The REI Base Camp 6 Tent is a tough and reliable tent that’s perfect for three-season camping (spring, summer, and fall). It’s built with strong aluminum poles and has two doors and two vestibules, giving you plenty of space to store your gear and move around comfortably. While it can stand up on its own, you’ll still need to stake it out for the best stability.
Key features and advantages
- Shape: Dome-style tent
- Easy Access: 2 Doors
- Gear Storage: 2 Vestibules (covered areas outside the tent doors)
- Strong Frame: Aluminum poles
- Ventilation: Vents on the roof AND floor for great airflow
- Organized: Lots of pockets on the walls to store your stuff
What is the purpose of this REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent?
This tent looks totally different with the rainfly on than it does without it. The picture shows a simple dome shape, but it has extra poles that make it really strong and stable. Even though it has a basic design, it’s built to last.
The inner tent can stand up all by itself, but the rainfly adds extra protection and creates two entryways. These entryways are a bit different in size and shape. Overall, it’s a pretty good tent with a classic design. It’s also really tall for a dome tent, with plenty of headroom at 74 inches high.
The vestibules and doors
The two doors on this tent are very different. The main door is larger and has an extra pole to hold it up, creating a nice awning. The back door is smaller and D-shaped, with a much smaller vestibule.
The tent’s inner doors have mesh panels at the top, which is great for ventilation. Since the doors are well-protected by the rainfly, you can keep the mesh open all the time without worrying about rain getting in.
Storage options
This tent has tons of storage pockets! There are pockets low on the walls, near the floor, and even more pockets higher up on the sides. You can see some of them in the picture. With all these pockets, you’ll have plenty of places to keep your gear organized and within reach.
The picture shows even more pockets located up high, near the ceiling of the tent. These are perfect for storing the tent doors when they’re rolled up and out of the way. There’s also a loop at the very top where you can hang a lantern.
Ventilation
The tent has a mesh roof for good airflow, and the doors also have mesh sections that you can open or close. But there’s more! They’ve also added two triangular mesh vents near the floor that can be opened and closed.
These vents have zippered covers on the inside, so you can control how much air flows through. If you get cold, you can just zip them closed.
On top of all the other vents, the rainfly also has two vents with Velcro tabs to hold them open. You can open and close these vents from inside the tent using zippers (you can see one of the zippers in the picture). This tent has a really great ventilation system!
Materials
Poles:
- The tent uses strong aluminum poles, and they’re color-coded so they’re easy to put together.
- The poles are designed to be extra durable in windy conditions.
Fabric:
- The rainfly is made of polyester that’s resistant to stretching and UV damage. It’s also water-resistant (but they don’t say exactly how water-resistant).
- The floor is made of thick, tough polyester and has a “bathtub” design, meaning it comes up the sides a bit to keep water out. You can see the green floor in the pictures.
- The zippers are all high-quality, so they should last a long time.
Extras:
You can also buy a separate footprint (a groundsheet) designed specifically for this tent.
The tent comes with a strong storage bag, stakes, guylines, and even a repair tube in case a pole breaks.
Who is it intended for?
Weight and Size:
- This tent is pretty heavy, almost 21 pounds.
- It’s also quite big when it’s packed up.
- You’ll probably need a car to carry it around.
Space:
- The tent is officially for 6 people, but it’s more comfortable for 2 adults and maybe 2 kids.
- There’s a good amount of space inside, plus extra space in the vestibules to store your gear.
When to use it:
- This tent is strong and can be used in spring, summer, fall, and even winter!
- It’s designed to handle wind and snow.
Ventilation:
- You can open and close the vents to keep the tent comfortable in different weather.
Price:
This tent is expensive, but it’s really well-made and will last a long time.
Specifications
- Fits: Officially 6 people, but best for 4 or fewer.
- Weight: 20 pounds 10 ounces (9.36 kg) – On the heavy side.
- Size: 13 feet long by 9 feet 2 inches wide (396 x 279 cm)
- Floor Space: 83.7 square feet (7.78 square meters)
- Vestibule Space: 44 square feet (4.1 square meters) total in the two vestibules.
- Headroom: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) – Plenty of headroom!
- Packed Size: 2 feet long by 11 inches in diameter (61 x 28 cm) – Bulky.
- Poles: Made of strong aluminum.
Final thoughts
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Thanks for reading, and have a great day!
