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REI tents have great reviews for their long term durability, functionality, and for having lower prices than their competitors. I have owned many REI Tents over the years and I will review go over the pros and cons of each from a women’s perspective. 

REI Tent Rental

Before buying an REI Tent, have you considered REI Tent Rental? It is a great way to try out a few different tents before deciding on the best one for you. REI tent rental is cheap and easy, with single-person tents starting at $20 for members. 

REI Backpacking Tents 1 Person For Women

REI Quarter Dome SL 1 Tent (Top Pick)

As a woman of average height, I find that I have plenty of room in any of the REI one-person tents. So why carry extra weight? The REI Quarter Dome SL 1 Tent is lightweight and boasts the same floor area as its bigger sister Quarter Dome 1 for almost 1 pound less! If you are looking for an inexpensive one-person backpacking tent, this tent is a good choice. Keep in mind that this tent is semi freestanding, so you will have to stake the corners every time you pitch it.

REI Half Dome 1 Plus Tent (Most Space)

If you are on a budget and don’t mind carrying an extra pound or so, the REI Half Dome 1 Plus Tent is a good selection. You will gain almost five more square feet with the half dome vs. quarter dome, and it is about $100 less than the two REI quarter dome options. Whichever REI dome 1 tent you choose, they should be a good 3 season backpacking tent. 

REI Quarter Dome 1 (Tallest)

I’ll be honest; as a woman, I don’t see why you would purchase the REI Quarter Dome 1 when you can buy the SL version for a bit less. This tent is over a half-pound heavier, and for that half-pound, you get 4” more of ceiling height and a freestanding tent. I can’t remember a time when I was backpacking and didn’t at least stake the four corners, so the SL’s semi freestanding construction isn’t an inconvenience at all. Unless you are a taller woman in the 6’ range, I’d suggest the quarter dome’s little sister and save the weight. 

REI Passage 1 (discontinued)

The REI Passage 1 tent has been discontinued. It was a good reliable tent but was too heavy with a minimum trail weight of 3 lbs 6 oz to be a top choice of solo backpackers. Both the REI Quarter Dome and the SL version offer a similar floor area and are 1 lb to 1lb 8 oz lighter. 

Women’s REI Backpacking Tents For Two People

REI Half Dome 2 Plus (Most Space)

The REI Half Dome 2 Plus offers the most floor area and peak height in comparison to the rest in this category. It also is probably the hardiest of all of these tents using a heavier 70 denier taffeta nylon for the floor. They were able to keep the weight down without sacrificing durability by choosing a 40 denier ripstop nylon for the canopy and rainfly. While the REI Co-op half dome 2 plus tent may be a bit on the heavier side, it should last you for several years. 

REI Quarter Dome SL 2 (Lightest)

The REI Quarter Dome SL 2 tent is very similar to the smaller one-person version. It is incredibly lightweight, only 2 lbs 8 oz, and offers just enough room for two women or a couple. You can save another 8 ounces by leaving the tent at home and pitching it with the poles, rainfly, and footprint. This tent is semi freestanding, so you will have to stake it out each time you use it, but this feature saves you from having to carry an additional 13 ounces with the not so lighter version, REI Quarter Dome 2. 

REI Quarter Dome 2 

The REI Quarter Dome 2 offers the same floor area as the lighter SL 2 model but gives you an additional 4” of inside peak height at 42”. Unless you are a taller woman or just like having an extra room, I would recommend the SL version as it is almost a pound lighter and cheaper. This is a great tent, especially if you find it discounted on the REI Outlet (link) or at an REI Garage (link) sale. 

REI Arete ASL 2 Tent (Four Season)

If you are looking for a two-person four-season tent on a budget, you must consider the REI Arete ASL 2 Tent. This one door beauty is almost 6 pounds but boasts over 32 square feet of floor space and a manageable 43” peak height. As far as four-season tents go, the Arete offers quite a bit for the price. Comparable four-season two-person tents will cost you almost twice as much as the REI Co-op Arete ASL 2 tent. 

REI Trail Hut 2 Tent (Budget)

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 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. 

REI Camp Dome 2 (Basic B)

The REI Camp Dome 2 is a simple basic-bitch tent that will last you many seasons. This tent would be perfectly fine to use on a weekend backpacking adventure with your girlfriends. The overall size and weight are comparable to many on this list. It lacks many of the extras that the more expensive REI dome tents come standard with. The floor and rainfly are made from polyester and the canopy from nylon. These less expensive materials are not ideal or as durable as the more preferred ripstop nylon. This tent would be great for the occasional weekend backpacking or drive up camping trip. 

REI Half Dome 2 (discontinued)

It is not uncommon for REI to improve on their tent designs, which is just what they did with the REI Half Dome 2 when they discontinued it. While it is no longer available, this was a great starter tent for backpackers on a budget. Today you can get the same great tent in the REI Half Dome 2 Plus, which offers more floor area and peak height. 

REI Passage 2 (discontinued)

The REI Passage 2 Tent was discontinued at the same time as the REI Half Dome 2. The REI co-op passage 2 was a polyester lover's dream ripped straight out of the ’70s with orange and cream vibes. If you are looking for something similar, you have two choices, the modern polyester basic bitch, REI Camp Dome 2, or the much larger version and more expensive REI Half Dome SL 2. 

Four Person REI Tents For Women

REI Base Camp 4 Tent (Four Season)

I own an REI Base Camp 4 Tent and refuse to stop using it for drive-up camping even though the rainfly windows have holes in them. I’ve had this tent for probably ten years, and I can attest that it is an excellent choice for all-weather camping. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been caught in massive rainstorms, and all of our friend's stuff is wet while we sit in our REI Co-op base camp 4 tent nice and dry. It also has two vestibules, and one of them even is extended by an extra pole. It isn’t quite as roomy as the REI Kingdom 4, but if you plan on camping anywhere with a lot of rain or snow, this is the better choice. 

REI Half Dome 4 Plus Tent (Backpacking)

The REI Half Dome 4 Plus Tent is light enough at 7 lbs 10 oz to divide up and take backpacking. Keep in mind that the floor dimensions are 92” x 92” which means that if each of you brings a 20” sleeping mat, there is only 12” to spare between the sides of the tent and each other. If you are like me and sleep on a 25” mat, you can literally line up sleeping pads wall to wall with two 25” and two 20” pads. So, yes, it would be tight to sleep four but doable. Also, keep in mind the canopy and rainfly are 40-denier nylon, which is more susceptible to tearing but lighter weight. 

REI Kingdom 4 Tent (Big & Tall)

The REI Kingdom 4 Tent offers the largest floor area square footage compared to the rest of the REI tents in the four-person category. While the REI Co-op Kingdom 4 does offer 10 square feet more than its competitors, the vestibule is a bit smaller and functional than the REI Grand Hut 4. The Kingdom is easily set up by a single woman with it 1 hubbed poleset and two doorway poles. It is very durably made with 150-denier coated polyester floor fabric and a 75-denier polyester rain fly. Obviously, with them using this heavy fabric, the weight of this tent is much higher and should only be considered for drive-up camping. 

REI Grand Hut 4 Tent (Tall)

The REI Grand Hut 4 Tent offers the same footprint and square footage as all the other tents in this category, except the larger REI Kingdom 4. What this tent offers ‘over’ it’s competitors is a 75” peak height that allows you to hang a large lantern without having to worry about hitting your head. The REI Co-op grand hut 4 is also built to last, just like the REI Kingdom 4, it was made with 150-denier coated polyester floor fabric and a 75-denier polyester rain fly. The vestibule is a bit larger than the Kingdom’s, but the Kingdom offers 10 more square feet inside away from the bugs. 

REI Camp Dome 4 Tent (Budget)

The REI Camp Dome 4 tent is a lightweight, quickly set up dome tent. Stick the poles it the four corners diagonally and one in the rain fly at the front door, and you are ready to go. It is made of polyester fabrics and is an excellent choice for the occasional weekend-camper. 

REI Tents For Women (Six Person)

REI Kingdom 6 Tent (All Weather)

The REI Kingdom 6 Tent is a massive structure offering over 83 square feet and a peak height of 75 inches. The question you are probably asking yourself is if you should get this Kingdom 6 or the REI Grand Hut 6, as they are similar in size and construction. The real difference between these two tents is the rainflys and vestibules. Kingdom 6’s rainfly is better made to keep the tent dry in big rains. It also has more pockets and a tent privacy divider that is nice if you have an early sleeper or some kids. 

REI Base Camp 6 Tent (Four Season)

The REI Base Camp 6 Tent is a top four-season tent due to the history of its incredible durability and functionality. I own an REI Base Camp 4 and know this model of the tent very well. There have been many times we have been caught in substantial rainstorms and were the only dry tent in the campground. If you want to purchase one tent that will last you many more years than you expect, buy the REI Base Camp 6. 

REI Grand Hut 6 Tent (Tallest)

The REI Grand Hut 6 Tent is probably the nicest of all of the REI Grand Hut series. It is the tallest of the three tents in the REI six-person category and had the largest vestibule. This tent is built to pack in a bunch of women and still have room for your outdoor hiking gear. This is a great tent choice for its overall durability and size. 

REI Tents For Women Wild Enough To Put 8 People In A Tent!

REI Kingdom 8 Tent

The REI Kingdom 8 tent arguably should have been named the REI Behemoth! This big gal lets you spread out over 104 square feet (twice the size of my bathroom) and boasts another 33 square foot vestibule out front for lounging. It is easy to set up with a hubbed pole set, two crossover poles, and doorway poles for the vestibule. The same high denier count fabric that is used on the other Kingdom series tents, which is again used here. If you are crazy enough to put 8 people in a tent and are looking for durability to withstand it… the REI Co-op Kingdom 8 tent is a good choice.