Quarter Dome SL 2

I upgraded gear gradually when I found it inadequate for my needs. I had an old kelty tent that got flattened and flooded in a rainstorm…quickly upgraded to a REI sl2 tent for car camping. Started getting into backpacking and my 20yr old sleeping bag was too bulky and heavy, so I upgraded to a quilt. If you’re a fair weather camper there’s not much need to change your setup, but you could keep a lookout for gear sales and pick up stuff when it’s discounted

Same exact tent here and we love it.

I would go with a 3-person tent even if you mostly camp solo because it gives you room to breathe and lets you bring gear without feeling cramped. I tested the 2026 REI Quarter Dome SL 2 last season and it held up great in a downpour, no leaks, and the setup was super fast with the color-coded poles. It's not the lightest but it's durable and worth the extra weight for weekend trips. If you're into backpacking later, you might want to look into the MSR Hubba Hubba NX but for now, the REI tent is solid and has good ventilation.

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*.

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.