The lightest two-person tent we tested, at 2 lb 8 oz, and it shed a hail squall on the Colorado Trail. Stake it out well and it's a light palace. It scores 79 out of 100 and ranks #7 in our best backpacking tents guide as our lightest two-person tent.
Lightest Two-Person Tent
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
- Weight (our scale): 2 lb 8 oz packed
- Floor: tapers to 42 in
- Pad fit (our test): two 20 in pads only
- Doors: 2
Bottom Line : The lightest two-person tent we tested, at 2 lb 8 oz. Shed hail on the Colorado Trail, but the semi-freestanding foot needs staking well.
Pros
- 2 lb 8 oz on Emma's scale
- Shed a 45 minute hail squall
- Very low condensation
Cons
- Foot blew in at 25 mph unless anchored hard
- Paper-thin floor
- Wide pads won't fit
On the Colorado Trail
Emma carried the Tiger Wall on the Colorado Trail in July, camping on exposed subalpine sites with afternoon monsoons. It shed a 45 minute hail squall without trouble.
Condensation was extremely low, though cold mountain drafts blew through the lower mesh.
At 2 lb 8 oz packed on Emma's scale it's remarkably light for a two-person tent, and it pitched in 3 minutes 15 seconds. Two 20 inch mummy pads fit shoulder to shoulder.
Where It Asks Something of You
It's semi-freestanding, with one pole at the foot. In 25 mph crosswind the foot blew in heavily unless it was staked to big rocks, and finding anchor stones on rock slabs after a 15 mile day wore Emma out.
The floor is paper thin, so she cleared pine needles before every pitch. Unzipping the fly in rain drips water onto the inner mesh, and the taper to 42 inches means two 25 inch pads won't fit.
Spec Sheet vs Our Test
HyperBead fabric: lighter, more waterproof, stronger. Big Agnes says its HyperBead fabric is 6% lighter, 25% more waterproof and 65% stronger than traditional options. It was light and it shed hail. Stronger or not, the floor still felt thin enough that Emma swept the ground first every time.
Maximum livability for ultralight weight. Big Agnes claims high-volume architecture. Emma's verdict: about 85% of the Copper Spur's livability at a fraction of the weight, but with a narrow foot.
Quick, intuitive setup. TipLok buckles and the pole sockets are meant to make setup quick. The pitch itself was quick. Staking the semi-freestanding foot on rock was the slow part.
Should You Buy the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2?
Only if weight is your first priority and you're confident staking out a tent. For thru-hiking pairs who count every ounce, it's hard to beat.
For most people the Copper Spur HV UL2 is the better all-rounder for 10 oz more: steadier with its guylines out, and roomier.
Compare With
- NEMO Dagger OSMO 2P: our best overall backpacking tent.
- MSR Hubba Hubba LT 2: our highest-rated tent.
- Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2: our most livable for the weight.
- Sea to Summit Telos TR2 Plus: our best for wind and wet shoulder seasons.
- Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 2: our best for short walk-ins and dogs.
- MSR Elixir 2: our most durable.
- ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2: our best budget tent.
- Kelty Late Start 2P: our fastest pitch.
- Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1: our best solo tent.
- Naturehike Cloud Up 2: our best budget ultralight.
See all 11, and how we tested them, in our best backpacking tents guide. For family and car-camping tents, start at our camping tents hub.
Editor's Note, 17 October 2026: New review, from the field notes of Emma, who tested this tent for our backpacking tent guide and weighed it on her own scale.
Our Testers
This review was edited by Sean Williams and tested by Emma Williams.
- Sean Williams, Editor-in-Chief. Sean built the team of researchers and testers behind our reviews and sets the rule the site runs on: we buy what we test, and we say what we found.
- Ryan Williams, Lead Tester. Ryan reviewed the rankings against Emma's notes and agreed the Dagger belongs at #1.
- Emma Williams, Editor and Tester. Emma leads our tent, camp kitchen and footwear testing, mostly in wet weather, and tested every tent in this guide.
