Tent design shouldn't require a degree in spatial geometry to figure out who gets stuck crawling over whom at 2am. Big Agnes' Salt Creek sorts this with three doors – two side vestibules plus an awning-style head entry – so everyone can get out without playing Twister. The vertical wall design and four-way DAC hubbed pole set create proper shoulder room rather than that claustrophobic coffin feel, and the 3D shelf pockets above your feet turn dead space into useful storage. At under 2kg packed, it's light enough for backpacking without entering the realm of tissue-paper fabrics that tear if you look at them wrong. The Low Vent feature on vestibule doors lets you crack them open for airflow whilst keeping weather out, which is essential when you're camped somewhere scenic but breezy. It's the sort of tent that feels like home after a long day rather than just a place to sleep.
Quick Stash door keeper holds unzipped doors out of the way
Freestanding design with colour-coded tiplok buckles for easy setup
Trail weight
1.91kg
Packed size
52cm × 14cm
Floor length
218cm
Floor width
132cm – 107cm
Head height
112cm
Floor area
2.6m²
Vestibule area
0.8m² + 0.8m²
Rainfly/Floor: 20D polyester ripstop with 1500mm waterproof polyurethane coating, without intentionally added PFAS Tent
Body: Breathable 20D polyester ripstop and 20D polyester mesh
Poles: DAC Pressfit pole system
Sustainability Through Longevity: All Big Agnes gear is guaranteed against manufacturing or material defect
Big Agnes is a small, independent US outdoor brand out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado – a small ski-town that we’ve never visited but which we like to imagine is full of mountain-loving, trail-hiking outdoorsy types. That would make sense, since the company makes some of the best ultralight backpacking gear around, including the award-winning Copper Spur, Tiger Wall and Fly Creek tents. It is kit that has clearly been designed by a gang of folks who love sleeping in the dirt just as much as we do here at WildBounds.
Oh, and if you’re still wondering where the heck that name Big Agnes comes from, we did try to find out. Depending on who you talk to, it’s either an affectionate tribute to a legendary truck drivin’ mountain mama, or a 12,000 foot peak in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. We kinda like the first one better.