Quarter Dome 2

All these "3p or you'll regret it" people are blowing things out of proportion in my opinion. 2p is totally fine as long as the tent has sufficient vestibule space for your gear. You only need to go to a 3p tent for two people if you want to keep your packs in the tent. My wife and I have always used a 2 person tent when backpacking (Cabela's XPG2 IIRC, followed by an REI Quarter Some T2). I have used the same tents with various friends, plus a 2 person North Face Lenticular in winter. The only one that has ever presented a challenge was the North Face because it narrows significantly at the foot end and I brought a long wide NeoAir Trekker pad, so our air pads overlapped at that end. Even then, it was fine. In snow you can get bonus vestibule space by digging a hole underneath the vestibule. Then you can store an 80L pack *vertically*.

Have a few and have learned a little from each. As mentioned, you’re generally paying for ounces, materials, packability, and weather resistance. I have the previous gen REI Quarter Dome. It has been good and have already replaced the shock cord on poles, a common issue for REI tents. But I’m always jealous when looking at my friends MSR Hubba Hubba. I also have a Durston Xmid 2. An amazing tent and design, but requires a little more work to learn how to pitch and takes up a little more space. Also needs good ground to secure to. They also have a freestanding option that looks real nice. And then I have an old 3P Mountain Hardware. Not something I use other than for car camping. Materials are thicker and more resistant to having a kid and dog inside. More space for all our stuff, traditional air mattress, etc. dumb vinyl windows on the fly failed years ago and I’ve been running with it taped ever since.

REI tents only punch above their price point until they don't. I had a Quarter Dome 2 completely fail after maybe 10 nights, and REI DID NOT stand up for their supposed warranty. They told me that I needed to send my tent to a third party repair company at my own expense. WHY TF DID I BUY AN REI PRODUCT BECAUSE OF THE REI WARRANTY IF THE WARRANTY DIDN'T ACTUALLY EXIST? Meanwhile, I have a Marmot Ajax 3p that's still going strong after 10 years. Fuck REI. They ceased to be about the co-op a long time ago. Now they're all about DEI hipster lifestyle salespersons who have never spent a single night in the woods and ripping off stupid newbies who think they're buying a decent product. Don't be that stupid newbie like me.

TLDR: Trekking pole, double wall tent. (I own 2 Durston tent and 1 Nemo tent and have owned/gifted 2 REI tents) Here are is none complete list of all tents that will 'survive' the AT. (Semi)Free standing tent * Durston X Dome 2 * Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 * REI quarter dome 2 * Nemo Hornet/Dragonfly 2 Trekking pole tent * Durston x Mid 2 * Tarp Tents\* Info Dump * Most tents can be learned to setup Fly First for rain but Durston tents are designed with that in mind * I love Nemo and Big Agnes for their years of making good tents * Nemo advertises itself as more environmentally concerned and takes actions on it but please do your own research if this is important to you * REI has cheaper versions on Nemo/Big Agnes tents * REI Garage Sales are a great way to get slightly used tents for cheaper then new * Avoid Dynima for your first backpacking tent as its expensive and takes more care * Free Standing tents will feel safer and easier to put up and don't require trekking poles so in the rare chance your trekking pole breaks during the day you wont be SOL * Trekking pole tents can be more storm worthy then Free standing tents if pitched correctly, Weigh Less, no ridged poles in your bag, and simpler once learned. My Generic Recommendation * If you plan to backpack/Camp with this tent more then 5 trips a year or 10 nights go for a trekking pole tent (Durston X Mid 2) as you will learn the trekking pole tent skill and benefit from what makes them good * If you are planning to mostly do car camping trips or base camping then i would recommend Free Standing tent as you won't benefit as much from the trekking pole benefits and will still have access to your poles even if your tent is pitched (No specific recs) *There are likely spelling/grammar issues but i feel like i spent enough time on this post*

Sierra backpacker here. That's a tolerable summer loadout, and not far off from what I use on some trips. Disclaimer, I am the last person to talk to if you're interested in ultralight anything. Short rundown: The tent will be "heavy" by most standards, but they're solid tents and will perform for many years if taken care of. I have a Quarter Dome T2 and an Arete, and I have used them both for many years. I'm a big fan of a freestanding tent because around 50% of my excursions are to destinations and not thru-hikes. I want to setup my camp, and still be mobile for the daytime The bag is not the lightest, nor the warmest, but it will work okay in a lot of conditions. I've transitioned to more of a bedroll setup, as I find that's more adaptable for my particular needs. Pads, you can ask 10 people and get 11 opinions. I use a z-pad and a basic Thermarest doubled up if it's cold-cold. I think every single person here has changed their mind on a pad situation at least once, if not five times.

Where are you based? If you're in the US, REI's house brand has a couple of options - Trail Made and Trail Hut 2P tents that go for under USD $250. Sounds like your usage is pretty low, so I would also consider exploring your local FB Marketplace for 2P tents. You might get a higher end version or older models of REI tents for far cheaper. Lots of people who are new to camping go buy new gear only to find out that perhaps it's not for them. I found a used Half Dome 2 on Craigslist 5 years ago for $30. The Half Dome goes on car camping trips, or trips where it'll sit out in the sun for day. I've also had a REI Quarter Dome and a Passage before - they are decent tents. If you're buying used, just inspect the waterproofing layer for signs of wear and delamination. Good luck!

I'd recommend the Dan Durston X-Mid 1P if you can find one used, they hit most of your requirements and are a lot lighter than the Tadpole. I switched to the Quarter Dome a couple years ago and haven’t looked back. There’s a ton of good budget ultralight options popping up these days too if you shop the used market.