Big Agnes - Copper Spur HV UL3 Long Tent: 3-Person 3-Season

I did some further digging, and it looks like Hyperbead is stretch resistant. I’m starting to think it might be a very similar fabric to OSMO which is no longer exclusive to Nemo, so I suspect Hyperbead might be a Nylon Poly blend as well and they aren’t disclosing that fact to seem more proprietary. Otherwise I’m not sure how they could get a 100% Nylon fabric to not sag. If that’s the case then the Dragonfly and Copper Spur are pretty much a toss up fabric wise. There’s one other feature that might sway you and that’s if you use a footprint. The Cooper spur has a traditional grommet design which allows for a fly first pitch when using a footprint. Nemo uses a Jake’s foot attachment so inner first pitch even with the footprint. I don’t use a footprint and prefer Jake’s foot attachments especially when setting up solo. I’m not a thru hiker though, and have never been forced to set up a tent while raining just before bed. I usually have the flexibility to wait out a shower before setting up, or setting it up in the rain and having enough time to dry it out before tossing in my gear.

Heads up (if you weren’t already aware), the copper spur models are currently 25% off on Backcountry.com - I was also between UL2 XL / UL3 and ended up going with the 3!

We have a CS UL3 HV for us and our 40lb Heeler, with two 20" rectangular pads. The dog has a cut-down ZLite. It's just about perfect. It'd be nice to move to 25" tapered pads, not sure how that would work though, given we have a double quilt.

Copper Spur for the win!

Big Agnes, MSR, and Nemo are 3 of the best tent brands available. I ran the warranty desk for an outdoor gear company, and saw the least amount of warranty issues with those brands. They’re not inexpensive, but, you get what you pay for. I have a Big Agnes tent that’s at least 10 years old, we use it regularly and only have to hose the dirt off. It’s amazing. Nemo is awesome too, I know a lot of people with Nemo tents and they love them. I just got an MSR 3 person tent and absolutely love it. Definitely get a 2 person tent. The general rule is to take however many people will be sleeping in the tent, and add 1. So 1 person = 2 person tent, 2 ppl = 3 person tent and so on. A 2 person tent is more comfortable for having your gear inside the tent, changing your clothes, etc. If you don’t plan to go backpacking with it, I’d get a 3-4 person tent just for the space.

Hi all, Looking to get a new 3P tent for my partner and I! We currently have an older version of the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3 (pre-Hyber Bead). It's a great tent that has held up to our use for a solid 7+ years, but we're looking to upgrade / renew it since the waterproofness seems to be fading a bit. We're considering just replacing it with the new Copper Spur UL 3, but wanting to poll the group to see if other options are worth considering – especially the Tiger Wall, Nemo Hornet, or Dragonfly. **Our use case:** \- backpacking around PNW mostly \- Our preference is for a 3 person for use with our dog, a friend for those rare occasions, or a future child. \- semi-freestanding or freestanding (we have an X-Mid for when weight really matters, but lately my partner hates the fiddle factor of trekking pole tents, and I don't mind splitting the weight of a larger tent when I camp with her). \- we will also use the tent for some car camping / front country campgrounds... so take that FWIW. That said our Copper Spur has been totally adequate for this; we don't need more space than that. \- I'm 6 foot if that is an issue in these smaller tents \- Want to keep weight around 1800g total (Copper Spur is the heaviest we want to go) \- Durability is a big concern for us. The Copper Spur has held up well, being a bit careful, with no major issues. I've anecdotally heard the Nemo stuff holds up better than the Big Agnes stuff, but we want this tent to last a while or be able to be serviced / repaired should issues come up. \- storm worthiness - nothing crazy, just 3 season conditions, but it gets WET here in the spring/fall. Performance in wind would also be a benefit, but we do have a dedicated 4-season tent for winter stuff. \- warranty support (in Canada, if possible) - while I haven't had issues, I've heard Big Agnes' warranty is suffering a bit vs Nemo's, which I've heard is excellent. \- Hyperbead vs. Osmo, any differences here? \- Is the portion of the body on the Nemo Hornet an issue in rain/wind?

thanks! Yea we figured it's probably the Copper Spur. That said given we haven't had durability issues with it, wondering if we could get away with one of the lighter models like the Tiger Wall or Hornet and use it with a footprint when we're car camping. Car camping comfort isn't a big need – the space of a 3 person is more than comfortable enough and fits our exped megamat just fine (we don't need one of those mega walmart palaces!).

After dealing with a warranty issue with Durston I would rather deal with Big Agnes

I can only recommend what I’ve got, which is a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3. Mine is extra long. I love it! I’ve also got the 2P variant, which can fit 2 comfortably, if slightly snugly, though I am 193 cm.

There’s a balance of not spending too much your first time and getting quality stuff that will last for years. The big 4 that will all last a long time A good backpack should be a priority as you will be carrying it on your hips (or shoulders if it isn’t sized right). Then tent/pad. Big Agnus Copper Spur seems to be at the top of most people’s list and while not cheap it isn’t crazy expensive. Great if you can find on sale. Get a 2 person even if going solo most of the time as you can have a roomier tent w your pack inside when solo or use as a 2P tent when you go w a friend Pads depend on if you are a back or side sleeper (need a thicker pad like Sea 2 Summit or Nemo). Tons of choices and some budget options. A sleeping bag is critical but can become your most expensive item. I would start with a $200-300 one if you can that has a ISO Limit rating in the 20s if you plan on 3 seasons at altitude. If not then one with and ISO Limit rating in the 30s. Down will be lighter and pack smalller but if on a budget a synthetic bag will likely be cheaper. Good news is your bag will probably last you 20 years. You can use it car camping, rustic cabin camping or backpacking. Water filter is an easy choice these days with a cheap but super dependable and quality Sawyer Squeeze. Lots of stove options. Not the lightest but I like the Jet Boil for its simplicity and speed of heating up water and that it has the pot as part of it. I don’t carry any other pot. Just a spoon and mug. Hiking poles if doing uneven terrain and or ups and downs Hiking shoes/boots is a whole other discussion. Most go with low top trail runners vs boots. A super useful web site is Halfway Anywhere. With one big caveat. These surveys are for longer through hikes where generally weight/quality is prioritized over cost. But you get to see a big list of what people used and their ratings. I have the below link set to the JMT (vs much longer AT or PCT) as the JMP is a little more geared toward typical [gear survey](https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/john-muir-trail-survey/) backpacking.