Tents – BA Fly Creek 2, MH Ghost 2, MH SuperMega UL 2

That BA FlyCreek 2 needs at least 6 stakes to work .

Two at the back, two on the side and two for the vestibule.

(if you don’t use the side stakes , the fly will rub against  the inner)

The inner by itself is almost freestanding.

I think one person might be able to use FlyCreek 2 without stakes, assuming there is no rain or wind. Though without the side stakes the sagging walls eat a lot of space.

In more demanding conditions you need to stake the tent properly, but I think that’s true for any tent and especially in the UL category. Regarding ease of set up in scenarios you described, I don’t see how it could be improved much over the FlyCreek. Bivy bag would of course be one way to go.

I haven’t felt that the front door is an issue, even with two people. The door is big enough for cooking breakfast etc.

I purchased a Fly Creek, then sent it back. IMHO it is too small a tent. I purchased a  Big Agnus Copper Spur instead, it is a good design. However, the ZPacks Hexamid saves me about 16 oz, so I pretty much don’t carry the Copper Spur.

I purchased a BA Copper spur HV UL 1P. It wetted through the fly and the seams and leaked everywhere in just one night of steady rain. My bag was soaked at the foot. I am small, 5’2″ and I found it too small even for me. Back it went.

I’ve been in the market for a UL 2p and am close to pulling the trigger on the Marmot Tungsten UL 2p. 3lb maybe 5oz, $300, mesh inner, polyester fly. My runner up is the Big Sky Revolution 2p, which weighs about the same, costs $400 but has the poles outside the fly for better pitching in the rain.  But I’m in California and rarely see rain. I passed up the Copper Spur based on price and polyester over nylon.

I think one person might be able to use FlyCreek 2 without stakes,  assuming there is no rain or wind

if you are happy with this :

What about a DCF material, like ZPacks?  19oz.  Room enough for two people, and use your existing trekking poles.

I think one person might be able to use FlyCreek 2 without stakes,  assuming there is no rain or wind

if you are happy with this :

Why would you not be? :)

Played around with FlyCreek 2 last weekend. At least I would be quite happy to sleep in it without stakes. Vestibule you can just wrap under your pack. There is not much space, but for a 176cm/65kg person it was quite ok. If you can put even a single stake you already get quite nice space inside the tent. A couple of stakes more and it starts to look like the small 2 person tent it is.

Not much to add, but I played around with the MH Ghost 2 in the store last week and wow that’s a tiny tent. Hard to believe a tent that 35″ wide at the foot end is a 2 person.

If you think of it as really a 1 person tent for 39oz or so, then you realize that there are a ton more options at that weight class. Since you’re apparently okay with tents that are freestanding but still need some stakes to hold out the corners, the MSR Freelite 1 is a nice tent. It’s lighter than those other tents at 31oz and has some nice advantages like side entry.

Or you could grab the Big Agnes Copper Spur 1 for 35oz and not have any required stakes.