Scored on 112 verified owner verdicts, from 593 comments read across 8 communities
TL;DR
A beloved backpacking tent prized for being remarkably light yet durable, with fast setup, dual doors and vestibules, and roomy comfort even in wind. It's pricey, and two adults is a snug fit.
84% of 112 verified owners recommend the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
593 comments reviewed · scored on the 112 clearest verdicts
84%
Recommend
94 owners
5%
Neutral
6 owners
11%
Don't recommend
12 owners
Last 6 months:80% recommend(10 recent verdicts)→ holding steady vs older reviews
Source
Breakdown
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
84%
95
Other forumsWhiteblaze, Outdoorseiten, Bushcraftusa, Backpackinglight, Rokslide
84%
19
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiOrdinary owner comments (not the reviewer), but here they sit too far from the owner consensus on Reddit and forums — channel comment sections can skew heavily positive or negative by trend — so they're shown for perspective and kept out of the score.owner comments
51%
41
Affiliate blogsiThese blogs earn a commission when you buy. Across our data they rate products ~35 points more positively than actual owners — shown for transparency, never counted in the score.paid commission
100%
3
No clear verdictiGood-to-know notes — setup, tips, and things to watch for. We use them for the pros, cons, and who it's for, but they don't reflect a definitive opinion on the product, so they're never counted in the score. See the 'Good to know' section below the quotes.Setup, tips & quirks
—
7
Affiliate blogs here say 100% recommend, while the owner-based score is 84%. They earn a commission on every sale — so we show them for transparency but never let them move the score.
The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube and Affiliate blogs are shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.
What owners like
Very lightweight, packs down small at around 3 lbs · 30 · 27%
Roomy, livable interior for the weight · 20 · 18%
Durable and holds up in high winds and bad weather · 20 · 18%
Quick and easy to set up · 15 · 13%
Thoughtful pockets, dual doors and vestibules · 10 · 9%
What owners flag
Expensive, premium price tag · 14 · 13%
Thin, fragile fabric and mesh that needs care · 6 · 5%
Tight for two people or tall sleepers · 5 · 4%
Who it's for
A great fit if
Long-distance thru-hikers on the AT, PCT, or JMT
Solo backpackers wanting freestanding room and dual doors
Hunters and scouters needing a durable 3-season tent
Campers who value quick, easy setup
Look elsewhere if
Two adults expecting a roomy fit (tight for two)
Careless handlers (fragile zippers, thin fabric)
Synthesized from what Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 owners say — not a spec sheet.
Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.
Top quotes, sourced
593 reviewed · 156 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“I’m currently in the older model Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 and am looking to get something else. Every sleeping pad I use in the copper spur sounds like a rubbery balloon squeaking as it rubs against the floor. Not ideal for anyone else sleeping nearby.”
Reddit— neutral
“It's a "Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2". It's super light and self-standing, but the fabric is a little thin. It's definitely not a winter tent, so I bring an extra footprint for those times when I camp on snow.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2. Upgraded from Marmot Limelight 2p (which is still awesome btw) but saving 3.5 lbs makes a huge difference.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“Get a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Bikepack and forget about it. I just did a 8,571-mile cross-country moto trip and camped most of the way, and my Copper Spur was incredible in all kinds of weather.”
YouTube— neutral
“I just wish they would make the floor rectangle instead of tapered so two 25” sleeping pads would fit without having to go with a three person one.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“This is the most disappointing purchase I ever made in my Camping history”
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“I’m 6’2 and unless I sleep at an angle, which I can’t really because of the size of my sleeping pad, my head rubs on my Big Agnes Copper Spur hvul2. If I had a smaller sleeping pad it could possibly work better but haven’t tried”
YouTube— neutral
“the whites sucks on a moon lit night”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I have the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 for the record and I absolutely love it.”
Reddit— neutral
“I had a chance to get a discounted Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2. It’s crazy how much lighter it is and the pack size is smaller but the interior is basically the same. It does feel thinner and maybe more fragile but I’ve only been in it a couple nights with good weather.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“I think these are more for around trees and good weather you'd get soaked in the rain with a inner pitch 1st”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I have over 80 nights in my Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, have never touched the seams or otherwise done anything to it, and it stays completely waterproof. Just buy a nice tent if you want a waterproof tent.”
YouTube— neutral
“I've had this tent for a few years and been in extreme winds”
Reddit▲ recommend
“My Big Agnes Copperspur HVUL2 is only about 2.5 lbs.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“Just a light 650-700 dollars with the footprint lol. My god.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I really like my Big Agnes Copper spur hv ul2 and would always recommend, but it may be considered pricey.”
YouTube— neutral
“I have this tent and like it, especially the doors and large storage pockets”
Reddit▼ don’t recommend
“I had an HVUL2 for about a day. My dislikes:
1. the material is thin. very thing. I think it is 10 and 15 denier, whereas TarpTents are 30. You will need a groundcloth with BA but you don't with tarptent. The mesh BA uses is also really thing and fragile.
2. So many freaking stakes. You need 11 for the UL2.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“I'm currently using a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 - 2 Person Tent. I'm really happy with it. I'll say two people would be a tight squeeze, but the double vestibule would help storing packs at night if I had to share with my girlfriend.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“Inner pitch first = 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻”
Reddit— neutral
“The first I stuck with before I realized it's not really ultralight, even though it was 4 pounds lighter than my old tent, is the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Long. Double walled, plenty of space on my sides and about 6" at my head and feet before I touch the end walls. I mostly only use this now for moto or car camping.”
Reddit▲ recommend
“Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 will do you well. They are great tents. Incredibly lightweight but pretty damn durable too. I have a 2 and 4 man version of them and they've held up better than any other tent I own for 8 years now.”
Rokslide Forum▼ don’t recommend
“I sent my copper spur back after one weekend,while very nice it was just to fragile for me,both vestibule zippers got hung up,I had to rip one loose.While i knew you had to be gentle it just wasnt for me.”
Reddit— neutral
“I have a copper spur 2, its bent right over at the side of a few lochs, so not even high up! Great tent, just not ideal in the wind”
Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.
Redditⓘ good to know
“The fly was soaked through, and the vibration of the rain was causing it to mist lightly inside our tent”
Redditⓘ good to know
“The Copper Spur is a three season tent, so should be fine if you don't plan on camping in the snow”
Redditⓘ good to know
“I definately felt like it lost too much tension and not because of the guidelines”
Redditⓘ good to know
“the tapered design of this model screws you out of fitting two 25" sleeping pads”
Redditⓘ good to know
“the old Copper tent's floor is tapered so you can't use two 25" pads”
Redditⓘ good to know
“This is 100% how it looked when we didn't stake it out correctly”
WhiteBlazeⓘ good to know
“After 10 years, nearly 1,500 miles, and about 100 nights on the AT with my BA Fly Creek UL2, I was starting to experience some issues on my last trip. The seams were starting to fail, the zipper kept getting stuck, and a small amount of water was getting inside during heavy rain. I've loved this tent”