REI Half Dome 2
We’ve long loved the livability (and affordability) of this iconic double-wall two-person dome tent, which won our 2010 Editors’ Choice Gold Award. This spring, a 10-ounce weight reduction and improved ventilation make a good thing even better.
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Livability
This has always been the Half Dome’s calling card. It’s a roomy 32 square feet with steep, headroom-amplifying walls and a 40-inch peak height, which accommodates two XXL occupants. Four fly vents dissipate moisture: “All fabrics were dry after 30°F nights at 7,000 feet near Lake Tahoe, California,” one tester says. And a new roll-away option lets campers peel back the fly from the head and foot ends, increasing airflow and facilitating stargazing.
Packability
Weight and bulk used to be the penalty for the roomy interior. But lighter, more compressible fabrics make the new Half Dome reasonable on both counts.
Durability
The lightened-up fabrics are hardly fragile: 40- and 70-denier nylon stand up to kids, dogs, and abrasive campsites. But these fabrics have become cheaper over time as even lighter technologies hit the market. So no price hike.