Rambling Review – REI Half Dome 2 HC
NOTE: This is the original REI Half Dome 2 HC tent. It has since been redesigned by REI (and for what reason, I have no idea.)
Why:
It started as simple drive across country and the need for an additional tent. There are so many options for tents and shelters. What I was looking for was a two person tent that was rugged and easy to set up. The tent would mostly be used for car camping but would hopefully be light enough to have for an overnight into the backcountry.
I have always admired REI equipment but had not had a whole lot of experience with their products. Having scouted out several “value” tents from some different manufacturers, I was sold this fantastic REI Half Dome 2 HC tent on the recommendation of the REI salesman. His exact words were “I have had this exact tent for 3 years and bought another one just in case something goes wrong.” I decided he was telling the truth and laid out the extra money for this quality tent. I could not have been happier. I have had this tent for over 3 years and love it as much as the day I bought it.
First impressions:
Simplicity – I am that guy. When buying a new piece of equipment, I am not satisfied with the floor model. Instead I want to take it out of the box and put it together myself. On the first try, I had this tent up in a matter of a few minutes without any directions. If you know me, that is simplicity at its finest.
Size – This tent fits me and my wife, shoulder to shoulder quite comfortably. I am a fairly good size boy and she is little petite beauty. I recommend getting yourself situated in a floor model and making sure you fit. Most of the time, it is just me camping in some remote part of Arizona and therefore I have ample room for my gear inside the tent.
Utility – There are several very handy mesh pockets on the inside corners of the tent which are great to store gear in. One overhead mesh pocket is perfect for a flashlight and other odds and ends you may need in the night. The vestibule outside each door are large enough to fit a full backpack and boots if need be and stay dry even through heavy rain.
Field Use:
The REI Half Dome 2 HC has seen countless nights across the United States. From the warm desert of Arizona to the cold spring snow of Yellowstone, this tent has performed flawlessly through it all. It is a great 3 season tent and with two people sleeping, it can stay quite toasty in the colder months. I have occasionally opted not to put on the rain fly when the temperature climbs higher and the tent is extremely comfortable even during Arizona’s hotter months. The REI Half Dome has stood up to countless hunting and fishing trips. On many of these trips, I am solo and the tent is fairly simple to set up even with one person.
The one negative aspect of this tent was the tent stakes. The stakes that came with this tent from REI were your standard cheap metal. After a few weeks on the road, most of the stakes were bent beyond use. I spent a few extra dollars and bought some quality MSR Needle stakes. These are much nicer to use on the hard rocky ground and can take a bit more abuse than your standard tent stakes.
Pros:
Durable Construction
Excellent performance in over 3 years worth of use.
Simplicity of setup
Cons:
Footprint must be bought separately (I would recommend buying the footprint as it will extend the life of your tent.)
Low quality tent stakes sold with this tent
PROGNOSIS: This version of the tent was rock solid. I do not know why they changed the design and would encourage someone looking to buy the new model to ask lots of questions and take a look at the tent in person. I have always been very happy with the service at REI and the people there are honest and will not steer you wrong.
* Disclaimer:
The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.
I agree totally. I have this exact tent and feel the same way about it. My only complaint is that REI does not sell replacement poles for it. A friend bent/broke one during an Alaska trip and it was a pain in the butt to get it fixed. Otherwise, REI’s service is awesome.
Mike,
That is really unfortunate and not very insightful on REI’s part. It is really a great tent and it is too bad that they don’t sell replacement poles. Glad you like the tent though and I’m not the only one. Thanks for the comment.
Ben
The REI Passage 2 looks to be equivalent to this tent. The colors are different, but it has the same floor dimensions, and a similar door opening. I wonder if the poles for the Passage 2 would serve as replacements for the HC.
Sounds good. I’ll have to check it out Jimothy. REI has a habit of making quality products. Thanks for the heads up on the Passage.
Ben
Coleman makes a universal tent pole replacement kit. It requires some work on your part to cut the poles to length, but well worth the $10-$15 for the kit (especially if it saves an otherwise perfectly good tent).
As for the REI tent, I got one of these and it seems like a decent tent, but packs way too big and heavy for my ultralight tastes. I’ll be “regifting” this one.
Good to hear. Thanks M40.
Ben
I’ve been looking for a new tent for a while now but I want one that is lightweight enough to carry on a fishing trip where you fish all day, setup camp, then fish all day the next day. Maybe that’s just a dream though. How’s the weight of this one if you were to have it on your back just about an entire day of fishing?
Nick,
I have packed this tent in on many occasions but honestly if you are doing a solo trip you may be more interested in a bivy sack or something lighter. This tent is around 6-7 pounds which is considered heavy by most. It is real comfortable for 2 though. They recently upgraded this model of tent and I don’t know if it shed any pounds in the changes. I like your dream though. I have the same one most of the winter. Hope this helps.
Ben
I have the new version, of the tent. Not exactly by choice but I have it none the less. When I was in the market REI was phasing out the one you have. I hit up 4 stores but they were all out of stock. So after talking to a sales person I bought the new version. It is a good tent as well, but got a bad wrap because of the loyal following of people with the old tent. I am an REI-aholic and stand by the store product and as you said these tents are quality!
Very cool Bruce. Glad to hear the new tent is made with the same quality. REI is a top notch store and I also have a severe addiction problem. It’s tough to walk out of there without dropping some serious coin. Thanks for the heads up on the new tent. When it is time to replace this one I will definitely check out the new model.
Ben
Hey Ben,
I completely agree with your review. I have been using REI half domes since I was 12. My parents have 3 different generations that my wife and I borrow (occasionally permanently!) My wife and I had been using the generation before yours for about five years, without any complaints. Last July, however, my wife had a difficult time staking it in(rocky ground)while hiking Mt. Whitney, and after she summitted she returned to camp only to see that the tent only had one stake in the ground and the tent was flying in the air like a kite! Needless to say there were a few abrasions in the rain fly (but really, that was all.) So for my week-long packpacking trip in the Sierras last year my buddy and I used the tent you just wrote the review about. It is my Dad’s tent, and I absolutely loved it. I’m 6’3 and it was plenty big for me, plus the dual vestibule space made enough room for both of our stuff. Sadly, my Dad wanted his tent back and our tent is still less than water-tight.
I wanted to get a tent just like yours, but REI doesn’t sell them anymore. The new design has an additional cross bar which adds quite a bit of weight, but also makes the side walls nearly verticle and adds a ton of space. I was trying to decide whether or not to get it, but my parents got it for my wife and I for Christmas, so the decision was made. I have yet to use it, but it seems super stable, and it comes in a plus size, which is great for me and my wife who are both a litle tall at 6’3 and 5’9. Although it weighs a bit more than I would like, it seems like it should really be a quality 3/4 season tent and it will be luxurious in the backcountry. The 2 man plus is almost the size of many 3 person tents. My wife thinks it great, because she knows that I am going to carry the tent anyway! Now I’ve got to figure out how/where/when I’m getting into the high country this year!
-Kirk
Kirk,
What a great testament to their utility and quality. Three generations of the same style tent is unbelievable. Definitely let me know how the new one works. Someday this one will give out and I’ll be looking to replace it with another quality tent. Thanks for the good info.
Ben
Gentleman,
If I may I would like to provide a little bit of REI insight. I have worked at the Tempe REI for almost six years now so I have seen almost all of the models mentioned above. The old REI half dome was a wonderful tent and there is really no ryme or reason to why they changed the design. The only reason I can think of is within the last three years there has been a big push in the industry to have vertical sidewalls on the tent. This has been a big improvement allowing for greater “livability”, especially for bigger guys. As you guys have mentioned by adding that extra bar in the redesign you do pick up some extra weight, packed weight is a little over six. Now you have two options. Option one is REI also makes its Quarter Dome tent which is a ultralight two person tent. It is also made in a plus version for guys needing extra height. The other option is this year REI introduced a “new” tent called the REI Passage witch is basically the old half dome 2 that Ben and others have spoken so highly on. I hope this helps in choosing a tent.
Logan
Ps I’m trying to buy a new fly rod outfit and do it on the budget. I was looking at the llbean streamlight ultra four piece in 5wt. I know its not the best any suggestions?
Good info Logan on the tents. I really do like that design so it’s good to know there are some comparable options.
I think TFO is a great deal for the money. Pair it with a nice reel and line and you’ll be set for years. Depends what you are going to be fishing? Where do you think you’ll be headed?
Ben
For replacement poles go to
polesforyou.com
TentPole Technologies
Tips up, Dana
Thanks Dana. Good stuff.
Ben
I bought the REI Half Dome 2HC Tent 3 years ago to use on a hiking trip that sadly was canceled at the last minute. I have never used this tent and have not even taken it out of the bag that REI shipped to me in. I am sure it is still in great shape. I now hike and camp with my family and we use a larger dome tent so I do not have a need for this tent. I was going to sell it on ebay when I came across your website. Would you or do you know anyone who would be interested in purchasing it. Asking $100 with free shipping.
Matt,
Thanks so much for the offer. Sounds like a great deal. My half dome is in pretty good shape and I have been starting to use a hammock too. I appreciate the offer, but I will leave your comment up on the site and if someone comes across it and is interested they can contact you. Thanks again for the offer. Take care.
Ben
Hey Matt . . . Interested; still available?!
:] Thanks, JasonBundy@me.com
Jason, I sent Matt an email with your contact info. If it’s still available, he should be contacting you.
Ben
I own the new version of the REI Half Dome and I absolutely love it. Like he said in the review, it is extremely simple which means it is designed very well. It’s a breeze to set up and take down, and is very high quality. It is a tremendous value. It was the first tent I got for backpacking, and I have switched to an much lighter tent called The Moment, from tarptent.com – another incredible value for such a quality product however it is designed for one person. If you are doing some serious distance, cutting your tent weight from 6+ lbs to 2lbs is a substantial difference. But if you are needing a tent for two, split the weight of the Half Dome between two people and you definitely can’t go wrong.
The REI Passage tent is the renamed version of the REI Half Dome 2 HC tent. The HC was so popular, that REI resurected it as the Passage. The new Half Dome 2 (and 2 Plus) have a “third” pole, the brow pole that crosses the tent at the middle, and holds out the side. This extends headroom, and makes the sides more vertical. This comes at the cost of a small amount of additional weight. The newer Half Dome 2, uses two pole Hubs (in order to deal with the cross pole) and as a result is slightly stronger. (In the west, in low snow conditions, this tent can stretch to 4 seasons) if properly staked and guyed.
For those looking for replacment poles, the REI passage poles will work on an REI Half Dome 2 HC. (Basically same tent). But I have never seen REI sell replacement Passage poles (only their current half dome tent, and the pole sets are expensive ($50).
To repair your REI Half Dome Poles, just use a pole replacement place. Two are listed below.
http://tentpoletechnologies.com/?page_id=17
http://www.questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm#TENT%20POLES
Good info. Thanks.
I just picked up this exact tent at the REI garage sale. Looks like it was used one time before being returned, practically brand new. I plan to use it for hunting and Scout trips.
Very nice. It’s a great tent that will serve you well.
Ben
I have had this tent for over three camp seasons, so about 40 trips, and everyone hates me: 1) so easy to set up; and 2) when setup, you can pick it up with one finger and find out where you want to place it. I did bend one pole and was able to bend it back a bit. I would highly recommend this tent! And I did buy the footprint, since I live East of Seattle, you know the drill (mud and rain). Great job REI.