Comfort and easy setup are what the REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus is built around, which puts it squarely in car camping and luxury backpacking territory. GearLab praised the generous interior space and thoughtful design, with good ventilation and storage, while GearJunkie described the retro-inspired update as more usable than before. Criticism landed on weight and bulk for solo backpacking, plus fly vestibule sagging and inadequate stakes. Couples or groups who prioritize comfort over weight will like it; ultralight backpackers will not.
Full review
35.8 square feet and a 42-inch peak
The Half Dome 2 Plus is a two-person tent with 35.8 square feet of floor, up from 33.7 in the previous version, and a 42-inch peak height that lets most adults sit up. GearJunkie found the interior tall enough for two six-foot campers, and OutdoorGearLab rates the space generous enough for a couple with a child or a dog. Two doors and two vestibules add 22.5 square feet of covered storage outside the mesh.
One hubbed pole, colour-coded clips, footprint in the box
Setup is three poles joined by two hubs into an H, with colour-coded clips and grommets and the inner tent hooking underneath. OutdoorGearLab found it intuitive to pitch, and the rainfly buckles to the corners with quick-release clips. Unusually at this price, REI includes the footprint rather than selling it separately, which both GearJunkie and SectionHiker single out. SectionHiker also notes lineloc tensioners on the guylines, though the thin cord wants hooked stakes rather than plain pins.
Water pools on the roof when the vents are open
Weather protection is good rather than bulletproof. OutdoorGearLab stayed dry in wet weather but saw water collect on the fly when the kickstand vents were propped open, and the trapezoidal vestibules flap less in wind than single-stake designs. The canopy is 40-denier ripstop nylon over a 70-denier taffeta floor with factory-taped seams, and SectionHiker rates the materials well above average for a tent in this bracket.
Eight stakes are not enough to tension the fly
The most consistent complaint is hardware. Eight stakes ship with the tent, and OutdoorGearLab found that too few to pull the fly vestibules taut, particularly at the head and foot; the result is a saggy fly that stays dry but never sits right. Owners report the same about the vestibule stakes. Extra stakes and a length of guyline are a cheap fix, but they are a fix for something that should have been in the bag.
Six pounds three ounces is a lot to carry alone
At 6 lbs 3.6 oz packed into a 22.2 by 7.5 by 7.5-inch bundle, this is a heavy two-person tent, and OutdoorGearLab is direct that it suits campers taking a couple of short trips a season rather than long-distance hikers. Split between two people it is manageable; carried solo it is not. GearJunkie's own night in it was cold and rainy with a dog along, which is closer to what the tent is actually for.
Rated 8.0 for durability by OutdoorGearLab
Durability is where the extra weight shows up. OutdoorGearLab scored the tent 8.0 out of 10 there, pointing at thick fabrics and construction that should last years with reasonable care, and 7.9 overall. Storage inside is well thought through: four large mesh corner pockets and two gear lofts split into three sub-pockets each, per SectionHiker. Against an MSR Hubba Hubba's 29 square feet, the extra floor area is the clearest argument for the Half Dome.
Strengths
- +Extremely spacious with lots of headroom for two people
- +Very straightforward, user-friendly setup/breakdown with single pole design
- +Well-thought-out interior with numerous pockets and stash spots
- +Footprint is included with the tent
Watch-outs
- −Somewhat heavy/large for solo backpacking
- −Fly vestibules can sag and are hard to keep taut
- −Insufficient stakes or guy lines for proper fly tension
How it compares
The REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus stands out for its exceptional interior space and user-friendly single-pole design, making it superior to the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P and Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 for comfort-focused campers. Unlike the Base Camp 6, it avoids the issue of bulky construction while still offering more headroom than the OneTigris Stella 4 Season Tent, though it's less suitable for solo backpacking due to weight and size.
Rating sources
Our 4.3 score is the average of these published ratings. More about methodology.
