BA Fly Creek vs MH SuperMega vs GoLite Imogene

[Jonathan Chin]

I'm about to buy a new UL 2 person tent for use on solos, with my ladyfriend, and (if we can squeeze) with a buddy. I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 (Platinum?), the Mountain Hardwear SuperMega UL2, and the GoLite Imogene UL2 and would love some feedback from those of you who have seen or used these tents in person.

I've seen only the BA Fly Creek Platinum en vivo and was really impressed with it's low weight & breathability. However the sharp corers, low slope on the walls, & tight floor plan made it hard to imagine being comfortable doing anything but sleeping in there. Thus, I am really tempted by the extra width (3in @ head, 1in @ feet) & apparently roomier design of the Imogene. From the photos I've been able to find, the Imogene appears to have taller walls and a roomier "dome" section. Can anyone comment on this?

Also, I should mention that I get a discount on BA Products and could get the Fly Creek Platinum shipped for ~$340, while the Imogene would be ~$275. I also get a discount from MH, but I'm not quite as interested in the SMUL2 because it seems to have the worst of all the features I'm looking for – size of the Fly Creek and weight of the Imogene.

Thoughts & comments?

[Charles P]

I had the imogene 2 for a hot minute and it's tight for 2 people. The sloping walls and single door don't make for a place. If you're okay with just having a small light space for sleeping you might love it. It's well constructed w good materials.

Might want to also check out the big Sky Mirage 2P. Been using one while I wait for my Mirage 1P to get back in stock (company let me use 2P as a loaner). It's pretty awesome I have to say. Light w two doors and two vestibules. And design makes for a lot of usable space inside. I wish I could have both it and the 1P.

Edit: Also, found Mirage to be a much easier setup than imogene, which is a little finicky in my opinion. Good luck.

[Dena Kelley]

I can't comment on the others, but the Fly Creek UL2 is my current tent and it is tight for two people. I use it as my single tent, and it's fine if I take my dog, but I wouldn't want to cram two people in there. And yes, the walls slope quite a bit and it's got low headroom. I don't consider it ideal. I use it because it's a fully enclosed bug-proof tent that doesn't require hiking poles as supports and it's fairly lightweight. But I'm constantly (as in, daily) looking at other tents that are in a similar weight class that have a side entry and more headroom.

[And E]

My girlfriend and I are quite small people, I'm 5'6", 155lbs, and she's a petite 5'5” And the Fly Creek UL2 was way too small for us. I could barely roll/turn to my side without risking giving her a shiner with my elbows/shoulder, etc. The only way to sit up is to be right dead center of the tent, which isn't possible with another person inside. Also, the tent walls will be right against your bag/quilt and cause all kinds of condensation issues.

This is with all side guyouts deployed to maximize space.

We ended up getting the TarpTent Double Rainbow instead. Haven't used it out in the wilderness yet, but pitched and slept in it (sleeping pads and quilts/bags… The whole shebang) in our new, empty apartment while moving over the weekend and it was quite spacious and comfortable (we used trekking poles to pitch in freestanding mode).

It's well within your price range ( 275, 330 with optional liner and seam sealing. A little extra for carbon pole that saves 2oz), extremely easy setup, enough room for two to sit up at the same time, two doors/vestibules, and all made in the USA, and only 2# 10oz fully packed (including 6 – 6" Easton aluminum stakes, stuff sacks, etc).

Note: trekking poles used are only 135 cm. Need 140cm for full, tight pitch.

[Scott Musack]

I have the Imogene and like it alot – as a solo tent. It has very good headroom and gear space – as a solo tent. I would never double up in this tent unless it was an emergency.

One of my backpacking buddies has the Fly Creek (not platinum) and it is very similiar to the Imogene, but not quite as roomy and has a leaky entrance (the imogene has a nice 'ledge' that keeps water from getting in when you open it).

Don't know anything about the MH tent, though I considered it when shopping for a new tent couple months ago.

[Jonathan Chin]

Thanks for the info/feedback. Sounds like my space/livability concerns with the Fly Creek & Imogene were well founded :-/

I'm now seriously looking at the TarpTents, especially the Double Rainbow. Only downsize is the backorder, as I'll have to share my Nemo Losi 3P (7# w/ footprint) with 2 buddies for a week in Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness if I don't pick up a new tent by next Friday.

Any other comments or suggestions for other tents that are light enough for solos, but roomy enough for two?

[Scott Musack]

The Imogene 3 I bet would be plenty roomy for two and it's weight is still quite reasonable for solo carry at just over 3 lbs.

Someone else on the forums at the 3 and used it as a 2 person with success. Don't recall who.

[And E]

It is backordered 3 weeks, plus they will be gone the first few days of August, but I'm sure tents will still be made in the Seattle factory while the California office is out.

However, when I ordered mine (second week of July), I received it within 2 weeks, even with extra time needed for the seam sealing. You can request a reasonable receive by date and they will do their best to get it to you within that time.

[M H]

Just got back from a 5-night trip on part of the JMT with the family where we used the Imogene 2 as one of our two tents. I was really impressed with the design and quality. No condensation issues. It is pretty small… my wife and daughter think it is a bit cramped, but it doesn't bother me. However, for camping with a non-family member, I think the Inogene 3 would be a better choice. We also brought the Big Agnes Scout which I wanted to like but is just awful… we are returning it and want to replace it with an Imogene 3 or maybe a Slater UL2+

Here is a pic of the Imogene 2 in the El Yunque Rainforest here in Puerto Rico. Very hard to find level ground! Better to use hammocks here.

[Casey Beighley]

My wife & I use the Imogene3, it's got plenty of room for us and our packs, it would be pretty tight with a 3rd person.

[And E]

Keep a sharp eye on Gear Swap here on the forums. I've seen a couple Double Rainbows in the past week or so.

You just missed this one… Posted and claimed today(31st): http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=80311

Just check the gear swap page obsessively and you might get lucky.

[M B]

"The Imogene 3 I bet would be plenty roomy for two and it's weight is still quite reasonable for solo carry at just over 3 lbs."

Reasonable would depend on the person.
Id call it pretty heavy for a lightly constructed fragile tent for solo use.
And its darn near impossible to fold up with the poles and get the tent back into the stuffsack. Too slippery.

[David Ure]

Too slippery? Fragile?

FWIW, my Hilleberg almost always slips out of my hands trying to get it into the stuff sack. Slippery as the dickens.

Why fragile? What was your experience with the shelter?

[M B]

the weight in a 3P shelter (tight) doesnt come without compromises.

the fly is 10D, I wouldnt particularly call that very durable. i have down jackets with stronger fabric.

No need to make concessions like that for a solo shelter at that weight.

[David Ure]

10d is just fine for a fly. Unlike a jacket that you may bushwack with, a fly doesn't have to deal with such abuse.

[Kelly G]

REI had the FCUL2 set up when I went to the store, and at first glance I thought it was the 1-person. I borrowed an Exped reg-width and a BA long-wide from the sleeping pad section, since these are the sizes we use, and tried to fit them in the 2P tent. It was just too tight at the feet. The LW pad overlapped the reg-width pad. And I agree, the sides sloped too much for either person to be comfortable sitting up. I bought the 3P and am very happy with it. Our reg and LW pads fit just fine, and there is even room at my feet for my pack.

I've seen the Golite Imogene ul2, and it appears well constructed, but personally I don't care for the very dark orange color.

Kelly

[Charles Compton]

Do not get the fly creek. Those sloping walls are a deal breaker. A friend of mine has the 2 person Cooper Spur. We shared the tent doing the lost coast trail and I loved it. It is however at least a pound and 4 oz heavier than the fly creek.

[A W T]

The HV (high volume, with more upright walls) versions of Big Agnes’s Fly Creek series, now including the Platinum, are less claustrophobic and more useful than the original versions.

[Lowell Mills]

Why not the UL 3?

[A W T]

I had an opportunity to compare the Fly Creek HV UL2, Platinum HV UL2, and SuperMega in person.  The Fly Creek is better for 2 smaller people, the Platinum tent is nicely lighter but the net tent does not attach to the sides of the fly, and the SuperMega is comparatively roomier at the front, more robust, and truly freestanding with both ends of the pole being Y-shaped.

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