REI Arete ASL 2P Tent Review- How it camps and who it is for Review by The Good Ride

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REI Arete ASL 2P Tent Written Review

Ethics Statement: The manufacturer doesn’t pay us to write these reviews.  We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average camper/snowboarder/surfer perspective.

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How This REI Arete ASL 2P Tent Review Happened:

Precious Good Ride dollars were spent to buy this and review it.

Days: 10+
Conditions: At night, everything from the low 30s with rain to mid-70s. During the Day highs in the 50’s to 80’s

Assembly

This is probably the only real nitpick I have with the REI Arete ASL 2P Tent. It’s just a little harder to set up than many of its competitors. Compared to tents with clips instead of long sleeves to hold the poles, it is just slow. It takes longer to get this fully assembled than many other tents in this price range I’ve tested.

Exterior Design

The overall design of the REI Arete ASL 2P Tent is unique. I like the option to vent or have privacy without the rain fly on. There are many zippered panels under the mesh, so you don’t necessarily have to put the rain fly on unless it’s cold or windy. Most tents have mesh only, and you need the rain fly for warmth and privacy.

Warmth

This is my favorite tent for shoulder-season camping when temperatures vary greatly over a few days. With all the mesh sealed off and the somewhat burly rain fly down, this is almost as good as many four-season tents. You can pull off a little light winter camping with a warm pad and sleeping bag.

Ventilation

The zippered panels below the mesh control the ventilation, which is unique. If you unzip all the panels, you get a lot of venting, and it is a pretty good warm-weather tent. Some tents vent much better, but I can’t think of one competitor that can seal off like this to make it warm if you want it.

Wind

I haven’t been able to stress test this in the wind, but the REI Arete ASL 2P Tent is similar to the REI Base Camp 6 I use for camping with my family. When we were camping in Death Valley a sudden wind storm blew 65-75mph winds. It held up well with the rain fly on, and all the guy lines steaked in. I think the Arete would have similar wind resistance.

Interior Design & Pockets

The walls rise pretty vertically, so it’s roomy for a two-person tent. That being said, like all two-person tents, it is best with one person for car camping. There are pockets everywhere throughout the REI Arete ASL 2P Tent walls, and it’s very good for organizing lots of small to medium items.

Conclusion

Other than the set-up, the REI Arete ASL 2P Tent has been a pleasure to use, and I’m glad I bought it. It’s been my companion for many camp trips to Mt Hood for late spring/summer snowboarding and Lake Chelan to surf.