Best Budget Tent of 2021

For anyone looking to get out for a short backpacking trip that doesn’t want to break the bank or feel claustrophobic, look no further. At only $199, the REI Trail Hut 2 is an excellent starting point for either getting outside and trying to camp or for seasoned car campers who are looking for a little more room. The pole setup creates lots of living and sitting space, and the included footprint will help in case you accidentally pitch the tent on a root or rock. It’s certainly not a light tent, but it’s an excellent place to start if you’re just entering the camping world. Frankly, the price makes it our Best Budget Tent of 2021.

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See Our Best Backpacking Tent Review 2021 HERE!

For anyone looking to get out for a short backpacking trip that doesn’t want to break the bank or feel claustrophobic, look no further. At only $199, the REI Trail Hut 2 is an excellent starting point for either getting outside and trying to camp or for seasoned car campers who are looking for a little more room. The pole setup creates lots of living and sitting space, and the included footprint will help in case you accidentally pitch the tent on a root or rock. It’s certainly not a light tent, but it’s an excellent place to start if you’re just entering the camping world. Frankly, the price makes it our Best Budget Tent of 2021.

Comfort

With a cozy 31.7sqft of floor space, there is plenty of room for two people. The dimensions are 88”x52,” which is more than 7ft long. Gone are the days when a 2-person tent was actually more like a one-and-one-quarter-person tent. The height at its peak is 40in (101cm), allowing space for occupants to sit up comfortably and move around. Amazing. The crossbar pole helps to expand the sidewalls of the tent to provide even more livable space. The privacy walls on the side give you that extra peace of mind while changing in the tent, knowing your neighbors aren’t getting a show.

With two doors and two vestibules, it’s easy to enter and exit the tent without disrupting your tent buddy too much. The vestibules are both large enough to store gear or even cook in on a rainy day. Throughout the interior of the tent, there are pockets for storing smaller items and some gear loops to keep items off the floor. The fly doors can be pitched out to create an awning as well for added ventilation and light.

Ease of Setup

While tent technology has advanced and several companies are beginning to use “hubbed” tent poles, REI has stuck with the tried and true three-pole setup. Two large poles create an X-shape, and a third top pole helps to spread out the walls and increase living space. While not the easiest for a single user to set up, it is still quite do-able. The poles then clip into the tent itself and ta-da! Your tent is ready to rock.

Weatherproofing

The fly of the REI Trail Hut 2 is made of a coated nylon taffeta, so yes, it is waterproof. The fly also reaches the bottom of the tent and creates a very nice shell. The polyester floor is waterproof and extends about 6 inches up from the base to help cover the areas the fly sits above in case there is a blowing rain.

The non-mesh areas of the tent are not breathable, and when the fly is fully done up, the tent can get a bit stuffy. REI has solved this problem with a venting system right at the top of the rainfly. REI tents come with a great Velcro-attachable vent opening called a “kick-stand” that allows more airflow near the top of the tent to help clear any hot air building up while staying out of the rain.

Durability

Tent durability is a tricky thing to judge. Will the REI Trail Hut 2 last? Well, yes, it should, so long as it is treated well and you don’t set it up on a rose bush. The Trail Hut comes with a built-in—but removable—footprint, so there is added tear resistance on the ground. The tent poles are aluminum, so if they do happen to bend, they should be able to be reinforced in a pinch.

Weight

Here we find the only real negative of this almost-perfect beginner tent. At 5lb 15oz (2.69kg), the REI Trail Hut 2 is the heaviest tent on our list. To counter that claim, it is also the least expensive. As with most hiking gear, there is almost always a correlation between price and weight, and the Trail Hut 2 is no exception.

The Bottom Line

For extreme ultralight trekkers, you may want to take a pass on this tent, but for someone looking to get outside at a reasonable price, the Trail Hut 2 is right on the money. While it may not have all of the bells and whistles of other tents on the market, it’s also pretty flawless. The weight is substantial, but that will just build character while you’re hiking. The liveable space is immense and will help any new campers stay comfortable rather than suffering inside of a claustrophobic tapered tent. At $199, you really can’t go wrong. Even if it does just become the car camping tent, it is well built, provides excellent weather protection, and is easy to use. The REI Trail Hut 2 is our Best BudgetTent of 2021.

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