MSR Elixir 2 Review: The Roomy Three-Season Two-Person Tent That Earns Its Place

Introduction

Some tents earn their place through a single standout number, whether that is a very low weight or a very high waterproof rating. The MSR Elixir 2 does not work that way. It is a two-person, three-season backpacking tent that is competent rather than record-breaking in every category, and it has become a heavily used shelter on long trips precisely because it is easy to live with.

The Elixir 2 retails at £340 and is commonly available for around £300, and that price includes a footprint as standard. Packed, it measures 51 cm by 17 cm and comes in an oversized stuff sack that leaves a little spare room when packing on a wet morning. Total weight with the footprint is 2.77 kg, dropping to 2,450 g if the footprint is left at home.

That balance of space, thick fabrics and simple pitching is the reason this tent keeps coming back out of the cupboard. It suits campers who would rather carry a little more weight than give up room inside the tent.

Who This Tent Is For

The Elixir 2 is aimed at backpackers who want a genuine two-person tent rather than a squeezed-in bivvy. Its interior measures 213 cm long, 127 cm wide and 102 cm tall, which leaves roughly 10 cm of headroom above a 172 cm camper with a long back. For two people sharing, that makes it a comfortable three-season shelter. For one person, it is a large, almost indulgent amount of space.

It is also a sensible choice for campers who bring a dog along. The fly, floor and inner fabrics are thick enough that claws and general rough handling are less of a worry than they would be in a lightweight shelter.

The Elixir 2 is best understood as a three-season tent. Campers who head out in the depths of winter or who want the strongest possible weather protection may prefer a design built specifically for those conditions.

Main Strengths

Living space and storage are the first things that stand out. There are two doors and two vestibules, both the same size, with a 76 cm vestibule that provides a useful sheltered area for boots and packs. The doors can be tied back a third or two thirds open, or fully open on a fine evening, and each door has a rain gully and a storm flap over the zip. Vents on both sides help keep air moving through the tent.

Inside, there are large pockets at both ends, two loft pockets at the top and two small loops for hanging a lantern. The zip pullers glow in the dark, a small touch that is genuinely useful at night.

The fabric mix is a deliberate part of the design. The fly uses 68D fabric and the bathtub floor uses 70D, both of which feel substantial in the hand. The inner combines 20D mesh with 40D solid fabric, so there is a good balance between ventilation and the ability to block cold wind. That mix has handled condensation well in practice, and it keeps the worst of the chill off on exposed pitches.

Pitching and Setup

The Elixir 2 is primarily an inner-first tent, and pitching it that way is quick once the process is familiar. The pole sleeves and ribbons are colour coded, with one red pole and one grey pole, so it is difficult to get the sequence wrong. A 7000 series aluminium one-piece pole set does the structural work, and the fixings at the pole ends feel solid.

Outer-first pitching is possible, but only with the footprint attached. The footprint has fixings at its ends that accept the pole tips, so the fly can go up before the inner when it is raining. It is fiddlier than the standard method, and climbing inside the fly to attach the inner takes patience, but it works.

The tent comes with guy ropes on each corner and the pegs needed to tension them. The supplied shepherd’s hook pegs are adequate on hard ground but not especially versatile, and anyone planning to camp year round would be better off replacing them. The pack size of 51 cm by 17 cm is reasonable for a tent of this size, and the oversized bag makes it easier to pack away.

Weather Performance and Durability

The fly has a hydrostatic head rating of 1,500 mm and the floor is rated at 3,000 mm, and using the footprint adds another layer of protection under the floor. Those numbers are not the highest in the category, but they have proven sufficient in heavy rain. This tent has been used in torrential conditions without any water coming through.

Wind is where the Elixir 2 shows its limits and its resilience at the same time. In strong gusts the doors can be pushed in until they sit close to the inner, and the poles can look as though they are about to fold. In practice they have held, and the tent has sprung back into shape after genuinely severe weather.

Seam performance is worth a mention for anyone researching this model. There have been reports of seam issues with the Elixir 2 and with the MSR Hubba Hubba NX2, although the Elixir 2 tents used over multiple seasons have shown no water ingress. It is a known talking point rather than a problem that has appeared in long-term use of these particular tents.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Weight is the clearest trade-off. At 2,450 g without the footprint and 2.77 kg with it, the Elixir 2 is not a lightweight tent, and the materials that make it durable are the reason why. Backpackers who count grams will find lighter options.

The hydrostatic head ratings are modest compared with tents built for sustained wet weather, and the Elixir 2 does not try to be the best tent in any single area. It is an all-rounder, and that means accepting middle-of-the-road numbers for weight and waterproofing in exchange for space, storage and durability.

The supplied pegs are another small consideration, and outer-first pitching depends on carrying the footprint. Campers who prefer to leave the footprint behind should expect to pitch inner first every time.

Buying Advice

At £340 RRP and often around £300, the Elixir 2 sits in a competitive part of the market, and the included footprint makes the price easier to justify. Campers who want maximum weather protection for year-round UK conditions should also look at the Wild Country Helm 2 Compact, while the Decathlon Forclaz MT900 is another option worth considering and the Naturehike Cloud Peak 2 can be found for around £150, roughly half the price.

For anyone who wants a roomy, hard-wearing two-person tent for three-season trips, the Elixir 2 is a straightforward recommendation. It rewards campers who value internal space, simple pitching and thick fabrics, and it is a particularly good fit for solo campers who want a large shelter or for anyone camping with a dog.

Conclusion

The MSR Elixir 2 is not the lightest, the most weatherproof or the cheapest two-person backpacking tent available. It is a well-built, genuinely roomy three-season shelter with a footprint included, a sensible internal layout and materials that stand up to years of use. For backpackers who would rather carry a little extra weight than compromise on living space, it remains an easy tent to recommend.