The REI guy told me to trust a 2-person tent for solo trips and I regret it

I was in the Philly REI last month and this employee spent 10 minutes convincing me a 2-person tent is plenty for one person. Bought the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 and my first night out in the Poconos I could barely fit my pack inside without hitting the walls. Woke up at 3am with condensation dripping on my face because there's no room to breathe. I get that it's lighter but for $450 I expected more usable space. Has anyone else had better luck with a 3-person solo setup or am I just packing wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

wright.drew1mo ago

Yeah I learned this one the hard way too. I actually switched to the Marmot Tungsten UL 3 person for solo trips and it's night and day. I can throw my pack in the vestibule and still have room to sit up and change without hitting the ceiling with my head. The extra pound or so is totally worth it when you factor in not waking up with your sleeping bag soaked from condensation. For me the 2 person tents are really only good if you're okay with storing your gear outside under a tarp or something.

the_claire1mo ago

Oh man, that condensation issue is no joke. Do you find the bigger tent helps with airflow too, or is it mainly about having that extra buffer space to keep your bag dry? I'm curious if the higher interior volume actually changes how much moisture builds up overnight.