Rei Base Camp 6 Vs Kingdom 6

The REI Trail Hut 2 Tent is a great starter two-person backpacking tent that even includes the footprint. Most tents you have to purchase the footprint separately for an additional $30-$60. It is making this already budget-friendly REI 2 person tent an even bigger bargain. It is comparable to all the other tents in this category except that it is 2 plus pounds heavier. Still, two people dividing up this almost five-pound tent isn’t too much of a shared weight for nearly half the cost of your other options. There are some nice features built into the tent, like vents in the rain fly to prevent condensation.

This category also includes the CORE 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent, our pick for the best instant tent. Victoria is a writer that uses every free moment to escape from noisy city life. When not working, she can be found hiking and camping with her faithful canine companion, an Alaskan Malamute. The Wonderland tent stuff sack also differs from the previous version, and slightly harder to stuff the tent back into compared to the backpack version.

The REI Kingdom 6 is an excellent all-around tent that balances multiple uses without compromise to its weather resistance and durability. Users can choose between privacy and extra ventilation with the use of a fly. According to Expert World Travel, the Kelty Wireless 4-person tent is one of the best options for beginners.

Marmot Limestone 4p Tent

Camping in a pop up camper is a different experience than any other type of camping. You obviously get to bring far more comforts with you than if you were roughing it with just a tent and minimal supplies, but it is also far more basic than pulling up in a 30′ trailer or RV. This category also includes the four-season Alaskan Guide Model Geodesic, as well as The North Face Wawona 6, which boasts a huge vestibule and tons of usable space. There’s not much you can do about it, except using extra stakes or placing the tent in such a way to block the wind.

In choosing the right backpacking tent, you have a wide range of options from minimalist ultralight shelters to inexpensive and heavier entry-level models. She writes everything from breaking news and magazine features to outdoor gear reviews. Her writing on housing and homelessness and the uneven impacts of climate change has appeared in The Atlantic, High Country News, and Mother Jones. She has also done reporting stints with Lookout Santa Cruz and Portland’s NBC affiliate, KGW. In her free time, you can find her scaling rock walls or backpacking in the mountains.

Storage

There is a front and back door, so you can have people sleep in both areas without crawling over each other. We’re Dave & Annie, the outdoor adventurers behind CleverHiker. We love backpacking, international travel, useful gear, and all things nature.Read more…

It has a geodesic dome design, which essentially means that the poles cross over each other. This structure makes the tent much sturdier so it can withstand high winds and heavy rains. The tent definitely won’t leak – though some rain may get in through the top vents if it is very windy out. WEIGHT/SIZE – Weight isn’t quite as important for car camping as it is for backpacking, but it’s still nice when your tent is easy to maneuver and doesn’t take up a ton of space. If you have a small vehicle, limited storage space at home, or you’ll be venturing a ways away from your car, consider going with one of the lighter/more compact tents.

Should you get caught in the rain for an extended time and forgot to open the vents, just unzip, and you have easy access to the top vents on the rainfly from the comforts of your living room. A great addition that we hope other brands start to incorporate into their designs. We bought it because the tent is cavernous and will potentially offer a place for a family of four even in a storm. The room divider means we can separate a bedroom from an activity space or two bedrooms.

When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support our work. Learn how we create the world’s most carefully tested and objective gear reviews on our About page. Aerial view showing both vestibules staked and ready to hold gear. The huge doors on the Base Camp make it super simple to go in and out of the tent.

Best Backpacking Tents

The divider is great for groups of 2 couples, parents with kids, or if you simply need a separate room for storage. It’s basically a curtain with a zipper that will keep things out of sight. But in case a person sleeping in the other “room” snores like a trooper, nothing will help you.

There are two doors, but unfortunately no vestibules, although there is a small protective awning over one door. The Base Camp 6 offers a plethora of storage options, with 14 stash pockets in convenient locations; close your eyes and point in any direction inside this tent, and chances are you’ll find one. It’s still not quite as staggering as the 22 pockets inside the Kingdom 6, yet it far exceeds any of the storage options presented by the other tents in our review. The dual doors and vestibules make it highly appealing for family outings, as does the durable construction. With proper care, the Base Camp 6 is a worthwhile investment that will stand the test of time. Going back to the size of the tent, usually it’s not a problem, But it has been at times.

How Does The Rei Kingdom 6 Respond To Strong Winds?

Whether it’s your first time camping or you are just starting to make retreats in nature a regular thing, the Kelty Wireless 4-person tent is consistent, affordable, and trustworthy. One of the most intimidating parts of being a new camper is learning how to set up your shelter properly. This tent ensures that you can confidently get yourself situated without issue. The setup is also shockingly quick thanks to its quick-corner technology, and its shark mouth duffle makes packing up just as smooth.

In general, 4-6 person tents are still easy enough for a 2 person set up. Beyond 6 however, the tents can be extremely challenging for two people, particularly if it’s rainy or windy. The tent has a dome shape, which makes it less like a kite in strong wind, and it’s easier for water to run off instead of pooling. However, the shape also means that there’s less room to move around inside, and the peak height of 68 inches means that taller people won’t be able to stand upright. Like the Coleman Montana 8, this cabin tent is a good budget option if you’re looking for something simple for light camping. There is a 4-person and 6-person model to choose from depending on how big of a tent you want.

While they may have a peak height of over six feet, they do cave in on all sides, making them feel a bit less spacious than tents with more vertical walls. This does mean, however, that they hold up better in the wind, as the slanted tent sides do a better job with deflection. The REI Kingdom 6 Tent is about as close as I’ll get to have my own portable army barracks, this 2-bedroom suite is great for big families or even smaller families that just want some space. A zippered wall can split this into 2 rooms — a luxury when you’re a loving couple with memories of backcountry romance from before you had to start sharing the tent with a couple of rugrats.

Rei Half Dome 4 Plus Tent Backpacking

With bug protection included, this eliminates your need to buy one and add additional weight to your pack. If you are in the market for a thoughtfully designed, no fuss, durable camping tent, Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person is for you. It will comfortably house your family with its tall ceilings and provide privacy as the tent can divide into two rooms. Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL deserves a 5-star rating as another brilliant backpacking tent. It is excellent for its above-average space to weight ratio, lightweight, portability, easy set up, and weather resistance. It has a carrying bag that is well-designed with backpack straps to get campers to walk-in campsites that are a short distance from where they park.

Rei Groundbreaker 2 Lowest Price

I couldn’t let myself close out this article without also bringing your attention to these other great family tent favorites. Though you can undoubtedly camp happy in a no-frills tent, extras like well-designed storage pockets, screen porch areas, and tents with darkroom technology can be fun and enhance your comfort. We took note of tents that offered bells and whistles that seemed to be both fun and useful. When thinking about durability, many are thinking about tent pole materials as well. Again, your choice will depend on your tent use.Aluminumpoles are popular because they are lightweight, flexible, and strong.

Whether or not a cabin tent has room to stand upright is another important feature. A little smaller and lighter than other cabin tents, the Kaiju 4 is perfect for couples who want some extra room for gear or larger camping mattresses. Unlike some smaller cabin tents, the Kaiju still has 2 doors and vestibules over each. Thanks to the nearly vertical sidewalls and peak height of 73 inches, it’s possible for most people to stand up inside, or at least move around with relative ease.