REI Co-op’s bestselling Half Dome tent line hits a midlife milestone this 12 months. For 45 years, Half Dome tents have advanced with technological advances and design enter from Co-op members.
In celebration, REI launched an anniversary-specific design for its signature tent, the Half Dome 2. The total Half Dome assortment acquired technical upgrades that REI claims add extra headspace quantity, higher wind- and water-resistance, and a extra intuitive tent pole setup.
REI additionally pledged to donate 20% of proceeds from Half Dome gross sales via April 30 to the Nationwide Parks Conservation Affiliation to proceed defending public lands.
Upgrades Throughout the Half Dome Assortment
The commemorative forty fifth anniversary-edition Half Dome 2 tent features a throwback Blue Gorge coloration, a historic REI emblem on the rainfly, and an emblazoned anniversary marker on the decrease exterior of the tent physique. The remainder of the Half Dome line acquired technical upgrades, as nicely.
REI says that every one three tents on this assortment — the Half Dome 2, Half Dome 2 Plus, and Half Dome 3 — acquired further room on your head and shoulders across the perimeter of the tent from a pole redesign. It says this redesign provides campers extra room to sit down comfortably, change garments, or transfer round inside with out impacting the footprint dimension.
The sidewall top of every tent rose, as nicely. REI claims that this not solely provides these inside extra privateness, however protects higher towards wind, particles, and grit coming into the tent.
The tent pole connections additionally acquired upgrades. The HubCheck system, pictured above, permits campers to confirm that the poles are totally secured with 4 small home windows within the central connecting hubs. When you can see the sunshine and darkish inexperienced poles via these home windows, you’ll know you’ve fixed them accurately.
The Half Dome’s final replace is discovered within the rainfly. REI claims the newest variations of the Half Dome tents sport extra sturdy rainfly supplies (40-denier ripstop nylon with a polyethylene coating) than earlier variations. It additionally up to date the rainfly’s sample to achieve nearer to the bottom than earlier fashions. REI states that this offers campers even larger safety from rain, mud, and wind storms.
Half Dome Proceeds Donated to Nationwide Parks’ Preservation
The Co-op introduced that, in honor of the Half Dome’s forty fifth anniversary, 20% of proceeds ensuing from these tent gross sales via April 30 can be donated to the Nationwide Parks Conservation Affiliation to help the battle to guard public lands.
NPCA states its advocates work within the subject, within the courtroom, and within the capitol to protect and shield America’s Nationwide Parks. Their workload could have elevated considerably within the wake of mass federal layoffs of each Nationwide Park Service and Nationwide Forest employees, leading to decreased providers and entry to standard Nationwide Park areas.
Why the Upgrades?
REI claims its bestseller is the Half Dome tent, which persistently improves with enter from Co-op members. Within the midst of a milestone 45 years of manufacturing the Half Dome tents, REI says it didn’t need to modify a stable general design however merely tweak a couple of areas that members talked about may use some consideration.
The GearJunkie crew has one among these up to date fashions and plans to check it quickly. Within the coming weeks, we’ll report again with extra particulars on how these upgrades evaluate to exams on earlier Half Dome tent fashions and towards different two- to three-person tents.