A PREMIUM Tent For $270?! UH... YUP! | Ampex 2P Backpacking Tent - First Impressions

[@BackcountryExposure]

What do you think about this tent? Check out more of the Ampex 2P: geni.us/Ampex-2P-Tent

[@pyronymph-868]

I like my NatureHike Mongar2. It is around 3 pounds all included, sets up free-standing, has different setup options like rainfly first, and is less than $200. Mine is the prettiest purple! There's also an optional vestibule fir additional gear space. The main tent body is mesh with a bathtub bottom. The inner body being completely mesh is great for ventilation.

[@michelstronguin6974]

The video is really great! Tent is ok for the price, but the problem is that the inner gets wet while setting up,

[@Kryogenikz15]

I currently have a Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 2P, but I'm considering switching out for this tent. I don't go out enough to warrant a $400 tent (plus I hammock most times), and this is feature packed for the price.

[@KUJ81]

It sounds so good, I wanted to give it a shot. But unfortunately AMPEX doesn't ship internationally. 😕

[@Colby168]

Looks like a great tent! I have the Nemo Dagger 2p and looks similar. I prefer a poly blend fly so the water beads off with no sagging unlike nylon. Was hoping that the 3p version of this would hit the 75inch wide mark but no. I think I’ll have to settle on the REI half dome 3p+ to fit 3 wide pads. Great review and great looking tent!

[@AbdulKiyohara]

3F Floating Cloud 2 I choose this

[@judyjrasmussen339]

This 2 person tent is now at USD $149 on Amazon plus tax. Appears to be a good deal

[@olivern4784]

Still available for $150 at Bass Pro and Ampex Gear.

[@woodchip2782]

Brilliant little tent…and so is your presentation!😊

[@BackcountryExposure]

Thanks!

[@camping_guru_uk]

It looks like a great design but the waterproofing levels of 1,200 seems very low, here in the UK we like to see 3000 as a minimum

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah that makes sense. I’ll be hoping to get this out in some bad weather to test that aspect of it.

[@anninwhack1998]

Not too far off sadly from Big Agnes tents that are usually around 1200 mm for HH.

[@camping_guru_uk]

@@anninwhack1998 I imagine in a dry climate mostly like the USA it's not such an issue, also I understand the design also makes a big difference for the better but again in the UK 3000 is a min normally

[@BackcountryExposure]

That's something I've always appreciated about Tarptent, which I know is a popular choice in the UK.

[@ampexgear]

UK waterproofing levels are definitely a step up. We're currently only setup to sell in the US, but would consider a higher HHR if we ever make it over to your side of the pond.

[@monsierlemaire8282]

Thanks for the review. I like this design and the price point. Will add it to my spring purchase list.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Thanks!

[@CoffeyBrew]

Just picked up this tent! Excited to take it for it’s first test run this weekend!

[@griffinfitness7290]

how was it?!

[@mattstreamadventures]

Thanks for this video! I've been seeing a lot of gear from Ampex lately but have been hesitant to try any due to limited information. The tent looks incredibly well thought out for it's price point!

[@ampexgear]

Very kind of you to consider us since we're a new brand. Our team has put a lot of thought into the products, glad you think the features and price are on point!

[@joker2100]

Looks like a copy of the NEMO Dagger 2P with additional venting on the head and foot end. I like the additional functionality with the pitching options and rain fly. Nice! The white mesh tent body is one critique I would give.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Much closer to the Copper Spur than the Dagger. The fly of the Dagger has two stake out points and curved opening. The Copper Spur has the double zipper with awning like this one does.

[@joker2100]

@@BackcountryExposure Ah, okay. Appreciate the constructive criticism. The pole structure looked similar to the Dagger.

[@ampexgear]

The white mesh is definitely a choice. Reasons we went this way were: 1. We wanted a bright interior (especially on the 1P to not make it seem like a cave), 2. White mesh gives a bit more privacy, especially considering the off-white rainfly, and 3. Theoretically keeps things a bit cooler vs. black mesh. I assume you prefer black mesh for transparency? We appreciate the feedback!

[@joker2100]

@@ampexgear My preference is for black in order to see out from inside the tent more easily. Overall, great tent you have here.

[@houstondill]

I use the BA Copper Spur which I can find nothing to complain about. This certainly looks like it was modeled after it. My daughter is to join me on her first backcountry backpacking trip in Yellowstone, this looks like a great tent to get her started at $269 on AMZ, it is half the price of the CS. The Copper Spur does have one vent and it works well on keeping the condensation at bay, this has 4 so it should work great. Thanks for the information and the professional way in which you presented it.

[@peterfagley772]

I very much like your manner of presenting the information without the silliness so many presenters feel is necessary to entertain us. Very thorough review and as a new subscriber coming over from a recommendation by Eric Hansen's latest video, I look forward to watching your previous presentations.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Thank you, I appreciate that. Im not really a silly guy. Full on introvert here. Hope you enjoy what I have to share!

[@earthskye]

Thanks for the thorough presentation! Much appreciated. I was recently able to buy a new Copper Spur on sale for under $300 and I love it. This is obviously a knock off. Not to disparage it necessarily, because not everyone cares. A variety of options in all price points means more people can enjoy the outdoors. What warranty and customer support does this company offer? I'd be interested to know more specifics on the components. Also interested to see a review from you on this tent and see how it fares beyond first impressions and over time/use. Thanks again for a great presentation.

[@rodoutdoors]

Looks solid 👍Interesting they use 10d material for the body and 15d for the rainfly to save weight. The extras like loops and the pole splint is nice. Price is comparable to other 10d budget tents at the weight but this has 2 doors and a lot of space.

[@HuckOutdoors]

Nice find! Looks like a great budget friendly tent.

[@BackcountryExposure]

😁

[@AAXX-qt5jv]

$270 is budget friendly? I know UL gear is not cheap, but Id say that’s mid range even for that category. Now $150 where it is currently discounted at some outlets like Bass pro is def budget friendly!

[@chriscollins9429]

I'm only here cause I found this tent in the clearance isle at walmart and wanted to see if i should keep them or sell them. Was originally $269. Tag had it marked down to $188 but when I scanned it, it was showing only $45. So ya I bought it and the 1 person tent for $35. I think I'll keep them.

[@hoser7706]

Appears to be a well desinged, feature loaded tent. Great, light colour too for late or early day light. (Not dark yellow or orange etc). Wonder if you can pitch the ground sheet and fly first then crawl in and attach the tent… looks like you should be able too for a dry pitch…

[@SGGPatrickJ]

Doing a bit of digging it seems like this tent, with 6-7 stakes and no ground sheet would have a rough trail wait of about 3lbs and 5-6oz which compared to a BA Copper Spur that would be at around 3Lbs with the same set up certainly isn't bad. This seems like it can also properly sleep two unlike the tapered footprint of the Copper Spur. The Copper Spur is on sale at REI right now for only $100 more than this price for those who want to spend a little more for a bit of weight savings and a well twsted tent. But at MSRP id be more likely to recommend this tent to newer backpackers, assuming it has longevity.

[@Teddy-fx6fx]

Looks like it has great features, I see some comparisons to the copper spur 2. Trail weight of Copper spur 2 lbs 11 ozs and footprint is 5oz,so around 3lbs without stakes. But tent is 530, footprint is 80 bucks. That’s 610 (retail) to save a pound.Ampex is 270 around 4 pounds, (trail weight 3.2 lbs). I guess if you plan on splitting the weight with someone it’s not bad but for myself a solo guy, too heavy. But for a 2 man double wall tent for the price, not bad. Sure you can get lighter but at a cost. And the trail weight difference is only around half a pound. It is also nice for that price everything comes with it.

[@zafiradaima]

Thanks for the review. I really like that stuff sack. My Nemo Dragonfly is a bear to get back into the stuff sack, which to me is it's major downfall. If I'm in a hurry, I don't want to fiddle with it.

[@JFlo_Roll]

I really do wish there were reviews of actual use in the rain and wind. Just so I can feel better about buying this. It was a toss up between this and the storm breaker 3. There’s several videos on the storm breakers actual use. I still chose buying the ampex 3 person tent for my first tent ever for 200 in Texas. I haven’t been camping since I was a young teenager and I’m 44 now so I’m an absolute noob. Also picked up the ampex 30 degree sleeping bag ampex sleeping mat. Will be taking this on fishing trips with me. I’ve never done any KZbin videos before but I’m thinking about doing a review and posting it when I take it on my first endeavor. Planning on my first camp around March in time for prespawn. So there might be at least 1 video of actual use. Feeling good about the purchase so far though.

[@BackcountryExposure]

All this year I’ve had the tent out on various trips and have had my students borrow/use it on my university trips. It’s done well, and I think it’s totally worth it.

[@jadenm]

Good review. Seems like a good option. Wish the price was lower when competitors like Paria Outdoors has 2P tents for a better value.

[@johnnorman4420]

I have the Ampex backpack so might as well continue with the tent ! Great vid I have 2 29" pads. Should I go with the 3P version ?

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah do the 3P for pads that big.

[@adrian-it8ps]

Thanks for this first impressions video! I've been eyeing this tent for months, but the lack of reviews has held me back. One specific question about the fly - does it have grommets that fix it to the ends of the cross-pole at the top of the tent? These are missing in some of the low-price competitors (Naturehike and Featherstone). Thanks again!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Thanks! Yes, there are metal loops for you to put over the end of the brow pole that centers the fly and keeps it secure. Especially with the fly being able to roll back it allows for that to stay put.

[@beurnii]

Thanks for showing us this tent! I am looking to buy one of those Hubba Hubba clone tent (Featherstone, Naturehike, 3FUL, Paria outdoor...), and this one is by far the nicest and lightest of them all, almost the same weight as the MSR Hubba Hubba. They unfortunately only sell to the USA, I am there at the moment but for only 3 weeks. Do you have an ETA for the full review? I am mostly wondering about the lower waterproofness rating and longevity. Thanks!

[@georgesolanakis8264]

Nice Review Devin! Very interesting tent are you planning to test in the elements? Thanks!!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yes, I will absolutely be getting proper field time with the tent to test it.

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

I like the vents. Many tents with this style of pole and fly configuration only have the lower side or the door vents not all four. I’m big with full apex vents. I feel warm breath and body heat rises and going out the top is key and the combo interests me. For the price and vents I’m considering the fast pitch as a mild winter light weight tent. I guess it’s three vents, either way nice

[@BackcountryExposure]

I agree. Something I didn't point out in the video, but will mention in a full review after proper use is that the vents have mesh in them, which does reduce air flow to a point. So ideally I'd like to see no mesh, and may even cut it out if I find condensation on the fly to be a big issue.

[@beurnii]

Hey! Did you like their sleeping pad? There is a huge sales at the moment. Thanks!

[@johncramer9564]

Features interesting but I'm done with 4 pound class tents. Now I'll only use the 1-2 pound class tents for backpacking.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Not everything has be qualified by its weight. I’ll happily carry this tent on any backpacking trip.

[@trevorsachs66]

Having bought a Nemo dragonfly last year for retail price I didn’t need to see this 😂😂

[@BackcountryExposure]

The Dragonfly is a really solid tent.

[@trevorsachs66]

@@BackcountryExposure It suits me well but man I could’ve put the difference in price towards some other gear. Will definitely look into Ampex going forward!

[@Mike_Blanda]

Ok this is really reminding me of the Nemo dragonfly just without the landing zone. Seems decent price… that light defuser is sweet Devin, SIDE question bro….Are those the Danner trail shoes?

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah, similarities all over. Yes, Danner Trail 2650 shoes. My favorite!

[@Mike_Blanda]

@@BackcountryExposure thought so! I thought about getting- glad to hear you like them

[@techguy9023]

I have a North Face Stormbreak 3. It’s heavy but at $170 cheap. I split the weight with my kids so everyone has about 2 pounds.

[@bulbobu]

How does this compare to the featherstone granite 2p?

[@Xhadp]

Saw this tent pop up in my regular feeds, and I'm not seeing anything that particularly makes it stand out as to why this is a more budgeted oriented option it seems like a straight up cheaper option without losing any major bells and whistles. Even Walmart carries this tent so they must have some sort of backing to immediately get into box stores after popping up so recently which I also see they have other gear they also sell that is more comparable. The tent comes with a footprint and fully rectangular floor plan in that 4 lbs/price tag. The big things that stand out to me other than the massive price/weight ratio for a 2p freestanding rectangular tent footprint included: The 'fly attachment system by the feet looks to be proprietary so that is my guess on first failure/finicky point. And, packing it into its bag looks like it will be a pain like all other low-cost tents so I might suggest a dry bag or alternative storage solution that removes the doubling up on storage bags which would also decrease the weight even further. The last point that is maybe going with a white opaque fly maybe isn't the brightest of choices (no pun intended) since it can be very see-through for a tent. The kicker to all this is that the tent is still eligible for discounts and stuff rather than being absolute bottom of the barrel with an until supplies last disclaimer because you can get good tents under 300 USD given discounts but this one could potentially go sub 200 USD as well which is a banger steal considering it actually has a freestanding rectangular floorplan (w/footprint!) instead of a tapered one like the more popular Big Agnes Copper Spur.

[@ANKURBR]

I just got an 1P. Initially I saw it's a limited lifetime warranty. But what does that mean ? Like Osprey's?

[@michaelstoddard1606]

Please review the Ampex hybrid style sleeping bags when you can. 😊

[@BackcountryExposure]

I’ll look into it!

[@daddoesadventure]

It is the most underrated tent on the market

[@pleok08]

Sunday, March 10th: Thank-you for your review. Very interesting. Thanks, again. Happy Trails! Ross08

[@DaveOffGrid]

Haha nice option! Can see how stoked you get about testing out new gear! This is def a competitive option with a lot of sweet design additions that only more experienced campers would look for an enjoy. I wouldn't necessarily say it's light enough, even for 2 ppl, for backpacking but it def can be used for it when splitting the weight. Def a great car camping option. Nice one Devin!

[@stephaneguyot3551]

Thanks for this vidéo dealing with this amazing tent 👍 Just a question : did you buy it or the company gives you for the review ? Cause you you did not say anything about that…but for us it matters and it make all the difference… Thank you Stephane

[@BackcountryExposure]

Ampex provided the tent to me to test. I mention it in the video description.

[@gregsantos9392]

Ampex website has the floor measurements as 90 x 42/50, so it has a tapered floor. Is this an older model?

[@BackcountryExposure]

The 42” is for the peak height of the tent. It’s 50” rectangular. You can see that with the two 25” wide pads I show in the video.

[@diversie509]

seems very similar to the paria zion

[@BackcountryExposure]

and the hubba hubba, monger 2p, copper spur, dragon fly... ha ha

[@drytool]

Outrageous to me that these days $270 is considered cheap!!

[@2312dean]

DOnt be fooled by the $270 price tag - normally we get a similar conversion plus shipping costs in Europe but Amazon price for this right now is euro 436.19 which is almost in MSR range - crazy

[@zacharybonner4792]

Anyone using this tent yet?? Just purchased for $149 at BPS for my son’s Christmas gift for kayak camping!!

[@freeforester1717]

Naturehike Mongar 2 - similar tent, half the price.

[@Jonny-hm3iz]

1200mm HH is barely "waterproof", for the floor i would want a higher number if its anything but bone dry. Otherwise it looks great

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah I want to intentionally get out with it when a storm is expected and really test it. :)

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

I just stumbled across this on Cabela’s site and was like huh ?? 3 pounds ? For how much ?

[@WilliamKapes]

Bro, I got a blue tarp for $5 at Walmart that works great. How about some actual budget options? Just kidding :) This actually looks decent. I still think the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo is a fantastic low cost choice for many hikers.

[@BackcountryExposure]

That blue tarp has probably kept more people dry than we give it credit for!

[@JoshSweet]

1200mm water resistance is low, especially with nylon which will absorb and stretch….

[@kevinstarski1598]

I'm not buying any tent that doesnt have integrated rainfly...too lazy to mess with it at the end of the day, looking for matching colors and so on...British has that figured out...

[@karmaclanton5544]

Just picked this tent up for $150.00.

[@tommoshos]

This thing looks like a cheaper Big Agnes Copper Spur 2

[@neemancallender9092]

$270! Buy a Durston a know top quality tent for a couple of dollars extra

[@BackcountryExposure]

Sometimes a trekking pole tent isn't a good option. :)

[@shawnr6117]

Oh hell no, this thing is almost $600 on Amazon Canada .

[@ampexgear]

Yeah, the joys of Amazon. That's a reseller. We're working on expanding north soon.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yowza!

[@DiabloOutdoors]

Nothing new here. Same old design as we see from all manufacturers. And at 4lb, it's HEAVY and not sure it's worth $370usd. But good video tho.

[@bendennis8773]

The stakes look like knitting needles.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Eh multi use! Take the extras and knit yourself a hat while in the tent.

[@orion7741]

LOL. you keep saying "ultralight", but come on man, LOOK at the weight of that thing. it is NOT anything even remotely close to being a "ultralight" 2 person tent!! Ultralight 2 person tents are 2 pounds and under. that thing is around 4 pounds! not ultralight at all.

[@backpackingcapebreton]

Since when is 4lbs considered UL? 🙄 i always thought it was around ~2lbs or less. “Let’s just pretend it’s UL and call it UL and market it as UL. It’s not like those dumb newbie hikers will know the difference!!” Shit needs to stop. You can get a lunar solo for the same price and ~2.5lbs lighter. Any new backpackers in the market for a tent look to Six Moon Designs. Budget friendly and *ACTUAL* ultralight.

[@BackcountryExposure]

I don’t completely disagree with you. To me it’s kind of like the 10lb base weight number. Why does a specific number have to exist to have the qualifier? The lunar solo and this tent are very different designs, so of course it’ll be that bigger weight difference. I don’t know, I don’t disagree with you, but I’m also not caught in the semantics. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@agrivere5494]

You're not even remotely comparing apples to apples when you compare a 1 person trekking pole tent with a 2 person freestanding tent. Such a comparison is absurd. I would agree that for many hikers something like the SMD Lunar Solo is a good choice, but freestanding tents definitely have some advantages. Not everyone wants a trekking pole tent, and if you compare this tent to something that's actually comparable like the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 or the Nemo Dragonfly 2P you're only adding about 9 ounces of weight (again, comparing apples to apples and adding the footprint in for those two tents) for half the price.

[@backpackingcapebreton]

@@agrivere5494 you’re missing the point …… it’s the scammy marketing using the term “ultralight” that bothers me. Doesn’t matter what you say, 4lbs is not ultralight. I don’t care if it’s freestanding, one or two person. Pretty simple. Let’s just freely use words until they mean nothing anymore.

[@agrivere5494]

@@backpackingcapebreton Well, I suppose we're going to disagree on this, as for what it is, it's clearly well into the ultralight category. For another comparison, the REI Half Dome SL2 weighs 12 ounces more and also costs quite a bit more. For a 2 person freestanding tent this definitely fits into the ultralight category. I suppose the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 isn't ultralight either, since it weighs 2 lbs when you can get a frameless Nashville Cutaway 30 for 1 lb? Another silly comparison. Do you also take issue with companies who sell light trucks, for example? There's obviously nothing "light" about a truck when compared to a car...

[@ampexgear]

I think this is a fair product-naming critique. UL certainly has a specific meaning in the backpacking community, but it is also the most broadly searched term for those looking to get into backpacking. So the challenge for us as a new brand is: how can we be relevant in search (all hail the mighty algorithm) but not over-promise on specs. Min. trail weight for the 2P is just over 3 lbs with a ton of features, so not technically UL, but certainly lightweight when comparing similar structures. Again, good feedback and we'll look at how we can adjust the naming convention to be more respectful of the term.