Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 XL Tent

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Three-season, Freestanding, Ultralight!

Big Agnes says: 

Since its launch in 2008, the award-winning Copper Spur has been our most popular ultralight backpacking tent. Thanks to our proprietary HyperBead™ fabric, the latest Copper Spur UL is lighter, stronger, and more waterproof than ever!

High volume, freestanding design provides ample interior room and the stability to keep you sleeping soundly through the roughest backcountry nights. Fully featured, with design aspects that make the backcountry more comfortable – like multiple gear storage pockets, an awning-style door, and generous vestibule space. When ultralight comfort is the priority, the Copper Spur UL is your ultimate home away from home.

Our Verdict

The 2025 Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 XL tent offers an exceptional blend of lightweight design and expanded space, making it an excellent choice for backpackers seeking comfort without added bulk.

Enhanced Space and Comfort: The “XL” designation signifies increased dimensions, providing an extra 20 centimetres in length, 5 centimetres in width, and 10 centimetres in head height compared to the standard Copper Spur UL3. This expansion results in a more spacious interior, accommodating taller individuals and offering additional room for gear or movement. The high-volume, freestanding architecture ensures ample interior room and stability, enhancing overall comfort during backcountry nights.

One of the Copper Spur UL3 XL’s biggest selling points is its true rectangular floor, not tapered, and its extra width, which easily fits two 25-inch (63 cm) pads side by side. With more people now opting for wider sleeping pads, it’s great to see a tent design that actually accommodates them.

Innovative Fabric Technology: Incorporating Big Agnes’ proprietary HyperBead fabric, the 2025 model is 6% lighter, 25% more waterproof, and 50% stronger than previous materials. This advancement not only reduces the tent’s weight but also enhances its durability and weather resistance, ensuring reliable performance in diverse conditions.

User-Friendly Features: The tent maintains a user-friendly design with dual side-entry doors and generous vestibules, providing versatile storage and ventilation options. The awning-style vestibule doors can be supported with trekking poles or guylines, offering expanded covered space for gear storage and improved airflow. The proprietary TipLok Tent Buckle streamlines setup by combining pole-tip capture, rainfly attachment, tensioner, and stake-out loop into a single mechanism, simplifying the pitching process.

In summary, the 2025 Copper Spur UL3 XL stands out for its enhanced fabric technology and increased living space, delivering a comfortable and reliable shelter for backpackers prioritising both weight and roominess.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Featuring our strongest and most durable proprietary fabric technology in our UL tent line. Engineered to perform season after season.
• Made with our proprietary technology that yields a fabric that is 6% lighter, 25% more waterproof, 50% stronger, and more dimensionally stable than fabric with traditional coatings.
•  New EZ Pack Stuff Sack with a large length-wise opening and compression feature makes packing up your tent much simpler
• New Cross Pole Socket: proprietary injection molded TPU part that allows for easy set up, and fast fly configuration
• Two doors and two vestibules
• Awning-style vestibule doors with double zippers
• Low Vent feature on the vestibule doors increases air flow while still providing vestibule coverage
• Supported roof vent for air circulation.
• Proprietary TipLok™ Tent Buckle streamlines tent set up by combining three functions: secure pole-tip capture, rainfly attachment and tensioner, and stake-out loop
• Dual-zipper doors, use only one zipper for quick, reach-through access
• Quick Stash door keeper on tent body makes stowing unzipped door quick and easy
• Hook & loop tabs connect fly to pole structure at guyout points providing perfect pitch and extra stability
• 3-D bin pocket at the foot provides massive, off-the-floor storage*; Ceiling and side pockets at the head provide great additional storage space
• Multiple interior loops for attaching gear lofts, accessories, and mtn-GLO® Tent & Camp Lights
• Ready to pitch; with pre-cut guylines and tensioners attached to fly
• Reflective guylines and webbing on tent corners make it easy to see at night
• Color-coded webbing and buckles make set up easy
• Includes Big Agnes Dirt Dagger™ UL Stakes

Specifications

UOG Specs:

• Inner tent weighs: 564g
• Flysheet weighs: 635g
• Poleset weighs: 499g
• Total weight: 1698g (excludes pegs and bags)
• 11 x pegs supplied weigh:100g 

Big Agnes Specs:

• Trail weight (excludes pegs): 1.62kg
• Packed weight: 1.79kg
• Fast fly weight: 1.030g
• Packed size: 56 x 17cm
• Floor size: 4.1m²
• Floor length: 244cm
• Floor width: 178 – 157cm
• Head height: 119cm
• Vestibule area: 0.8m² + 0.8m²
• Awning area: 1.02m² + 1.02m²
• Pole Set Type:DAC NFL 
• Pole Diameter:9.3mm 

Material & Construction

• Fabric
  • Rainfly: Proprietary fabric technology; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop and a 1500mm (PFAS-free) waterproof silicone and polyurethane coating
  • Tent body: Proprietary fabric technology; breathable 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstop, and 15D polyester mesh
  • Floor: Proprietary fabric technology; 15D nylon with 20D solution dyed ripstopand a 1500mm (PFAS-free) waterproof silicone and polyurethane coating
  • Footprint: 30D nylon ripstop with 1500mm (PFAS-free) waterproof polyurethane coating
  • All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape (No PVC or
  VOC’s)

• Poles/Buckles
  • DAC Featherlite NFL and NSL pole system
  • Ultralight plastic clips attach tent body to pole frame
  • 4-way high-volume hub pole design
  • TipLok™ Tent Buckle

• Stakes & Storage
  •2 side pockets, 1 3-D bin pocket, 1 oversized ceiling pocket, 4 additional ceiling pockets, 8 x 6” Big Agnes Dirt Dagger™ UL stakes & 4 awning
  guylines
  • Gear loft loops

Help & advice:

• Big Agnes Tent Guide
• Bikepacking Advice Page
• The Ultimate Guide to Ultralight Tents
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Tent
• When pegs go bad – Everything you need to know about tent pegs
• Are Tent Footprints Worth It?
• About Big Agnes