Your focus should definitely be into “crossover” gear like for a sleeping pad, the NEMO Tensor All-Season or the Big Agnes Rapide SL are the gold standard that you can look into
For your tent, a high-quality 3-person backpacking tent like the REI Half Dome 3 Plus or the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 which is the perfect middle ground. These are true freestanding tents that give two people plenty of “elbow room” and gear space while still being light enough to carry a few miles into the backcountry later.
Also consider investing in a good headlamp (like a Black Diamond or Petzl) and a solid camp chair (like the REI Skyward or Helinox). Having a reliable, hands-free light and a chair that doesn’t sag after an hour will do more for your monthly camping habit than you think. For the rest, you can try [52 Hiking and Camping Gears to Pack in 2026](https://alaskanarrows.com/hiking-and-camping-gears-checklist/) too
Other than that, take it slow, look around the market and choose your products wisely, you don’t need them all but eventually you’ll know what works and wha doesn’t
I’m 5’4” tall as well. For many years I’ve used a 2p backpacking tent for my car camping lifestyle. It had a low profile so it did good in the wind,stayed warm in the shoulder seasons and was easy to set up. Last year I finally bought a camp toilet because I hated the 3 am trips to the bathroom. There wasn’t enough room in the tent to put the toilet (sometimes the campgrounds are too open to put it outside the tent). I went to REI and bought a 4p Camping tent. It was HUGE compared to what I was used to. I had a hard time with the rain fly in my living room-forget it if the wind is blowing hard. It had integrated poles and was bulky and heavy (didn’t fit in the tote I keep my camping supplies in). I took it back and bought a 3p backpacking tent and it’s perfect for me. Everyone is different
I want
1) ease of set up
2) good in wind and rain
3) packs down small enough for my suitcase (I fly at least once per year to camp)
4) fits my twin air bed, small backpack and camp toilet
5) small enough to share a tent pad with a friend
The first decision is camping vs backpacking. REI is a great place to buy a tent and their website is good-lots of reviews and videos. . After my first bad buy I actually used rope to draw out the dimensions of the tents I was looking at so I could see how big they were. It helped me to narrow down my choices. As for brand I ended up with an REI branded one. Coleman makes a nice camping tent (the one I returned). Like anything read the reviews. At least if you buy it a REI you can return it if you don’t like it.
I just bought the 3p REI backpacking tent. It fits my air bed,easy to set up,room for my camp toilet,low profile so it does good in the wind. Compact because I travel by air to national parks/state parks to camp. I love it.
We had this same dilemma recently. Before it was just me and my wife and our ACD who is around 35lbs. Our two person tent worked fine for that (Big Agnes Tigerwall 2). Then we got our second dog around 50lbs. So that setups wasn’t going to cut it.
We ended up getting the REI Camp Dome 3 and that works out just fine for car camping or kayak camping. However it’s packed down weight is something like 5lbs. While that’s not terrible if the trip is short enough, I wouldn’t want to pack it on a trip longer than an overnighter. So we’re still in the market for a UL 3 person for those longer multi-day trips I guess.
I have the REI Half Dome 3+ and am 6-5 @ 285# and camped this year with my son. I wouldn't consider anything smaller. Though you and your missus might get away with sleeping a bit closer together. Just my two cents.
REI Half Dome 2+ fits in your budget when on sale and is big enough to fit 2 wide long pads. Recommend stretching for the 3 person version if you can; more room for activities.
Most tents in your budget won’t be 4 season at least in terms of snow load. Maybe fair winter weather if your sleep system is up to the temps.
for reference, the Nature Hike Star River 2 is
53in x 84.5in
134.5cm x 214.5cm
The REI Half Dome 2+ is
56in x 92in
142.2cm x 233.6 cm
and the REI Half Dome 3 is
70in x 90in
177.8cm x 228.6cm
EDIT
Cloud 3 is
68.9in x 84.6in
175cm x 215cm
I'm not a big fan of the Y style tent poles, as I feel like they don't hold up as well to winds compared to more traditional double pole designs, though they are lighter for obvious reasons.
I do recommend measuring your sleeping pads and make sure there is enough room if you go with a 2 person tent. It does look like the Star River is pretty decently sized though in this regard if you're both using wide pads.
I do personally like having extra room in the event of a weather event. I would highly recommend getting a larger 3 person tent for 2 people to have extra room for gear, or just moving around comfortably if you're stuck 'indoors' due to weather. Having extra floorspace as well as headroom can be amazing in those situations.
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