REI Quarter Dome 2

Active Junky Badass Gear Winner

Slightly bulkier than some, it stands up taller to offer more room to dollar-conscious backpackers.

Field Notes: The REI Quarter Dome 2, one of the roomier lightweight tents in the gear test, was subject to an experiment. We crammed two 6’5” testers in it over multiple nights, banking on this reliable tent to house the two of them—and comfortably, at that.

Pros: The price, simplicity and reliability we’ve come to expect from the REI brand. No, Quarter Dome 2 doesn’t pack down to the size of a water bottle and it weighs over a pound more than the lightest tents tested. But for the everyday adventurer, this tent is ideal. Our testers favored the single pole setup system, pegging it as faster than the Big Agnes Copper Spur but not quite as sturdy as the MSR Free Lite 2. And yes, this tent has plenty of space—our two tallest testers fit without kneeing each other in the back every time they rolled over (this happens more often than you’d expect).

Cons: There aren’t many cons with this one. It’s not particularly innovative as REI’s not trying to reinvent the wheel; they simply wanted to make a reasonably-priced, lightweight tent every backpacker can enjoy. While the tent was bulkier and weighed more than the sub-3lb tents, this is an excellent choice for the vast majority of backpackers.

Favorite Feature: The single-pole setup and the simplicity. One of the most straightforward tents tested—what you see is what you get. And what you get, especially for the price, is pretty amazing.

Tester Quote: “My co-tester and I are both 6’5”, and we fit together in the Quarter Dome 2 without a squeeze. We were comfortable when we fell asleep, when we woke up, and everywhere in between. That’s a huge deal for us big folk.”

Bottom Line: Not the cheapest, not the lightest. That said, the Quarter Dome finds its form as a lightweight, reliable and practical tent at a fair price.