Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 review

Ultralight backpacking tents test part three

By Erik Plankton

June 2^nd, 2020

Ultralight tent test series 3/3

I do a lot of outdoors stuff by myself. I have managed to hoard three one person shelters along the years. So let's put them to the test and see what I like and dislike and if there is a winner.

Part one: Tarptent Aeon Li

Part two: MSR Carbon Reflex 1

You are reading part three: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL

Field notes: I pitched each tent in the same place and measured the dimensions. The ground was not totally even, so the measurements differ from the manufacturers specifications. There are my personal real world measurements (and they can vary slightly from pitch to pitch). The sleeping pad shown in the pictures is a Big Agnes Q-Core SLX insulated pad, that is about as big as you can get. Measuring in at 1,98m x 64 cm this pad gives comfort for a big bodied restless side sleeper.

Part three: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 is a one person freestanding three season double wall tent. The model reviewed here is from 2018. The 2020 has been updated and now features new materials and an awning style vestibule. The Copper Spur HV UL 1 weighs in at 1110 grams fully packed with stakes - being heaviest of the three tents tested here. One kilo is not that much for a fully featured double wall tent, but it is about the double of weight of the Tarptent Aeon Li. So let's see what you get in terms of features and comfort for an extra 500 grams in your backpack.

I have used the Copper Spur for about 40 nights so far (without a ground cloth) without any issues concerning materials or durability.

Overview

The Copper Spur's inner tent has an integrated bathtub floor with an asymmetric mesh body. The ripstop nylon fabric continues higher from the floor at the "head" end providing extra protection from the wind. I think this really works in colder climates, especially when sleeping with a quilt that is more vulnerable to cold drafts than a sleeping bag. There is still plenty of mesh to keep the air flowing for ventilation. The head end is also wider and has a nearly vertical wall for ample headroom. The inner tent is about 98 cm at the tallest point, which means I can sit up inside to change clothes or cook. This is about 10 cm more than the MSR Carbon Reflex and 10 cm less than the Tarptent Aeon Li, which is the tallest of the three (but only in the very middle peak area). The Copper Spur feels the roomiest of the three and I think it has the best actual living space of them, which can be a big factor on longer trips.

I have used the Copper Spur mostly from early spring to late fall. It has been out for a couple of nights in the winter time as well without any issues. I have not experienced heavy snowfall with it, so I can't say how it would hold up under a heavy load of wet snow. The Copper Spur has been my favourite shelter for longer hikes, like last years Vätsäri packrafting trip, which was quite rainy. The little weight penalty over the truly ultralight shelter options translates to better living space, ease of setup and not having to deal with condensation issues - which can be a big factor when it is raining constantly and you have little to no chance of drying out your kit during the day when you are on the move.

Setting up

The overall pack size of the Copper Spur is a bit more than the competitors. This is mainly due to the fact that it is the only freestanding tent of the three and therefore has more and bigger diameter poles, which increases the pack size.

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 comes with 8 DAC superlight aluminium "J" model stakes and a piece of aluminium tube to fix a bent pole during the trip. These stakes have been quite optimal for three season trips in Finland, where the ground is quite often a 5-20 cm layer topsoil on top of solid rock as I tend to spend time on islands in the archipelago. These stakes are clearly my favourite among the three tested.

The rainfly comes with pre installed extra guy lines for windy conditions. I always carry a few extra stakes on longer trips so I can take advantage of the guy lines if necessary.

The aluminium DAC Featherlite poles are a one piece assembly. Even the top cross section is integrated with a swivel piece. The poles click in to each other precisely and the overall structure feels more rigid than the other tents. Setting up is easy, since the poles are color coordinated: put the orange poles into the orange straps on the floor. The inner tent snaps on to the poles with plastic clips, that are easy to operate even with gloves.

The fly has a couple of velcro straps underneath to connect it to the poles resulting in a taught pitch and perhaps a little bit of extra stability. The fly has little pockets and pull loops for the cross section poles. You have to pull quite hard on these to get them on, but once they are on the ceiling is always nice and tight.

It is easiest to achieve a perfect pitch with the Copper Spur compared to the Tarptent Aeon Li and MSR Carbon Reflex. Usually there is no need to fiddle around with anything after the initial setup.

Entrance

The vestibule has a traditional zipper and a couple of velcro tabs. The zipper has worked so far without any issues and it is pretty easy to operate with one hand from within giving you the ability to regulate airflow through the fly door. A full length zipper on the fly adds a bit of weight compared to the zipperless velcro systems, but makes up for the weight penalty in usability.

The Copper Spur's inner tent features a dual zipper system. This has proven to work nicely and it is easy to operate with one hand. I keep my water bottle on the vestibule during the night, so it is easy to grab it by sliding the lower zipper just a bit rather than opening almost the whole door if you would have a normal single zipper system. The entrance is bigger compared to the Carbon Reflex making room for easier entrances and exits. One useful feature is the "door keeper": a simple extra strap sewn in the inner tent. Once you open the door you can pull the end through the loop to make it stay out of the way. Works with one hand and no need to roll up the door and secure it with a hook. Almost as ingenious as the Tarptent's magnetic strap system for the fly. The Copper Spur has traditional loop and hook tie downs for the fly. You can open both sides to get maximum ventilation and nice views.

Living space

Among the three tested the Copper Spur has the best effective living space. The near vertical walls at both ends makes the tent feel bigger than it is and more importantly it keeps your sleeping bag / quilt away from the condensation of the fly. The Copper Spur has a slightly bigger gap between the inner tent and the fly than the Carbon Reflex. The fly on the Carbon Reflex is thinner and needs re-tensioning when it is raining to keep it from sagging. The Tarptent Aeon being a single wall construction suffers most when it raining. I'm 1,86m tall meaning that my sleeping bag or quilt stretches out to almost 2,10m. I have not managed to pitch the Tarptent in such a way that my feet have not touched the fly wall. After a night of constant rain in 0°c temperature the fly was pretty much completely wet inside (but not dripping on my, rather sliding down the walls), which meant the feet end of my quilt was wet. In these conditions the double wall tent champions single wall designs clearly. I have managed to stay dry in the Copper Spur even in some pretty intense thunder storms. Yes, the fly is totally wet from condensation, but the inner tent stays dry and keeps your gear dry too.

The Copper Spur is the widest of the three leaving space for some gear even with the full sized sleeping pad. It has three pockets on the ceiling and one on the wall next to the door. Handy for keeping track of small items or charging your phone while you sleep.

Plenty of room for your backpack in the vestibule so that it doesn't block the entrance.

Floor and ventilation

The bathtub floor combined with a fly that sets pretty closely to the ground has kept out the water even in absolute thunderstorm downpours. The outside of the inner tent bathtub was dirty from water splashing off the ground, but nice and dry on the inside. I experienced the same kind of torrential rain on my trip to Slovenia with a borrowed North Face Mica FL 1 tent, where I woke in a massive puddle inside the bath tub floor.

I recommend setting up the Copper Spur with all of the 8 provided stakes. This makes for a nice taught pitch, but also pulls the ends of the fly away from the inner tent. Set up with all 8 stakes the structure is rigid and can withstand moderate to even heavy winds. Two extra guy lines are pre-installed for rough conditions, but you need to have extra stakes to use them.

The head end fly has a little flat batten to open up for extra ventilation. This can be left open in light rain too. I have no idea how this ventilation works scientifically for condensation, but my gut feeling says it actually works.

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 overall

Most liveable one person tent I have used. The structure feels solid and gives me confidence to take it to longer hikes in remote areas above the arctic circle. Easy to set up and achieve a good taught pitch for the night. Best for trips on hard ground, where a free standing structure is king, and for longer trips where wet weather is likely and liveability plays a big factor. Works for bigger persons too.

What I like:

Simple to set up
Easy to achieve a taught pitch that feels rigid against the elements
High volume interior
Dual zipper entrance with door keeper
Pockets for small stuff and room for gear inside

What could be better:

Could be lighter
Largest pack size of the three

Conclusion

I personally think that there is a sweet spot for all of the three tents tested. The margins are small and you could enjoy the outdoors with any one of them. It really depends on what kind of trip and climate your are dealing with. The recommendations based on my gut feeling are:

Tarptent Aeon Li: Best for fast and light trips with hiking poles in a rather dry environment. Crazylight, somewhat spacious, can withstand high winds and rain. Sleeping bag will touch the sloping walls, which are prone to condensation.
MSR Carbon Reflex 1: Best for shorter trips and bike packing. Smallest pack size of the trio. Keeps you dry in rain, but is vulnerable to high winds.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1: Heaviest of the trio, but has the most liveable space inside. Easy to setup and the structure is rigid. Proven to work in rainy conditions. Best for longer trips in demanding conditions where drying out gear is difficult.

If I had to pick one tent I would choose the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 for its versatility and freestanding structure. Here in Finland temperature differences between the seasons are big and occasionally it might rain a lot. Moisture and cold temperatures mean a lot of condensation. Thats why I like having a double wall tent. If I were to do a long hike in a dry climate with trekking poles, my choice would be the Tarptent Aeon Li.