Ultralight Backpacking Tents

A review of a variety of backpacking tents, including my new favorite: The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• backpacking
• tent
• hiking
• ultralight
• review

[sablebush]

Do you need to have a footprint for these tents?

[upupaepops]

@sablebush Most of the time I don't use a footprint, but most of the time I've been able to pitch my tents on grass, dirt, pine needles, etc. If I knew that the ground was going to be more severe, such as rocky, I'd use one.  It also depends on the thickness of the tent floor. The heavier tents sometimes have a thicker floor, and the ultralights like the Big Agnes UL series have a somewhat thin floor, and if you use your tent a lot, a footprint will extend the tent floor life.

[TheExtremeOutdoors]

The Black Diamond has the Firstlight tent: 2-person, ~3lbs, 4-season, and $299. This is a great swap for the Big Agnes UL2.

[upupaepops]

@TheExtremeOutdoors I did consider the Firstlight, especially given it's single wall design for quick setup. However, it's gotten a lot of critical reviews on its ability to stay dry in wet weather. Some of that has to do with Black Diamond not properly sealing the seams, as well as the condensation issues in a single wall tent, but overall the single wall design is better for alpine enviros versus the wetter ones.

[rainbowhiker]

There are deffinitely some beautiful tents out there. Some great designs, too. There are alternitives though. You can get an inexspensive tent and seal it up with sprays, and they need it, replace the plastic poles with dowel or arrow shafts and you've got a storm proof tent for less than fifty dollars. Lightweight backpacking is quite affordable if one gets away from, 'buy the best gear out there' mentality. Satisfying too. There are excellent DIY projects that can save you hundreds of dollars.

[upupaepops]

@rainbowhiker Thanks for the feedback. You're right, there are so many options on tents, and with a little work one can build a tent from scratch, or modify an inexpensive tent, and I've definitely been down that road in years past. It'll save you a lot of money and can be fun.

[freedeanna]

I do like a lot of vegetable space.

[upupaepops]

@skipinout Thanks for watching! About half that space is now eaten up by a pool. My next review may have to be on survival liferafts! :)

[Adam2Dakota]

This helped out a ton!! Thanks man!!

[upupaepops]

@bedarda Great to hear that! I only have about 15-20 nights in mine, but it seems to be holding up fine. I didn't get the footprint with it, but I've been camping in areas with soft surfaces (pine forests, etc). I still think I'll get the BA footprint to extend the bottoms life. Thanks for the feedback!

[bedarda]

Base on your review, I purchase a BA Fly Creek II from HumbleOutdoors for about $270, it came with a free BA footprint.

So far, I love this tent, despite it lightness it is still like new, after spending over thirty nights in it.

[upupaepops]

@pikeflyfisherman I haven't seen Terra Nova in the stores here in the US yet, but we do have access to them through online retailers. They are on the expensive side, starting at $300 US and going up from there. But they are very nice, and you are right about the outer pitch first being handy in wet weather. (For those wondering: Outer pitch means you can get the rain shell up first, allowing you a relatively dry area to work under to set up the actual tent.) Thanks for the info!