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Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent
Light weight, compact and plenty of roomy interior space for you to weather out a storm. The Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum is a winner in our books because of all of these qualities and more. Quality materials and advanced design make this a tent for the true hardcore mountaineer, or those who just appreciate the best gear money can buy.
The Backcountry Skiing Canada Team.
As with ultralight backcountry skis or alpine touring boots, there is such a thing as too light when it comes to tents. Making a piece of gear too light can make it less effective at doing what it was originally designed to do. Crossing this threshold ultimately turns a light weight advantage into a disadvantage. In the case of a light weight tent, the quest to obtain that magic ratio of 1lb per person comes at cost, and this cost is typically interior floor space and headroom. The good folks at Big Agnes definitely flirted with this invisible line when designing their Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent, but they made the livability of the tent a priority (more on this below).
The Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent is an ultralight, three season, free standing backpacking tent. It has a single door and vestibule and is one impressively light tent. This two-person tent weighs in at 907 grams, which is just one pound per person and lighter than most one-person tents. Big Agnes took the ultra-lean Fly Creek UL and cut weight in the Platinum version by using an all-mesh body and lighter rip-stop nylon fabric for the fly. If you’re a serious weight Nazi, you can leave the tent body at home and pitch just the poles, fly and footprint (sold separately and does not ship with the tent). The Fly Creek 2 Platinum tent utilizes the latest in fabric and tent pole technology with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coated rip-stop nylon for the fly and floor, a polyester mesh tent body, and DAC Featherlite poles. These poles use a single hub design which makes set up fast and easy since there is only one pole to construct. DAC Twist clips are used to attach the tent body, further simplifying the set up process. On the fly and body of the tent the seams are sealed with solvent-free polyurethane tape which contains no PVC or volatile organic compounds; an earth friendly construction choice when compared other companies.
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Features:
- All seams are sealed with solvent-free polyurethane tape (contains no PVC or volatile organic compounds).
- Vents on the fly improve ventilation and reduce condensation.
- Storm flap on vestibule zippers prevents drips.
- Loops for attaching a gear loft.
- Reflective guy lines and webbing on tent corners.
- Optional footprint available.
- Mesh body offers excellent ventilation.
- DAC Twist clips attach tent body to the pole frame for quick and easy set up.
- Reflective guy line and reflective webbing on tent corners for nighttime visibility.
- 11 Superlight aluminum J stakes - featuring eco-friendly anodizing - included.
- One mesh pocket acts like a gear attic and provides the ideal place for night lighting.
- Single hub/pole design makes set up easy.
- Zipper on the fly has velcro closures so you can vent and still have privacy.
- 3 mesh pockets keep your stuff organized and off the floor.
- Plenty of space for two as long as you aren't both extra large.
- Single door and vestibule.
Materials:
DAC Poles - DAC poles made from TH72M aluminum: the latest technology in lightweight tent poles featuring improved durability. DAC NFL Featherlite pole system with press fit connectors and lightweight hubs - featuring eco-friendly anodizing.
Fly - Made of an ultralight silicone treated nylon rip-stop with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating.
Floor - Made from ultralight silicone treated nylon rip-stop with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating.
Tent body - Constructed of ultralight breathable nylon rip-stop and polyester mesh.Light weight single pole system.
Full screen body means ventilation is easy and condensation is minimal.
Verdict:
The Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent is basically a smaller version of the Big Agnes Slater UL2 Tent, which we reviewed last season. The Slater UL2 weighs 255g / 9oz more than the Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent but provides 9sq ft of additional floor space and 2” more interior headroom. The Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent, however, is roomier than its direct competitor, the Mountain Hardwear SuperMega UL2 Tent. The SuperMega provides 27sq ft of interior space and 36” of headroom which is only 1sq ft less floor space and 2” less headroom than the Fly Creek 2 Platinum; but this teeters on that threshold I spoke of at the start of the review. Cross this line and things get too small. The Mountain Hardwear SuperMega UL2 Tent is unable to fit two standard sized sleeping mats, which is a deal breaker for this reviewer. Not to mention that the SuperMega UL2 Tent is 2oz heavier than the Fly Creek 2 Platinum. Bravo Big Agnes!
While the interior of the Fly Creek 2 Platinum may not be overly spacious it has just enough room to accommodate two averaged sized people. The head room is also adequate, but a little more limited near the tent’s side walls. The tent body is not affixed to the main pole towards the foot end of the tent; while this initially concerned me, I quickly realized that it was a non-issue as the bulk of the headroom is at the door end of the tent where it’s needed most. Big Agnes got the overall dimensions of the Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent spot on, and found the ideal balance between interior room and light weight.
One point of concern on the Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent is the fact that the outer back corners of the tent must be pegged since there is no pole to increase the tent volume in this location. This is not a super big issue, and one of the main reasons why the Fly Creek 2 Platinum is so light, as poles are the heaviest part of any tent. You also need to be very careful with this tent as the rip-stop nylon is incredibly thin and feels like it could easily be punctured or torn by trees or rocks. I’ve also found that the door zipper can be tough to zip-up and un-zip around the corner bend as there is some tension in this area, but with additional practice it did become easier.
On the plus side (besides the obvious light weight advantage) the Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent has an all mesh body, so if you peg out the fly, ventilation is maximized and condensation will be minimized on colder nights. Also, the two large side pockets inside the tent are super handy for quick access items like headlamps and ear plugs. There is also a large mesh gear attic which is ideal for placing your headlamp in at night in order to illuminate the tent while you read or share adventure stories.
Overall the Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent is an ideal tent for those looking to go über light into the backcountry without compromising quality, comfort, or interior space.
The Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent packs down incredibly small.
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PROS:
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CONS:
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SPECS:
Price: $780 CAN / $539 US
Weight: 907g / 2lb
Capacity: 2 person
Seasons: 3 Season
Colour: lime/silver
Dimensions: 132cm / 52” x 218cm / 86”
Floor Area: 2.6sq.m / 28sq ft
Interior Height: 97cm / 38”
Packed Size: 13x48cm / 5x19”
RATING: 9/10
| Interior Space 1.5/2 Design 2/2 Features 2/2 Weight 2/2 Quality/Price 1.5/2 |
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