For 2010 Big Agnes has come out with a two person, free standing, double wall tent that weighs only 2 lbs 2 ounces. Now that's getting down there! It is lighter than most 1 person tents.
The 2 pound, 2 ounce weight includes tent, fly and poles.
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Modern civilized man, sated with artificialities and luxury, were wont, when he returns to the primeval mountains, to find among their caves his prehistoric brother, alive and unchanged. -Guido Rey
As someone who uses a two-person tent more often than a solo shelter, the price at $350+tax is the biggest negative compared to Henry's two person offerings which save a person about one hundred bucks, and probably weigh the same, or less in some cases.
But I agree, for a full two person tent, 2lbs 10oz is quite remarkable. I remember when I first started I was lugging around about 8lbs worth of shelter (tent, rain fly, poles, pegs, groundsheet)
It is a double walled 2 person shelter. You need to compare it to the TT Scarp 2. Then the price becomes more comparable not to mention that you are guaranteed to find it for 20% off. Like at www.basegear.com.
Not even close. The Fly Creek 2 is an UL clone of the BA Seedhouse series with some minor modifications. There is no brow pole and cross poles like the REI.
Have to say, that's an impressive achievement in a more or less mass-produced tent. 86x52 isn't terribly roomy but enough sleeping space for most, and the no-fly option makes it a nice, light bug shelter for two at well under a pound each. Summertime in the Sierra you'd probably only need the fly one night out of ten, on average.
The TT Scarp 2 weighs almost one pound more. That's a lot. Gotta wonder if the BA Fly Creek weight is accurate.
Looking at the Fly Creek inner tent you'll notice the foot end slants inward a lot, making for the foot of your bags touching the silnylon wall and wetting them W/the inevitable condensation. The Scarp 2 has vertical ends and more interior room.
Personally, for two, with two splitting the weight between two people, I'd prefer the Scarp 2 design BUT the Fly Creek is certainly cleverly designed as well.
Guess if a couple looking for THE lightest 2 person tent they'd lean toward the Fly Creek. But man, that tent has room for "two consenting adults" ONLY.
Eric
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"There are no comfortable backpacks. Some are just less uncomfortable than others."
It is very much like the 1-man version just a bit wider. I have read some fairly negative reviews of the one-man tent. I am not too fond of the design because the entry requires exposing the tent to rain when entering and exiting. I also wonder about side-winds flatening the tent too much. It also does not have very steep sidewalls - which makes the 52 inches very tight. Most of the narrow 2-person tents have essentially vertical sidewalls. But it looks like it would be a good 1-man tent for a larger person. As for the price, it is well within the range of other low weight 2-person tents. To each his own- if it works for you, great.
I hate that my first post is about a piece of gear... it looks like I am pushing it or something...
I actually picked this up a few weeks ago. So far so good. Yea, the packed weight is correct. I also read the bad reviews about the 1m version and combined almost didn't pick this up.
I have so far only used it for just myself. Condensation wasn't a problem like I read in the reviews. Makes me think that they didn't guy it out or something to open up the ventilation more. It's free standing yes, but you don't get the room out of it unless you do guy it out. I have only had it out two nights so far with no rain.
I also have a TT Squall 2. There is about a 5.5 oz difference and less if you pack the extra poles instead of using trekking poles to prop it up. My weighing included a tyvek gc for the squall and the FC's gc for it.
That's plenty roomy for one person and a dog. Packed weight is 2lbs. 10oz, bet it does not include any stakes if needed.
The weight includes everything in the bag, tent, poles, stakes, fly. And actually, the stakes it comes with are kind of heavy. might be able to replace them with something lighter.
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