REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a gear snob and have lots of MH, NF and other high end gear names in my closet.
I purchased the REI Half Dome Plus tent and took it on a trip last weekend to do a slot canyon in Utah. We loved the nearly straight walls which made the tent so much more roomy. It was dirt easy to set up; we of course practiced at home so setup in the desert was not the first time.

We loved that the fly could be taken off half way and with the sun in the west (so that side of the tent was still covered by the fly) and our heads facing east the tent was still quite cool when the temps were in the mid 80s; this allowed air flow through the mesh while the fly-bound side blocked the direct sun's rays. Sleeping while looking up at the stars was GREAT!!

I wasn't able to stake the fly so it was taut so it flapped a bit in the wind, but everything else was awesome; ample pockets and gear loft. I used some better suited stakes and did not bother with the stakes that came with the tent. Overall, I would easily recommend this tent!!

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

- Extra space of the "Plus" is NICE!
- Super Easy setup,
- lightweight,
- just enough space for 2 people and gear under fly on each side.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

Got this for a hopefully the first of many weekend camping trips with my wife and dog. This trip- beach camping on Assateague Island.

My wife had never assembled a tent before, and I hadn't in several years.

The tent is very easy and very straightforward. The color coding and the instructions on the bag are clear, concise and simple.

My wife was skeptical that we would have enough room for the two of us and our chocolate lab Kona, but it worked out great. We had plenty of room for all 3 of us.

The only mild thing I would add would be a few hanging pockets or pouches for getting stuff off the ground and organization, but it worked well without them. I highly recommend this tent.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

Bought this tent for myself after a couple of backpacking trips, and sharing the Half Dome 2 my brother bought. He first owned the Half Dome 2,sold it and purchased the Half Dome 2 Plus. This tent is very spacious for 2 people. My daughter and I had no problem erecting the tent, but were unable to get it packed nicely back into the storage bag. The price of the tent, ease of erecting it were the biggest selling points for me.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

My boyfriend and I are on a budget and spent a lot of time researching tents by size, weight, and price and we finally decided to go with the Half Dome 2+. We're both around 6ft tall with broad shoulders so finding a decently priced, lightweight, 2 person tent that wouldn't have us sleeping at an angle with our gear outside was quite a problem.

The set up was a breeze, it has color coordinated instructions for easy set up, it took us maybe 8-10 minutes our first time and now that we now it we can set it up in less than 5.

The inside is massive! Normally, you have to sit right in the middle of a tent otherwise your head or shoulders are hitting the sides. Not in this tent! The sides are straight rather than curved and it makes all the difference. We could both sit up with plenty of head room to play cards, even changing and packing up inside was a breeze with both of us in there.

We haven't used it in any crazy weather (all luck) but the important thing for me was how breathable it was. My boyfriend and I are the type who keep a fan in our bedroom all year round so we kept the rainfly open to keep it cool. It wasn't nessecary! We actually woke up in the middle of the night to close them and slept great with just the roof vents open and there wasn't any moisture on the walls of my tent in the morning.

The weight is a bit much for one person but this tent isn't meant for one person, we split the weight and it's only about 3lbs a person.

I seriously can't say enough good things about this tent, seriously, I'm in Love!

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

This tent is light and sturdy. It has enough room for the two of us, our dog and our packs. It is really easy to set-up and take down. I like how adjustable the fly is.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

I've used this camping in the woods and on a sandy beach. It has handled both perfectly. The tent is lightweight and very breathable (which is nice in the summer). It comfortably fits two adults with room to store some gear. The rainfly is effective. I camp in a windy region so I highly recommend replacing the stakes with better quality ones (at least 8 if you plan to stake down the tent and rainfly well). You'll also want to buy extra guylines to properly secure everything. If staked properly, the tent holds up very well to heavy winds.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

When I looked, I couldn't believe there was only one review for this tent! I have been using this tent for 3 years on all sorts of trips, and it has definitely proven itself to be a dream to use.

My original intent for this tent was to use it for backpacking, but I quickly realized that it was too heavy to use for multiple days on long backpacking trips. When I did use it for that it was like living in a palace, but my knees weren't happy after long days of hiking with all that weight. This tent now has a mulltifunctional role in my backpacking arsenal. If I am going on a one night trip that is fairly casual (less than 15 miles round trip) I will often choose to bring this tent because it's just so comfortable. I also use it for car camping and it's amazing to use for that. There's plenty of room for me and one more person, and I use it with a full sized inflatable mattress when car camping. With this setup I sleep better than I do at home. I have also used it on longer backpacking trips by splitting the weight between two people which in the end is worth it if you want to be extremely comfortable.

As far as durability, this thing can really take a beating. I never have to be extremely careful with it because it's a beast. The fabrics are heavier but they are also extremely durable so it really gives me peace of mind as to the durability and longevity of life.

The setup of this tent is truly a breeze. I have set it up in minutes by myself in 50mph wind in the dark with a dying headlamp. The sides are color coded to take out all the guess work and putting the frame together is just so intuitive and simple. Many people who have camped with me have been very impressed by the design and ease of use.

This tent withstands weather very well, I have woken up to 8 inches of snow on the top without even knowing it was snowing. It has handled many windy 40+mph nights in stride and I have never seen a drop of water inside the tent during strong rainstorms. I just don't have to worry about anything when I use this tent. If it's a mild night you can just pitch it freestanding and it's that much easier.

So in the end the only downside whatsoever to this tent is the weight. If you are willing to bring it along on short casual trips in the end the comfort may negate the weight which it does for me. If you split it with a partner it is even more reasonable. Plus you can still use it for easy and comfortable car camping. I gave it 5 stars because it truly is a luxury within reason in many situations.

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

The REI Half Dome 2+ has a special place in my heart.

I own a lot of tents and have had many hundred nights in tents the last years.

For the last 2 years I have owned
Hilleberg
Akto
Unna
Soulo
Staika
Nammatj 2 GT
Stalon GT
Saivo
Saitaris

REI
Half Dome 2+
Half Dome 4
Quarte Dome T3

Exped
Vela 1 extreme

MSR
Hubba Hubba

Nemo
Losi 3P

Big Agnes
Fly Creek UL3

Helsport
Fjellheimen 3 Camp
Svalbard high camp 3

I have had so many hard nights out in the winter in Norway, so choosing a good tent i crucial.

Today I use

Solo:
Akto in the summer
Unna in the winter

Two:
Half Dome 2+ in the summer
Staika in the winter

Three:
Half Dome 4 in the summer
Saitaris in the summer

I bought the Half Dome 2+ two years ago, and simply loved it. It is so easy to pitch, so easy to use, so easy to deal with. Since the price is so good I don`t need to be afraid to use it in harsh conditions. As a minimalist I always try to get the weight down, and sold the Half Dome 2+ and bought a Quarter Dome T3. The problem was that I immediately missed my Half Dome 2+. I missed my bigger vestibules. I missed my headroom. I very much missed the length, to stretch out, and still have space for some gear in the foot end.

I sold the Quarter Dome T3 and bought a new Half Dome 2+. Man, I´m happy again. The vertical walls are well designed so you feel your in a spacious tent. Me and my brother camped in this tent in Norway in march 2012, in minus 15 degrees Celsius. In snowed 10-12 inches in the evening and the tent collapsed. It was laying totally flat to the ground. And here is one of my winning selling tips. Because of the pole design, the hole tent just "popped" up again when we digged the snow away. It was amazing. I thought a pole had broken or at least been bent, but no. Nothing was wrong.

I love this tent. My dad owns it, my brother and I own it. It is a good value tent that does the job very well. If I could put my finger on anything it must be that I would love this tent, with the exact same dimensions, to be made i Nylon. The weight would then go a little bit down, and the strength a little bit up. But again, then it would be more expensive, so maybe customers would appreciate nylon after all.

I have the 2012 mod. The doors on my tent(then I am talking about the inner tent doors) are made with two zippers. I prefer this design, because on the new design you have to fasten the inter tent door when going in and out, otherwise you will get it in your face. BUT, the new design on the OUTER tent doors are a good step in the right direction. Well done REI.

I have no problems recommending this tent to so many. The poles are made of DAC by the way, super good. Hilleberg also uses DAC. Have never had a breakage with DAC, so far.

Enjoy the outdoors! Greetings from Norway
Aleksander

Comments about REI Half Dome 2 Plus Tent:

Quick review to point out that the "new" REI Half Dome 2 Plus model #845481 has a new rain-fly design/zipper location, versus the recently price reduced model #794296. That earlier model (794296) had a number of complaints about the routing of the rainfly zipper (along side of each vestibule), which if opened allowed rain to enter the tent. This new version (845481) has the zipper located down the center of each rainfly vestibule, away from the tent, so it is possible to open it without letting rain into the tent. Cool. The previous version scored an average 4.4/5 stars, minus the rainfly complaints. With this updated version, I'm anticipating the full 5 star rating.

As I just ordered this tent, I will not comment further until it is in hand.
Just wanted to pass along this observation.
Thanks.
--mrmalba