Big Agnes Fly Creek tents

Any fans of the Big Agnes Fly Creek series of tents out there?

I'd been using one for several months, but didn't realize the impact of a design flaw (in my opinion) until last weekend, when I finally got into some rain with it. The vestibule opening "drip point" is located over the door; since the door slants backward, this means it drips onto the floor of the tent when you open it. I sat out a short shower in the tent, after we had made camp, and when the rain stopped, I noticed some dripping as I got out of the tent.

No problem in a short shower, but I shuddered a bit trying to imagine what it would be like if I had to leave the tent while it was still raining. It seemed like a fairly significant amount of water would accumulate as I awkwardly clambered out ("graceful" is not one of my strong suits) - and that the problem would double since I might want to get back in during the rain, too. (Think "potty break.")

For those of you who have a tent in this series, am I overreacting? Or is there some trick I just need to learn?

Previously, I'd been using the Copper Spur; however, since it weighs half a pound more than the Fly Creek, I was trying awfully hard to like the Fly Creek. After this weekend, I'm thinking the extra half pound of the Copper Spur might be worth carrying.

Reason #2 I won't have an end entry tent. I sold a SD Clip Flashlight for that reason. If you aren't good at getting the poncho up and out in a hurry, the rain just flies right on in the tent.

Most of the end entry models I've seen have that special door. Got a Lightheart Solo with a side entry and lighter weight, haven't looked back...

If I really want comfort and ease of use, and I'm not alpine, I'll take along a hammock. My favorite shelter in a downpour.

Glenn, I have a Fly Creek UL1 that I have been using now for about five years. Yes, it has a few shortcomings: the water/entrance issue is one and the cramped quarters is another. If I did a lot of hiking in really rainy country I would probably rethink my tent but for me; hiking mainly in Arizona and in the Sierra and dealing largely with thunderstorms it works quite well.

I like the double wall feature, the ease of setting it up, and the light weight. While I wouldn't want to wait out a three-day storm in a Fly Creek, I can't think of any one person tent in which I would. But, I would sooner wait out a long storm in almost any 1P tent than I would hanging in a hammock.

The water entry issue can be a problem but not, in my experience, a large one. I'm in the second half of my 70's and suffer from the BPH issues common to my age. While I prefer to get out and away from the tent if hydraulic pressure calls, there is enough room in the FC-1 to use a pee bottle. If I choose to exit the tent while it is raining, sure, water gets in but not enough that it can't be blotted up.

When I was looking at small, double-wall tents, I narrowed the choice to the Fly Creek with the front entrance and the Big Sky Evolution with side door. I chose the FC because I wanted the tent sometime that year-I have not yet regretted the decision. Prior to the Fly Creek, I had been using a SMD Luna Solo or Tarptent Contrail. They are both good tents and I still have and use the Luna a fair amount but packed with stakes and lines it is only fractionally lighter than is the Fly Creek, has condensation issues and needs much more room to set up.

I have done reviews of the Fly Creek on Trail Space and on Backpacking Light if you are interested.

[quote=Glenn Roberts]Any fans of the Big Agnes Fly Creek series of tents out there?

Yes and no, Glenn. We've spent 30+ nights in ours so far.
We went from a SD Clip Flashlight like Lori, to this. Saved 2 1/2 lbs. We bring a piece of plastic to put in the vestibule to crawl out on so we don't have to open the door all the way. We also have learned to fold down our bags so no drips get on them. We've spent several long afternoons stuck in the tent during Sierra monsoons and a very wet spring day in Vermont. Besides a little moisture from shedding ponchos, it was acceptable as long as you keep things out of the drip line. We've also found it has a bad condensation problem, as the tent material goes up the sides too far and prevents decent ventilation. We've solved this by staking out the sides of the fly in an elevated manner; either stretching the guys over piles of rocks, or using a forked stick or trekking poles to arch over. With a taut pitch it has withstood some pounding rains and wind and a 6" snow. Nothing has broken or torn so far. We used just the tent body this past weekend to keep clouds of mosquitoes and no-see-ums at bay. Worked well. We use the footprint, but have yet to do a fast pitch, as insects or weather has always been a factor.
All in all, I'd buy this tent again. For the money it's served us pretty well, despite a few flaws. I'm 5' 11 200, and my wife is 5'6 135- if we were bigger people I might have a different take.

Charlie

I've done both. Spending hours lying down or curled up with an aching back vs. Sitting up under a roomy tarp, no condensation, using my stove when I want, reading in comfort with my back supported, spreading out wet items on the ridgeline of the hammock, listening to the rain and watching the clouds roll by, standing up to change clothes or add layers...

Not sure what the problem with the hammock would be. But I'm sort of claustrophobic, and prefer my palace in wind and rain.... I'd go stir crazy in any 1p tent. If I'm out with the tent, and it rains, I'd rather be hiking.

Lori, it seems to me as though the virtues you are assigning to a hammock are more properly those of the tarp you choose to take with it. And yes, tarp camping is great whether one hangs a hammock under it or just tosses down a pad and bag. My comments on hammocks in my earlier post were aimed more at those hammocks which with I have experience: hammocks that resemble suspended bivy sacks. That is what I had in mind when I was talking about sitting out a storm. I have tried burito-style hammocks in the past, including using it in the afore-mentioned three day storm; I didn't have much fun that time. And, being a side-sleeper, I have never been able to get as comfortable in a hammock as I can be on the ground.

Not to derail the thread... but you were in the wrong hammock. I am a side sleeper and can't get to sleep laying in my back, curled up in a ball, or any other shape people assume a hammock might force them into. This is a feature of the hammock design....

And yes, the tarp makes a big difference - but - I've ridden out a storm and gusty wind in comfort, and would not have had warm food without the hammock setup I took. The wind was consistently blowing out our stoves (my friend had a jetboil and I had a stove with a windscreen) and we could only make dinner sitting inside, under my hammock on the ground, out of the wind.

The selling points of the hammock system are usually the things people assume aren't possible with them. However, as I have a serious "granite habit," I have some nice tent options as well so I can be alpine a lot. However, I do a lot of research online sometimes before I decide so I can take the hammock setup if it's possible...

It sounds like you tried a Clark... that style never looked comfortable to me, so I've never bothered with it. There are better ways.

As it turns out, I HAVE a Fly Creek (had to look it up to remember ). All in all, I give mine a big thumbs up with a couple of caveats. First of all, mine is a UL3 man tent and the drip line is a bit more forgiving on the entry and exit, although stuff still gets wet if you do not pay attention to what you are doing. The other down side not mentioned is that the material on the bottom is pretty light and does not take abuse; period. For me, these are all small adaptations that are easy and it is worth the weight savings for me. Bluefish and I think alike; just adapt a little. I use mine as a 2 man tent.

As a solo tent, I would take Lori up on the LightHeart Solo suggestion. I spent a year studying that tent; taping out a moc-up on the floor (including sides and "top"), and the construction is top notch. It easily has room for myself at 6"4" laying down or sitting up inside, and the side entrance /exit is fairly nicely done. AND there is extra room for my dog to be in the tent with me. I'm normally not one to forcefully recommend anything. But I do like my BA Fly Creek UL3.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. It sounds like it's pretty much what I thought: it's a nuisance one can choose to adapt to (or choose not to adapt); the amount of nuisance factor is a direct function of the severity and duration of the rain.

I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something obvious.

Mine's a 2-person version. Given that the rain I'm most likely to encounter would be prolonged rain, not driven by wind (or the wind is mostly broken by the heavily forested areas around here), I'd probably conclude that this is a fair-weather tent. The extra space will be great for those sunny one or two night trips I often take, but I think I'll take my 1-person tent, which has a more stormworthy entrance on longer or predictably wet trips.

I have the FC2 and found when its raining I just don't open the door all the way to the top. As long as it is zipped at the apex the water runs down the sides rather than drip inside.