Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent Review

Bottom Line

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent is a rugged upgrade to the popular Copper Spur HV UL. It’s designed as a 3+ season tent that’s best in shoulder season and moderate winter conditions. However, it’s also versatile enough to be used in the warmer months. It’s built with durable materials, a reinforced pole structure, and solid weather resistance, making it a reliable choice for alpine and backcountry adventures.

Retaining the lightweight feel and spacious interior of the UL model, it boasts spacious headroom, dual vestibules, and thoughtful storage features like interior pockets for gear organization.

However, its beefed-up design adds weight, making it less ideal for ultralight backpackers. Ventilation is also more limited than its UL counterpart, leading to potential condensation in humid conditions. While it isn’t built for extreme winter expeditions, the Copper Spur HV3 Expedition excels in colder weather scenarios where extra durability and storm resistance are needed. For more top-performing options, check out our guide to the best four-season tents.

How We Tested

We tested the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent during a week-long basecamp setup in the Colorado Rockies, in an exposed, below-treeline location. With seven days of snow and below-freezing temperatures, as well as, at times, 40 mph winds, we evaluated the tent’s durability, weather resistance, and livability under challenging alpine conditions. We also took the tent on shorter overnight trips to see how it performed in different scenarios. Using it in various conditions gave us a solid feel for how it handles real-world backcountry adventures.

comfort

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent prioritizes livability, making it an excellent choice for adventurers who value comfort in challenging conditions. With 41 square feet of interior space, we found this tent to have plenty of room for two occupants to sleep comfortably without feeling overly cramped. You could fit three in a pinch, although there won’t be any extra room for gear.

The tent’s high-volume hub design maximizes headroom and steep sidewalls, allowing easy movement and making it feel less confined than other three-person models. Dual doors and vestibules provide convenient access and separate gear storage areas, reducing clutter and minimizing disruptions among tentmates.

However, while the tent is spacious, the vestibules may feel tight for bulky winter gear, especially when used as a basecamp shelter. The tent features plenty of good-sized interior storage pockets and gear loft loops, making it easy to organize small items like headlamps and gloves. Overall, the Copper Spur HV3 Expedition balances space and functionality well.

Weight & Packed Size

Weighing 6 lbs. 2 oz. packed and 5 lbs. 8 oz. for just the body, fly, and poles, the Copper Spur HV3 isn’t ultralight, but it’s reasonable for a tent built with thicker, more durable materials for winter and shoulder-season use. It works well for three occupants or as a roomy two-person setup with extra gear.

Packability is a strong suit, too. The tent compresses down to about the size of a foam sleeping mat, making it easy to fit into most backpacks without hogging all the space. The DAC Featherlite NSL poles are compact and fit neatly, but packing everything can be trickier when the materials stiffen up in colder conditions.

Weather Resistance

The Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent showcased its impressive weather resistance during a seven-day test pitched on snow in Colorado’s Arapaho National Forest.

 Even without a footprint, the tent’s 20D ripstop nylon floor stayed completely dry, showing no leaks despite exposure to melting snow. Fully seam-taped and crafted with impeccable stitching, the tent handled several snowstorms and sustained 40 mph winds without issue. The robust DAC Featherlite NSL pole structure and numerous guy-out points provided a nice level of stability.

The heavy-duty Dyneema guylines were particularly impressive, holding firm during strong gusts and keeping the tent solidly anchored. However, the rainfly doesn’t extend all the way to the ground, allowing some blowing snow to enter the vestibules. That said, the Copper Spur HV3 held up, giving solid protection against snow, wind, and cold.

Ease of Setup

Setting up the Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent is intuitive and efficient, making it easy to pitch in harsh conditions if necessary. The color-coded webbing—red at the head and grey at the foot—makes orienting the tent body, poles, and fly straightforward. The pole system is user-friendly, with all poles connected via a central hub for quick assembly. The body clips easily onto the poles, and a cross pole ensures the tent body remains taut, enhancing stability.

The tent comes with 10 DAC aluminum J stakes, which work well in most conditions including the ice and compact snow that we pitched this tent on. For powdery snow or rocky terrain, the oversized reinforced stake-out loops allow you to improvise with skis, ice axes, or ski poles. All guylines are strong and pre-attached. During testing, we appreciated how quickly the tent could be pitched, even in cold and windy conditions.

Durability

The Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent is built to handle tough conditions and is impressively durable. From the solid zippers that glide easily, even in freezing weather, to the high-quality fly and floor materials, every component feels built to last. The DAC aluminum J stakes are sturdy and dependable, and the dual Dyneema guylines add serious stability during storms, keeping the tent anchored in heavy winds.

The poles are large-diameter DAC Featherlite NSL, giving the tent a strong frame that easily handles snow loads and gusty conditions. During our testing, it stood up to days of snow, below-freezing temperatures, and 30 mph winds with no issues. The reinforced stake-out loops are a nice touch, letting you use skis or ice axes as anchors in a pinch.

Versatility

The Copper Spur HV3 Expedition Tent threads the needle between a three- and four-season tent, offering versatility that suits a range of conditions. Its double-wall construction and spacious interior make it ideal for shoulder seasons and below-treeline winter camping. Backpackers will appreciate its manageable weight. Its two vestibules provide enough space for gear, making it a practical option for solo basecamping or for two people needing extra room.

While this tent excels in colder weather, it’s not designed for deep winter, above-treeline conditions. For that, you will likely want a single-wall tent. The size and double-wall construction of the HV3 prioritize comfort and ventilation over the burly features typically found in true four-season expedition tents.

On the flip side, the Copper Spur’s ventilation makes it functional for spring, fall, and even summer backpacking trips, though it can get stuffy in the heat. At just over six pounds, it’s heavier than a typical summer backpacking tent but still gets the job done for casual adventures.

Overall, the Copper Spur HV3 offers more versatility than most four-season tents, making it a great choice for backpackers and winter campers who value adaptability across different seasons and environments.

Should You Buy the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition?

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV3 Expedition is a versatile and durable tent. It’s ideal for backpackers and winter campers who need a shelter capable of handling a wide range of conditions. Its hybrid three- and four-season design makes it well-suited for shoulder-season adventures, below-treeline winter camping, and even spring or fall backpacking trips. It balances comfort and performance effectively with spacious interior dimensions, two vestibules, and reliable weather resistance.

However, this tent isn’t designed for extreme winter conditions above treeline. Its weight—just over six pounds—might also be a drawback for those prioritizing ultralight gear for summer backpacking trips. Additionally, its ventilation struggles in hot temperatures, which limits its utility for mid-summer adventures.

What Other 4-Season Tents Should You Consider?

For outdoor enthusiasts seeking a jack-of-all-trades tent that performs across multiple seasons and activities, the Copper Spur HV3 Expedition offers excellent value. For other top options, explore our guide to the best 4-season tents.

SlingFin CrossBow 2 Review:  A durable, two-person tent designed for serious weather resistance and versatility. The CrossBow’s innovative WebTruss system makes it exceptionally sturdy in high winds and snow. While it is smaller than the Copper Spur HV3, its build quality and storm-worthiness make it an excellent choice for demanding adventures.

Alps Mountaineering Tasmanian 2 Review:  A budget-friendly option that delivers solid performance in winter conditions. While it’s smaller and heavier than the Copper Spur, it offers excellent durability and weather resistance at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for those starting their winter camping adventures or looking for reliable protection below treeline.

KUIU Storm Star 2 Person Tent Review:  A rugged, storm-worthy option built for harsh weather. The Storm Star’s robust construction and dual vestibules make it great for gear-heavy expeditions. It’s slightly smaller than the Copper Spur HV3 but offers excellent weather protection, especially in snowy and windy conditions.