Tarptent Hogback vs Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4

[Ben R]

Help me decide: Tarptent Hogback vs Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4?

The tent will be used for two small adults, one kid (now a baby but I'll use this tent for years), and a 60 lb dog. Could add another kid eventually.

My current analysis is:

Hogback: light (4 lbs), roomy enough (86" x86"), tiny vestibules, not free-standing (98% of the time this is fine), one piece pitch, might be able to fold back half of rainfly for star gazing and extra ventilation (Franco posted a photo once of this).

Copper Spur UL4: heavier (5.25 lb), a bit roomier (96" x 86"), useful sized vestibules (for packs and/or cooking in rain), free standing (occasionally helpful), two piece pitch, can be pitched inner only for warm nights and star gazing.

Cost is similar between the two ($50 difference), so not an issue.

Anyone use both and have an opinion?

Also open to other suggestions, but tent must have: two doors, two vestibules, at least as much room as the hogback, floor and full bug netting, light weight, not significantly more than $450.

Thanks!

[Eric Blumensaadt]

The Hogback does have two vestibules large enough to accomodate packs off to one side, away from the door.

To make the Hogback frestanding I'd rig crossing poles INSIDE the fly with the ends in triangular pockets just above the corner CF pole triangles. (Requires cutting two pole ends to the correct length.)This would give much more canopy support. I did a similar mod with my TT Moment, sewing Velcro computer cable wraps inside to stabilize the poles and keep them in position in high winds. Seam sesl on both sides after sewing, of course.

"Freestanding" is not necesarily a requirement for a good tent. It CAN give more resistance to snow and wind loads. Generally, as in your comparo, freestanding tents are heavier.

[Joshua Gray]

Both are great tents and I was going to pull the trigger on the hogback, but snagged a Copper Spur UL4 for <$200 brand new at a REI garage sale and couldn't pass up the deal. Only spent 4 nights in it so far, but a great tent for a family and very easy to set up. One caution though, it does not stand up to the wind very well and has some pretty serious deflection.

So if you cant find one on sale, and you live in a windier place I would suggest the Hogback. Otherwise, you'll most likely be happier with either.

[Franco Darioli]

A couple of nice features on the Hogback are the very small footprint for a tent that can genuinely take 4 people and the all in one (dry) set up.
I would not recommend attempting to put cross poles in that because they would be too long.
After a certain length they twist and permanently bend.

So not freestanding but once you have the pole in the sleeve it is very fast to pick up and set up in another spot.
here is my video on the Hogback :
Hogback set up and tour

( I am hoping to go over 100k views for my channell by this w/e)
Franco

[Ben R]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Very helpful video Franco! The quick conversion to half bug mode may have sold me on the Hogback.

I have a Lunar Duo my wife and I have used for years. So I realize that non-freestanding tents are generally fine, but once in a while (loose or rocky soils) I have wished it was freestanding. Obviously you still need to stake a freestanding tent securely, but at the least the tension on the tent fly isn't dependent on the staking. The other feature I wish the Lunar Duo had is the ability to set it up netting only in good weather like a typical double wall tent for general views and star gazing. The Hogback's half bug mode is a great compromise.

[Franco Darioli]

Thanks for that.
You can set up the Hogback mesh inner only, I did the half version because that gives you some shade/privacy and it is fast to stake the fly down if it start raining or gets windy.
To set the inner by itself is easier with the extra pole as seen here :

but I can do it with just one pole too…
(that extra pole (for the fly) is handy with heavy rain, strong winds or a couple of inches of snow)
Franco

[Ben R]

I tend to start threads with questions, but not follow up on the final conclusion….time to change that habit.

I’ve been using a Tarptent Hogback for 3 years or so now.  It is a great family tent, fitting two adults, two small children, and a 60lb mutt comfortably.   Has only seen severe weather once, the first night I had it out with a 6 month old son, when we had an hour long monsoon with high winds by a lake.  It rattled in the wind a bit, but stayed up and we stayed dry.  Its durable, still in great shape. My dog did run right thru the screen one night in the backyard (test run of camping with a baby), when she went after a critter who came into the yard.  The netting had a clean 3 foot long rip that sewed back together easily.

As expected from my first post, the vestibules are tiny and borderline useless.  Leaving shoes or a pack there makes me nervous of getting them wet being close to the drip lines.  I typically just leave my pack outside, using my trash compactor bag rain liner on the outside of the pack as a storage rain cover.

The tent sets up easy, and the footprint is as small as some 2 person tents (that have big vestibules).

I’m glad I didn’t go for the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4.  Carrying gear for two adults, two kids, and a dog means my pack is heavy enough.  I don’t want a tent that weighs any more or packs any larger.

In 3 years, I haven’t seen any new tent developments that have made me want to switch.  Other potential 4 person or more options either don’t meet all my requirements for kid camping in the east (full bug netting and floor), aren’t as light, or are too expensive (cubin mids with netting/floor inserts).

[Garrett McLarty]

Ben,

 

Good to hear your conclusion.   Having gone from Big Agnes Copper SpuUL4 to a tarptent hogback I am sure you made the right choice.   The one issue you didn’t mention in comparing the two is durability.   The Big Agnes uses super light (10 or 15D fabric for the floor.  I could see through it.   It’s not very durable at all.   I have been very happy with the switch.

Peace

[Danny Milks]

It’s funny that 8 years later, these two tents are still the best options for families. We have 3 kids and we typically take two 2p UL shelters. However, I am looking for a good shelter for all of us. I like that the TarpTent is made in the US, has more durable fabric  (30d vs 15d) which is much more waterproof (3000mm vs 1200mm). I do like the vestibule size size on the BA and that it can be turned into a front porch. But that being said, the costs have changed since this thread was started: the TT is $459 and the BA is $649. Even on sale the BA would be more expensive.

We have tried the BD MegaLight (which I’ve used a ton in the last 15 years), but the lack of floor and bug protection don’t work well with young kids. Plus, the center pole keeps us from sharing pads. We can all fit into a 4 person tent easily, sharing 4 pads and 2-3 quilts. The tent weight savings are nice, but I would also add by all 5 of us in one shelter, we can get by with one less pad and maybe one less quilt. And it’s usually easier to set up one tent (especially if said tent is designed by Henry Shires).

Anybody else have success with a 4p UL tent?

 

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

As @ DannyMilks said, those still seem to be the two tents that come up.

I looked at the Hilleberg Nallo, becasue I like the tunnel tent concept, for ease of set up/weight/wind resistance/ weight, but it is small, heavy and expensive.

For my family of 4, that leaves me with the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4, Tarptent Hogback and Hyperlight Ultramid 4.

Most  use for this would be fall/winter camping, as we often use a smaller tent and hammock for summer. Here in Minnesota we don’t get heavy snow, and winds are seldom extreme as well, so I think the Tarptent with extra pole, or Copper Spur 4, could work.

On the other hand, if we travel (whether in summer to alpine terrain/deserts or winter), the Mid would be the only one of those I’d trust in exposed locations.

Besides price, what holds me back from the Ultramid 4 (or similar), is the challenge of setting it up. Our snow is often to thin and faceted to dig deadman anchors, while the ground is rocky and frozen hard.

In summer it is also near impossible to find a site large enough for a Ultramid 4 locally, if we did want to use it.

The Tarptent seems small, since for winter we use the L Neo air pads, 4 of which would not seem to fit in the Hogback?

Any other experiences/suggestions for an easy to set up tent for 4 people?

[Turley]

“I like that the TarpTent is made in the US”

Many TarpTents now are not made in the US….the below is one example from the TarpTent website:

“The 2020 Double Rainbow is fabricated from Korea sourced silicone-coated nylon fabric that is second to none and produced in China at one of the world’s leading tent manufacturing facilities and home to many of the world’s major tent brands. Globally-sourced means that we looked everywhere for the best and found it.”

I like the designs and selection that TarpTent offers and with their following within the BPL and UL communities they area extremely well made. Where they are made really doesn’t matter to me as long as the quality of construction is retained…..but many prefer made in the US products and it is often assumed since TarpTent is/was a cottage company they are all made here.

[Henry Shires / Tarptent]

> Many TarpTents now are not made in the US….

Yes, that is true.  The Hogback, if it matters, will continue to be made in Seattle for the foreseeable future as we still have enough production capacity there to keep making it (unlike many other models such as the DR).

-H

[Bonzo]

Damn it, I was really happy to have a US-made tent on my list.  Never caught on that all of Tarptent’s stuff wasn’t made here; guess I shouldn’t have made that assumption.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Yep, all the TT DCF tents are now made in a top tier Chinese factory. My Gen.2 Notch Li is very well made.

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