REI Quarter Dome T2 Tent

The 'Stargazer' tent road-tested on the Gulf of Mexico

Product

REI Quarter Dome T2

Promise

innovative new design, strong, ultralight tent with spacious interior and an easy setup

Performance

I took the T2 to the Gulf of Mexico for a camping trip - there's a stretch of beach near Port Aransas where you can pitch up on the beach itself. It only took a few minutes to erect and its design, although lightweight, was strong enough to withstand the Gulf winds which can get a little feisty. It's known as a 'stargazing' tent due to its large mosquito net-style construction. This isn't your usual zip-up entryway - most of the tent is made of this material, so if you leave off the fly sheet you can see all around you from inside. But be warned, wind + sand can mean an uncomfortable night's sleep even with a fly sheet - the wind picked up and blew sand into the tent through the fine holes in the netting all night.

Verdict

Easy to put up, and incredibly lightweight (when it arrived in the post I wasn't even sure it was a tent at first - it weighs just over 3lbs. It's a pretty standard 2-man tent size-wise, but more than adequate for a few nights' camping. Just don't put it up on a windy beach.