The Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 serves well to its name as with more than enough space inside, it fits all of your family in easily and safely with more than enough space to spare. It even offers an amazing ventilation system thanks to the double closing system on the doors. And paired with a strong build which withstands over multiple seasons without any form damage, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 stands out to be one of the best tents out there.
Why We Like It – Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8
Withstanding numerous weathers in different seasons, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 allows you to go on a safe and enjoyable trip with your family while making for a great amount of space and also featuring two door closure systems. And with its double doors it gives you a great ventilation system while also maintaining a comfortable temperature within the tent.
- Fits upto 6 people comfortably
- Design and build withstands over 3+ seasons
- Amazing ventilation and insulation
- Does not hold 8 people as advertised
Performance
While the tent itself measures to be 123 square feet in floor size, it offers you more than enough space to move around even with your entire family inside it. And even though 5 or 6 of you will be inside, you’ll have enough space to separate into 2 sleepers and a large main room making it the same as your home, just out in the midst of nature. If you don’t need a family tent and are just looking for tents that are resistant against most weather conditions and can occupy about 2 people, the Nemo Equipment Losi Tent and the Kelty TN2 tent are great options worth considering.
This two vestibule design also makes it possible for you to use the second compartment as a storage room or even a drying room for when it’s raining. Moreover, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 even comes with two separate doors each on either end. This makes for some pretty good flexibility and considering the fact the doors have two closure options, you get better weather handling as well as better ventilation. Firstly you can use the zip up door made from mesh, which makes for good ventilation while the second polyester door is used to offer maximum protection against rain, wind and even snow.
Apart from that, the polyester tent body makes for some pretty good heat insulation, giving you a warm temperature during winter and keeping the inside cool and safe from the heat during the summer. As for the poles holding all of this together, they’re made of DAC aluminum and are easy to set up with the press fit connectors and plastic clips. All in all, the tent takes about 5 minutes in total to be set up by two people, but will take more time with one person.
Related: Also check out our Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 review.
Design
Having a packed size of 9 x 16 x 24 inches and weighing 23 lbs, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 is considerably compact for the amount of space it gives when opened up and makes for a much better option than car camping while also being pretty lightweight to carry. Additionally, even though it features the two doors for more options with ventilation and heat maintenance, it is also a nice feature to have for families as you can easily get out in the morning from your side of the door without having to wake everyone up.
Furthermore, it also features a peak height of 72 Inches and with the 6 poles attached it stands pretty firm despite its lightweight build. Adding more to it’s extremely convenient construction, the tent holds 16 interior mesh pockets and 20 lightweight aluminum hook stakes for more storage options and greater stability of the tent in rough weather conditions. As for the two vestibules, while they provide more space and better air flow control, a vestibule can also be staked out as a shade using trekking poles, which however have to be bought separately.
And finally, all the seams are taped with polyurethane tape which is both waterproof and solvent proof, protecting the tent considerably from rain and storms.
Value
Priced at $782, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 is pretty expensive for a camping tent, but it still is pretty much worth its price. Providing 4 times the occupancy space as the Nemo Equipment Losi Tent and pretty much twice that of the Hilleberg Tarra Tent, it offers extra space beyond the living space of your entire family. And with the amazing amount of flexibility ranging from the number of mesh pockets, an easy to set up process and at least 4 season resistance, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 offers everything you need in a tent while also being comparatively lightweight and compact while in package for the space it offers when set out, that too at a great price.
Related: See also our Coleman Sundome Tent review.
Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 Wrap Up
This may not be for everyone, thats for sure. Not everyone needs the 6 person occupancy space, or as advertised 8 person space. And while it may not fit 8 people comfortably, it provides you with more than enough space with its two vestibules and with a solid and elegant build thanks to the body and double door closing system that too in two doors. You even manage to get an easy to set up process while also keeping it steady against 3+ seasons. And so with all that at a price of $782, the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 is an amazing tent with a pretty understandable price. But if you don’t need as much space and are looking for something cheaper, the Kelty TN2 Tent might just be the choice for you.
