We put the MSR Elixir 2 Backpacking Tent to the test to see how quick it was to assemble, if it could really fit two people and to take a closer look at its many features.

MSR Elixir 2 Backpacking Tent

Price: From €312

Brief Look

The MSR Elixir 2 tent is an extremely livable performance camping and backpacking tent and an ideal option for adventurers seeking an easy-to-assemble tent at a great price. This tent is a true two-man tent with two large doors and two vestibules which offer an additional 35% to the space.

What MSR says: Specification

Outsider Verdict: MSR ELIXIR 2 Tent

Size:

This tent packs up nice and neatly, making it an ideal choice if you are planning a multi-day hike or bikepacking expedition. It weighs in at just 2.77kg which is pretty impressive. More impressive, however, is the footprint inside the tent. It feels roomy which is thanks in a large part to the presence of a door and vestibule on either side. The sides are almost vertical and the headroom is great. It fits two camping mats easily, you genuinely don’t feel like you are sleeping right on top of your partner or buddy.

Assembly:

Putting up the tent at the end of a long day is always such a pain. No matter how many times you’ve put a tent up, there always seems to be an element of faff when it comes to working out what goes where. MSR has realised this and in order to make things a little bit easier, it has introduced a colour-code system. Match red to red and grey to grey…it’s all very simple.

Two-Man Tents: 5 of the Best

The Elixir can be set up with just the ground sheet and fly for fast and light trips. Or as a whole with the inner. You can also just pitch the inner on its own if you’re somewhere hot/dry and need protection from insects, which makes for some nice star-gazing.

The Elixir is an inner pitch first tent. The benefit of this is that it gives good wind stability, however, it isn’t ideal if it’s raining as the inside of the tent can get wet. My only other gripe with this system was the fact that I found it hard to establish which way the doors would open and had to swivel it around when I realised I had pitched my tent facing the wrong direction.

Performance:

The inner material of the MSR Elixir 2 is made from nylon with mesh panels built in for ventilation. The flysheet is made from a ripstop polyester fabric. I used the tent in both warm weather (without the flysheet) and in torrential downpours and I was delighted to find it performed well in both. I do use the ground sheet whenever I use the tent for a little added protection. I’ve been using this tent for about two years now and everything has held up well. The zips are still intact and there have been no negative effects on the waterproofness of the tent.

More info: MSR

Available from: Cotswold Outdoors

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Check out our reviews of other MSR products:

• To the Test: MSR TrailShot™ Pocket-Sized Water Filter
• To the Test: MSR Reactor Stove
• To the Test: MSR Treo™ Chair