Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent Review

Shoulder RoomThe HV in the name stands for High Volume. If the regular Copper Spur is a standard two person tent, then the HV is a plus size model with extra head room and floor area to provide extra livability. Nearly vertical sidewalls create plenty of elbow and head room for sitting around, cooking, and playing games. BA says it’s 20 percent roomier than the original Copper Spur. 

PackabilityThe other initial, UL, stands for Ultra Light. So even though it’s a bigger boned version it is not heavy by any measure. At just over three pounds this is worthy of the UL moniker. The secret is lots of mesh and a proprietary rip stop nylon throughout the tent that is light but tough. 

Set UpSet up is quick and easy with a hubbed double pole propping most of the tent and a truss pulling the doors out. The clips that attach the tent to the poles speed set up. 

WeatherproofThe silicone treated nylon fly is poly coated. It didn’t soak up water and dried really fast. But it’s not super tough, so care should be taken when opening and closing it. The well thought out design pitches the vestibule out past the door to keep water and rain away from the entrance. But the way the fly ties out of the way, means it always hangs a bit into the door. When wet, this meant a wet kiss from the fly every time we climbed in or out. The steep walls helped shed precipitation without any pooling.

FeaturesThree key features on this tent caught our attention. One: Big Agnes’s focus on eco-friendly options. The poles are DAC Green, built in a less wasteful way and they found non-toxic options for seam tape and waterproofing. The media shelf is one of several pockets inside the tent. It sits overhead and is big enough and designed for a smartphone or even small tablet. There is cable routing and the way its positioned allows watching a movie while lying down. And our other was a negative: the fly kept catching in its zipper. Frustrating but overall not an opinion changer. 

The Copper Spur HV is a roomy tent (like COLEMAN WEATHERMASTER 6-PERSON SCREENED TENT ), with big doors and lots of handy features, and it’s super lightweight. For less than two pounds per person it’s a great backpacking tent with the stability and steep walls to handle full three season use.