue. ... I do a fair amount of trips that start with a flight so a lighter tent that takes up less room is a must."
"Cloud up trace 1p 0.93kg + groundsheet."
7
4
"I have and it managed pouring rain and high winds without issue."
"Took it on the Uinta Highline Trail in Utah this past August, where the afternoon hailstorms were mind blowing. ... This tent is a freaking bomb shelter."
"I’ve had that thing all over the most remote parts of the Colorado Rockies and it has always performed perfectly."
Disliked most:
7
12
"I just ordered and received one and it's been the worst out of box experience I've ever had. ... The minimal quick start and lights on the device didn't match the documentation and it went downhill from there. ... It wouldn't connect to the app, then I eventually got it connected manually and it wouldn't play because it needed an update. ... Of course the update would fail to install every time. ... I spent an hour with support to learn that the battery needed to be at a minimum charge level to update. ... The device doesn't have a way to determine the state of charge without using the app, and won't connect to the app if the charge state is too low. ... In retrospect a simple "charge this device for several hours before attempting to setup and use" in the box would have solved all my issues. ... If it was just off and completely dead I would have figured it out quickly, but it actually displayed lights and gave the appearance that something was working at first and started to pair with the app for a bit. ... It wouldn't play the sound to identify the speaker so I had to manually enter the number as an alternative."
"can’t seem to get them to connect to my system. Keeps telling me they need to update and I get an error. I’ve been on the phone with support twice now doing all kinds of things to try and fix them. Apparently they are sending an email with info to return them within the next two business days."
"found it such a pain to set up"
30
27
"I hate that nylon sags and it's actually pretty weird it sucks up water. The last thing you want a tent to do is get heavier, stay wet and lose tension."
"After getting as much mileage as possible out of my BA 2P Flycreek and Tarptent Rainbow, I'm excited to invest in an ultralight shelter that shaves a pound or more off my base weight"
"It’s 100% not ultralight ... Yeah it’s heavy."
18
10
"Personally snapped a three season tent on rainier from the wind a few seasons ago. Granted it was a big Agnes tiger wall."
"Hubba tent has a single top tube, this design is made to be lightweight but it cannot withstand wind."
"These taller tents don't do well in high winds. ... They're like giant sails, and the poles tend to bend."
4
4
"Yes the bottom is super thin. ... I always use a Gossamer Gear plastic tarp under the copper spur bottom."
"Ultralight materials are very light, yes, but they are very delicate and tear and/or get holes easily. Ask me how I know..."
"But if you have an ultralight tent, the fabric is much lighter and thinner: way easier for ants, mice, etc. to chew into."
4
6
"my 1P tent was ridiculously small"
"It's only a one man tent, and I wish I would have opted for the two man tent so I have more room for my gear."
"2p is way too small for two people unless you like sleeping on top of each other or maybe you’re both 5’ and 100lbs?"
EvolvedSupplyCo 1.0I used the Copper Spur UL2 on my hike of the AT 10 years ago. It's a great tent & over the years has been given great updates. After putting tons of miles on it, I gave it to a buddy & he's still using it today. I currently have one of the Copper Spur UL1's as well & really dig it for certain hikes. On my PCT hike, I used a Zpacks Duplex. Also a great tent & was perfect for that hike. Still have it, but haven't really used it since. That being said, I've used a single wall DCF trekking pole on ALL of my other thru-hikes since. The only downside to using an UL DCF trekking pole tent on a thru-hike is that "most" folks will wear one out over 3-4K miles. So, if you plan on only doing the one trail (PCT), an UL trekking pole tent is the clear winner for its simplicity & weight. If you're planning to do a bunch of thru-hikes due to getting the "bug" & can really only justify buying one tent/ aren't as weight conscious... I think a tent like the Copper Spur or Tiger wall would be a great choice. \- Darwin
LowShoulder3437 1.0The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 seems to check most of your boxes and can be had for under $300 from several online retailers at the moment. I’d prefer the Durston Xdome, but that comes in almost $100 over budget and you’d also have to wait until it’s available.
see_blue 1.0Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL1 or UL2, or Copper Spur UL1 or Copper Spur UL2.
vixenwixen 1.0I switched from the Aeon li to a big Agnes copper spur UL1 on my last bikepacking trip. The weight gain (minimal) was worth it for the freestanding “upgrade”. The internal storage loft is a HUGE upgrade. The UL2 version min weight is 1191grams
mosbol 0.4nemo is great according to friends I just camped with. they loved theirs. I had a brand new Copper Sur UL1 and it was also great. Incredibly light, quick set up, sleek and sturdy. I bought it to camp in a rainforest, specifically for the weight and waterproofing.
Grimfly 0.3I gave up on trekking pole tents because I too am getting old and hate spending time finagling 6 guy outs and still rarely getting a great pitch. The one man copper spur is my new freestanding tent. It did fine for a week in the high Sierra - stood up to wind and weather and has a huge shelf for storage which I came to love. They go on sale periodically for around 300 bucks. Of course the Durston freestanding tent came out and I'm intrigued...
RoboMikeIdaho 0.3I have that BA tent. I love it and will never use a trekking pole tent again.
Sorry, the Copper Spur 1
I don’t get the arguments about not being able to fit your gear in a 1p tent. People can fit all their gear into a 50 L backpack, but once the sleeping bag and sleeping pad are removed they’re not able to fit the rest of the stuff near their feet? Getting him a huge tent just because you want the extra room is actually a bit selfish in my opinion because of all the extra room you take at campsites. Big Agnes has been running a lot of sales in local sporting good stores and I think their Copper Spur 1p fantastic.
I put the Durston down then saw that someone posted the on sale Copper Spur 1. This is a fantastic tent.
Another vote for BA, but the 1p
bradmacmt 0.3We've been using the Copper Spurs going back to when they were introduced in 2008. We currently have the 1P and 2P at our house. We've used them in all sorts of weather here in the central Rockies. No problems.
IBelieveIWasTheFirst 0.3Yup, there were certainly places where I could put my one person Copper Spur in where a 2p couldn't. I should add, given your comment, if you like some solo time, a 1p tent that you can tuck in a stealth spot is pretty nice.
Intelligent_Run3825 0.3I had a hubba Hubba nx2 but wanted lighter so I got a hornet osmo 2P. Returned it because I couldn’t get in the tent during rain without the poorly designed fly dropping water on tent body mesh. Now I have a Durston xmid2 pro for most trips and a BA copper spur 1 if its platform tenting. I love the hubba. Old style was just too heavy. All the Durston products are fantastic!
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