REI Co-op Base Camp Tent Review
a 3+ season car camping tent that is spacious, easy-to-set up, with lots of pockets
August 11th, 2025
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Our verdict
The REI Co-op Base Camp tent is a robust 3+-season tent designed to be weather-resistant, roomy, relatively easy to set up, and made of durable materials. This is a great car camping tent for anyone camping in fall, early spring, extended rainy conditions, base camping (, or otherwise setting up in one spot for a while and expecting to see some weather.
This is a top-of-the-line car camping tent with premium materials, a rain fly that extends all the way to the ground, and tons of ventilation and pockets. It has near vertical walls and a camper up to 6'3" can stand inside. It's been in REI's line-up for years and each time it comes out, it has become more refined. The newest iteration is
The REI Base Camp 6 is for dedicated campers who get out every year and want a tent that can last a lifetime (or at least a childhood's worth of camping trips!). It's spacious, easy to set up, weatherproof, and relatively affordable compared to similar sized, similarly featured tents.
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REI Co-op Base Camp tent specifications
Weight: 17 lbs 5.6 oz (4P) / 20 lbs 11.5 oz (6P)
Capacity: 4-person / 6-person options
Floor Area: 59 sq ft (4P) / 84 sq ft (6P)
Peak Height: 63" (4P) / 74" (6P)
Floor Dimensions: 100" x 86" (4P) / 110.2" x 110.2" (6P)
Best for: Car camping, weather protection, extended stays
Season Rating: 3-season plus (enhanced cold weather capability)
Doors/Vestibules: 2 doors, 2 vestibules (23 + 15.5 sq ft / 27 + 17 sq ft)
Materials: 150D polyester floor, 75D polyester body/fly, aluminum poles
Setup: Freestanding 5-pole dome design
Price: $474 (4P) / $549 (6P)
Comparison table
| CAMPING TENT | MSRP | # OF PEOPLE | FLOOR SPACE | DOORS/ VESTIBULES | VESTIBULE SPACE | FREESTANDING? | PEAK HEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The North Face Wawona 6 | $550 | 4, 6 | 86.11 SF | 1/1 | 44.7 SF | Y | 76" |
| Nemo Aurora Highrise 6 | $500 | 4, 6 | 83.3 SF | 2/2 | 47.2 SF | Y | 77" |
| REI Co-op Wonderland 6 | $499 | 4, 6 | 83.3 SF | 2/0 | n/a | Y | 78" |
| Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 | $375 | 3 | 42.5 SF | 2/2 | 20.9 | Y | 48" |
| Eureka Copper Canyon LX 4 | $329 | 4, 6, 8, 12 | 64 SF | 1/0 | n/a | Y | 84" |
Who is it for?
Car campers prioritizing weather protection
Base campers or people who intend to stay at a campsite for an extended period of time
People who camp in variable weather conditions including shoulder seasons
Families who want a large tent with excellent organization and vestibules
Groups wanting robust construction that can handle wind, rain, and temperature swings
Campers who value organized storage with extensive pocket systems
Those seeking REI quality with member benefits and lifetime warranty support
Vehicle-based campers interested in the optional Vehicle Connector system
How we tested
We spent a total of 30 days and nights camping in the REI Co-op Base Camp tent in the Eastern Sierra in everything from sub- freezing temperatures in spring to hot summer days. We tested in rain and high winds as well as dry, but still windy conditions.
We tested this tent with 6 different testers (up to 6-feet in height) using both camping cots and inflatable backpacking sleeping pads inside.
We tested the REI Co-op Base Camp tent with sleeping bags rated from 20F to 50F while also packing inside things like camping lanterns, camping coolers, as well as clothes, books, journals, and day hiking equipment.
What we liked
Ample head room
Lots of pockets and organization throughout
Ability to regulate temperature through fully openable mesh doors, and ways to close the mesh doors and even half close the mesh doors when it is colder
Door storage pocket so you don't have to roll all that door fabric—genius!
Lots of giant vestibules
Open and close mesh venting systems
Clear directions printed directly on the storage stuff sack
What could be better
Needs to come with more stakes to truly be wind-worthy
Even with all the generous mesh venting, it can get hot inside while hanging out during the day
Rainfly fabric could be more durable
Stake guy-out system could be more intuitive
REI does not sell replacement parts (e.g. poles)
Features
Weather protection and durability
The REI Base Camp comes with a full-coverage rain fly that provides 360-degree protection from rain and wind. This is notable because similar tents like The North Face Wawona do not come with a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground. While we never had an issue with rain coming up the rain fly of the Wawona in all our testing in the Pacific Northwest, it's a common complaint among other media reviewers. With the REI Base Camp, that isn't an issue.
To add to the weather protection, it uses a reinforced mountaineering-inspired 5-pole structure. This looks like an X-pattern plus door poles and reminds us a lot of what we see in 4-season tents like the Mountain Hardwear Trango or The North Face Mountain 25 tent, two tents our senior editor Brandon Lampley often saw while working at a mountaineering center in Nepal.
The Base Camp also has continuous pole sleeves, which increase structural integrity for high winds. In fact, in high winds (30+ mile per hour wind gusts), we lost the tent and the whole thing blew about 100 yards through Jeffrey Pine forest. Through sturdy design, the entire giant 6-person tent stayed together in one piece without a single broken or dislodged pole.
The Base Camp comes with a heavy-duty 150D polyester floor that resists punctures and abrasion. Best practices say that you should use a tent footprint, especially when setting up a tent you'll essentially be living in for a month. But we didn't do that. While we could feel pine needles and cones below us, the floor never ripped, abraded, developed holes, or otherwise showed any wear. This is after the whole tent had gone flying across the forest and even after we took the largest, heaviest, sharpest rock we could find and put it inside the tent so that the whole flying thing wouldn't happen again. The floor also never showed signs of tears or abrasion after three weeks of using it with cots, which can sometimes have sharp edges on their feet.
The word that best describes the ventilation system on the Base Camp is “clutch." It has an adjustable ventilation system with zippered fabric panels over mesh. There are small, triangular vents on the side walls. Then, there are gigantic doors of mesh with "shutters" that can be opened or closed depending on how hot it gets. Towards the end of the summer, I kept the mesh doors open all day, but when it was below freezing at night, I kept the zippered fabric panels closed for extra warmth.
Still, it can get hot in there during summer days, as we experienced while trying to use this tent as an auxiliary dwelling unit (of sorts) and outdoor office. Even with all the vents open, it felt stuffy in mid-day in summer. That being said, I can't think of too many camping tents that wouldn't feel stuffy mid-day in the summer. Just keep this in mind if you had been hoping to use this tent as an alternative space while van-lifing.
Interior space and comfort
The Base Camp has a spacious dome design with plenty of headroom throughout the center area. I could stand up with ease and another 6-foot tall tester also could.
The Base Camp also has two entry points. Each has large doors and generous vestibules–although the front vestibule is big enough for camp chairs and a bike and the back vestibule is smaller. It can't quite hold a camp table like you see in the vestibules on similarly sized and featured camping tents like The North Face Wawona or the Big Agnes Blacktail Hotel.
There are 14 (!) interior storage pockets in the 6-person version of this tent. You can really keep things organized. Each pocket is sewn into the side walls and is big enough for books, a journal, and even a full-size camping lantern (ok, maybe this was a bit heavy to make a nightly practice, but it seemed to work!).
During the set-up process, we appreciated the color-coded pole system. It simplified the setup process, which is traditionally one of the parts I hate the most about camping tents.
One of the clever features of this tent is that the pole sleeves have two ends. One is a front entry point where you can slip the pole inside. The other is a "dead-end pole sleeve, which helped prevent confusion during assembly because you literally cannot slip the pole in there.
Ventilation and climate control
The REI Base Camp has a total of six vents including four zip-up (or zip-close) roof vents for heat release.
We loved the large mesh panels with zippered fabric covers for temperature regulation. As mentioned above, we kept those closed in below freezing temperatures but opened them up on hotter days.
For extra ventilation, you can take advantage of the dual vestibules, which can be opened wide for maximum airflow, in addition to unzipping the mesh windows completely.
We always kept the rain fly on, but appreciated the full mesh roof option for stargazing in good weather. Honestly, the mesh windows were so big that although we thought about taking off the rain fly for stargazing, we realized the view out the door was plenty, especially given the topography of the valley where we camped.
Storage and organization
The Base Camp 6 has a good amount of storage, especially if you aren't trying to fit 6 people in there. Here's where we stored things:
Two large vestibules. The front was big enough to hold multiple camp chairs and a small camp table, or a bike. The front vestibule has an external pole for increased headroom and to store taller things, like my folding kayak.
Extensive interior pocket system around perimeter walls for storing lanterns, books, etc.
Overhead door storage pockets when doors are fully unzipped. I mentioned this above but I loved this feature!
We were camped pretty far from where our car was parked, but the Base Camp is compatible with an optional Base Camp Vehicle Connector for additional covered space.
Build quality and sustainability
The Base Camp has thick aluminum poles that resist bending and breaking. Even when the whole tent went flying, they did not snap.
The Base Camp uses YKK zippers on main components. We never had an issue in hundreds of zips and unzips, sometimes in the dark, often while tired, groggy, or needing to pee.
As all new outdoor products are headed, it uses a nonfluorinated DWR coating for environmental responsibility. It also comes with the Climate Label Certification, like all REI Co-op brand items, showing a commitment to sustainability. It is also Climate Neutral certified (which, despite the name, is less rigorous), holding itself financially accountable for each unit of carbon it emits.
Part of the design quality is because the newest Base Camp descends from previous models of this tent. This model takes into account a lot of REI Co-op member testing (i.e., customer reviewers with feedback).
Performance in the field
Weather resistance
The Base Camp held up to rain, wind, and variable conditions. We had a lot of days of wind with gusts of over 30 mph. With the exception of that first day when admittedly I could have done a better job staking the thing down and the tent went flying, it held up remarkably well. There were days where it was so windy outside I questioned whether it was a good idea to keep camping in the Base Camp, but it never buckled and really felt like a safe fortress. In rain and mist, it also performed well.
Setup time
We found on our first set up of this tent that it took four of us 10–15 minutes, with two people doing the bulk of the work. Compared to similar tents like The North Face Wawona, this was relatively painless for a tent of this size. Notoriously, getting the rain fly on a 6-person tent is generally the biggest pain. It wasn't too bad on this tent. The color-coded system and excellent directions with diagrams that are printed right on the tent bag truly helped.
Interior comfort
The head room on this tent is so spacious that I never felt claustrophobic. I hung out during the day in this tent for hours. You can stand up inside to change layers or clothes. It even has good headroom in the center. Plus, the excellent organization and storage felt kind of like I had fancy built-in bookshelves, like those found in craftsman houses.
Ventilation
There's a lot of ventilation on this tent, and still, it could have sometimes been better. It was rad that vents could be opened and closed. Unlike a lot of tent vents, these actually felt like they did something. But that being said, this tent still got hot during the day. That happens with all kinds of tents, but it meant that as the weather heated up as summer went on, I couldn't use this tent as the "outdoor office space" I had hoped.
Durability
After the tent went flying, I noticed two rips in the rain fly. Admittedly, one of those rips may have happened while trying to drag it back to the original spot (yeah, like many humans, I decided to rebuild in an area that was problematic because it was easier than finding a new spot).
All things considered, that fly did great compared to rain flies we've seen on other tents that seemingly develop holes just by looking at it wrong. For comparison, we camped in the NEMO Aurora tent for a similar amount of time and it developed a rip in the rain fly but never went flying 100 yards through sagebrush and pine trees like the Base Camp did. In all, this feels like the kind of tent you could use for 10+ years.
REI Co-op Base Camp vs. similar tents
The REI Basecamp is a robust, hardy tent that is relatively easy to set up (for its size), has excellent ventilation options, and is quite durable. The front vestibule isn't as robust as The North Face Wawona, but its rain fly goes all the way to the ground, which some people find a plus. It's also a good value and comes with quite a few sustainability features as well.
Should I buy the REI Co-op Base Camp?
Buy if: You prioritize weather protection and durability and don't need to fit a camp table in your front vestibule space.
Skip if: You need more standing height than 6’3", prefer a more ultralight tent, need a true 4-season tent, or primarily camp in perfect weather (it's still a good tent in good weather, but you can find some less expensive options).
Where to buy the REI Co-op Base Camp?
The REI Base Camp tent is an REI Co-op product so you can only get it at REI.
Pros: 100% satisfaction policy for 1 year; 10% dividend for members.
Similar products
The North Face Wawona Tent
Capacity: 6 people (also available in 4-person model)
Seasons: 3
Type: freestanding
Packed weight: 19 lbs, 6.4 oz
Packed size: 10" x 32"
Floor area: 86.11 square feet
Floor dimensions: 120" x 96"
Vestibule area: 44.7 square feet
Peak height: 76"
Doors: 1 on tent body, 2 in vestibule
The North Face Wawona Tent is probably the most similar tent to the REI Base Camp, down to the bright yellow color. The Wawona Tent has a bigger front vestibule and the rain fly doesn't come all the way down to the ground like on the Base Camp. It also is more expensive. That bigger front vestibule on the Wawona is handy for hanging out, whereas you don't really have hang out space with the Base Camp, just some "not inside the tent" areas that can keep your stuff dry. The Wawona also has a little more room inside, which is a better choice for larger parties. See our in-depth, long-term review of The North Face Wawona Tent here.
The North Face Wawona Tent
Capacity: 3 people (also available in 2-person model)
Seasons: 3 (also available in all-season version)
Type: freestanding
Packed weight: 7 lbs, 13.7 oz
Packed size: 7" x 25"
Floor area: 42.5 square feet
Floor dimensions: 90" x 68"
Vestibule area: 20.9 square feet
Peak height: 48"
Doors: 2
The Mineral King is a dome-style tent in which you cannot stand up. It's light enough to use for backpacking, weighing about a third of the weight of the 6-person Base Camp. If you're using camp cots, especially high-height camp cots, we'd steer you towards the Base Camp.
Ultimately, they are very different tents that serve different purposes, although both are marketed as car camping tents. I'm a big fan of both tents, but which one I use depends on the situation. A good rule of thumb for me is if I'm going to be set up for 5+ days and maybe hanging out during the day in the tent, I'd go with the REI Base Camp. If I'm out for fewer days, have less room in my car, or a smaller group of people, I'd go with the Mineral King.
See our in-depth, long-term review of the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King tent here.
Mountain Hardwear Mineral King
NEMO Aurora Highrise 6-person
Capacity: 6 people (also available in 4-person model)
Seasons: 3
Type: freestanding
Packed weight: 18 lbs, 10 oz
Packed size: 9.5" x 26"
Floor area: 83.3 square feet
Floor dimensions: 120" x 100"
Vestibule area: 47.2 square feet
Peak height: 77"
Doors: 2
The NEMO Aurora is an even easier to set up car camping tent. It's not quite as tall or roomy. It's designed to be a more affordable car camping tent while still using a lot of NEMO's clever design features and sustainability features.
It's a more entry-level tent designed for someone who wants the simplicity and relative affordability of that style of tent. It's got great pockets, though not as many as the Base Camp. The big difference for me between the two is ventilation and durability.
The NEMO Aurora is made with a 68-denier rainfly fabric that couldn't handle a pine cone falling on it. The zippers are YKK, but combined with the lighter denier wall fabric, it always felt like I had to be gentler with them. In all, the Aurora is a cleverly designed tent that isn't built to sustain the same level of wind and use as the Base Camp. The Base Camp is, well, designed to be your base camp, a home away from home. The Aurora is a good place for many weekends of casual camping at a more affordable price.
NEMO Aurora Highrise 6-person
Why you should trust us / About the author
To test the REI Co-op Base Camp, Liz Thomas lived in the tent for a month in the Eastern Sierra in everything from sub-freezing temperatures to hot summer days and nights and in extreme wind. In addition to Liz testing, 4 other people also camped in this tent during that time, adding their perspective on ease of set up, spaciousness, ventilation, and windproofness to this guide.
Liz is an award-winning Los Angeles-based writer and Editor-in-Chief of Treeline Review. A former Fastest Known Time (FKT) record holder on the Appalachian Trail, Liz came to Treeline Review from New York Times/Wirecutter, the New York Times’ product review site, where she was a staff writer on the outdoor team.
Liz has talked gear on Good Morning America (TV), in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, Men’s Journal, Women’s Health, Gizmodo, and Outside Magazine.
To test the best camping cots, she and 16 other campers tested camping cots side-by-side for two years, from Montana to the Sierra. Collectively, we've spent more than 60 nights sleeping on cots for this article.
You can read more about Liz at her wikipedia page here or on her website. See all her Treeline Review articles on her author page.
