Price:
$879.99
Our Rating:
An integrated lighting system and media pockets with headphone cord routing might make the Copper Spur UL the ultimate tent for Generation Y, but beneath the gadgets lies a seriously lightweight (1.33kg), well-designed shelter.
A very lightweight floor has been combined with the lightest of inner and fly fabrics to enable the greatest weight savings. The floor and fly are both silicon coated for waterproofness, but the 1200mm floor needs to be treated with extreme care in regards to site location and a footprint is recommended.
The majority of the inner is mesh, which enables plenty of airflow. A clever pole configuration (it’s freestanding) provides steep walls and 2.7m² of usable space. This design is good for water run off, but I didn’t have the opportunity to try this tent in strong wind. Strangely, additional guy lines can be attached at only one end of the tent.
A possible wear point exists where the fly sits over the top of an aluminium ring that acts as a hub for pole intersections. Zips are usually the first thing to wear out on tents, and the gauge used on this tent is very small – great for weight and bulk reduction, but perhaps not so much for longevity.
A discrete ribbon of tiny LEDs sewn into the ceiling and powered by three AAA batteries provide more than 90 hours of light and is bright enough to read by, or dimmable for an ambient glow.
A two-door, double vestibule design provides ease of access and storage. It’s also possible to pitch the inner or fly individually.
The Copper Spur UL2 is an excellent ultralight backpacking tent, although careful site selection is required to avoid trashing the light fabrics.