REI Passage 2

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REI Passage 2 Review Facts

If you are on the hunt for a good two-person tent to take when you go hiking, you may have found it with this particular model. The Passage 2 by Rei his built to easily house two adult campers and has been given some good reviews by those who have purchased it. Many believe this is one of the better tents out there and aren’t afraid to say it.

Of course, Rei is one of the companies we have looked at before and they seem to have a good reputation among campers and hikers alike, so when we came across this one, we thought we would dive in to find out what it has to offer you as a consumer. Read on to find out all the ins and outs and discover if this particular tent is the right one for you.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Comfortable

Easy to set up

Great weather resistance

Great durability

Decent weight

Manageable carrying size

Cons

Doors difficult

Best for mild weather

Not as stylish

Accessories

As with most tents that you can purchase, there is the option of buying extra pieces in case you lose something or break it somehow. The company offers extra stakes as well as varying types of stakes if you don’t like the ones that come with the tent, and they offer varying packs to carry the tent in for hiking or camping packs. They even offer a stake hammer and sealers for the seams in case you feel it isn’t going to protect you from the weather as much as you might like which can be handy.

They also offer a variety of accessories that do not come with the tent including floor mats to better protect against the cold or damp of the ground from reaching you and other occupants, a repair kit, and even utility cord. These are all great especially if you are planning a long camping trip and don’t want to have to find yourself scrambling to stay ahead of random arising issues.

An interesting addition to this particular model is that it also offers a ‘garage’ for placing your supplies if you don’t want to keep them cramped up with you and your partner inside the main tent. It offers an extra 61 square feet of space with an opening that can easily be placed at the entrance of any model up to those released in 2018. It makes things easy o reach without having to worry over less space or less protection from the environment.

And for those who want to go the extra mile, there is also a porch add on, which is great for warmer weather but doesn’t look like it would offer much against rain or cold. Again, though, if your hiking, the tent itself is already heavier and weighs more than most of the same style and so you may want to skip on the extras.

Materials

The poles are made of aluminum that this company is known for when it comes to their tents. It is durable and flexible which means the set-up process is easy. Another wonderful aspect of the flexibility of the poles and their sturdiness is that they are likely to be able to handle wind much better than other types of materials. However, a few feel that the unnamed variety that is used for this model appears flimsier than the original.

All of the tents cloth is made of polyester fiber, giving in breathability as well as strength. Though there is no description of this material being treated or being proofed against rain or water, those who have tried this tent say it does stand well against such elements and does a wonderful job at keeping moisture out. There were a few who even tested it against actual rainstorms with heavy downfall and they didn’t gain a single leak.

For those seeking a durable and reliable tent which stands up against the elements, this may be a great one to go for, however, they may want to decide if the extra weight of the materials are worth it. This particular model is much heavier than the original despite the size changes. This is due to Polyester is a much heavier material to work with to get the same results as the taffeta blends previously used.

The mesh is also much more thickly layered. In some ways, this is good, as airflow is much better and there is greater protection against insects. Again, however, the thicker mesh adds to the weight and combined with the rest of the materials the tent is not as compact.

Capacity

This is a two-person tent meant for sitting or sleeping in. It can easily fit two adults without feeling overpacked and uncomfortable, but it isn’t meant for doing a lot of activity or movement. The floor space is about seven and a half feet by four and a half feet, so it is actually best suited for children in the area of large space to lay in, but as mentioned, it can easily fit two adults.

When it comes to peak height this is only three and a half feet in height at the central spot where the poles cross. Its dome shape, however, means most of the side space is much smaller and may be uncomfortable for a taller person to sleep or sit in. When considering this tent, it is a good idea to plan for the sleeping space to be large enough to fit both as well as the possibility of being caught inside the tent comfortably for hours if you plan to be out with the possibility of bad weather hitting.

Waterproofing

As mentioned previously, the materials are definitely chosen in order to keep the rain out, but how well do those that use it say it actually does in this department? The answer is a good one! This tent is the highest rating for being weatherproof compared to several other offered tents by the same company.

It keeps the rain out and even prevents the condensation from rain that may build up inside the tent before, during and even after the rain. This means you are kept from having to worry about getting wet while sleeping or sitting in your tent to wait out the weather. The fact that every material used was chosen for both its ability to hold out against water and its ability to keep you warmer is a great bit of knowledge to have.

Despite having switched from the taffeta blends and coated materials, this tent has proven to withstand some major downpours by users without leaking. This gives it a major plus from them and pushes it into a top-ranking spot when it comes to the wetter seasons for certain.

Style

The original tent had an almost squared look to it and truthfully had an almost boring appearance. You only had one color to choose from and overall it just left one feeling kind of ‘blah’. The newer version definitely appeals to the eyes better and feels a lot more open when viewing it, and the colors aren’t as unappealing to the eyes.

Rather than a near squared bottom, this one has a more rectangular look and offers a bit more headroom since the peak height tapers more slowly along the sides. You might still feel a bit cramped if you are taller, but it won’t feel like you have to hunch over quite as much. The mesh also extends to cover the entire upper half of the dome, so there is no lack of airflow, and even with the rain fly on, it doesn’t sit directly on the mesh but descends low enough to prevent splashback.

Durability

Most of us know polyester fabrics and we know each kind to be pretty durable for its intended use. Usually, we find it in clothing and blankets. We would expect a polyester taffeta for a tent, however, but we found no actual mention of it being such. That made us wonder about exactly how durable this tent could feasibly be.

Material wise, most reviewers actually gave it rather high props, not just at its capability to handle the weather, but because they found it very durable. Tearing or ripping the fabric actually took effort to accomplish, which made it again meet higher quality standards than most.

The main complaint, however, comes from the stakes and the material being flimsy and easily bent or broken. The upside is just how cheap and easy they are to replace if you need to. With everything in place though, the ones who have put this to the test say they expect their tent to last for years to come.

Protection

This tent protects against three main sources of weather that most backpackers need to get out of, as well as campers and does so well. It protects against the sun, provides protection even in cooler, rainy weather and even helps keep bugs in check. The only question put to this tent was how sturdy it really is when facing high winds, and no one seemed to want to test it out to find out that we could find.

This is not a tent for winter conditions, though, so if you need something for much colder tents, this won’t be what you are looking for.

Weather Resistance

This tent is touted to be one of the best three-season tents on the market due to its waterproofing. In even a downpour you won’t find yourself dodging water or wondering if the roof will come off. There is one area, however, that many were unsure of.

Though this does remarkably well against water, it seems to lack in its design to face any sort of high winds. The poles aren’t quite sturdy enough, and those who set it up on a breezy day found it difficult to pin anything down and have the confidence left that It would stay there. So while it sounds like it will manage through a tough storm, if the winds pick up too far, you may end up having your tent simply not hold out or stay put.

For a three-season tent, this makes many questions its other capabilities, but the rest of its features truly did hold up. Even in chillier nights it helped to trap the heat in the tent and didn’t end up causing its users to take off for somewhere warmer. Even for the hotter weather, it proved to have greater breathability than most as well, with easy open flaps to grant greater airflow from one side of the tent to the other.

With the wind being this tent’s biggest obstacle, it still maintains a high standard from our perspective and deserves to be noted for its otherwise outstanding performance against all other weather conditions.

Price

So, what would you expect to pay after looking this tent over? Even for some of the cheaper and bulkier tents out there, we have seen them range between two and three hundred dollars and for lesser quality. This particular ten, however, runs at an affordable $160USD for purchase. This is a bargain when you realize just how much you can expect out of it.

If you find you aren’t satisfied in any way with the quality, you also get the one-year return policy that REI offers with all of its backpacking gear. Of course, this only goes towards manufacturing issues or if you simply find you don’t like it and can return it in the condition it arrived in. Like most products today, normal wear and tear, as well as accidental damage, is not covered under the return policy and you won’t get a refund or replacement if either is the cause.

Key Features

- Great airflow
- Waterproof/resistant
- Easy set-up
- Two-person capacity
- Great for three seasons

Bottom Line

If you want an affordable tent that can get you through most seasons of backpacking and camping, this one will be a great buy. The Passage 2 offers quality, durable material for the main body of the tent and the ability to withstand rain and heat easily. When it comes down to the build of a tent, REI supplies dependability with every one of its products.

However, if quality in every part is a must-have, and you don’t want to have a heavier and bulkier tent to bring with you for its smaller size, this may not be what you are looking for. The downsides are outweighed by the pluses, but sometimes a negative in the wrong area can make or break a deal. In this case, some of us will pass just because there are higher quality tents out there that won’t tax our body in the long run.