Gear Review: REI Half Dome 2 Plus
If you’re currently on the hunt for a tent and you haven’t already stumbled upon the REI Half Dome Tent Models, then it is clear that you live so far under a rock that it’s almost impossible for you to have found me here. If you have already seen the Half Domes then you probably know there are many different models and variations. The exact tent model I’m reviewing today is the REI Half Dome 2 Plus.
The Half Dome 2 Plus is pretty much what you would expect from its name, a 2 person tent. Now normally when a backpacking tent is labeled as a 2 person tent, you wouldn’t really want to use it with 2 people on a regular basis. In fact, most backpacker duos who regularly sleep 2 people in a tent often get a 3 person tent because the 2 person tents are so cramped. This space problem is what REI ingeniously solved with the Half Dome 2 Plus, when they added some extra floor space and the Plus title to their original 2 person Half Dome model. It’s bigger and better than the original, and only about a half pound heavier.
The tent is made with 40-denier ripstop nylon + 20-denier nylon mesh for the walls with 70-denier taffeta nylon for the roughly 38 feet of spacious floor area. It’s heavier at 5 1/2 pounds than its ultralight 2 person tent competitors but when you consider the fact that most couples are actually sleeping in 3 person tents, then it becomes quite comparable. The Half Dome 2 Plus weight also comes with the added bonus of being constructed with much thicker and more durable materials that will last substantially longer than the ultralight’s ultra thin materials. It’s fitted with a ton of interior storage pockets and pouches, as well as super convenient dual doors and vestibules.
One of the greatest parts about this tent is how quick and easy it is to setup. Whether you have a ton of backpacking and camping experience, or none at all, you can pull this guy off the shelf and have it setup in no time. Everything goes together just like you think it should, from the footprint to the rainfly. It’s all been worked through carefully to make the setup and breakdown simple and painless. We’ve taken the Half Dome 2 Plus tent on various backpacking and camping trips from the wild and wet coastline of Olympic National Park to the dusty and dry deserts of Sedona, Arizona. The Half Dome handled everything we put it through like a boss. Our only complaint is that went chose the yellow rainfly, and so did everyone else apparently (haha). If you’re looking for an entry level 2 person tent that’s durable, affordable and easy to use then the REI Half Dome 2 Plus is the one for you.
