REI Passage 2
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.
Comfortable
Easy to set up
Great weather resistance
Great durability
Decent weight
Manageable carrying size
Doors difficult
Best for mild weather
Not as stylish
Accessories
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
- Waterproof/resistant
- Easy set-up
- Two-person capacity
- Great for three seasons
Bottom Line
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.