The REI Co-op Base Camp 6 is a car-camping dome built for weather first. Its reviews run from 2.5 to 4.7 out of 5, and the disagreement is mostly about whether that much tent is necessary: OutdoorGearLab rates the weather resistance and storage highly, Wired calls it well made with heavy, durable fabrics, and Camping Guidance notes it is overkill in fair weather and stuffy in summer. At 20.6 pounds it is for a site you drive to, not one you walk to.
Full review
Five poles, colour-coded, in sleeves that slow takedown
The frame is a five-pole dome: corner-to-corner poles crossed and braced by extra side poles, with a reinforced rainfly carrying its own pole. OutdoorGearLab notes the aluminium poles are colour-coded, which makes pitching legible. Better Trail is less kind about striking it, since the long pole sleeves make takedown more tedious than clips would and the front door zipper needs two hands. Camping Guidance timed one person at 17.5 minutes to pitch and 15 to pack away.
A full-coverage fly that swallows the tent body
The rainfly covers the body completely, which is the whole argument for this tent. OutdoorGearLab ran a hose on it for over five minutes without moisture reaching the inside, and both Wired and Camping Guidance credit the coverage against rain, wind and sun. Wired's caveat is structural rather than about water: the inward-sloping sidewalls buy stability and cost livable space. Better Trail warns it is not an expedition shelter and will still struggle somewhere genuinely exposed.
84 square feet, but a 74-inch peak
Floor area is 84 square feet on a square plan, which OutdoorGearLab calls average for a six-person tent, and Wired found it comfortable for five adults. The peak height of 74 inches is shorter than an REI Wonderland 6 at 78 or a Nemo Aurora Highrise at 77, so the tallest campers will stoop. Two large doors mean nobody climbs over a sleeping bag to get out, which matters more day to day than the last few inches of headroom.
Fourteen pockets and two vestibules
Storage is where reviewers agree without reservation. Wired and Better Trail both count fourteen mesh pockets around the lower perimeter, and the two vestibules, the front one propped by an external pole for headroom, give 31.1 and 21.3 square feet of covered space for coolers, boots and gear bags. Camping Guidance and OutdoorGearLab both list the pockets and the double doors among their favourite parts of the tent.
Mediocre ventilation and an undersized stuff sack
The failings are consistent across reviews. Ventilation is mediocre and the tent gets stuffy in summer, per Camping Guidance, which is the price of a fly that covers everything. Better Trail found the stuff sack undersized enough that packing has to be precise, and repeats the pole-sleeve and two-handed-zipper complaints. The interior is also less roomy than REI's own Wonderland, since the crossing poles pull the walls up and away from the sleeping area.
Twenty pounds in a 28-inch bundle
Packed weight is 20.6 pounds in a 28 by 13 by 9.5-inch bag, which Camping Guidance records and which settles the question of who this is for. GearJunkie's coverage centres on the optional Vehicle Connector, which adds 62.2 square feet of living space with a 7.5-foot ceiling but needs a bigger site to use. At $549 it is priced with premium family tents rather than with a basic dome.
Strengths
- +Sturdy structure with traditional dome design and five-pole support system
- +Full-coverage rainfly provides excellent weather protection for rain and colder conditions
- +Generous interior space with two large doors and 74-inch peak height allowing easy standing room
- +Abundant storage options including 14 pockets, two large vestibules, and exterior storage
Watch-outs
- −Interior not as roomy as REI's Wonderland 6 model
- −Mediocre ventilation leading to stuffiness in summer conditions
- −Carry bag could be improved for better portability
How it compares
The REI Co-op Base Camp 6 excels in weather protection and storage with its full-coverage rainfly and large vestibules, surpassing the Half Dome 2 Plus in durability but falling short in ventilation compared to the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P. It's heavier and less portable than the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3, making it less ideal for backpackers despite its robust design.
Rating sources
Our 4.2 score is the average of these published ratings. More about methodology.
