The Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 is a very lightweight, compact backpacking tent (3 lbs. 6oz., 16 in long packed). It is a freestanding tent and does not require trees or other structure for pitching. In researching this purchase, I found that the tent received great reviews across the board, unlike many high-end backpacking tents that seemed to have a common flaw or two.

After having the chance to test the tent out, I am glad to say that I can offer a very positive review of my own. As noted, the light weight and small packed size of the tent allow very easy packing, whether in a backpack or car.

Setup

The Seedhouse SL2 could literally not be easier to set up. There is double Y shaped pole, that practically puts itself together. Laying the tent body flat, the pole hooks into 4 rivets at each corner, and then onto a number of plastic hooks up and down the tent’s exterior. The tent comes with a number of small, lightweight aluminum stakes that I didn’t even need a mallet to slap into the ground. Overall, setup took less than 5 minutes.

Interior space

As an ultralight 2 person tent, the Seedhouse SL2 has a somewhat limited interior, and may not be the best option for larger persons. However, I found the fit plenty roomy for my wife and I who are both average height/weight. It was definitely a comfortable fit for the two of us, but became decidedly cramped and uncomfortable when our dog decided to come in for a visit. The tent offers a small pocket over the door for storing items such as books, glasses, etc and we also had enough room to store shoes/pack/etc. at the foot.

Build/Exterior

One great aspect of the SL2 is that it is essentially a tub floor with a mesh body, providing plenty of ventilation and great views of the stars. For colder, or inclement weather the tent comes with a full rain fly that covers the entire tent, providing plenty of protection. Although, I have yet to face any harsh weather during this beautiful summer, I am confident that so long as the fly is staked out and taught it will fully protect from the elements.

Cons

The only real drawback of this tent that I’ve experienced thus far is the door is slightly difficult to use, particularly with the fly on, as there are two separate doors in which the zippers did not align. The door is also angled upward, which could allow rain to seep in, if opened during a storm. However, I’d prefer not to be heading outside in a storm anyway, so I’m not that concerned about this small flaw.

One final note—the SL2 is a backpacking tent and I would not recommend using it as an everyday camping tent. Designed to be as light as possible, the tent felt rather flimpsy and susceptible to quicker wear and tear. I would definitely worry about the all-mesh exterior, particularly with a dog that didn’t quite understand and thought he could walk right in and out. At over $300, the SL2 is decent investment that I plan to use strictly for what it was made for –backpacking and other ultralight applications. I will be using a cheaper, larger, more heavy-duty tent for car camping. I’d also recommend purchasing the footprint that retails around $50, to protect the tent floor from quick wear and tear.

Big Agnes is a local Colorado company, located in Steamboat Springs. They offer a limited lifetime guarantee of their products. The Seedhouse SL2 retails around $319, but be sure to shop for sales; I found it on sale at Backcountry.com for $225.

Share This

Product Description

Price: $378.95
Buy Now
At a super-light 4lb 8oz, the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 3-Person 3-Season Tent provides reliable shelter for you and two of your buddies. This double-wall, Silicone-coated tent from Big Agnes is perfect for trios who don’t want to carry any more weight than they need. The Seedhouse Tent has a 11sq ft vestibule to stash your gear out of the rain. How strong can a tent under 4lb be? With its excellent wind profile, strong DAC Featherlight NSL poles, a seamless bathtub floor, and waterproof fly, the Big Agnes Seedhouse Tent keeps you dry through any summer storm you encounter.

Product Review

Nice Tent
Great tent for two people. Cool looking design. Plenty of elbow room. The square footage versus weight was the best I could find…… 36 square feet / 4+ pounds. The 46 inch height is relatively decent, too. Easy to set-up. The all-in-one rain fly/vestibule had ample tie-downs to keep it taut for high winds. The color (sage) blended nicely with the forest / granite surroundings. The interior side and overhead pockets for small gear kept the inside clutter to a minimum. Without the rain fly, it’s a summer delight for viewing stars. Excellent quality / workmanship.

Seedhouse SL 3 Tent 3-Person 3-Season
Great tent! Well designed, lightweight, easy to setup!

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 3 Tent 3-Person 3-Season
Price: $378.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $319.95
Buy Now
Getting out of the elements is great, but loses its luster if you have to lug around a heavy tent. The Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 2 tent gives generous internal space and weather protection for you and a partner. Best of all, the Seedhouse does it while remaining under 4 lbs. A unique 3-pole system maximizes frame efficiency while maintaining strength with aircraft quality aluminum. The Seedhouse uses plastic clips to attach frame to body, providing maximum ventilation and ultra-quick setup. When speed and light weight are the most important factors, the Seedhouse rules the day.

Product Review

Well-Designed, Well-Made
I’ve taken this tent on a few trips since I purchased it on your website earlier this year and I’m quite impressed with it. I bought it because I don’t need the fly on most nights and it’s far nicer looking at the stars than a tent ceiling. I use it primarily as a luxury lightweight solo tent. It weighs 9 ounces more than the Seedhouse SL1, but the extra square footage is nice to have. While the inner mesh tent is free-standing, the fly does require stakes and guylines (included) to function properly. If I don’t plan on using the fly but think that there is a remote possibility of precipitation, I’ll go ahead and stake out the fly and then remove it. That way, I can throw on my headlamp at 3:00 A.M. and have the fly installed and cinched down in a little over a minute if necessary. The fly fits very well and helps the tent withstand significant winds with ease. The vestibule isn’t huge, but it will fit a few pairs of boots or a small pack. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the entry. It can be a little awkward getting in and out with the fly on, particularly if it’s raining. That’s a small flaw in such an otherwise excellent tent though.

Good as reviews
The Seedhouse Tent was ranked high by Backpacker Magazine for its weight and ease of set up. Holds true at only four lbs, with footprint and stakes. Good value.

Rain, Rain go away. Seedhouse leaked another day.
On a recent trip in New Zealand, the Seedhouse SL stood well in the wind and snow. The many guyouts held fast and the tent was sizable enough to accommodate a bit of gear. When the rains started, the tent worked as designed until the fly started to sag into the mesh wall allowing the fly to wet on me. So back to the guyouts pulling as taught as I could and the fly continued to sag. Three days of a deluge later, the fly was beyond guyout repair. Most of the water collected on the inside of the fly and ran down the mesh while the expensive ground cloth and the tent floor surrendered and joined the traitorous fly. My only savior was a hut on the next trail.

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 2 Tent 2-Person 3-Season
Price: $319.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $299.95
Buy Now
Pack your Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy for your solo peak-bagging adventure, backpacking trip, or bike tour. The waterproof breathable Three Wire Bivy doesn’t take up a ton of room in your pack, and it provides protection from rainstorms and biting bugs. This Big Agnes bivy comes with poles that provide you with 20 inches of head space so you don’t get that claustrophobic, I-can’t-breathe feeling. Close the bivy entirely in a storm or opt for the mesh window to deter mosquitoes and get air circulating. The DAC Featherlite poles are lightweight yet durable.

Product Review

WOW!!!
Best bivy Ive ever seen or used. Easy access, lots of space, and less condensation as far as I know than any other. If you love the outdoors as much as I do, you need one of these. Its worth the higher price!

Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy
Price: $299.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $289.95
Buy Now
When roomy space is as important as low weight, make sure you’re camping in the Big Agnes Parkview 2-Person 3-Season Tent. Don’t let the specs fool you. Sure, it’s made with a 40D silicone-coated nylon fly and ultralight Scandium poles for a total weight of 5lb 3oz. But, with 36sq ft of floor space, two doors, and four internal mesh pockets, the Parkview 2 is a very cozy place to spend storm-bound days. Its main vestibule is big enough to cook under while the rear vestibule creates additional storage space.

Product Review

New Trailriding Tent
I use this tent when my boys and I go trail riding. It is lightweight and it breaks down small, so it s easy to tie back in the cantle bag. The tent goes up easily and has an extended roofline over the main vestibule. The poles almost assemble by themselves with the bungee inside. After putting it up the first time in the house, I was a little concerned about the tent not meeting the spec listed by the Big Agnes. However, the first time we staked it out it measured up to where it should be 90 x 60. Even at 6′0 and 250lb and my son at 5′11 and 190lb there was plenty of room for both of us. We have used this tent in severe thunderstorms, hailstorms and driving winds. We have never gotten wet. One night the wind blew so hard the rainfly was pushed into the tent and actually woke me when that side of the tent was hitting my head with the high gust of winds averaging about 35 - 40mph. Having a bad knee, the Parkview II with the 48in roof height is the easiest two-man backpacking tent for me to get into. Most of the others I looked at ranged from 40 to 42 inches. That extra 6in inches really helps a lot when getting in and out and when holed up inside for a day during downpours. Extra features we liked are the pockets on the side walls for holding items such as your headlights or keys. I liked it so well I bought another one for when my other son goes with us.

Big Agnes Parkview 2 Tent 2-Person 3-Season
Price: $289.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $239.95
Buy Now
Ideal for winter camping, the Big Agnes Storm King 0-Degree Down Sleeping Bag weighs only 3lb 6oz (regular size) and has a roomy rectangular shape which is extremely comfortable to sleep in. To make the Storm King so lightweight, Big Agnes filled the top baffles of the bag with 650-fill down and didn’t use insulation on the underside of the bag, which would get compressed (and therefore would be useless) when you sleep. Instead, on the bottom of the Storm King is a rectangular pad sleeve that holds your sleeping pad securely in place. *Compatible with Big Agnes’ 20in-wide rectangular pads.

Product Review

Everything I expected
This is a very well made bag. I really can’t believe how comfortable (and warm) it is. I have never used a sleep system of bag and pad before (besides large air matresses while car-camping), and I love the weight savings you get from the bottomless bag. They are right about everything; you carry less weight, get more comfort, and get more warmth with their system. I highly recommend the Big Agnes bags!

Read the small print
You can’t use this bag when it’s below 20F so what’s the point?

Handy bag
I like being able to slide a sleeping pad right in part of the bag, no more sliding off the pad. I still wonder how its going to work in cold weather with no fill on the bottom. But for now i like the bag.

Big Agnes Storm King Sleeping Bag: 0 Degree Down
Price: $239.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $219.95
Buy Now
Stay warm and don’t feel constrained when you sleep in the Big Agnes Women’s Ethel Sleeping Bag. Big Agnes tailored the Ethel Sleeping Bag specifically for women by giving it additional girth in the hip area and extra insulation in the foot box and core area. A durable, water-repellent nylon shell protects this 0-degree sleeping bag stuffed with 600-fill down. Down retains your body heat to keep you cozy all night. Stuff your fleece jacket into this sleeping bag’s pocket to make a pillow. A sleeve on the bottom of this sleeping bag enables you to slide your Big Agnes sleeping pad into it you’ll never wake up lying next to your pad again. Your pad acts as your ground insulation, so get the Big Agnes 20-inch rectangular pad to go with your Ethel.

Product Review

Excellent sleeping bag for cold sleepers
I am a cold sleeper with very cold feet and unless I get my feet warm, I cannot fall asleep. My husband bought a Big Agnes a year ago and loves it. So I decided I shall try it and chose the Ethel.We went to Tahoe, the last weekend of August and admittedly the temperature during the nights was comfortably cool, around low 40’s. The Ethel was so comfortable that I overslept on both the days. I don’t recall sleeping that well in any of my previous camping trips. I also used a thermarest pad. A pad is a must for the Ethel bag. I couldn’t feel the hard ground at all. The bag was quite roomy for me and I got the smallest size that they have. I got the left zipper bag, since my husband has the right zipper. We zipped both bags together and that worked out pretty well too. The only problem with that was, mine is a smaller size and he has a regular, so the zip wouldn’t go all the way. Since the temp was quite tolerable, we were able to try that and it worked out quite good. Over all, I’m quite happy with the Ethel and am waiting to try it out in much colder conditions.

Big Agnes Ethel Sleeping Bag: 0 Degree Down - Women’s
Price: $219.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $189.95
Buy Now
Sleep as cozily with your partner outside as you do at home in your bed when you cuddle up inside the doublewide Big Agnes Dream Island Sleeping Bag. This 15-degree synthetic bag holds both of you. Big Agnes insulated the Dream Island with synthetic Quallofil, and each of you gets a draft collar to keep out chilly air. Zippers on both sides enable the two of you to get into this bag easily, and a pocket in the hood holds your fleece or camp pillow so you have a soft place to rest your head. An integrated sleeve lets you slide your sleeping pad into it since your pad becomes part of your sleeping bag, you won’t roll off it in the middle of the night. Get either the Big Agnes Hinman pad or two 25-inch sleeping pads and coupler straps for your Dream Island.

Product Review

Get In
This sleeping bag is ideal for the big couple. Both of us are 6 feet tall and fit very comfortably in this bag. Awesome no draft flaps and the double side zipper is essential. If you love to camp with your significant other the get this bag, strip down, and jump in!!!

Big Agnes Dream Island Sleeping Bag: 15 Degree Synthetic
Price: $189.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $189.95
Buy Now
With its comfortable semi-rectangular shape and lofty 650-fill down, the Big Agnes Roxy Ann Women’s Sleeping Bag assures a comfortable sleep in most conditions. By adjusting the insulation for women, who tend to sleep colder, Big Agnes made the Roxy Ann to help you stay snug, even in frosty temps. As with all Big Agnes bags, a sleeping-pad sleeve replaces the down that would be on the bottom of the bag becoming compressed and useless during the night. This sleeve holds a Big Agnes 20-inch rectangular pad and keeps it there no matter how much you toss and turn.

Product Review

roomy bag=not so warm
I used this bag w/the dual core insulated pad. It’s rated as a 15 degree bag, but where I was never dipped below 37 degrees at night (according to weather underground) and unless I was wearing long underwear, including socks, I was cold. Not underneath, thanks to the sleeping pad,or on the sides, but on top. Remember, girls (& guys?) that mummy bags are designed that way to be efficient. When I was appropriately dressed, however, I appreciated the non-constricting shape.

Big Agnes Roxy Ann Women’s Sleeping Bag: 15 Degree Down
Price: $189.95
Buy Now

Share This

Product Description

Price: $159.95
Buy Now
The Big Agnes Crystal 30-Degree Sleeping Bag features Dualmax construction, a combination of 650-fill down and PrimaLoft eco insulation, which makes it lightweight and warm even when wet. The unique combination of insulating materials in the Crystal Sleeping Bag is ideal for rainy-weather camping. Plus, this year the PrimaLoft comes from 50% recycled materials and thus diverted a few plastic bottles from the landfill. Like all Big Agnes sleeping bags, the Crystal has insulation only on the top and sides and has an integrated sleeping-pad sleeve on the bottom to hold your pad in place. *Compatible with 20in-wide Big Agnes rectangular pads.

Product Review

Roomy and Cozy
Nice Bag for cool weather…. must use Primaloft insulated pad to keep the warmth….very roomy for a mummy type bag can roll around inside…. zipper could use a little more attention tends to snag somewhat…overall good bag for daycamping, car camping & inside the tent …hope this helps

Great bag
This is an incredible bag for the price. The mix of down and primaloft keeps you warm, dries out quickly, and gives you that comfort of down loft that other synthetic bags lack. The outer shell is very durable and stands up to a ton of abuse. You’ll definitely need to get a pad for this one. Big agnes doesn’t insulate the bottom of their bags because they have a sleeve for a pad to go there. They do this because insulation on the bottom of a bag is severely reduced when you lay on top of it and really isn’t necessary. You also can’t roll off your sleeping pad which is the biggest pro in my book. I would recommend the Big agnes insulated REM pad. This adds insulation the bottom of the bag and insures that the cold ground won’t get to you.

Great Bag!
I used the bag on a night that got down to 30 degrees and I was warm all night sleeping in my boxers so I am sure in long johns the bag is good to 20 Degrees. The sleep pad being integrated into the bag is brilliant. I slept on a slight slant and never fell off my pad. It is ridiculous how comfortable the whole system is together. The best part is I can now fit my bag, pad and pillow (Therm-A-Rest small compressible) all into the included stuff sack and it all fits neatly in the sleeping bag pocket on my pack. I Highly recommend Big Agnes insulated sleeping pads and their sleeping bags to anyone who wants the most comfortable sleep available while being lighter and taking up less space than anything else out there!

Big Agnes Crystal Sleeping Bag: 30 Degree PrimaLoft/Down
Price: $159.95
Buy Now

Share This