This REI Grand Hut 6 tent is a tall, full-coverage-fly cabin-style tent with two entrances, two vestibules, and premium aluminium poles.
Key features and advantages
- Tent in the style of a cabin.
- There are two doors and two vestibules.
- Poles made of aluminium.
- Vents on the roof.
- The floor vent.
- The tent is quite tall.
- There are numerous wall pockets.
What this REI Co-op Grand Hut 6 Tent is about
The REI Co-op Grand Hut 6 Tent is a tall cabin-style tent with straight, steep walls and a peak height of no less than 78 inches (198 cm). The image below shows it without the fly, demonstrating how much volume and headspace it provides.
Above is a completely freestanding and self-supporting construction that can be rotated and moved around before being staked and secured to the ground.
The vestibules and doorways
There are two internal D-shaped doors, each quite tall and rolling to the sides, as shown in the image above. As shown in the image below, the mesh portions on their upper half act as windows once the entrance curtains are rolled to the side.
The fly is a full-coverage kind that provides two vestibules that can be staked in two places. This is an additional storage space that is beneficial to have. The fly is attached to the tent’s base by buckles, which are simple to use.
Pouches for the walls
Triangular mesh pouches are in all four corners, including above the floor (seen on the left) and above the head (shown on the right). As a result, these are extremely handy parts for storing small equipment and personal goods.
Ventilation
The upper portion of the tent is entirely meshed up to the level of the previously described windows on the entrances. But with such a large fly, you’ll need more. As a result, they’ve incorporated a huge floor vent on the side of the tent and two roof vents on the fly. Two zippers on the inner tent allow you to get to these roof vents without leaving the tent, as shown in the picture.
So you can’t expect much more in the tent with such a huge fly, which is OK, but condensation cannot be avoided in general, as I’m sure you know.
Materials
The stakes and poles
The framework has 6061 aluminum poles that converge at the highest point to form a single hub piece. Some producers (such as Coleman) refer to this as a fast-pitch model. The key is that these poles are shock-corded and pre-attached to the hub. All you have to do is attach them to the grommets in the tent’s four corners. All of this is fairly simple for one person to accomplish.
There are no sleeves because the inside tent is clipped to the frame. Note that the tent is quite tall, and you can attach a few roof clips using the ceiling zippers.
The stakes are basic; for such a high-priced tent, one would expect something more sophisticated. You have 8 of these for the corners and vestibules. However, you may also wish to stake the tent’s sides, so you’ll need some more, at least 6. So, once again, it is sad that they did not provide more. They are $1 each and may be found on their website under the REI Co-op Steel Stake.
The fabric
REI, as is customary, does not disclose much information regarding the fabric. However, because the floor is a strong 150D coated polyester and has a bathtub design, information about its waterproofing certification needs to be provided. The fly is made of 75D coated polyester with no waterproof rating. The canopy is made of mesh and taffeta.
Other characteristics
- All four corners of the ceiling have hanging loops. You can thread a cord through here, hang your clothes, and connect lighting.
- The vestibule zippers may be opened from the top and bottom, providing some adaptability to ventilation.
- The REI Co-op Grand Hut 6 Footprint is designed exclusively for this tent and may be ordered separately.
- The carry bag is supplied and is quite basic, as shown in the picture.
Who is it intended for?
Regarding weight:
In terms of weight, the tent weighs 16 lbs (7.26 kg). They also mention a minimal trail weight, which is irrelevant because you would not carry this tent anywhere from the car. As you can see above, the packed size is 24 x 10 x 10 inches (61 x 25 x 25 cm), which is adequate. It can even be transported on a motorcycle.
Regarding size:
In terms of size, the tent appears to be enormous and lofty, but its actual capacity is six people. For this, you have 83 ft2 (7.7 m2) of floor space and 38 ft2 (3.5 m2) under the vestibules.
As a result, the total protected area per person is 20.16 ft2 (1.87 m2). This inner area is nearly identical to this EVER ADVANCED Instant Cabin Tent 6 Person, designed similarly but without vestibules.
The proportions allow for the placement of six sleeping pads on the floor. With such steep walls, you may use bunk cots to save some floor area. I would use it with up to four people.
Regarding seasons and climate:
They characterize it as a 3-season tent, which is debatable and depends on various conditions. You would not be comfortable in a cold atmosphere with so much mesh. However, with such a large fly, there are better solutions for warm-weather camping. The same fly makes it an excellent choice for rainy climates; the image below illustrates how it appears when the vestibules are entirely closed.
The tent is quite tall and a large object in high gusts. Thus, it is recommended to avoid windy areas. I wouldn’t use it above the tree line.
The tent is pricey, but it has some pretty nice features, like aluminium poles and a well-known name behind it. However, take a look at the incredible warranty below.
Specifications
- Official capacity: 6-person.
- Weight: 16 lb (7.26 kg).
- Floor dimensions: 120 x 100 in (305 x 254 cm).
- Floor area: 83 ft² (7.7 m²).
- Vestibules area: 38 ft² (3.5 m²).
- Total protected space: 121 ft² (11.2 m²).
- Total protected space per person: 20.16 ft² (1.87 m²).
- Peak height: 78 in (198 cm).
- Packed size: 24 x 10 x 10 in (61 x 25 x 25 cm).
- Poles: Aluminium.
- Warranty: I believe you should read what they have to say on REI’s website:
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
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