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Big Agnes Salt Creek Sl2 Review

Oct 30, 2024

The Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2 is a highly regarded tent among outdoor enthusiasts for its spacious interior, lightweight design, and exceptional performance. If you're considering purchasing this tent, it's essential to hear what real users have to say about their experiences. In this article, we'll dive into some authentic buyer reviews to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're a seasoned camper or a beginner, these reviews will provide valuable insights into the Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2.




1.Review from Customer "kakaara11":

"I bought this tent a few months ago, in preparation for a multi-day trip to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. It is super easy to set up; I specifically like the colorcoding of matching orange poles to orange tent corners and silvery poles to white tent corners.
I slept two nights on Third Beach and two nights on the Enchanted Valley trail. I love love love the front door, which means I can crawl in while keeping my feet outside the tent easier, thus dragging less dirt in. The material is thin, but it has robustness to it, and it kept all sorts of tiny bugs out.
I like the ventilation options. I did get overly warm in the middle of the day if I was inside with everything zippered up, which means it'd hold heat well in cooler temperatures. Didn't happen to have any internal moisture problems during my trip and it even rained on the last day.
It was very nice being able to reverse fast-fly the tent in the rain. I was able to take down the inner portion while staying under the fly and on the ground tarp. Just a matter of disassembling it while inside and then popping the tent poles out of their holders, re-putting them into the tarp's holders, and doing that for all four corners.
All of the pockets were great. I did take my big orange safety whistle and its necklace cord, and put the cord through a loop on the main overhead pocket in such a way as to fasten the pocket up a bit higher. It does hang a bit low once it's filled with stuff.
Overall, this is a mansion as a one person tent with plenty of space to sit up and move around. I'd have been fine also making this an actual two person tent with my partner, especially since with the multiple entries there's plenty of space to get in and out and store stuff.
Overall, I'm really glad I went with my gut and splurged on this tent. It's not the lightest out there, but I felt very safe in it since it was a standalone, rather than something that required needing stakes, and it didn't feel super flimsy."

2.Review from Customer "Erin S":

"This is my first backpacking tent I have purchased and I am amazed by the features this tent provides. This tent is very spacious on the inside, if the ground is really wet I can fit myself, sleep system (NEMO Disco 15 and NEMO Switchback), and all of my gear inside the tent and still be comfortable. I greatly enjoy the high ceilings as I can use bungee cords to hang up wet clothes and not feel tight on space. The inside of the tent also has plenty of pockets EVERYWHERE! As well as many loops to connect or hook stuff too. The vestibules on this are massive as well, overall lots of covered space. The tent ventilates air pretty well, but because of that it can cool down really fast once the sun sets. I also enjoy the freestanding ability of this tent as I can pick the entire tent up and relocate it in seconds. And the weight of this tent is very convenient, even though it is considered on the "heavy" side of backpacking tents. I greatly enjoy the features this tent provides and the versatility it has to different terrain, this being due to its size and shape. This tent is also versatile for the weather, and can literally be anchored to the ground (must purchase additional stakes). For additional stakes I use the Big Agnes Groundhogs as they are lightweight, durable, and easy to find as they are bright red.
I was slightly skeptical of this tent because of other reviews mentioning issues with the zippers, but I found that as long as you aren't forcefully using the zippers, there are no issues. And making sure the guy lines aren't too tight, which causes a lot of excess tension.
My only downside that I experience with this tent is the awning can be a little tricky to set up. I made my own guy lines and bought additional stakes (Big Agnes GroundHog Stakes) to support the awning.
I would highly recommend if using this tent to make sure you purchase a tent footprint! Which is something that everyone should do for any tent they purchase or use. And purchasing a different stuff sack to allow for easier stuffing into your pack or for easier storage of tent when not in use."

3.Review from Customer "Journey E":

"I used this tent on a solo backpacking trip. This is one of the few 2-person tents that I'm confident could actually fit two people, and I plan on sharing with a friend on a future trip. Plenty of headroom to sit up. I think it's a nice balance of weight and comfort. Most importantly, this tent kept me dry through a torrential downpour all night long. It also kept me cool, which was a pleasant surprise. Water did pool on the roof behind the vent, which could be an issue. Taking it down in the rain without soaking everything was challenging, but that could be due to my relative inexperience.
I would definitely recommend setting it up at home first, as the pole design is a bit different and takes some getting used to. I never could figure out how to get the awning to stay up, but that could definitely be user error. Overall, a great tent!"

4.Review from Customer "Dan b.":

"This tent is awesome and I'm sure I am going to like it and use it a long time. It is a very lightweight tent and made of quite delicate materials and so should be treated carefully. Poor durability is one unfair complaint I've read, it is extremely well made. Despite being made of very lightweight materials it still has an excess of creature comforts such as the awesome 3rd door and awning. It strikes a good balance imo. Two small complaints, the bright orange dye of one part of the rain fly transfered onto some of the light gray areas and doesn't wash off. It probably sat in storage too long. This is on the inside of the rainfly and is pretty minor, one or two small areas and it is barely noticeable when set up. However this isn't the first review I've seen about this, this is likely a known issue. The tent was already on deep discount for a Memorial Day sale, it should just be sold at a similar discount and labeled as a cosmetic defect. I would have bought it all the same. My other small issue is that the foot end is narrower than the rest of the tent. This is how lots of tents are including most of Big Agnes's. I knew this before I bought it but I didn't think it would be as dramatic. It would be an improvement if it was just square and you could more easily sleep either way. This actually matters with this tent because of the awesome 3rd door, if the foot area was slightly bigger you could more comfortably flip around so you could look out the picturesque door window. As it is you still can but it's a little tight. Also if I ever have to have two people in it, it'll be real tight on that one end. Real don't think it can fit 2 25in mummy pads. The rest of the tent is quite roomy, it's just the foot area and unlike most tents there is a pretty good reason you might want to set up the other way around. Overall it's sweet, it's surprisingly lightweight and more than fully featured for a backpack tent."

5.Review from Customer "ebro":

"I loved this tent, it's spacious, well designed, and light. But, after only 3 months on the third trip I took it on the bottom of the tent ripped in multiple places during setup on a windy day (despite that I had put out the tent footprint prior). I thought repairs would be covered by warranty but apparently this is "weather" related which is uncovered and could be considered normal wear and tear despite the fact that it's only it's third use. I'm really disappointed in the quality of the tent. Even with the lightweight material I expected a more durable tent for this price. Ended up patching myself, but I had an REI brand tent before this that was a bit heavier but lasted me years without this type of damage. Super disappointed in the big Agnes quality, would not recommend purchasing especially with the price."




6.Review from Customer "Teddirex":

"Great tent! It held up in some of the most wicked wind ever! It's fairly lightweight; kinda a bridge between compact car camping and backpacking. If the weight is distributed between two packs, it's very lightweight. I find the tent is spacious for a two person with lots of head/shoulder room. I love the larger vestibules and three doors! Makes for good ventilation. A couple of drawbacks are: the zippers, and the front door. I love the front door except you need two poles (or the perfect sticks you can find sometimes,) guys and stakes to keep the flap up. As for the zippers, the side doors take two hands to open. Also the wind/rain flap on the fly tends to get stuck in the zipper. Care must be taken to avoid any zipper mishaps. Over-all I still like the tent, although I haven't used it in a downpour yet, only light rain."

7.Review from Customer "Sarah":

"I love this tent. The additional opening directly out without having to go thru the vestibule is a game changer. I have myself and my 2 large huskies inside and it's awesome. The big gear storage at the foot end keeps my gear away from the dogs and makes it easy to find stuff. I've used it in summer and snow camping in winter - although a little chilly- it's been great. The floor is VERY lightweight so I had a tarp on top to protect from sticks below or claws above. It's great to be able to sit up and have heaps of space."

8.Review from Customer "Pipers Playground":

"Just used the Big Agnes tent for the first time the past 3 days at a state park. The 2 person tent was perfectly sized for me, my dog, her bed, and a small clothing bag for me inside. I lived dangerously and didn’t practice setting up the tent before getting to the park but it was pretty easy to follow the instructions and had success on the first try! We had a big, windy thunderstorm one night and we stayed perfectly dry and the tent was surprisingly steady for as lightweight as it is. A few reasons for only 4 stars: upon opening I saw that there was orange staining on most of the lighter white/gray areas of the tent that presumably bled off from the orange sections while packaged. Doesn’t affect use but is slightly bothersome for aesthetics. The number of tent stakes provided does not equal the number required to fully set up the tent and rain fly (unless I was doing it wrong haha). Luckily I had taken some extras so I did have enough. The mesh gear loft inside the tent is really handy but hangs pretty low. I used a string to tie the middle of the loft up to one of the ceiling loops to keep it useable but out of the way. Other than that the tent worked well for me and was surprisingly lightweight. The tent was well ventilated but held warmth better than I expected. I’m curious to see about durability in the long run and I still have features of the tent I was not able to use this time around that I look forward to trying out. I think she’ll grow on me as I get more comfortable with the set up and use. Overall first impression is good though!"

9.Review from Customer "James P":

"This tent replaced a 2013 REI Half Dome which always served me well but I got really fixated on having an awning after a trip with a particularly heavy rain that forced everyone in the group to retreat to their own shelters. Vestibules on the average backpacking dome are great for providing keeping gear dry but don't offer coverage for humans. If I'd had this tent during that trip, there would at least have been enough dry/ covered space for the three of us to eat dinner together.
Having been hooked by what is, arguably, a gimmick I was pleasantly surprised by how well thought-out the features of this tent are. Moreover, it's comparitvely light for all those features. The polyester tent body and rainfly mean less sagging in wet weather (compared to nylon). The "low vent" capability on the vestibule doors is great for when the rain doesn't break the humidity but the awning and third door mean you've got even more ventilation when you want/ need it. The 3D bin does great job maximizing otherwise dead space without the need for an aftermarket gear loft. The tent walls actually slant out toward the top so you effectively have more headroom when you're sitting up. And, gimmick or not, the awning really does give you a car camping feel in the backcountry.
Minus 1 star for a couple of nit-picky things
- Size: dimensions are as advertised and it's plenty for one person, but would be _very_ snug for two. I also wouldn't mind if the floor was rectangular instead of tapered.
- Poles: the four-way hub is great for setup and stability but folds up a little awkwardly, meaning it's a little tricky to get back in the sack.
Neither of the above are deal-breakers, they just mean I can't give this tent a perfect score. Even so, I am really looking forward to more nights on the trail."

10.Review from Customer "Jen":

"Very breathable camping in northern Arizona. Love the cozy light interior and the shelf above the feet. With a twin air bed (just fits), the clothing on the shelf helped keep my feet warm. Used gathered sticks to hold up the canopy. Short sticks held the canopy open to increase air flow during rain, but don't expect to keep the canopy fully extended during the rain and not get your stuff wet. Get the related footprint - it has clips and grommets that anchor to the rainfly and poles; with it you can unclip part or all of the interior tent and move it aside. Don't expect a huge amount of depth or headspace to sit under the canopy, and you need to add two extra stakes or use rocks to anchor the canopy guy lines."




Conclusion

In conclusion, the Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2 has garnered a lot of positive feedback from users who appreciate its spacious interior, lightweight design, and overall performance. Whether you're a seasoned camper or a beginner, these reviews highlight the many benefits of the Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2. The Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2 is a reliable choice for anyone looking for a high-quality, lightweight tent that can accommodate up to two people comfortably. If you're in the market for a new tent, the Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2 is definitely worth considering.

For those who want to explore other high-quality options, the POMOLY brand offers some excellent alternatives. The POMOLY Sphere X8, POMOLY X4 Dome Tent, and POMOLY X6Pro Dome Tent are just a few examples of the top-tier products available from POMOLY. Whether you're looking for a 2-person tent or a larger option, POMOLY has something to offer. The POMOLY brand stands out for its commitment to quality and innovation, making it a top choice for anyone in search of reliable camping gear.

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