Designing a tent to be lighter while not giving up internal livable space is the holy grail of tent design and Big Agnes got it right with their Tiger Wall 2 Platinum Tent. Not only is it insanely light but it also didn't scrimp on any 'must have' features. The Tiger Wall 2 Platinum Tent is a winner on many fronts and so deserving of our Gear of the Year Award. Bravo Big Agnes!
The Backcountry Skiing Canada Team.
The Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum is an ultra-light 2 person tent. Laterally symmetrical, this double wall tent features two full vestibules each with a door. A wide variety of features combined with low weight and small packed size make the Tiger Wall 2 Platinum an outstanding tent for any adventure. Like the Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum Tent, the Tiger Wall 2 is super lightweight but the Tiger Wall has two doors and two vestibules for convenience whereas the Fly Creek only has one of each.
The Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum Tent uses a very thin Silicone treated rip-stop nylon which provides durability along with livability given how much light this light coloured material lets pass through.
The fly and floor of the body are made from a silicone treated rip-stop nylon with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating to make sure outside moisture remains on the outside. The rest of the tent body is made with breathable rip-stop nylon and polyester mesh, and the seams are taped with a waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane which contains no PVC’s or VOC’s.
At 0.7m², each vestibule is plenty big enough for shoes and a backpack. They also feature a low-vent design which allows for better ventilation with the fly on.
Storm flaps over the zippers ensure the weather stays on the outside of the tent.
Double sided zippers with Easy-Pull tabs are well hidden beneath the storm flap.
Toggle and loop door ties keep the entrance to the tent and vestibule clear.
The tent body door is opened and closed with vertical and horizontal zips.
The fly is attached to the horizontal tent pole by using the pull tabs to pull a reinforced sleeve over the pole end.
The tent body is attached at the same spot via a ball and socket connection.
Colour coded webbing and buckles ensure the fly is put on the right way around, and make for the quickest and easiest set-up, tension, and take-down. At the base of the tent, the poles slip into steel ringlets.
Guylines at the corners of both the tent body and fly are reflective and offer added structure to the tent.
Reinforced corners add durability and longevity to the Tiger Wall tent.
A pocket by the door on the head end of the tent.
Gear loops in the ceiling give ample opportunity for hanging gear up.
Small openings in the corners of the ceiling pocket allow headphone cords to dangle down to the user below. The pocket is oversized so you can get anything like phones, books, tablets, socks, maps, clothes, or whatever else you might be stowing away into the pocket.
All this packs down into a tidy, small package, weighing just over two pounds.
Fly: Silicone treated rip-stop nylon with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Body: Breathable rip-stop nylon and polyester mesh
Body Floor: Silicone treated rip-stop nylon with 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
Seam Tape: Waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane (no PVC or VOC’s)
The Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum is a pretty outstanding tent. The packed size and weight are like no other 2 person tent that I have ever had the pleasure of using. At first, I was skeptical of the material, as it feels like it might be quite fragile. After having used the tent, I’m left with the impression that the fragile feeling is due only to the thin, lightweight nature of the material, and not an accurate measure of its toughness. I was pleasantly surprised by durable the material is and am sure it can hold up to some minor abuse.
The single pole structure of the tent really helps reduced overall weight and bulk. The tripod nature of the pole system effectively reduces the number of poles required but does lead to my only complaint about the tent. While the Tiger Wall 2 does technically stand on its own, I think they are pushing the definition of a true free-standing tent. The corners at the foot end need to be staked out to have any shape at all, and if one were to use the fly, stakes would be essential for it to have any effect.
Outside of that, I have no complaints about this Tiger Wall 2. It’s quite comfortable and roomy once set up, and light and compact when packed. It offers adequate and well thought out pockets and gear loops. It’s also easy to set up even with only one person and offers impressive weather-proofing. What else could you ask for out of a tent?
PROS:
|
CONS:
|
Price: $599.99CAN / $549.95US
Capacity: 2 person
Seasons: 3 Season
Trail Weight: 878g /1lb 15oz
Packed Weight: 1.02kg /2lb 2oz
Fast Fly Weight: 737g / 1lb 10oz
Packed Size: 46 x 14cm / 18 x 5.5in
Floor Size: 2.6m² / 28sq ft
Floor Length: 219cm / 86in
Tapered Floor Width: 132 - 107cm / 52 - 42in
Head Height: 99cm / 39in
Foot Height: 56cm / 22in
Vestibule Area: 0.7m² / 8sp ft
Interior Space 2/2 Design 2/2 Quality 2/2 Weight 2/2 Price 1.5/2 |
Did we miss something? Are we totally out to lunch? Let us know what you think. People like/dislike gear for different reasons so chime in below and we'll get a well-rounded evaluation. You'll need to login or register before you can comment but it only takes a few seconds, then you're good to go.
Copyright © 2023-24 Backcountry Skiing Canada. All Rights Reserved.