REI Trailmade 2 Review: Can REI's Least Expensive Tent Stay Dry?

Introduction

The REI Trailmade 2 sits at the most affordable end of REI’s tent lineup, which makes it an obvious starting point for campers who want dependable shelter without spending much. The real question is whether a tent at this price can handle genuinely bad weather rather than a passing shower.

A full day of continuous rain is a fair test of any tent, and it is usually where budget models show their limits. The Trailmade 2 was put through roughly 24 hours of rain, split between moderate and heavy intensity, with the downpour arriving in the afternoon and continuing well into the night.

That kind of exposure stresses every waterproofing element at once: the floor, the seams, the vents, and the rainfly. What follows is a breakdown of how the Trailmade 2 is built, how it behaved in those conditions, and where its limits show up.

Who This Product Is For

The Trailmade 2 makes most sense for campers who want a two-person tent at the lowest possible price and who camp in conditions ranging from dry to moderate rain. The waterproofing features are clearly aimed at keeping the interior usable rather than at expedition-level weather.

It is also a sensible choice for occasional campers, or for anyone who wants a spare tent in the gear closet. If your trips regularly involve exposed sites and long, heavy storms, the limitations covered further down are worth weighing carefully before you commit.

Main Strengths: Waterproofing Built Into the Floor and Seams

The first line of defence is the tub floor, which runs around the entire tent and rises about 6 inches at both the width and the length. That consistent height gives water pooling around the base a clear barrier to overcome before it can reach the sleeping area.

Seam taping is applied where it matters most. The long seam that runs corner to corner at the bottom of the tub floor is taped, and every corner seam is taped as well. The taping extends roughly 6 inches up from the floor and then stops, so protection is concentrated at the base of the tent rather than carried higher up the walls.

The rainfly is the other strong point. Every seam on it is taped, and the fly is designed as a full-coverage piece that reaches almost to the ground, leaving only a small gap at the bottom. Coverage that complete is a meaningful part of what this tent offers for the money.

How the Trailmade 2 Performed in a 24-Hour Rain Test

Test conditions matter here. Rain began around 11:00 AM at a light to moderate level and became a downpour by 4:00 PM. It continued without stopping through the night, adding up to roughly 12 hours of moderate rain and 12 hours of heavy rain.

When the tent was checked after the rain eased, two small puddles had formed in the middle of the floor. These came through the roof vents rather than through the fabric or the seams. Because the vents can be closed from inside by unzipping the door and reaching over, this is a manageable issue rather than a structural failure.

Elsewhere the interior stayed largely dry. The floor looked wet, but checking it showed that water had not seeped through, with one exception: a corner that was sitting in a pool of water, where a small and manageable amount of leakage appeared. From the outside, water had moved beyond the tub floor along the widths, yet it did not find its way inside.

The rainfly held up for most of the test. Around the five-hour mark, the rain flap began to soak through, but the rest of the rainfly stayed dry on the inside. Taken together, the floor and the taped seams came through the test in good shape.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The two rainfly vents are angled sideways rather than downward, and that is the detail that produced the puddles inside. Side-facing vents tend to let driven rain in during heavy storms, and closing them from inside is the practical workaround.

The tent also cannot be staked out or guyed out at the widths. That limits how much you can tighten the rainfly in exposed conditions, and it affects ventilation as well as rain protection.

Another point to note is the rain flap soaking through after roughly five hours of rain, which suggests the fly will eventually saturate in prolonged heavy weather. Seam taping also stops about 6 inches above the floor, so the upper walls rely on the fabric and the rainfly for their protection.

Value for Money Compared With Other Budget Tents

Pricing is central to the Trailmade 2’s appeal. It is REI’s least expensive tent, and buying on sale makes it considerably cheaper, with the tent available for around $140 at a 30 percent reduction.

Among tents in the same price bracket, the Trailmade 2 stands out for waterproofing. It performs on par with the Teton Mountain Ultra and ahead of other budget options from brands such as Kelty and Alps Mountaineering. For the money, particularly at a discounted price, the weather protection on offer is strong.

Buying Advice

If you want a low-cost two-person tent and your trips mostly involve fair weather, occasional showers, or moderate rain, the Trailmade 2 is a sound buy. The tub floor, the taped seams, and the full-coverage rainfly cover the essentials well.

If you expect to camp through multi-day heavy rain in exposed spots, plan around the vents. Close them before the weather turns, and choose a pitch with some natural shelter. Checking the corner seams and settling on ground that drains well will also reduce the chance of standing water working against the floor.

Buying on sale is the simplest way to get the most out of this tent. At a discounted price, the level of waterproofing it delivers is difficult to match.

Conclusion

The Trailmade 2 answers the question it raises. REI’s least expensive tent holds up to a long, wet night far better than its price suggests, with the tub floor, the taped seams, and the full-coverage rainfly doing most of the work. The weaknesses are specific rather than fundamental: side-facing vents that leak in heavy rain, no staking or guying at the widths, and a rain flap that eventually soaks through. Deal with the vents, choose your pitch with care, and this is a very practical budget tent.