Half Dome 4 Plus

If you are over landing and just driving all day a roof top could make sense for some. In a campground rtt’s seem pointless. If I am staying for more then two days someplace I set up my Cabelas six man guide tent. If I am weekend camping REI 1/2 dome four person. Easy to set up and roomy.

You mean four. REI 1/2 dome 4. Divide the poles, fly, tent and ground cloth between the three. I have carried the tent by myself. Spacious family backpacking tent. Wife, myself and two young kids and a dog. Gear stored outside under a tarp that hangs over the tent.

If car camping is 90+% of the use case, size and weight are really no longer considerations imo so then you’re really looking at comfort features and weather resistance. If winter camping isn’t something you’ll be doing, the REI half-dome or NorthFace Wawona are two solid 4-person tents. These aren’t backpacking tents, but you’ll be able to stand, you can stow all your gear inside, they’ve got great weather resistance, and you, your dog and your friend will fit comfortably inside. For the few backpacking trips, my suggestion is to borrow or rent to get a feel for what features resonate with you.

Me too, I have the half dome plus for trips where packing volume matters but weight is not an issue and also because it is more roomy and made of more robust fabrics. I do a fair amount of trips that start with a flight so a lighter tent that takes up less room is a must. Copper Spur is perfect though I have also used a 20+ pound REI Kingdome when space was less of an issue.

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 started out with a half dome plus and while it is heavy I recommend it. Rei has good dimensions on their site so I would trust if another lighter tent says you should fit.

I like the rei half dome plus. It’s about $370 which is out of the price range but you could wait to an rei sale like Labor Day or get a used one on eBay.

Also don’t disregard REI brand tents. My husband and I have been using a 4 person REI tent for several years now and it’s sustained a few solid rainstorms. It’s similar to the westward model! Also If you have an in person REI near you check the “re-sale” section, great way to snag stuff at a deal. As you go to upgrade I’d upgrade things based on what erks you when camping and you wish was just a bit easier or more comfortable. For us being able to stand up to get dressed in the tent was huge, and we prioritized a taller tent pretty quickly and oversized bc we usually travel in chilly weather to go fishing. So having space to store our layers inside and use our vehicle for only fishing gear has made it much much easier to stay organized!