REI Co-op - Half Dome 2 Tent with Footprint

Our half dome is such a great tent, absolutely bomb proof, easy to set up, tons of room, well ventillated, lots of thoughtful features :) These days tho, I just can't see carrying such a heavy tent backpacking - car camping, sure, but backpacking? Gimme something half the weight :D

They both are very similar, but if I remember correctly, the half dome feels roomier because it has a mini pole across the top that pushes the side walls out. I love my half dome, I recommend it.

The 2025 half dome are designed for some to sleep in each direction (head to toe). It made it difficult for one person to enter the tent of you want to sleep going the same direction. The removed all the big inside pockets, they have six inside pockets that are hard to access. If you can find an older version I would do that.

My partner and I share an REI half dome 2. It’s always been plenty spacious even with us each on an inflatable sleeping pad. We’ve also shared it with two 50lb dogs and been good.

Bivvy's rule! I have a solid military surplus one that is holding up well. I have an REI Half Dome 2 that I got for $40 used and it's great.

I'd go for a 2p, but make sure your sleeping pads will fit. Many 2p tents are tapered meaning they can't accept 2 rectangle wide pads. If you're both on 20 inch pads, then it'll be fine. There are tapered wide sleeping pads for just this reason. The MSR Hubba Hubba and the REI Half Dome are examples of tents that have a full non tapered rectangle floor.

For car camping I share a 6 person tent with my two large dogs and that is it. Backpacking we use the Half Dome 2 and with the 3 of us we are on top of each other. Couldn’t imagine sharing it with another human.

You guys could both fit but just be aware that your bags will have to go outside. If you get the Half Dome 2 tent it has a rain fly that would cover where your bags are but again still outside the tent.

I did a study on the tents available in school. The answer is “some” tents are 2-person tents, but very few. At the time, the REI Half Dome 2 was the best in terms of largest size, with reasonable weight and cost. The half dome 2 plus was even better. I think the half dome 2 has an accommodation % of 78% on length and 97.5% on width, assuming two sleeping pads side by side. I’m taller than 6 feet and two people my size fit into the REI Half Dome Plus with some gear just fine. The majority of the gear goes in the vestibules and stays reasonable dry above the ground.

I have an REI half dome 2 for car camping and it is really bomb. I use MSR Freelyte2 for backpacking.

I love my REI half dome 2. You can get a really good price when they're on sale. Good weight and has all the features you want in a tent. Easy to set up, lots of interior pockets and durable. That is if you don't care about their political views.

My REI dome tent has done great in the rain

Depending what you’re using it for! Do you go camping with your car? Or do you do backcountry hiking? If you’re gonna be carrying your tent you want to go for as lightweight as possible. Ounces really add up. I have an rei brand two person tent that’s super light and still spacious enough for two. If you won’t be carrying it on your back, you can go for more space, maybe a more heavy duty rain cover depending on your most common terrain. I would also find a tent that has its own footprint that can attach to the bottom. Saves on time and space when setting up. :)

+1 for the half dome. This will be year 10 with it for me too. I’ve taken it on all sorts of trips and the only issue is the elasticity in the poles but it’s an old tent. I haven’t replaced mine though like you did, I need to get around to that.

REI’s halfdome and quarterdome are great affordable, durable starter tents. 

Cabelas six or 8 Alaskan Guide Tent. I have owned this tent for 15 years. Did lots of family camping and kept us dry. Backpacking I just use the rei 1/2 dome. Seam seal it. However my hard core backpacking day are behind me.

REI Halfdome is probably the best mix of quality/value

Rei half dome. I'm a little tall for it at 6'4.5" but it's OK if I lay on an angle.

Not at that price and weight. I like the fly creek UL 2 as a light option, but it’s more expensive. On the cheaper side is the half dome or quarter dome but they are heavy and prices vary. A good tent will last you many years, so factor that into your decision.

My favorite car camp tent is the REI half dome. It’s actually comfortable. If you want a cheaper option, the Ozark Trail tent from Walmart is pretty decent, but doesn’t have aluminum poles. The half dome can do backpacking, but it is on the heavy side. When I care about weight, I bring my Fly Creek from Big Agnes. Copper Spur and Nemo Hornet are also great options. The fly creek is crazy light, but you really have to like the second person if you’re going to fit two.

Comparing the Copper Spur HV UL2 to UL3: a 3 person tent will be about 25% heavier (12 oz, 35g), only marginally more expensive, and the extra space will help with keeping your bags inside. To me, the worst part is the extra weight, and the extra size of the tent would prevent it from fitting in the side pouch on my bag. But if you're strapping it underneath anyway, and you're not weight-constrained, maybe it's fine. I went with the UL2 because I think it's fine to leave my pack in the vestibule of the tent, only taking the essentials inside. You can possibly find space for it near your feet if you're not big people. After all, when you're at camp, all the bulky things aren't in the pack any more! I like my tent, but there are lots of good brands out there. You might find a better deal online, but check your local outdoor store to get a feel for how big/heavy they are. If feasible, buy it there, too! I liked my REI Half Dome tent but it was so much larger and heavier than the Copper Spur, and I'm glad I replaced it.

The price spectrum is a bit of a bell curve on this question I think: At the cheapest end, I have a Coleman that I bought at Target for about $40 a decade ago. It’s.. fine. Camping near home in good weather I take it because the footprint is larger and the ceiling is higher. But I’ve had it leak in afternoon thunderstorms and had to patch it in various places after scrapes with sticks or rocks in the ground that really seem like they shouldn’t impact a non-ultralight tent. On the mid-priced part of the spectrum, my parents have been using the same REI Half Dome since it was released sometime in the 1980s, and I’ve been using a newer edition of it for at least 15 years. I’ve never been leaked on, and it’s stood through serious windstorms. Great for car camping. At the expensive end, I have an MSR ultralight backpacking tent that I treat like a baby. It cost a small fortune, if an ant looks at it sideways it tears, but it’s sure nice and light. It’s for sure not BIFL despite the price tag.

Hey OP, if you did have interest in the half dome I have one I'm trying to let go of. PM me or see my post on geartrade. It's a great tent. Mods hopefully this isn't against the rules to say...

rei half dome

I also have an alps mountaineering zephyr 2, it's more of a backpacking tent, sleeps 2, and has 2 doors. also, kelty makes a good small one. we have several because we each had one coming into the relationship. we bought the half dome together. we were lucky enough to get the mt rainier one.

It is. I had a Half Dome from 2000 and it only had 3 nights on it. Fly was completely delaminating, seams, etc. Inner was good but locating a fly was impossible.

We use rei half dome and love it, not too heavy to split between 2

Before I met my husband I had never camped before. I don’t remember exactly when our first camping trip was but I just immediately fell in love with being out in nature, hiking, the campfire, roasting marshmallows, making food… eventually we tried backpacking too. Although it was really rough (I was super slow and out of shape) I still enjoyed the experience so much! For backpacking, starting out he tried to carry as much as possible so my load would be light. Now I’m the one who’s planning all our camping and backpacking trips (but he’s still the most knowledgeable in terms of backcountry safety skills, navigation, etc from his Boy Scouts experience) I recommend picking destinations that are really beautiful. That’s the main draw for me at least. There’s nothing like seeing a sunrise over a lake, or the stars at night, sunlight filtering through a forest. We have had the REI half dome tent for a long time. It’s great! Finding a good sleeping pad is key. We got sleeping bags that can zip together into one giant one. We tend to just do 1-2 night trips, maximum 3 nights. That’s about as long as I can go without showering. I know some campgrounds have showers but I’d rather take a nice shower after getting home. Good luck!

I’m on my 2nd REI half-dome tent, had the first one for over 10 years. It’s not the lightest thing out there but it’s super easy to set up, has enough room for 2, and has been extremely durable

+1 for the half dome,I actually use a three person version for 2 people, adds about half a pound, but a comfy 3 season tent that can stand the test of time, mine is 11 years old.

REI Half Dome - easy to set up, big vestibules and freestanding.

REI half dome tent. Alps Mountaineering makes a decent sleeping bag for the buck as well.

I've had a REI half dome tent for nearing 10 years. Had to replace the cords in the poles because they lost their elasticity but otherwise it's been holding strong over multiple backpacking trips and car camping in rain and snow. Not the most lightweight but it does the trick. Can likely find a used one too for <$200. They have options of 2 person and 2+ if you want a slightly bigger one.

A budget would be helpful. I’ll give you some recommendations in a range: Overall, I believe Durston tents represent the best all around value on the market. You could go X-Mid 2 if you are comfortable with a trekking pole tent or X-Dome if not. Check the specs but I believe the x-mid 2 is 52” wide so it can hold two wide pads. It is storm worthy, durable, has some nice features like the magnetic door toggles, etc. It is a premium quality tent at a lower price. My go to if solo (I have the x-mid 1). I think the X-Mid 2 is around $300. Unsure if the x-dome 2 is actually on the market yet but price should be around $400. EDIT: X-dome 2 is out and is $469. Big Agnes Copper spur is a mainstay that is widely used. It’s a nice blend of light and durable but it isn’t cheap. Nemo Hornet is another option similar to the Copper Spur. I think these are generally $400+ but are a very nice tent intended to stand up to regular use for a decade or more. The REI half dome is very popular and is a good value if you buy it on sale. There are better tents out there but this one is a good entry level option that is durable, just light enough to backpack, and won’t break your wallet. I have one and use it when freestanding is the best option. You can find one under $250 during REI sales. I’ve heard great things about Tarptent double rainbow. You can customize it a bit with the poles in carbon fiber or aluminum. It falls at a mid price point, $300-400, something like that. On the cheaper end, I’ve heard good things about the naturehike and featherstone tents but know little about them. I think they are around $150 or so IIRC.