Head to head
Big Agnes Blacktail vs Nemo Aurora
The Big Agnes Blacktail gives each person more floor — 16.5 sq ft against 16.2, which is the difference between standard and standard. The Nemo Aurora is the lighter carry at 4 lb 11 oz, and the Big Agnes Blacktail is the cheaper of the two at ~$300.
 Big Agnes Big Agnes Blacktail |  Nemo Nemo Aurora | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Backpacking | Backpacking |
| Rated capacity | 2-person | 2-person |
| Floor area per personestimated | 16.5 sq ft (standard) | 16.2 sq ft (standard) |
| Floor area | 33 sq ft | 32.4 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | 18 sq ft | 18.4 sq ft |
| Peak height | 42 in | 44 in |
| Minimum trail weight | 5 lb | 4 lb 11 oz |
| Packed weight | 5 lb 8 oz | 5 lb 10 oz |
| Weight per personestimated | 40 oz (trail weight) | 37.5 oz (trail weight) |
| Pad fitestimated | 2 × 25 in pads fit | 2 × 25 in pads fit |
| Fits sleepers up toestimated | 7ft tall | 6ft 10in tall |
| Doors | 2 | 2 |
| Freestanding | freestanding | freestanding |
| Poles | aluminum | aluminum |
| Wall type | double wall | double wall |
| Season rating | 3-season | 3-season |
| Floor hydrostatic head | 1,500 mm | 2,000 mm |
| Packed size | 21 x 7 in | 21.5 x 8 x 4 in |
| Approx. price | ~$300 | ~$300 |
Big Agnes Blacktail
The Blacktail is what happens when Big Agnes builds the Copper Spur's floor plan out of 75D polyester instead of 15D nylon: five pounds instead of two and a half, $300 instead of $600, and a floor you can pitch on gravel without flinching. Thirty-three square feet is more than the Copper Spur UL2 gives you, the 90-inch length actually fits a six-footer plus a pillow, and the fabric is PFAS-free. It is a heavy tent for a thru-hike and an easy one for weekends, and the Blacktail 4 at 60 square feet is one of the cheapest ways to get a freestanding four-person tent that still carries.
Best for
Weekend backpacking and camp-at-the-car nights where durability and price matter more than the last two pounds.
Nemo Aurora
Three hundred dollars, footprint included, 32.4 square feet, a 53-inch rectangular floor and a 2000 mm floor rating — the Aurora is the value entry in this catalog and it does not feel like one from the inside. The price of that is 75 ounces, nearly five pounds, in 75D polyester that will outlast the thin stuff by years. Nemo sells it as a bundle with the footprint, which is how a $300 tent ends up cheaper than a $300 tent.
Best for
A first backpacking tent, or a loaner tent that will get treated badly and survive it.
Rows where the two differ are tinted. Specs are the makers’ own; floor area per person, weight per person and pad fit are our arithmetic on them.