REASONS TO BUY
Top-scoring space to weight ratio
Easy to pack
Fairly large pockets
Two vestibules and doors
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Lightweight material requires extra care
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Review
If you talk about backpacking trips in terms of weeks rather than days, look no further than this comfortable, lightweight tent
The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 is particularly comfortable compared to most other lightweight tents we tested.
Credit: Zach Lovell
By Zach Lovell ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ June 16, 2026
RELATED: The Best Backpacking Tents of 2026
Our Verdict
If keeping your pack light is a priority, look no further than the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2. While many tents in this featherweight category lack weatherproofing, this model kept us dry through more storms and handled windy nights well, especially when we tensioned the many guy lines. The unique boxy shape is especially spacious for a 2-person tent, with plenty of headroom to sit up. To keep weight down, the UL2 is built with thinner fabrics, so it's important to be mindful of sharp sticks when choosing a campsite (or invest in a footprint). If you can swing the high price, this is a tent that's sure to empower many far-flung adventures.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Lightweight Tent for Two | Best for Bad Weather |  Best Upgrade | Your First Backpacking Tent |  Best Value for Beginners |
| Price | $600 List Check Price at REI | $720 List | $650 List Check Price at REI | $399 List Check Price at REI | $260 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | If weight is the most important aspect of your backpacking equipment, this tent should be on your shortlist | With the structure and support required to face fierce winds and rain, this is an uncommonly strong tent, especially given its lightweight | Whether you're a group of two or three, this is the ideal backpacking tent, offering an unmatched balance of space, weather resistance, weight, and packed size | This jack-of-all-trades tent gets the basics right, making it an excellent choice for first-time backpackers | This affordable tent is one of the largest we tested, which makes it a comfortable option for anyone just getting into backpacking |
| Rating Categories | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | SlingFin Portal 3 | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | REI Co-op Half Dome 2 | The North Face Storm... |
| Livability (35%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Packed Size (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | SlingFin Portal 3 | Big Agnes Copper Spu... | REI Co-op Half Dome 2 | The North Face Storm... |
| Listed Size | 2 person | 3 person | 3 person | 2 person | 3 person |
| True Capacity | Comfortable for one person and gear; Fits two people with a small amount of gear |
Very spacious for two people and gear; Fits three people with a moderate amount of gear |
Very spacious for two people and gear; Fits three people with a small amount of gear |
Very spacious for one person and gear; Fits two people comfortably with moderate amount of gear |
Fits two people very comfortably with gear; Very tight for three people with very little gear |
| Measured Minimum Trail Weight | 2.56 lbs | 3.72 lbs | 3.28 lbs | 4.83 lbs | 6.20 lbs |
| Number of Doors | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Footprint Included? | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Measured Packaged Weight | 3.10 lbs | 4.19 lbs | 3.81 lbs | 4.95 lbs | 7.10 lbs |
| Measured Floor Area | 29.0 sq ft | 41.9 sq ft | 41.0 sq ft | 31.8 sq ft | 39.7 sq ft |
| Measured Packed Size | 19.5 x 4 in | 17 x 6 in | 21 x 5 in | 22 x 7.5 in | 22 x 8 in |
| Measured Peak Height | 40 in | 44 in | 43 in | 42 in | 46 in |
| Measured Vestibule Area | 9.0 sq ft on each side | 10.3 sq feet on each side | 9.0 sq ft on each side | 9.2 sq ft on each side | 10.8 sq ft on each side |
| Number of Pockets | 4 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Gear Loft? | Sold separately | No | Sold separately | No | No |
| Number of Poles | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Pole Diameter | 8.7 mm | 9.3/10.65 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.7 mm | 8.5 mm |
| Pole Material | DAC Featherlite NFL, NSL and pressfit poles | DAC Featherlite NFL | DAC Featherlite NFL, NSL and pressfit poles | DAC featherlite NFL aluminum | Aluminum |
| Number of Guy Points | 4 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Rain Fly Material | Proprietary HyperBead fabric; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop and 1500 mm waterproof rating without intentionally added PFAS | 10D Nylon 66 Ripstop Sil | Proprietary HyperBead fabric; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop and 1500 mm waterproof rating without intentionally added PFAS | 40D ripstop nylon, 20D nylon mesh | 75D polyester taffeta |
| Inner Tent Material | Breathable 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop, and 15D polyester mesh | 15D nylon no-see-um mesh | Breathable 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop, and 15D polyester mesh | 40D taffeta nylon | 75D polyester taffeta |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Copper Spur UL2 is among the lightest tents we've tested to date. While some of its featherweight competition lacks livability, the UL2 offers ample space for one adult, and is comfortable enough for two people, as long as they're comfortable in close quarters. After testing this tent from the Rockies to the High Sierra, the Copper Spur UL2 has become a favorite among our team for extended backpacking trips.
Lightweight and comfortable, the Copper Spur UL2 has become a perennial favorite for week-long backpacking trips. Credit: Zach Lovell
Livability
The headroom of the Copper Spur UL2 is impressive relative to its overall space. With a 40" peak, our 6-foot-tall tester could easily sit up in the UL2. The dual vestibules are each 9 square feet, offering plenty of space to leave backpacks outside without leaving them exposed to the elements. Many ultralight tents we've tested have only one door, while the two large doors make it easy for two people to crawl in and out of the tent.
This tent has about 29 square feet of usable space inside, making the Copper Spur UL2 a spacious option for a solo backpacker, though we have to admit it's a bit tight for two. Sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder worked well, but not everyone will be comfortable sleeping in such close quarters. It's wider at one end and narrower at the other, making it less ideal for sleeping head-to-toe. Fortunately, Big Agnes makes the Copper Spur in multiple sizes, so you can choose the right size.
While wider sleeping pads will overlap a bit, the UL2 offers plenty of pockets to keep things off the floor.
The thinner rainfly fabric is quite breathable, which helps with condensation and keeps the UL2 from feeling clammy inside. When the weather is nice, the mesh-heavy tent body is breezy. If you'd rather leave the rainfly on, just in case, you can even roll up part of the vestibule to increase airflow and make it easier to go to the bathroom.
Rolling up the vestibule on warm nights helps maximize airflow. Credit: Katie Brown
Weather Resistance
Big Agnes has started using a proprietary fabric in its Copper Spur line called HyperBead, which is designed to outperform its weight in waterproofing. And it worked well, but when the rain was measured in days rather than hours, some moisture began to seep into the tent. As is often the case with lighter-weight tents, the Copper Spur UL2 will keep you dry during an average rainstorm, but you need to set it up properly to protect you during a strong thunderstorm.
Unlike a 4-season tent, the inner body offers little reinforcement, so any water that seeps through the rainfly will drip through the mesh. To keep this tent upright in strong winds, the thinner-diameter poles also required slightly more guy line tension than some heavier-duty tents we tested. Given its weight, however, the Copper Spur UL2 held up surprisingly well against strong gusts.
Spraying the Copper Spur UL2 with a hose offered some insight into how water can force its way through the lightweight rainfly, as it would when the wind is particularly strong. However, we were impressed by the weather resistance during an average rainstorm. Credit: Zach Lovell
Weight
The Copper Spur UL2 ranks among the lightest models we tested, with a packaged weight of 3.1 pounds.
Weight-conscious backpackers can shave that down by leaving the stuff sack behind, and purchasing lighter-weight stakes – one of our testers was able to shave the base weight down to roughly 2.5 pounds. Even if it's still a bit tight for two adults, the Copper Spur UL2 features twin doors and vestibules – most of the other tents we tested in this weight class have only one.
Even the packaged weight of the Copper Spur UL2 is reasonable, considering its relative comfort. Credit: Zach Lovell
Packed Size
While a few other tents weighed less than the Copper Spur UL2, this model ranked at the top of the charts for overall packed size.
It's easy to repack into the well-designed stuff sack, and the package measures 19.5" long and about 4" thick. It easily slides down the side of a backpack, and we were able to fit it into some surprisingly tight spaces.
Now that's a tight package. If you need a tent that can pack down small, look no further than the Copper Spur UL2. Credit: Zach Lovell
Durability
The lightweight build of the Copper Spur UL2 makes it a bit more delicate than some of the competition. The tent body, floor, and rainfly are all made of 15-denier nylon, which is substantially thinner than many other tents we tested.
Tensioning the guylines helped reinforce the tent pole structure, but even so, the featherlight DAC poles bent slightly on one particularly windy night. With intentional care, the Copper Spur UL2 should still last a long time, but it's far from robust.
The ultralight poles performed well overall, but it's important to choose a campsite that's not at the full fury of the weather. Credit: Zach Lovell
Should You Buy the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2?
The Copper Spur UL2 is a lightweight, ultrapackable tent designed for long backpacking trips. While this premium option may be overkill for many weekend backpackers, if you're planning weeklong trips (or even longer), you should consider upgrading to a tent like the UL2. It's a particularly great option for solo hikers on long trips, or couples who are comfortable living in close quarters and want to maximize their time on the trail.
What Other Backpacking Tents Should You Consider?
For a bit more space, check out the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 – it's essentially the same tent as the UL2, only bigger. If the price tag of the Copper Spur tents is shocking, a tent like the REI Co-op Half Dome 3 or the smaller Half Dome 2 is a more reasonably priced option for anyone sticking to weekend trips.
—Zach Lovell
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