BEST BUY: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2

Weight: 1400g
Price: £460
bigagnes.com

We couldn’t be happier that U.S. based brand Big Agnes have started to bring their well thought-out and fully featured tents to our side of the pond. This, the Copper Spur HV UL2 is very similar to that of the MSR Hubba Hubba NX (reviewed  below) in that it’s inner pitched first yet can be used freestanding and without the fly when conditions are more favourable.

We do however slightly prefer this tent over the Hubba Hubba, due to its lighter weight (1560g) and the extra handy features it offers.

The Copper Spur has a decent-sized porch on either side and is certainly high enough to sit up in, yet it’s also still sturdy enough for any three-season use. An excellent quality of materials have been used alongside simple but effective design features – like the ‘Quick Stash’ door keeper, colour coded clips on the corners of the flysheet, and the hole at the bottom of the internal gear organising pocket that allows you to thread through the wire of a phone charger.

Selected for the Outdoor 100 2019/20 – check out our full Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 review

Full Specifications

Ripstop flysheet with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating / seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape / single porch / single door / lightweight pole system / lightweight plastic clips attach tent body to pole frame / 4-way high volume hub pole design.

This single skin tent has a freestanding design with two long poles (DAC 9.35mm featherlite) that cross and then a single small pole, aka ‘the brow pole’ (DAC 8.84mm) which props up the sides to add extra width. The two main poles slide through sleeves attached to the fly and the brow pole clips into two eyelets. Coupled with the multiple guy lines and pegging points, we feel that this freestanding design makes it sturdy enough for four-season use.

During our testing, it wasn’t just the condensation management that impressed us, we also liked this tent’s quick and easy pitching, its liveability and also its sturdiness.

Check out our Lightwave Sigma S22 review for more details about the tent’s innovative tech.

Full Specifications

MSR Hubba Hubba NX

Weight: 1702g
Price: £445
msrgear.com

‘Hubba Hubba’ – a quick Google search has enlightened us that this phrase means ‘an expression of excitement or approval’. That’s fitting, because this is a tent worthy of getting very excited about. MSR’s Hubba Hubba NX is a positively cavernous tent, with unparalleled liveability and an amazing amount of space. Where other tents can feel cramped and claustrophobic for two, the Hubba Hubba is roomy, spacious and comfortable. This is achieved through the very scientific sounding ‘optimised symmetrical geometry’, according to MSR – but, in layman’s terms, a skeletal pole, which the inner clips to tightly, creates near-vertical walls, maximum head room, superb width, and no excess fabric lulls. It works brilliantly, meaning there is ample space for two to lay out sleeping systems, organise kit, and chill out (including sitting or kneeling up), without getting in the way of each other.

There are numerous other great features too: pitching is intuitively easy and quick; twin D-shaped doors, each with a large porch, give each person their own entrance and space for storing a backpack and boots; vents at each end of the tent provide good breathability and air-flow; the zips are very slick and don’t catch; the freestanding structure can easily be moved and angled for the perfect wild camp positioning; and, over numerous tests in pretty wild Scottish conditions, the Durashield-coated outer never touched the inner, keeping us dry and warm. We also loved the way that, on a sunny summer’s day, it’s actually possible to use the tent without the outer all together, enabling you to experience sleeping under the stars protected from midges and other creepy crawlies.

Of course, the Hubba Hubba NX isn’t without some faults. At 1,720g it is ever so slightly on the heavy side within its category; the three-season status means it isn’t as bombproof or as weatherproof as four-season alternatives; and the inner-first set-up is kind of annoying in the wind or rain. But nothing is ever perfect. All in all, the MSR Hubba Hubba NX is a top-notch, high-quality product which is about as homely as a tent can get, while still being light enough for backpacking. ‘Hubba Hubba’, indeed.

Selected for the Outdoor 100 2019/20 – check out our full MSR Hubba Hubba NX review.

Full Specifications

Symmetrical geometry / single large easy-entry door / single porch / side entry zipper orientation / adjustable rainfly (roll-up vestibule & stargazer view) / high-tenacity nylon fabrics / compression stuff sack with pull handle.

The Laser Compact 2’s simple but effective single-pole, hoop design, complemented by two tiny poles at each end, provides just enough space for two, especially when sleeping top-to-tail as recommended, while two doors provide access to porches for kit storage.

Sadly, it isn’t the roomiest of tents, and it can feel a little cramped inside for two, while the porches are pretty small too – one is just about big enough for packs, while the other can only really accommodate a pair of boots. But you can’t have it all at this weight bracket. And, despite being ultra-lightweight, the Laser Compact 2 is very sturdy and weatherproof. The flysheet is made from a 5000mm silicone-coated ripstop nylon while inside there’s a half mesh inner with an impressive 6000mm waterproof rating on the base – they both held up to a battering in the Highlands during our in-field tests.

Other positive features include: the simple set-up, which can be undertaken flysheet first or the whole thing as one; meshes and vents for air flow and to combat condensation; extremely durable Dyneema guylines; and an optional pole sleeve cover with extra guylines for additional stability in the worst of conditions. Our tests did, however, reveal some flaws in an otherwise excellent tent: we found the featherlight, technical fabrics to be quite ‘flappy’ in the wind; the zips were annoyingly prone to snagging on the zip shield; and, overall, we would have been more comfortable with some additional interior space and bigger porches. But that didn’t spoil our overall impression. The Terra Nova Compact 2 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a lightweight, reliable tent for your backpacking adventures.

Selected for the Outdoor 100 2019/20 – check out our full Terra Nova Laser Compact 2 review.

Full Specifications

Watershed Si2 5,000mm flysheet / single porch / single door  / 30x15cm packed size / 8.7mm DAC poles 10 x 11g alloy pegs / 5 minute pitch time.

Snugpak Journey Duo

Weight: 3200g
Price: £190
snugpak.com

The Snugpak Journey Duo is a semi-geodesic tent that has an impressively durable build, but it’s on the heavier end of the scale at 3200g altogether.

The bulk of this weight comes from the rather heavy duty materials that Snugpak have chosen. We imagine they’ve deliberately foregone trying to keep the weight down to instead focus on robust protection, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – if you’re looking for a reliable basecamp tent, this would fit the bill. They’ve also kept the price low enough to make this appeal to a particular target market, which at a guess, we’d say is entry-level and/or award scheme hikers.

While inner pitched first tents like this have their downfalls in the moist conditions of the UK, it is at least very quick and easy to erect. It’s certainly a roomy two person tent as well, with plenty of sitting up space, and a good sized porch.

In terms of stability, there are stronger tents, but as our editor Will found out on a windy night in the Aran Hills of Wales, it’s still a very reliable offering, and the materials are all very impressive.

Selected for the Outdoor 100 2019/20 – check out our full Force Ten Arete 2 review.

Full Specifications

20D ripstop 5,000mm flysheet / factory taped seams / Alloy poles / inner first pitching / o-shaped inner doors / inner pockets / fast pack tent bag.

Robens Goldcrest 2

Weight: 1340g
Price: £500
robens.de

The Robens Goldcrest 2 is part of a lightweight range for backpacking released by the Danish brand in 2018. It’s a kind-of mini tunnel design involving a flysheet that’s held up by one hooped pole and two mini corner poles at the back end, with a mesh inner clipped inside.

The Goldcrest 2, like all of Robens’ other tents, supposedly went through a rigorous testing process in its development to make sure it’s got the beans to cope with strong wind and heavy rainfall. The returned results showed that it’s capable of handling 140 km/h winds and 2000mm of rainfall per 1cm (squared) before the water begins to penetrate. In other words, it’s dependable.

We haven’t quite got out into conditions as stormy as that in this tent, but it’s certainly performed over some moderately wet and windy night for us, the key features here being its low profile and multiple pegging points.

At 1,340g it’s pretty light, especially given the amount of space inside it, and if you put the volume adjustment straps on the stuff sack to use, the final packed size is impressive.

Take a closer look with our full Robens Goldcrest 2 review.

Full Specifications

Hydrotex 2,000mm flysheet / Alloy Yunan 8.6 mm and Carbon 9.5 mm poles / single door / single porch / 48 x 12 cm packed weight  / 140km/h max and 120km/h average wind tunnel test.

Nigor Didis 2

Weight: 2516g
Price: £587
nigor.eu

The Nigor Didis 2 is labelled as a two-person tent but it has an extremely generous amount of space, perhaps just about enough for three people. First of all, the sleeping area is wide and long and has plenty of room to sit up in, and then there’s the huge porch as well. It’s so big you could probably squeeze a bike inside it – it’s basically a living room.

Nordisk Telemark 2 LW

Price: £510
Weight: 950g

Danish firm Nordisk claim the Telemark 2 LW is ‘one of the most advanced tents in the world’. That’s a bold statement, but it’s easy to see where the confidence comes from. The Telemark 2 LW is, without doubt, a durable, top quality and ridiculously lightweight tent – and, consequently, its trophy cabinet is bulging with an impressive array of industry awards. If being ultra-lightweight is your number one priority, then this is the tent for you. At 950g, it’s difficult to beat – unless you opt for the Telemark 2 ULW, which is 70g lighter and £160 more expensive, courtesy of its carbon poles.

Like similar tents from rivals Terra Nova and Hilleberg, the Telemark 2 uses a well-established design known for providing space and stability at low weight, with a single hoop central pole with shorter poles at each end. Nordisk say this approach creates a ‘very spacious tent with room enough for two’. This is a slight exaggeration. The Telemark 2 LW does have a spacious interior for one person, but it is definitely a little cramped for two, with not much space for moving around or organising yourselves. Like the Terra Nova Compact 2, it is perhaps best regarded as a comfortable, spacious tent for a solo backpacker, or on the ‘cosy’ side of things for two. There is a decent sized, single porch, however, for kit and cooking.

Features we love about the Telemark 2 include: the four small corner poles which seem to provide greater structure and height to the tent at the foot and head ends (as opposed to using one single centred pole at the end like Terra Nova and Hilleberg); the ease of pitching; the toughness of the flysheet and inner, despite how thin and lightweight they are; its ability to stand up to adverse weather during our tests out in the Highlands; and the magnetic quick-snap door closure is neat. There is all the usual stuff too – adjustable guy ropes, mesh for breathability, and inner pockets for expedition ‘admin’.  We were somewhat nervy about threading the main pole through its sleeve, as it caught a few times and felt like you could rip the thin outer if you weren’t careful, but if you’re careful that shouldn’t be a problem. Nordisk’s Telemark 2 LW is a durable, weatherproof and incredibly lightweight two-person tent

Full Specifications

Ripstop nylon flysheet with silicon coating (2000mm); ripstop nylon inner mesh (15d); ripstop nylon inner tent floor (8000mm)/ wind test: 18 m/s / 220 x 135 x 100 inner tent dimensions / pack size 12 x 41cm / 2mm Dyneema guy ropes / 8.7mm aluminium DAC Featherlite poles / 4 x aluminium pegs.

Snugpak Scorpion 2

Price: £299.95
Weight: 2650g
snugpak.com

One of the problems with expensive, ultra-lightweight tents is that they can feel somewhat flimsy and unstable, with the thin, featherlight fabrics flapping in the wind. This is certainly not the case with the Scorpion 2 by Snugpak. Yes, it is far heavier, weighing in at 2,650g with a trail weight of about 2,240g, but for this you get a sturdy, weatherproof tent made from reassuringly durable materials. The flysheet, for example, is made from 210 tensile ripstop nylon, which feels tough and thick, and has an impressive 5,000mm hydrostatic head waterproof rating, while the nylon groundsheet and polyester inner are similarly well-built.

The Scorpion 2 kept us warm and dry out hiking and wild camping during our field tests, and it seemed very stable during high winds. The latter was thanks to its three-pole construction, with a rather unique criss-crossing of the aluminium poles (something Snugpak calls ‘opposing pole design’) that ensures the tent can stand up to the worst of the British weather. All in all, this tent is pretty darn bombproof, with Snugpak stating its four-season rating will ‘protect you all year round from severe weather conditions’.

The Scorpion 2 is a fly-first pitch tent with decent space for two sleeping top’n’tail. It is not particularly long, but has decent width and there is just enough room to sit up at its highest point. There’s also a good-sized porch for cooking and gear storage. Due to the number of poles, setting it up is a little awkward: you insert the poles into colour-coded sleeves, press the ends into grommets – creating a convenient freestanding structure – and peg it out, before suspending the inner via loops and toggles. Although once pitched, we found the whole thing can be pitched easily as one.

The angled, low-profile shape, combined with the green colour, is ideal for a low visual impact and subtle wild camping, and we particularly loved the black fabric inner which created a dark interior conducive to a good night’s sleep. We never had a problem with condensation, with three vents ensuring adequate air-flow; we found the mesh pockets running the entire length of the inner handy for organising our bits and bobs; and the double-skinned single-entry door, made of a thick and a thin mesh, was a versatile feature. The biggest downside we encountered was the weight of the tent, which felt a tad back-breaking when trying to haul it up a steep Munro, as well as the fact the tent isn’t the most spacious for two. But, at this price bracket, the Scorpion 2 is a robust, stable, well-built, and reasonably-priced tent capable of standing up to strong winds and heavy rain – and that’s a combination with a pretty deadly sting (see what I did there).

Full Specifications

Inner dimensions: 220cm x 115cm x 90cm / 43cm x 19cm packed size / 210t ripstop nylon fly (5000mm); 190t polyester inner fabric with 50t mesh; 190t ripstop nylon groundsheet (5000mm) / DAC Featherlite NSL aluminium poles / ten mesh internal pockets / 20 x alloy pegs.

Vango Banshee Pro 200

Price: £150
Weight: 2390g
vango.co.uk

Ah, the Vango Banshee, a classic, extremely popular tent that seems to polarise opinion. Loved, even adored, by many; ridiculed by others, camping snobs who – from the porches of their £700 tents – label the Banshee a heavy, simplistic tent for beginners only. But we’d certainly side with the former camp.

The Vango Banshee Pro 200 is a great tent at an unbelievable price. For just £150 you get a Duke of Edinburgh approved two-person, tunnel-style tent, with decent space, durable and weatherproof materials, and a host of positive features. Yes, it is a starter tent for those on a budget or those just getting into camping, but its design, quality and build are more advanced than critics will lead you to believe.

The Vango Banshee Pro 200 consists of a robust flysheet, with a ripstop weave and a high-performing hydrostatic head waterproof rating of 5,000mm; a breathable polyester inner and a strong, thick and reliable 70-denier groundsheet; and pre-angled alloy poles that are both light and strong. Setting up the tent, either flysheet first or all as one, is very straightforward, by inserting two poles into sleeves and pegging out. There are two doors, one for each camper, as well as two porches, although one is smaller than the other. Inside space is a little limited, as with other tents on test here, so the Banshee should perhaps be considered a roomy one-person tent or a rather cosy one -person tent. Either way, the six inner pockets are handy for storing your essential items such as a headtorch and snacks, while the internal triangular mesh vents and semi-circle mesh window ensure adequate breathability.

During our tests the Banshee held up well to strong winds, helped by the presence of five guylines, and the durable flysheet safely kept out the rain. We found the side-loading, fast-pack tent bag really easy for packing, unlike others that are annoyingly small, and we also loved the flexibility of being able to separate the outer and inner after a rainy night, thus ensuring the inner stays dry.  Our only gripes were a feeling of being a little cramped inside, as well as the overall weight of the tent. But, that aside, the Banshee is a bona fide bargain, providing a robust, quality shelter for a fraction of the price of others on the market. It’s a classic, popular tent – and rightfully so.

Full Specifications

Inner dimensions: 115cm x 220cm x 100cm / Packed size 46cm x 16cm / Protex ripstop flysheet (5000mm); 70D groundsheet (6000mm); polyester mesh inner / Yunan Eco Alloy poles /  internal Tension Band System / twin flysheet doors / inner pockets / reflective guys.

Written by: James Forrest, Nicola Hardy, Jordan Tiernan and Will Renwick

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