Thank you so much. I'll be backpacking for the first time soon and have been practicing setting up with the different awning, vestibule options. This is exactly what I needed as I'd never setup a tent before. Thank you again!
Wonderful! I'm glad you found the video helpful, and really excited for your first backpacking trip. Let us know if you have any questions as you prepare and happy camping!
Really helpful and to the point. Plus I could hear everything you were saying! Bought this tent but haven't had a chance to use it yet, watching this made me excited for when I finally can. Thank you!
Wonderful, thank you! Glad you enjoyed it and excited for your first trip out in your new tent as well! Nothing quite like it. Here's to new adventures and many comfortable nights under the stars!
Best tent iv ever owned super lightweight, easy setup, waterproof, fast setup, Versatel, plenty of space,well vented,light hook witch is a must for me no kidding, good color I like to blend to my environment, durable and storage good usable storage just an outstanding tent it’s my go to 90% of the time I just can’t say enough about it and I recommend it to anyone that can afford it my tent and sleep system are #1 and 2 for me a bad nights sleep in the back country can ruin your next day it’s just the best.
Thanks for your note, Brendan! We couldn't agree more, and thanks for helping others in making that tough tent buying/renting decision. Happy camping and cozy Copper Spur nights!
I cringed a little when I saw how rough you handled the poles. When they slap around they can get small bends on the ends that make them difficult to slide back together. When using the fly I always stake the front and back to help with morning condensation as well as bad weather. I also added the guy lines to each upper side of the fly. This helps a lot with really strong winds. All in all I use 12 stakes. It’s probably over kill but my tent is always dry inside the next morning and some really aggressive winds haven’t taken my tent down yet. All in all, I think it was a good video and helpful to many. If you haven’t already you should show how to start with the fly and foot print for rainy day setup. It always seem to rain when I camp. lol Cheers!
Hi Trevor, thanks for your note and suggestions! Good call out on the poles, I share a lot about how to care for the tent long term, but I neglect to mention pole care AND I don't do a good job of demonstrating it in the video. We'll make sure to incorporate into future videos and do a better job of showing proper pole care for these delicate UL tents. Great tips as well on your approach to staking and guying your shelter. Your comments will help a lot of people get even more (and a longer life) out of their Copper Spur! We do have a quick pitch/fast fly video on the Copper Spur, although it's shot in sunny weather :). Thank you for sharing your tips with us and the community and happy camping!
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Copper Spur! They are great tents and with proper care can last a long time and many adventures. Happy camping!
Thanks for this video - I have this tent and want to make sure I'm taking care of it properly. Using the stakeout point at the tent instead of the footprint: is this to make sure the tent surface is larger than the footprint, ie, covers up the footprint?
Yes, that’s right. Tensioning the tent will make sure the tent has the best chance of extending over the footprint and allows a little give in the footprint, so it’s not pulled too tight directly over rocks, roots, etc. Often you can stake both the footprint and tent loops together and that is ok too. The other reason for prioritizing tensioning the tent body loops is to make sure your tent floor has the largest floor area and a tighter pitch. Hope this helps and happy camping!
Question: when packing the tent back up, wouldn’t you want to first stuff the main part of the tent and stuff the rain fly last? Reason being: maybe next time you go to use it and it’s raining and you want to get to the rain fly, footprint, and poles first to do the quick fly setup and avoid getting the main tent wet?
Hi Nick, thank you, you raise a great point! When I instruct I usually teach fly first tent last because most people most of the time are pitching the tent in dry or relatively fair weather. I don't know, 60/40 or 70/30, so most of the time when most people (including myself) set up, it's footprint, tent then fly. In practice however for me personally, I repack everything before a trip anyway based what I expect in the forecast or season, or if safety is an issue because it's very cold for example. If I'm expecting rain and I expect i will or may want to quick pitch then YES absolutely I'd pack tent in first with fly/footprint last for quick set up and access. In fact in those extreme trips, I often pack my rainfly and footprint in a completely separate dry bag because A) I want that quick access and B) if its a multi night trip, I know I'm going to be packing up a wet rainfly and this way I can keep it off my tent body and other dry gear in my pack. I'm in the NW too, so seasonally I'll pack fly last in the fall/winter/spring and summer/early fall, I go tent last. But generally, not knowing what the next trip will hold, statistically I find that 50% or more I'm running a standard set up order. Either way, we're talking seconds of efficiency when unpacking and the potential for a short amount of rain exposure to the tent body, so something I try not to stress over too much once I'm out there. Let us know if you have any other questions or suggestions, and Happy Camping!
@@CirqRentals Thanks for the quick response and very detailed response! You make some excellent points. I've always been a folder and roller (Around the poles) kinda guy and after your video I've changed my ways so thank you.
Very nice video. I just purchased this exact model. What is your opinion o the quality of the stakes included with the tent ? Should they be replaced or are they good quality? Thank you.
Hi Kenny, congrats on the new tent! I think the stakes that come with the Copper are pretty good. Relatively small and light with strong holding power due to the perpendicular design on the 6" dirt dagger. The only downside I've noted on the dirt dagger is that the cut out for holding the tent ribbons is pretty sharp, and I've cut my fingers a few times when attempting to pull them out by hand. Our HVUL's came with BA's Dirt Dagger, but I did notice recently on their website the new tents show they come with 'aluminum j stakes'. If that is the case, then I probably would upgrade them to a dirt dagger or MSR ground hog (or mini ground hog) style stake. Either way, I'd add 2-4 stakes to your kit so that you can stake out all of the guy out points and make use of both vestibule awnings at the same time. On my ultralight trips, I often switch out my stakes for the MSR carbon cores (although they don't hold nearly as well and you have to be delicate with them), and if I'm camping in/near sand or snow, I prefer to use MSR blizzard stakes. Having a few different types of stakes on hand will let you customize your set up based on each trip. Here's a good article by MSR on stake selection: www.msrgear.com/blog/which-msr-tent-stake-is-right-for-you/ Let me know if you have any questions and which you end up going with. Happy Camping!
@@CirqRentals Excellent reply info. Really helpful. I purchased a package of the 7 1/2" ground hog stakes off Amazon and will add them to my kit for the guy out points. Most of the time when I tent it, it's not in snow, only occasional rain and usually in timbered areas where the soil seems to be rather easy to sink a tent stake. The reviews on this BA Copper Spur UL2 were really good and I need something pretty light, but bulletproof, as we can be in the woods for a week at a time. Also, I have a 2012?? Seedhouse SL2 that I had purchased back in 2016 off ebay, likely unused. I also did not use it. When I pulled it out of the stuff sack May 2022, the tent material seemed to be tacky to the touch, but no flakey residue or obvious deterioration. I chickened out taking it on my week long trip and purchased my new Copper Spur. Any idea if it is still fine to use ? If so, I'd rather sell it, but don't want to sell someone a problem either. Thanks for any advice. Really appreciate the video and all the info on stakes ! Kenny
Hi Kenny, great -the ground hogs will be bomber for you. Sorry to hear about the tacking on your Seedhouse, that has been a favorite BA line of mine for a long time, especially for southeast camping. There was an era of tents around mid 2000's where the PU treatment they were using on the nylon turned out to cake and delaminate over time. Most of the time it was not the result of any user issue or neglect, it just happened. It can be accelerated when stored wet or in very hot areas (attics). In some cases it just got sticky/tacky, others it started to flake or 'snow' off the fly or tent and in some cases when the PU coating breaks down the chemical reaction and bacteria creates a low acrid smell. The tack issue was consistent across brands, I've seen it on BA, REI, and many others. You'll even find it happening in other products of the era like daypacks, backpacks, tarps, etc. that happened to use that nylon/PU combination. They've since moved away from that particular treatment, but I still imagine over time all of these ultralight fabrics and PU coatings we use in high end tents will also deteriorate at some point over the long term. If it's not flaking off, you can still use it, but it's the waterproof coating that is deteriorating and becoming tacky so you'll probably have some areas that saturate or start to leak in the most affected areas in an enduring rain. If you're camping in a more favorable area or forecast, then that won't be as big of a concern. I'd probably steer clear of using if the tent is flaking because I just wouldn't know what I/others were breathing in. The other issue to consider in using it as is - is that the stickiness will collect regular dirt and dust as you come and go, and hold it, and over time those abrasive agents could wear the actual materials more as you stuff and compress your tent. When dog camping, I often put an additional footprint inside the tent, and that may be a short term hack for you in terms of the stickiness. Some have used baby powder just as a short term hack to short circuit the stickiness. These tacky and flacking tents can be repaired, but is a tedious process. I think your options are to repair it (I always hate to see otherwise good gear out of commission) or I think you could sell it with the 'as is' caveat and just disclose what is going on with it. Someone may want to use it for parts, and/or they may have the time and expertise to repair the fabric themselves. Either would be good options I think. To repair a tacky tent, you basically need to scrub off the existing PU coating. Depending on the extent of the delamination (small patch vs whole fly/tent) that can take a long time and be pretty tedious. It also may have mixed results in terms of getting all the coating removed. In my experience, I do the whole tent, even if a small area is showing. I'd estimate you're looking at a 2-6 hour endeavor depending on the severity, then another 2-3 hours or so to retreat and seam seal after air drying the tent. I recommend doing this by hand, but some have had success using a front loaded washing machine, and that may be a good place to start. We recommend using a laundromat for this because you may not want all that PU coating coming off in your home machine. Use a mild powder detergent and run it on cold. You'll want to run it through at least 3 cold cycles, and I recommend alternating with the tent inside out and outside out so the PU flakes don't get stuck inside. Don't forget to do the stuff sack, stake sack, etc. in addition to the tent and rainfly if any of it is sticky or has the same PU coating on the material. You'll likely still need to treat some areas by hand or you can do the whole thing by hand in the bathtub or kiddie/dog pool. In this case, soak it in warm soapy water for a while (again use a mild powder detergent) then use a soft bristled brush to scrub the sticky PU coating off any remaining spots (inside & out) of both the rainfly. Some of the internal ribbons (door stay points, rainfly pole loops etc.) come off as well as the PU coating delaminates. I'm not sure if they were affixed using the PU or if the glue holding them on is similarly breaking down, but don't be surprised if some of these come off in the process. Keep track of them and you can glue/seal them back on after cleaning. Once you are satisfied with the scrubbing process, you will want to rinse it (inside out/outside in) at least 3-4 times with cold water. If you had a smell in the tent as a result of the PU breakdown or other musty issues you can use an odor control enzyme treatment like: www.amazon.com/GEAR-AID-Eliminator-All-Natural-Footwear/dp/B079VDPKTC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1XG7GY769Z728&keywords=gear+aid+odor+eliminator&qid=1672859398&sprefix=gear+aid+odor%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMEpGV0dMOVdQQlM5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjMzMzYxM1U1RzEyOFgxUzhCRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODk3NTUzMUpLSjlNVTNEUklKTyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= to coat the tent. After rinsing, set it up and let it completely air dry. I usually dry the tent first, and then do the enzyme coating (so it fully saturates the fabric) and then air dry it again. At this point you can re-treat the fabric. Nikwax has a great breathable option that offers both waterproofing and UV protection. Its also not a PU based DWR, so in my mind at least it may prevent me from having to do this again to the same tent in 5-10 years: www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Tent-Solar-Proof-Waterproofing/dp/B002XZTNFS/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3MDYXX0SNJSKK&keywords=nikwax+tent+waterproofing&qid=1672859274&sprefix=nikwax+tent+waterproofin%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-5 . www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Tent-Gear-Solarproof-Waterproofing/dp/B008A559ZS/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3MDYXX0SNJSKK&keywords=nikwax+tent+waterproofing&qid=1672859274&sprefix=nikwax+tent+waterproofin%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-7 It's a spray and you can also get it as a liquid version and apply with a rag. Then you'll want to use a seam sealer on all the taped seams of the tent and fly. At this point you can also use the seam sealer or a tent glue to re-affix any tie off points or velcro loops that came off during the process. Seam Sealer: www.rei.com/product/735798/gear-aid-seam-sure-water-based-seam-sealer-2-oz?sku=7357980015&store=78&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_7357980015%7C92700058217277352%7CBA%7C71700000074421755&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EDCL82A_ejGmKcApA2cG6uJPa2SMVdBNVGjPGKd2BQ47jU_tU3op0MaAlYYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Make sure to give it plenty of time to completely air dry and off gas as all the DWR and seam sealers cure before storing the tent. Once all is dry you'll effectively have a like new tent with a fresh DWR coating, that will probably bead up as good or better than a newly manufactured tent. Prevention: As I mentioned, this is most often just a result of time and the PU coating used at manufacturing. A couple of things can help prevent it in the future or at least prolong it from happening (for all tents, affected or not). Always pack it dry. Water droplets and mildew catalyze and accelerate PU breakdown. Secondly, pack it loose, using a mesh sleeping bag storage sack or mesh duffel etc. The tighter the tent is stored/rolled, it can't breathe and off gas properly and some of the VOC off gassing that happens naturally also causes the PU to breakdown. So, storing it dry, loose and in a cool dry area can really help your tent investments last even longer. Good luck and let us know which path you choose and how it all turns out. Happy camping, Kenny!
Great question amycamp7374! We'd consider packed weight the "true weight" of the tent. It's what the tent with all its components weighs at the time you buy it. The "trail weight" is some form of the tent, fly, and poles w/o the weight of the stuff sacks, or often even the stakes, repair sleeve or guy lines included. It's essentially the lightest assemblage of the tent you could take and still sleep in it. Each manufacturer is a little different in what they do or do not include in trail weight, but you can often reach out to them to ask what's included in their spec when preparing for a purchase. Generally in practical use most of us bring all the guy lines, stakes, repair sleeve, and stuff sacks on our trips anyway so we recommend paying the most attention to "packed weight" when making a buying or rental decision. As you progress, you might change the stuff sack system you use for your personal tent, replace your stock stakes for Ti or Carbon and then you can weigh your set up to get your own "trail weight" for you preferred shelter system. We kind of view the manufacturer's 'trail weight' as a marketing effort to bring down the perceived weight of the tent. Let us know if you have additional questions and happy camping!
Hi Tyler, Yes, exactly, they just rest on the main poles. The center plastic clip on the tent should affix to the spreader pole and kind of holds everything together. We haven't noticed any issue at all with with wear, pitting or noise as a result of the pole to pole contact. I suppose you could place some fabric or a stuff sack between if you were having rubbing or noise due to wind or wanted to be extra cautious in prolonging the life of the tent & pole assembly. Adding a small piece of gorilla/gear tape or med tape to the location of contact could be a good semi-perm hack as well. However, in our experience no issues with the poles touching, and not something significant to worry about in our opinion. Thanks for reaching out and happy camping!
@@CirqRentals Thanks for the response! The overall tension on the center frame was my only concern. Glad to hear that they haven't been an issue for anyone! I currently have an Olive Green finish + purchased the Mtn Glo version in attempts to decide which to keep. I'm not sure which is the "upgraded" / new version. I like the idea of the olive green for Stealth camping, but the LED lights are a super cool feature that should shave a few ounces off (replacing an overhead hanging lamp). Thank you again!
Hola Raphaele, gracias por tu pregunta. Estoy usando un traductor para responder, así que espero que algo de esto tenga sentido. Es fácil para mí recomendar el Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, pero eso se debe principalmente a que no he utilizado personalmente el Sea to Summit en el campo. Ambas son tiendas de campaña increíbles y he leído muchas cosas buenas sobre la serie Telos. Los propietarios / usuarios de ambos se entusiasman con ellos. Aquí está mi rápida retroalimentación sobre los dos en comparación: Copper Spur: Me encanta la función de toldo, pero es un poco novedoso. Es un poco más liviano que el Telos según Trail Peso: 2 libras 11 oz, y un área de piso un poco más grande: 29 pies². Si eres un mochilero más alto, el Copper Spur es más largo a 88 pulgadas frente a 84.5 para el Telos. Telos: Me gustan mucho los postes de cumbrera / esparcidor curvos, que añaden un poco más de altura / ancho. Un poco más de altura de la cabeza a 43,5 pulgadas frente a 40 pulgadas en el Copper Spur. Ventilación inigualable en las tiendas Sea to Summit. El Telos es una pulgada más ancho (53 frente a 52 pulgadas). 3 libras 4.3 oz de peso Trail. Área de piso: 28ft². El "modo de reunión" es una característica interesante, pero todavía creo que es un poco novedoso y requiere un sistema de bastones o bastones de trekking separados. Es una decisión difícil, pero creo que estarías feliz con cualquiera de las dos. Si lo desea, puede hacer una demostración o alquilar el Copper Spur en www.cirq-rentals.com. Es posible que agreguemos carpas Sea to Summit en el futuro, pero actualmente no tenemos sus carpas en nuestro surtido. ¡Salud y feliz campamento!
Yes! This is the olive green color way-it's almost a grey. We prefer it to the orange if you like it to blend into the surroundings better. If safety/visibility are key on your trips then the orange may be a better choice. Happy Camping!
Hi Ryan, thanks for your message. We feel you, this tent is a transformer and with so many configurations it can be tough to sort it all out. Our 2P versions of this tent come with 8 stakes and 4 guy out lines. You'll use 4 of the stakes on the corners and then the other 4 can either be used for setting up the awning feature (2 stakes on each side/door). If you are using the awning features then the four guy out lines included are for the awning corners (2 each side). If you're not using the awning feature, then you can use the four stakes on the corners of the tent, then one for each vestibule/door stake out point (2 total) and then you'll still have two more that you can use to stake out the fly on the head and foot ends of the tent. If you are not using the awning feature (or just one side) then you can use the included guy out lines on the rainfly guy out points at the head/foot. It winds up working out in the sense that you typically are not using the awnings in nasty weather, and that is when you DO want guy out the tent really well. On our personal rigs, we add 2 stakes to the kit and some micro cordage (pre hung) for the head/foot guy out points so we can just guy those out every time we set up the tent regardless of using the awning or not. Then we're ready for any unexpected weather. Of course - all dependent on our appetite for the extra weight and the expected weather for any given trip. Hope this helps and let us know if you have other questions. We'll add a more detailed clip/breakdown of the included parts in future videos since this question comes up a lot. Happy camping!
Hi Steve, thanks for your message. Yeah, the accessories can be $$$ especially when the ultralight tents are already a hefty investment. There are a number of alternate paths you can take on the footprint. I'd suggest the $80 for the footprint if you are interested in using the fastfly or quick pitch feature of the tent. Then you can clip your poles and rainfly directly into the footprint w/o the tent body. Otherwise, you can probably get away with re-using one of your other two person tent footprints. The cut won't be exact but you can just fold the footprint under if/where it sticks out or if you have retired the other tent you can trim it down to size (and stitch the cut edge). Many ultralight hikers even cut their own footprint out of Tyvek or other waterproof materials. You can even by a cheap grommet kit at Harbor Freight or hardware store and put in your own grommets or sew on webbing to the corners, etc. They may not be as pretty, durable or last as long as the $80 version but you can replace them 50+ times before you hit the investment on the proprietary footprint. Either way, I'd strongly recommend using something under the tent. The ultralight tents are just so much more prone to wear and tear due to the thin weight materials. Let us know if you have any questions, and I know there are a lot of YT videos out there on building your own footprints, tarps, etc.
Why did this person stuff the fly and tent body into the storage bag, rather than fold them and roll them inside the poles? That's how it came to me brand new when I just opened it this morning. Seems like an odd choice to me.
Hi @bmachoboken, thanks for your question. There is really no "wrong" way to pack your tent, as long as you are getting outside and packing it dry and clean. Rolling, folding, and stuffing are all acceptable methods. Manufacturers generally fold and/or roll so that the tent looks sharp and pressed (no wrinkles) when you receive your brand new investment and they are doing it in a pristine environment on clean fabrics. The reason we teach and advocate for stuffing are primarily because when you fold a tent the same way on the same folds, over time it can wear the location of the folds, especially if/as dirt and sand collect in those areas. Stuffing rather than folding allows for different patterns of folds and compression each time and thus less wear and tear on the same fold areas over time. We've never really seen a tent fail or fall apart because of folding, though we have seen wear marks after heavy use. As such, this is more of a theoretical risk than a practical one. A couple of other reasons to stuff is that especially with one person, it can be a little faster to pack it by stuffing, often you can achieve a more compact fit with better compression by stuffing, etc., and you can often do all of this over a clean footprint or tent body so you're less likely to be folding it or rolling it directly on the ground. The downsides to stuffing are that the tent can look more wrinkled when it comes out of the bag before pitching it and if you are not careful while stuffing you can push too hard and risk tearing or ripping ultralight fabrics especially if they get stuck on the poles etc. When stuffing it is important to put the pole bag in first, then gently start stuffing and compressing either the fly or tent body depending on which you want to have first accessible the next time you use the tent. We usually stuff rainfly first then tent body last. The stake bag and footprint will be gently placed on top of the tent before you cinch your stuff sack closed. That's why you'll generally see us stuff in our videos. Let us know if you have any other questions and happy camping!
Hi mrmods, thanks for sharing your comment. Most of the time with this tent we use it w/o the awning feature and it works incredibly well just as any backpacking tent with standard vestibules. In fact the extra zip for the awning feature has actually made it easier to get in/out and gives you one more option for getting to your gear. Depending on where you are camping and available deadfall, you can also fashion awning poles easily from fallen branches if you still want to use the awning, but aren't using trekking poles on your trip. Personally, I use this tent all the time, but I rarely use the awning, often pushing miles and going straight to set up, food, sleep. This tent is so popular for a reason, with or without active use of the awning feature! Is there a tent vestibule or awning feature that you prefer to use or recommend? Always looking out for great gear! Happy camping!
Hi mrmods, thanks for sharing your comment. Most of the time with this tent we use it w/o the awning feature and it works incredibly well just as any backpacking tent with standard vestibules. In fact the extra zip for the awning feature has actually made it easier to get in/out and gives you one more option for getting to your gear. Depending on where you are camping and available deadfall, you can also fashion awning poles easily from fallen branches if you still want to use the awning, but aren't using trekking poles on your trip. Personally, I use this tent all the time, but I rarely use the awning, often pushing miles and going straight to set up, food, sleep. This tent is so popular for a reason, with or without active use of the awning feature! Is there a tent vestibule or awning feature that you prefer to use or recommend? Always looking out for great gear! Happy camping!
Thank you so much. I'll be backpacking for the first time soon and have been practicing setting up with the different awning, vestibule options. This is exactly what I needed as I'd never setup a tent before. Thank you again!
Wonderful! I'm glad you found the video helpful, and really excited for your first backpacking trip. Let us know if you have any questions as you prepare and happy camping!
Really helpful and to the point. Plus I could hear everything you were saying! Bought this tent but haven't had a chance to use it yet, watching this made me excited for when I finally can. Thank you!
Wonderful, thank you! Glad you enjoyed it and excited for your first trip out in your new tent as well! Nothing quite like it. Here's to new adventures and many comfortable nights under the stars!
Best tent iv ever owned super lightweight, easy setup, waterproof, fast setup, Versatel, plenty of space,well vented,light hook witch is a must for me no kidding, good color I like to blend to my environment, durable and storage good usable storage just an outstanding tent it’s my go to 90% of the time I just can’t say enough about it and I recommend it to anyone that can afford it my tent and sleep system are #1 and 2 for me a bad nights sleep in the back country can ruin your next day it’s just the best.
Thanks for your note, Brendan! We couldn't agree more, and thanks for helping others in making that tough tent buying/renting decision. Happy camping and cozy Copper Spur nights!
Thanks for the thorough video, showing the features.
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video and got something valuable from it. Happy camping!
I cringed a little when I saw how rough you handled the poles. When they slap around they can get small bends on the ends that make them difficult to slide back together.
When using the fly I always stake the front and back to help with morning condensation as well as bad weather. I also added the guy lines to each upper side of the fly. This helps a lot with really strong winds. All in all I use 12 stakes. It’s probably over kill but my tent is always dry inside the next morning and some really aggressive winds haven’t taken my tent down yet.
All in all, I think it was a good video and helpful to many. If you haven’t already you should show how to start with the fly and foot print for rainy day setup. It always seem to rain when I camp. lol
Cheers!
Hi Trevor, thanks for your note and suggestions! Good call out on the poles, I share a lot about how to care for the tent long term, but I neglect to mention pole care AND I don't do a good job of demonstrating it in the video. We'll make sure to incorporate into future videos and do a better job of showing proper pole care for these delicate UL tents. Great tips as well on your approach to staking and guying your shelter. Your comments will help a lot of people get even more (and a longer life) out of their Copper Spur!
We do have a quick pitch/fast fly video on the Copper Spur, although it's shot in sunny weather :).
Thank you for sharing your tips with us and the community and happy camping!
Thank you, super helpful demonstration. Appreciated the narration, the close-ups, and the tips on order of operations.
Glad it was helpful for you, and thanks so much for your feedback! Happy Camping!
Outstanding thank you👍😎
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it! Happy Camping!
Im really happy with this tent.very glad i got one. I like it a ton better than my nemo
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Copper Spur! They are great tents and with proper care can last a long time and many adventures. Happy camping!
Thanks for this video - I have this tent and want to make sure I'm taking care of it properly. Using the stakeout point at the tent instead of the footprint: is this to make sure the tent surface is larger than the footprint, ie, covers up the footprint?
Yes, that’s right. Tensioning the tent will make sure the tent has the best chance of extending over the footprint and allows a little give in the footprint, so it’s not pulled too tight directly over rocks, roots, etc. Often you can stake both the footprint and tent loops together and that is ok too. The other reason for prioritizing tensioning the tent body loops is to make sure your tent floor has the largest floor area and a tighter pitch. Hope this helps and happy camping!
Question: when packing the tent back up, wouldn’t you want to first stuff the main part of the tent and stuff the rain fly last? Reason being: maybe next time you go to use it and it’s raining and you want to get to the rain fly, footprint, and poles first to do the quick fly setup and avoid getting the main tent wet?
Hi Nick, thank you, you raise a great point!
When I instruct I usually teach fly first tent last because most people most of the time are pitching the tent in dry or relatively fair weather. I don't know, 60/40 or 70/30, so most of the time when most people (including myself) set up, it's footprint, tent then fly.
In practice however for me personally, I repack everything before a trip anyway based what I expect in the forecast or season, or if safety is an issue because it's very cold for example. If I'm expecting rain and I expect i will or may want to quick pitch then YES absolutely I'd pack tent in first with fly/footprint last for quick set up and access. In fact in those extreme trips, I often pack my rainfly and footprint in a completely separate dry bag because A) I want that quick access and B) if its a multi night trip, I know I'm going to be packing up a wet rainfly and this way I can keep it off my tent body and other dry gear in my pack. I'm in the NW too, so seasonally I'll pack fly last in the fall/winter/spring and summer/early fall, I go tent last.
But generally, not knowing what the next trip will hold, statistically I find that 50% or more I'm running a standard set up order. Either way, we're talking seconds of efficiency when unpacking and the potential for a short amount of rain exposure to the tent body, so something I try not to stress over too much once I'm out there.
Let us know if you have any other questions or suggestions, and Happy Camping!
@@CirqRentals Thanks for the quick response and very detailed response! You make some excellent points. I've always been a folder and roller (Around the poles) kinda guy and after your video I've changed my ways so thank you.
Very nice video. I just purchased this exact model. What is your opinion o the quality of the stakes included with the tent ? Should they be replaced or are they good quality? Thank you.
Hi Kenny, congrats on the new tent! I think the stakes that come with the Copper are pretty good. Relatively small and light with strong holding power due to the perpendicular design on the 6" dirt dagger. The only downside I've noted on the dirt dagger is that the cut out for holding the tent ribbons is pretty sharp, and I've cut my fingers a few times when attempting to pull them out by hand. Our HVUL's came with BA's Dirt Dagger, but I did notice recently on their website the new tents show they come with 'aluminum j stakes'. If that is the case, then I probably would upgrade them to a dirt dagger or MSR ground hog (or mini ground hog) style stake. Either way, I'd add 2-4 stakes to your kit so that you can stake out all of the guy out points and make use of both vestibule awnings at the same time. On my ultralight trips, I often switch out my stakes for the MSR carbon cores (although they don't hold nearly as well and you have to be delicate with them), and if I'm camping in/near sand or snow, I prefer to use MSR blizzard stakes. Having a few different types of stakes on hand will let you customize your set up based on each trip. Here's a good article by MSR on stake selection: www.msrgear.com/blog/which-msr-tent-stake-is-right-for-you/ Let me know if you have any questions and which you end up going with. Happy Camping!
@@CirqRentals Excellent reply info. Really helpful. I purchased a package of the 7 1/2" ground hog stakes off Amazon and will add them to my kit for the guy out points. Most of the time when I tent it, it's not in snow, only occasional rain and usually in timbered areas where the soil seems to be rather easy to sink a tent stake. The reviews on this BA Copper Spur UL2 were really good and I need something pretty light, but bulletproof, as we can be in the woods for a week at a time.
Also, I have a 2012?? Seedhouse SL2 that I had purchased back in 2016 off ebay, likely unused. I also did not use it. When I pulled it out of the stuff sack May 2022, the tent material seemed to be tacky to the touch, but no flakey residue or obvious deterioration. I chickened out taking it on my week long trip and purchased my new Copper Spur. Any idea if it is still fine to use ? If so, I'd rather sell it, but don't want to sell someone a problem either. Thanks for any advice. Really appreciate the video and all the info on stakes ! Kenny
Hi Kenny, great -the ground hogs will be bomber for you. Sorry to hear about the tacking on your Seedhouse, that has been a favorite BA line of mine for a long time, especially for southeast camping.
There was an era of tents around mid 2000's where the PU treatment they were using on the nylon turned out to cake and delaminate over time. Most of the time it was not the result of any user issue or neglect, it just happened. It can be accelerated when stored wet or in very hot areas (attics). In some cases it just got sticky/tacky, others it started to flake or 'snow' off the fly or tent and in some cases when the PU coating breaks down the chemical reaction and bacteria creates a low acrid smell. The tack issue was consistent across brands, I've seen it on BA, REI, and many others. You'll even find it happening in other products of the era like daypacks, backpacks, tarps, etc. that happened to use that nylon/PU combination. They've since moved away from that particular treatment, but I still imagine over time all of these ultralight fabrics and PU coatings we use in high end tents will also deteriorate at some point over the long term.
If it's not flaking off, you can still use it, but it's the waterproof coating that is deteriorating and becoming tacky so you'll probably have some areas that saturate or start to leak in the most affected areas in an enduring rain. If you're camping in a more favorable area or forecast, then that won't be as big of a concern. I'd probably steer clear of using if the tent is flaking because I just wouldn't know what I/others were breathing in. The other issue to consider in using it as is - is that the stickiness will collect regular dirt and dust as you come and go, and hold it, and over time those abrasive agents could wear the actual materials more as you stuff and compress your tent. When dog camping, I often put an additional footprint inside the tent, and that may be a short term hack for you in terms of the stickiness. Some have used baby powder just as a short term hack to short circuit the stickiness.
These tacky and flacking tents can be repaired, but is a tedious process. I think your options are to repair it (I always hate to see otherwise good gear out of commission) or I think you could sell it with the 'as is' caveat and just disclose what is going on with it. Someone may want to use it for parts, and/or they may have the time and expertise to repair the fabric themselves. Either would be good options I think.
To repair a tacky tent, you basically need to scrub off the existing PU coating. Depending on the extent of the delamination (small patch vs whole fly/tent) that can take a long time and be pretty tedious. It also may have mixed results in terms of getting all the coating removed. In my experience, I do the whole tent, even if a small area is showing. I'd estimate you're looking at a 2-6 hour endeavor depending on the severity, then another 2-3 hours or so to retreat and seam seal after air drying the tent.
I recommend doing this by hand, but some have had success using a front loaded washing machine, and that may be a good place to start. We recommend using a laundromat for this because you may not want all that PU coating coming off in your home machine. Use a mild powder detergent and run it on cold. You'll want to run it through at least 3 cold cycles, and I recommend alternating with the tent inside out and outside out so the PU flakes don't get stuck inside. Don't forget to do the stuff sack, stake sack, etc. in addition to the tent and rainfly if any of it is sticky or has the same PU coating on the material.
You'll likely still need to treat some areas by hand or you can do the whole thing by hand in the bathtub or kiddie/dog pool. In this case, soak it in warm soapy water for a while (again use a mild powder detergent) then use a soft bristled brush to scrub the sticky PU coating off any remaining spots (inside & out) of both the rainfly.
Some of the internal ribbons (door stay points, rainfly pole loops etc.) come off as well as the PU coating delaminates. I'm not sure if they were affixed using the PU or if the glue holding them on is similarly breaking down, but don't be surprised if some of these come off in the process. Keep track of them and you can glue/seal them back on after cleaning. Once you are satisfied with the scrubbing process, you will want to rinse it (inside out/outside in) at least 3-4 times with cold water.
If you had a smell in the tent as a result of the PU breakdown or other musty issues you can use an odor control enzyme treatment like:
www.amazon.com/GEAR-AID-Eliminator-All-Natural-Footwear/dp/B079VDPKTC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1XG7GY769Z728&keywords=gear+aid+odor+eliminator&qid=1672859398&sprefix=gear+aid+odor%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMEpGV0dMOVdQQlM5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjMzMzYxM1U1RzEyOFgxUzhCRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODk3NTUzMUpLSjlNVTNEUklKTyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
to coat the tent. After rinsing, set it up and let it completely air dry. I usually dry the tent first, and then do the enzyme coating (so it fully saturates the fabric) and then air dry it again.
At this point you can re-treat the fabric. Nikwax has a great breathable option that offers both waterproofing and UV protection. Its also not a PU based DWR, so in my mind at least it may prevent me from having to do this again to the same tent in 5-10 years:
www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Tent-Solar-Proof-Waterproofing/dp/B002XZTNFS/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3MDYXX0SNJSKK&keywords=nikwax+tent+waterproofing&qid=1672859274&sprefix=nikwax+tent+waterproofin%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-5 .
www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Tent-Gear-Solarproof-Waterproofing/dp/B008A559ZS/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3MDYXX0SNJSKK&keywords=nikwax+tent+waterproofing&qid=1672859274&sprefix=nikwax+tent+waterproofin%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-7
It's a spray and you can also get it as a liquid version and apply with a rag.
Then you'll want to use a seam sealer on all the taped seams of the tent and fly. At this point you can also use the seam sealer or a tent glue to re-affix any tie off points or velcro loops that came off during the process.
Seam Sealer: www.rei.com/product/735798/gear-aid-seam-sure-water-based-seam-sealer-2-oz?sku=7357980015&store=78&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_7357980015%7C92700058217277352%7CBA%7C71700000074421755&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EDCL82A_ejGmKcApA2cG6uJPa2SMVdBNVGjPGKd2BQ47jU_tU3op0MaAlYYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Make sure to give it plenty of time to completely air dry and off gas as all the DWR and seam sealers cure before storing the tent.
Once all is dry you'll effectively have a like new tent with a fresh DWR coating, that will probably bead up as good or better than a newly manufactured tent.
Prevention: As I mentioned, this is most often just a result of time and the PU coating used at manufacturing. A couple of things can help prevent it in the future or at least prolong it from happening (for all tents, affected or not). Always pack it dry. Water droplets and mildew catalyze and accelerate PU breakdown. Secondly, pack it loose, using a mesh sleeping bag storage sack or mesh duffel etc. The tighter the tent is stored/rolled, it can't breathe and off gas properly and some of the VOC off gassing that happens naturally also causes the PU to breakdown. So, storing it dry, loose and in a cool dry area can really help your tent investments last even longer.
Good luck and let us know which path you choose and how it all turns out. Happy camping, Kenny!
I don’t understand the difference between trail weight and packed weight. What does it mean?
Great question amycamp7374! We'd consider packed weight the "true weight" of the tent. It's what the tent with all its components weighs at the time you buy it. The "trail weight" is some form of the tent, fly, and poles w/o the weight of the stuff sacks, or often even the stakes, repair sleeve or guy lines included. It's essentially the lightest assemblage of the tent you could take and still sleep in it. Each manufacturer is a little different in what they do or do not include in trail weight, but you can often reach out to them to ask what's included in their spec when preparing for a purchase. Generally in practical use most of us bring all the guy lines, stakes, repair sleeve, and stuff sacks on our trips anyway so we recommend paying the most attention to "packed weight" when making a buying or rental decision. As you progress, you might change the stuff sack system you use for your personal tent, replace your stock stakes for Ti or Carbon and then you can weigh your set up to get your own "trail weight" for you preferred shelter system. We kind of view the manufacturer's 'trail weight' as a marketing effort to bring down the perceived weight of the tent. Let us know if you have additional questions and happy camping!
Thanks for the tutorial! Do the spreader bars sit right intop of the main poles? I can’t seem to get a gap; they just compress on top.
Hi Tyler,
Yes, exactly, they just rest on the main poles. The center plastic clip on the tent should affix to the spreader pole and kind of holds everything together.
We haven't noticed any issue at all with with wear, pitting or noise as a result of the pole to pole contact. I suppose you could place some fabric or a stuff sack between if you were having rubbing or noise due to wind or wanted to be extra cautious in prolonging the life of the tent & pole assembly. Adding a small piece of gorilla/gear tape or med tape to the location of contact could be a good semi-perm hack as well. However, in our experience no issues with the poles touching, and not something significant to worry about in our opinion.
Thanks for reaching out and happy camping!
@@CirqRentals Thanks for the response! The overall tension on the center frame was my only concern. Glad to hear that they haven't been an issue for anyone! I currently have an Olive Green finish + purchased the Mtn Glo version in attempts to decide which to keep. I'm not sure which is the "upgraded" / new version. I like the idea of the olive green for Stealth camping, but the LED lights are a super cool feature that should shave a few ounces off (replacing an overhead hanging lamp).
Thank you again!
hola, de las 2 tiendas de campaña que comentas átelos sea to summit y copper de big Agnes, cual te parece mejor para comprar ?, gracias
Hola Raphaele, gracias por tu pregunta. Estoy usando un traductor para responder, así que espero que algo de esto tenga sentido. Es fácil para mí recomendar el Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, pero eso se debe principalmente a que no he utilizado personalmente el Sea to Summit en el campo. Ambas son tiendas de campaña increíbles y he leído muchas cosas buenas sobre la serie Telos. Los propietarios / usuarios de ambos se entusiasman con ellos. Aquí está mi rápida retroalimentación sobre los dos en comparación:
Copper Spur: Me encanta la función de toldo, pero es un poco novedoso. Es un poco más liviano que el Telos según Trail Peso: 2 libras 11 oz, y un área de piso un poco más grande: 29 pies². Si eres un mochilero más alto, el Copper Spur es más largo a 88 pulgadas frente a 84.5 para el Telos.
Telos: Me gustan mucho los postes de cumbrera / esparcidor curvos, que añaden un poco más de altura / ancho. Un poco más de altura de la cabeza a 43,5 pulgadas frente a 40 pulgadas en el Copper Spur. Ventilación inigualable en las tiendas Sea to Summit. El Telos es una pulgada más ancho (53 frente a 52 pulgadas). 3 libras 4.3 oz de peso Trail. Área de piso: 28ft². El "modo de reunión" es una característica interesante, pero todavía creo que es un poco novedoso y requiere un sistema de bastones o bastones de trekking separados.
Es una decisión difícil, pero creo que estarías feliz con cualquiera de las dos. Si lo desea, puede hacer una demostración o alquilar el Copper Spur en www.cirq-rentals.com. Es posible que agreguemos carpas Sea to Summit en el futuro, pero actualmente no tenemos sus carpas en nuestro surtido. ¡Salud y feliz campamento!
Is this the olive greenv
Yes! This is the olive green color way-it's almost a grey. We prefer it to the orange if you like it to blend into the surroundings better. If safety/visibility are key on your trips then the orange may be a better choice. Happy Camping!
@@CirqRentals just bought this tent. It looks mint. Great video. Thanks for getting back to me
Can’t figure out the stakes and what all that cord is for.
Hi Ryan, thanks for your message. We feel you, this tent is a transformer and with so many configurations it can be tough to sort it all out. Our 2P versions of this tent come with 8 stakes and 4 guy out lines. You'll use 4 of the stakes on the corners and then the other 4 can either be used for setting up the awning feature (2 stakes on each side/door). If you are using the awning features then the four guy out lines included are for the awning corners (2 each side).
If you're not using the awning feature, then you can use the four stakes on the corners of the tent, then one for each vestibule/door stake out point (2 total) and then you'll still have two more that you can use to stake out the fly on the head and foot ends of the tent. If you are not using the awning feature (or just one side) then you can use the included guy out lines on the rainfly guy out points at the head/foot.
It winds up working out in the sense that you typically are not using the awnings in nasty weather, and that is when you DO want guy out the tent really well. On our personal rigs, we add 2 stakes to the kit and some micro cordage (pre hung) for the head/foot guy out points so we can just guy those out every time we set up the tent regardless of using the awning or not. Then we're ready for any unexpected weather. Of course - all dependent on our appetite for the extra weight and the expected weather for any given trip. Hope this helps and let us know if you have other questions. We'll add a more detailed clip/breakdown of the included parts in future videos since this question comes up a lot.
Happy camping!
I really want to buy this as it checks all the boxes but a 90 dollar footprint on top of the cost of the tent….is a little too much
Hi Steve, thanks for your message. Yeah, the accessories can be $$$ especially when the ultralight tents are already a hefty investment. There are a number of alternate paths you can take on the footprint. I'd suggest the $80 for the footprint if you are interested in using the fastfly or quick pitch feature of the tent. Then you can clip your poles and rainfly directly into the footprint w/o the tent body. Otherwise, you can probably get away with re-using one of your other two person tent footprints. The cut won't be exact but you can just fold the footprint under if/where it sticks out or if you have retired the other tent you can trim it down to size (and stitch the cut edge). Many ultralight hikers even cut their own footprint out of Tyvek or other waterproof materials. You can even by a cheap grommet kit at Harbor Freight or hardware store and put in your own grommets or sew on webbing to the corners, etc.
They may not be as pretty, durable or last as long as the $80 version but you can replace them 50+ times before you hit the investment on the proprietary footprint. Either way, I'd strongly recommend using something under the tent. The ultralight tents are just so much more prone to wear and tear due to the thin weight materials. Let us know if you have any questions, and I know there are a lot of YT videos out there on building your own footprints, tarps, etc.
Why did this person stuff the fly and tent body into the storage bag, rather than fold them and roll them inside the poles? That's how it came to me brand new when I just opened it this morning. Seems like an odd choice to me.
Hi @bmachoboken, thanks for your question. There is really no "wrong" way to pack your tent, as long as you are getting outside and packing it dry and clean. Rolling, folding, and stuffing are all acceptable methods. Manufacturers generally fold and/or roll so that the tent looks sharp and pressed (no wrinkles) when you receive your brand new investment and they are doing it in a pristine environment on clean fabrics. The reason we teach and advocate for stuffing are primarily because when you fold a tent the same way on the same folds, over time it can wear the location of the folds, especially if/as dirt and sand collect in those areas. Stuffing rather than folding allows for different patterns of folds and compression each time and thus less wear and tear on the same fold areas over time. We've never really seen a tent fail or fall apart because of folding, though we have seen wear marks after heavy use. As such, this is more of a theoretical risk than a practical one. A couple of other reasons to stuff is that especially with one person, it can be a little faster to pack it by stuffing, often you can achieve a more compact fit with better compression by stuffing, etc., and you can often do all of this over a clean footprint or tent body so you're less likely to be folding it or rolling it directly on the ground. The downsides to stuffing are that the tent can look more wrinkled when it comes out of the bag before pitching it and if you are not careful while stuffing you can push too hard and risk tearing or ripping ultralight fabrics especially if they get stuck on the poles etc. When stuffing it is important to put the pole bag in first, then gently start stuffing and compressing either the fly or tent body depending on which you want to have first accessible the next time you use the tent. We usually stuff rainfly first then tent body last. The stake bag and footprint will be gently placed on top of the tent before you cinch your stuff sack closed. That's why you'll generally see us stuff in our videos. Let us know if you have any other questions and happy camping!
This is a rental company. The previous renter/user probably packed it that way.
I wish you were showing a close up of what you are doing to really help me set it up, not really just looking at you from a far distance 😢
Terrible design! If u don't use trekking poles the door is a waste of time!
Hi mrmods, thanks for sharing your comment. Most of the time with this tent we use it w/o the awning feature and it works incredibly well just as any backpacking tent with standard vestibules. In fact the extra zip for the awning feature has actually made it easier to get in/out and gives you one more option for getting to your gear. Depending on where you are camping and available deadfall, you can also fashion awning poles easily from fallen branches if you still want to use the awning, but aren't using trekking poles on your trip. Personally, I use this tent all the time, but I rarely use the awning, often pushing miles and going straight to set up, food, sleep. This tent is so popular for a reason, with or without active use of the awning feature! Is there a tent vestibule or awning feature that you prefer to use or recommend? Always looking out for great gear! Happy camping!
Posting this nonsense twice doesn't mean you're right. Please pay attention!
Terrible design..if you don't use trekking poles the tent is a waste of time
Hi mrmods, thanks for sharing your comment. Most of the time with this tent we use it w/o the awning feature and it works incredibly well just as any backpacking tent with standard vestibules. In fact the extra zip for the awning feature has actually made it easier to get in/out and gives you one more option for getting to your gear. Depending on where you are camping and available deadfall, you can also fashion awning poles easily from fallen branches if you still want to use the awning, but aren't using trekking poles on your trip. Personally, I use this tent all the time, but I rarely use the awning, often pushing miles and going straight to set up, food, sleep. This tent is so popular for a reason, with or without active use of the awning feature! Is there a tent vestibule or awning feature that you prefer to use or recommend? Always looking out for great gear! Happy camping!
Somebody's not paying attention.