Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Tent Review

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The Copper Spur UL2 is a 2-person 3-season that packs the ultimate in protection from the elements and creature comforts into a sub 3 pound package for backpacking or car camping. I have spent more than 20 nights in this tent so far this summer and it has been put to the test by humans and nature.

Copper Spur UL2 Design

Big Agnes, based out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has been designing tents for the toughest users while continuing to make them lighter and more efficient at the same time. The Copper Spur UL2 is no exception. This year’s tent is lighter than previous iterations, but tougher than ever. The Copper Spur UL2 features a two pole hub system making set-up and tear down super easy which was welcomed as I found myself setting up or tearing down in the dark or rain more times than not this summer. The two poles attached at the center kept me from fumbling with multiple poles when time was of the essence. There is a secondary quick cross pole that runs across the tent overhead providing additional width and height for increased headroom. The tent narrows a tag toward the foot which I’m sure saves on weight, but to be honest I haven’t noticed it giving the tent a smaller feel.

The Copper Spur UL2 also features two large side doors that lead to fairly spacious vestibules that easily store a gear bag and a few items you want to keep dry.

Copper Spur UL2 Set-Up/Tear Down

As I mentioned above the Copper Spur UL2 is extremely easy to set-up and tear down. Simply layout the tent, assemble the poles, which are so easy they basically assembly themselves, match up the colored corners, then quickly clip on the DAC Twist clips, attach the central hub and clip in the quick crosspole, throw the fly over it, clip the corners, tap in the stakes and you’re done. I honestly cannot imagine anyone having any sort of trouble setting up this tent.

Features of the Copper Spur UL2 Tent

This tent’s features aren’t flashy, but are very functional. The interior has polyester mesh walls for great airflow and in addition, there is a pop-out above the head area to provide extra airflow. Even when the sun started baking on the tent in the mornings I never had the overwhelming “it is so stuffy inside this tent” feeling. Airflow was ample even with the fly zipped up and two people in the tent.

The interior of the tent features 2 layered mesh media pockets on each side toward the top of the tent and one lower mesh pocket on each side. These were perfect for stowing phones, keys, headlamps, and anything else you might need quick access too. With several pockets it was easy to keep things organized.

The weatherproofing on the Copper Spur UL2 is fantastic. The Nylon ripstop fly and floor have PU and silicone coatings and all seams are taped. This tent withstood some serious downpours without leaking a single drop. I’m talking consistent heavy rain for 4-6 hours. I was truly shocked at how well this tent handled water especially for how lightweight it is. The fly never leaked even when it got matted to the outside of the tent and at times when water pooled under the floor of the tent no moisture got into the tent.

Another feature that was very thoughtfully done was the reflectivity. The guylines had reflective strips as well as the webbed loops at each corner for the stakes. It is such a simple feature, but perfectly executed and useful.

The footprint is an additional purchase which is a bit of a bummer, but given how well the floor kept out moisture the tarp under the tent worked out just fine.

Size of the Copper Spur UL2

The sizing of this tent is pretty standard to most lightweight 2-person tents. It is 52 inches across at the head, 42 at the foot, 90 inches long and 42 inches tall at the head. It also features two 30 inch (at the widest point) vestibules. When inside the tent I barely noticed that the foot was narrower than the head, but I definitely noticed and appreciated the additional headroom from the height. The steep side walls made the interior feel more spacious as well. It easily fit 2 sleeping pads side by side which did not allow for much gear storage inside the tent, but the vestibules provided ample space for that.

Final Thoughts on the Copper Spur UL2

I absolutely love this tent and anticipate using it as my go-to tent for car camping as well as backpacking for a long time. It’s lightweight makes it perfect for backing packing while it’s durability and easy of use make it a great option for car camping. It has all of the features I need in a tent and nothing extra. The Copper Spur UL2 stands up to the elements and keeps you a happy camper no matter what mother nature decides to send your way. For more information visit www.rei.com/bigagnes or www.amazon.com/bigagnes.