VAUDE Space 2P on Review – Living Comfort Over Weight Savings

Compact, lightweight and quick to pitch: that’s the brief for any good bikepacking tent. The VAUDE Space 2P, at €760, does not tick the bike-specific pole sections box, but compensates with a generous amount of interior space. Whether that added comfort is worth the extra effort in transport and setup at camp is the real question.

We tested six of the most exciting bikepacking tents head-to-head, heading to France’s Massif Central to put them through their paces – click here for our buyer’s guide and a complete overview of all the bikepacking tents in our group review.

As dusk settles over France’s Massif Central and your legs grow heavy from endless climbs and descents on gravel tracks, priorities start to shift. After hours in the saddle, one thing matters above all else: a comfortable place to retreat for the night. And that’s exactly where the VAUDE Space 2P aims to shine. Rather than entering the test as a radically stripped-back bikepacking tent, it takes on the role of a classic trekking tent.

Its biggest selling point is the generous amount of inner space. While tents from MSR and Big Agnes optimise every centimetre and every gram, VAUDE follows a noticeably more comfort-focused approach. The question is: is that extra comfort worth the added complexity when it comes to transport and handling?

The VAUDE Space 2P Review – From Saddle to Shelter

Materials & Setup

The materials feel robust and well finished throughout. The neon-green guy lines stand out clearly at night, though they feel noticeably more delicate than the rest of the tent. Inner and outer tent pitch together here, as with the Hilleberg Unna: a setup that protects the inner tent from rain but adds needless complication to the process.

The three-part pole structure relies on asymmetrical pole ends that have to be threaded through narrow fabric sleeves. In practice, the poles regularly snag on the material and get stuck. What sounds straightforward on paper can quickly turn into a test of patience, especially in wind or poor weather. Our test tent also arrived with several dried residues of adhesive and sealing material visible along the inner seams.

Transport & Mounting

After a rainy night, the practical drawbacks of the pitch-as-one design become clear. Although you can theoretically separate the inner and outer tents to prevent the wet flysheet from soaking the dry inner when packing away, it turns out to be a fiddly job in practice. The inner tent is connected to the flysheet via a maze of tiny toggles. If you have to pack up in the rain with cold fingers in the morning, you will hardly want to bother. As a result, you end up packing both layers together, leaving the whole system feeling damp by the following evening. Classic double-wall tents, where you simply drape the flysheet over the top separately, handle this scenario much more gracefully in everyday camp life.

The stuff sack also demands a bit of discipline when packing up. Although it is wider at the top to theoretically allow you to stuff the tent straight in, this only worked to a limited extent in our review and still required quite a precise folding technique. A large roll-top opening, like the one on the MSR Hubba Hubba, handles this far more elegantly.

The Space 2P also requires a few compromises on the bike. Dedicated bikepacking mounting solutions are absent, meaning additional straps or a separate handlebar harness are needed. With a packed pole length of 36 cm, the tent will theoretically fit between narrow gravel handlebars, but it noticeably restricts access to the drops. The system weight of almost two kilograms is also hard to ignore up front. Compared directly with lighter models such as the Big Agnes Copper Spur, the bike feels considerably less agile and requires more control on technical sections.

Living Space & Storage

Once pitched, the Space 2P rewards your effort with the most spacious interior in the entire test field. With an internal width of 130 cm and a measured maximum height of up to 110 cm, it creates an airy sense of space that few other tents can match. Even two wide sleeping mats fit comfortably side by side.

The two large entrances, which run almost the full length of the tent, make getting in and out easier and open the tent up nicely to the surrounding landscape. Four corner pockets and four overhead storage compartments help keep the interior organised. Given the tent’s generous dimensions, though, we would have liked larger storage options for bulkier gear such as helmets. The two vestibules also provide plenty of storage space, though they lack an integrated vestibule floor, a feature that comes as standard on the SIMOND MT900.

Weather Protection & Ventilation

Without its guy lines properly tensioned, the Space 2P feels less stable than storm-proven tents such as the Hilleberg Unna or Nemo Dragonfly. For a secure pitch, it relies on all twelve pegs and careful guying out.

VAUDE skip dedicated roof vents altogether. Ventilation is handled exclusively through the large outer doors. Combined with the relatively limited use of mesh panels, this helps the tent retain warmth on cooler nights. In damp conditions, however, and particularly with the doors closed, condensation build-up becomes noticeably more pronounced.

Who Should Take a Closer Look at the VAUDE Space 2P Tent?

The VAUDE Space 2P is primarily aimed at comfort-focused bikepackers who value freedom of movement and living comfort after a long day in the saddle. If you usually travel as a pair, prioritise interior space over weight, and already ride with a large rear bag or a flat-bar luggage setup, you’ll find a spacious home away from home here – something that becomes increasingly valuable the longer your trip lasts.

Conclusion

Plenty of space, plenty of comfort: the VAUDE Space 2P takes a different approach from most tents in this test field. Its generous interior makes it a comfortable companion on long tours and a welcome retreat after a day in the saddle, but higher weight, cumbersome setup and a less refined packing system cost it points for pure bikepacking use. This is a tent for comfort seekers, not minimalists.

Tops

• Largest interior in the test field
• Two large entrances spanning almost the entire length of the tent
• Combined inner and outer tent pitch keeps the interior dry in the rain
• High-quality, robust materials

Flops

• Fiddly setup due to narrow pole sleeves
• Wet flysheet has to be packed together with the inner tent
• No roof vents, making it more prone to condensation build-up

For more information, visit vaude.com.

The Test Field

This tent was tested as part of our 2026 Bikepacking Tent Group Review.

All Tents in the Review: Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Bikepack | Decathlon / SIMOND MT900 | Hilleberg Unna | MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack 2P | Nemo Dragonfly Bikepack OSMO 2P | VAUDE Space 2P

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of GRAN FONDO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Susanne Feddersen, Antoine Daures Photos: Antoine Daures