Head-to-head · Best Camping Tents for 4

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P vs REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about families wanting maximum comfort — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Camping Tents for 4

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P

4.4

$400as of Apr 25

The NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P earns top marks for livability and ease of use, with Karuna Eberl of GearJunkie calling it a 'huge door, tall ceiling, and ample ventilation' winner. The tent features steep walls for standing room up to 6'3', a massive front door with multiple slider zippers, and exceptional ventilation. While reviewers noted the rainfly lacks full coverage and it's somewhat heavier than competitors, the Aurora Highrise is praised as an excellent choice for families and couples seeking comfortable car camping. It's not designed for extreme conditions or long-term base camping, but excels at making weekend trips more enjoyable.

Strengths

— Steep side walls provide 75-inch peak height allowing full standing room for campers up to 6'3"
— Massive front door with three zipper sliders offers flexible access and easy entry/exit
— Excellent ventilation with mesh top third and well-designed windows that roll up/down

Watch-outs

— Rainfly doesn't provide 100% coverage of the tent fabric
— Slightly heavier than comparable tents at 15 lbs 14 oz

$400 · Buy at basecampvt.com Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Camping Tents for 4

REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus

4.3

$369as of Apr 25

The REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus is a spacious, user-friendly tent that excels in comfort and ease of setup, making it ideal for car camping and luxury backpacking. GearLab praised its generous interior space and thoughtful design with good ventilation and storage, while GearJunkie noted its retro-inspired update with improved usability. However, reviewers criticized it for being too heavy and bulky for solo backpacking use, and pointed out issues with fly vestibule sagging and inadequate stakes. This tent is best suited for couples or groups who prioritize comfort over weight, rather than ultralight backpackers.

Strengths

— Extremely spacious with lots of headroom for two people
— Very straightforward, user-friendly setup/breakdown with single pole design
— Well-thought-out interior with numerous pockets and stash spots

Watch-outs

— Somewhat heavy/large for solo backpacking
— Fly vestibules can sag and are hard to keep taut
— Insufficient stakes or guy lines for proper fly tension

$369 · Buy at rei.com Full review →

How they stack up

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P

The NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P leads in livability with its 75-inch peak height and massive front door, offering more standing room than the Half Dome 2 Plus and Mineral King 3. While it's heavier than the Mountain Hardwear tent and lacks full rainfly coverage compared to the Base Camp 6, it provides better ventilation and is ideal for families seeking comfort over portability.

REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus

The REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus stands out for its exceptional interior space and user-friendly single-pole design, making it superior to the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P and Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 for comfort-focused campers. Unlike the Base Camp 6, it avoids the issue of bulky construction while still offering more headroom than the OneTigris Stella 4 Season Tent, though it's less suitable for solo backpacking due to weight and size.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P	REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus
Capacity	4-person	2-person
Floor Area	62.5 sq. ft.	35.8 sq. ft.
Weight	15 lbs, 14 oz	6 lbs., 3.6 oz.
Dimensions	100" x 90"	92 x 56 x 44 in
Peak Height	75"	42"
Doors	Two	2 doors
Vestibules	Two	2

← See the full ranking of best camping tents for 4