REI Half Dome 4 Tent

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

After 2 trips our family of 4 likes it. New hub creates more headroom than previous version, my 7 year old can easily standup inside. Mesh gear loft is great. Couldn't be easier to setup with color code system. 2 big vestibules, in a windy-wet storm family ate in one, while I cooked in the other. Don't listen to the detractors; if you guy line the tent and rainfly properly there's no condensation. While not "ultralight" it is not "ultra-expensive"; however it's light enough for Dad to carry, and the kids gear too. I was very skeptical about the new design, however after using the tent I couldn't be happier. Absolutely excellent legit 4 person/family value backpack tent. Bottom line: Cost vs. Value there isn't a better option.

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

This is a good tent overall. Probably deserves closer to 4.5 stars of 5. It's big enough for 4 people shoulder-to-shoulder, or 3 people and a row of backpacks. I'm 6'4" and I can fit ok but not a lot of extra room. In heavy rain, the fly tends to stick to the outside wall, and slowly moisture comes in. That also prevents airflow, causing breath perspiration and whatever to condense on the inside. This is pretty much true with most 4-person tents though. It's not super lightweight but split between 2-4 people it's not bad at all. If clothing or a sleeping bag is touching the wall of the tent, and it's wet out, that thing will be wet in the morning. Not sopping, but damp. Again, only really high-end tents avoid that. All the poles are connected which is nice, and setting it up is easy, even alone. Large vestibule space. Quite durable fabric. Quality construction overall.

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

I spent a great deal of time researching tents and decided on the REI Half Dome 4 for simplicity of setting up, room, and protection from the elements and have been very pleased with my choice. Since the purchase I have camped in the mountains and the beach and have yet to experience good weather. I was amazed that through three days of steady rain in the mountains of Virginia everything remained dry in the tent. The ventilation was good enough that I was not overwhelmed by the smell of my wet dog after long hikes.

While camping at a South Carolina beach the tent kept me nice and dry during an all night thunder and lightening storm. The frame supported a fan and the material held up against the raccoon on one side and my dog on the other. The net kept out the no-see-ums and mosquitos. I even kept part of the fly unzipped for additional ventilation in 93 degree temps during the tropical storm and was able to stay dry near the door.

I'm pleased with the tent, was glad that I practiced putting it up at home the first time so I could watch the video for guidance, and that it has lived up to my expectations. If a 53 year-old first time camper can do it, anyone can!

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

After kids, our backpacking stopped and we went to car camping with large heavy tents. Now my kids are old enough to hike and we started looking at lighter tents that could be packed.

We looked at two tents, the Sierra Design Lightning XT4 and the 2010 REI Half Dome 4. We set up both tents in the store prior to purchase. The XT4 was very comparable with better vertical sidewalls for more interior space but smaller doors. The rainflys seemed very similar with no notable differences. The Half Dome was slightly taller on the inside and had a yellow rain fly which made it brighter and cheerier to my kids.

We decided on the Rei Half Dome 4 because we did think they were comparable tents while the Half Dome 4 was $150 less. Additionally, I liked the access to the many REI stores that could provide replacement/repair quickly if there is a problem.

So far we have taken it for a short trip to Havasupai and it worked like a champ. It was quick to set up and easy for the kids to do with one parents help. The mesh pockets could be somewhat bigger but there was plenty of room for us as long as your kids are still small and have little need for personal space.

I'm happy with the purchase and would recommend it to others looking to get a tent that fits a family of four and is relatively light.

Note: the color coding on our ground cloth was incorrect but that was exchanged easily and quickly.

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

I've been waiting to buy a family tent for some time now and have spent hours comparing different models - weight, floor space, headroom, price, etc. There seemed to always be some significant compromise that kept me from buying... until now. The new REI Half Dome 4 hits the sweet spot for our purposes as a family - that is, a family of 3 (and growing) with a penchant for sleeping outdoors after spending the day paddling or hiking, erring on the side of comfort. My wife and I first used this tent on a 3 day canoe trip down the St Mary's River. We marveled not only at it's grandiose space, but at the attention to detail throughout. It was easy to set up and a pleasure to use with no interior condensation on humid Florida nights (rainfly vents open). The pitch was taught and the rainfly worked beautifully with makeshift sand anchors (buried sticks).Ah, but it weighs over 7 pounds. Agreed, this is perhaps too heavy (my 2-man tent is under 4 lbs) for through-hiking the AT... but consider splitting the load 3 ways (in our case) and each person carries less than 2.5 lbs to relax in luxury at the end of the day. Definitely worth the weight! And consider most other tents of this size weigh >10 lbs. [$]I can't think of any other piece of gear that's worth as much. I'd pay twice that for this tent (and almost did). Bottom line: This is a terrific tent at a price which must pain competitors and offers a solid combination of space and weight. REI has done it right with this tent!

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

I talked with REI for about two hours and we came up with this tent and i couldn't be happier... It set up fast!!!! The first night we were camping mother nature decided to test this tent out.. We had 35+ winds and heavy heavy rain and it was perfect!!1

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

I bought this tent and wanted to purchase quality and after some research i purchased this one and decided to try out this weekend... It was very easy for my wife and i to set up. the rain fly was a snap to put on.. That night we went to bed and woke up to 50mph winds and heavy heavy rain and it was like that for about 3 hours and inside not one drop of rain and the poles held up great i didn't see any bending.. For [$] bucks to me its worth it to be dry and to know that this tent won't bend under that kind of wind..I also attached a pic so you can see what the wind and rain did to the other tent in our group as you can see mine was on the right totally dry inside and the tent never moved. on the left he had 6 inches of standing water and his tent moved all over the placeQuality tent winssss!!!!!Great tent

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

Took this baby on a weekend short BP trip. I have 2 little kids so it had to be short. We found a site, set it up with no issues. Set up is a breeze and is color coded etc. I will pretty much echo everything that everyone else has said except that the stakes that this thing comes with are flimsy. Upgrade, and exchange the guy lines for something fluorescent as well = easier to see in the dark. Also get the foot print for an even lighter option (just make sure there are no bugs) I love this tent and I have spent hours researching them. REI tents are legit and I am so glad I am a member.

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

Purchased this for a recent trip into the Grand Canyon backcountry. I had a couple of tall guys going with me on the trip, so I figure it was high time I got a bigger tent.

To be honest, I've never even looked at backpacking tents beyond the typical 2/3-man babies. Surely a 4-man would be too heavy....or would it? That's when I randomly discovered the Half Dome 4. Previously, I was only aware of the 2 version, having encountered it on the trail with some other packers. Looked like a good tent....but would the 4 be as good?

Well, after a week of backpacking in the Grand Canyon, I can testify that this is a great tent. The first thing to note is the great mesh, and for late-summer/early-fall camping along the Colorado in the GC, this is absolutely essential.

I stuck our tallest 2 guys in this tent, while me and the other 'short' dude stayed in my Sierra Designs 3-man. We thought about cramming all 4 of us in the tent, I think you could probably do 4 guys in a pinch (assuming they are not any bigger than 5'10 / 180), but since one of our guys is 6'5'' we decided to split up for comfort.

The 3-pole design is nothing like I've ever used before. So he first couple of times you set it up, you may have to think a little extra to get it to work. The color coded straps/poles make it easy to find your bearings. After a couple of set ups, you'll have it down in a flash. With 2/3 guys setting it up, it takes no time at all.

No rain on this trip, so I can't comment on the fly or waterproofness of the tent.

With a 6mo. old, I foresee this tent is going to get a lot of use in our family in the future. My 2-man Marmot is great on solo expeditions, my Sierra D. 3-man has worked great for my wife and I in the past....but now that we are adding people to the fam, I suspect our newest tent addition to the fam is going to be seeing a lot more use in the future.

All and all, I really tried to find something small to nitpick about....and this is probably the first tent I've ever had that I can't find anything to criticize in the tent.

Well done, REI!!

Comments about REI Half Dome 4 Tent:

I usually hike/camp with a bivy, but my girlfriend started joining me on trips so we obviously needed something bigger. Our first trip was in a two person tent. The nights were humid and since she's a little claustrophobic she didn't sleep well. I bought the REI Half Dome 4 tent, which was plenty big enough for the two of us and our little one whenever she comes with us. This tent is roomy. Very roomy. It's not mostly mesh like the Quarter Dome so there's privacy and it'll provide a little more protection in slightly colder weather. Setup and takedown were both very easy. There are even two loops near the gear loft at the top of the tent to hang a lantern or a fan (or both!) for warmer nights.

I could complain about the weight, but 7.5 pounds for a four-man tent is actually pretty good. Just split the weight between two people and it's like carrying two two-person tents.

I gave it only four stars because the mesh seems a little cheap. Granted, heavier duty mesh would've increased the weight, but if you're careful it'll probably last a long time. Keep dogs and cats away though, and sharp objects too, because holes are very easy to create.

This tent is great and the price just can't be beat.