REI Co-op Wonderland Tent Review

The Wonderland series at REI was designed to provide tent-camping comfort in a small range of products, including tents, cots, and chairs. We’ve had a chance to test both the four- and six-person REI Wonderland Tent, and we have to admit it falls short of its predecessor (the Kingdom). Not only is it $100 more expensive, but it has lost useful features like an included vestibule and functional backpack-style stuff bag, and interior storage is worse, too. The Wonderland still has its place for families and large groups, thanks to its well-built, spacious, and functional design, but REI’s top-end camping tent is no longer a class leader. Below we break down our experiences with the Wonderland. To see how it stacks up to the competition, check out our article on the best camping tents.
 

Table of Contents

• Interior Space
• Weather Protection
• Ventilation
• Storage and Organization
• Build Quality and Durability
• Weight and Packed Size
• Set up and Take Down
• What We Like/What We Don’t
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Performance

Interior Space

Featuring a long, tunnel-like shape, large doors at each end, and a generous 75-inch peak height, the REI Co-op Wonderland 4 Tent is a standout for livability. The pole structure does a great job stretching the walls and giving the tent its upright shape, and the tall height is relatively consistent throughout (something that dome-style tents can’t match). In addition, the Wonderland's two full-size, rounded doors make it extremely easy to get in and out, even with sleeping pads and mats set up inside. This makes it one of the most livable four-person tents.
 

For floor area, the Wonderland 4 is square, measuring 99 x 99 inches at the corners (just under its listed 100 x 100 in. measurements). In use, these generous dimensions make it a nice match for two to three adults. We were able to comfortably fit a double-wide sleeping pad (NEMO’s Roamer Double) and a 25-inch-wide camping mat, with enough space at the ends to get in and out without standing on the pads. As with all camping tents, however, we recommend sizing up if you like having extra space, and a family of four will be better off with the 20-inch-longer Wonderland 6. 
 

Weather Protection

With the redesign, REI addressed one significant complaint about the old Kingdom’s leak-prone roof vents, but otherwise made few substantial improvements. In fact, the Wonderland’s rainfly now offers less overall coverage with minimalist awnings protecting the doors and significant cutouts along each side. To their credit, the awnings are substantial enough to block most rainfall (blowing rain is another story), and the doors have solid fabric covering the mesh and have been reinforced with seam taping (the same goes for the windows along the sides). But the reality is that the Wonderland offers less overall protection than the full-coverage rainflies that are standard in this price class, including what you get with Nemo's Aurora High Rise.
 

One tradeoff of the Wonderland’s upright profile is that it doesn’t perform well in heavy winds. While the tent is clearly well-made and has high-quality and sturdy aluminum poles (as well as a good array of attachment points for guylines), the tall sides simply aren’t as aerodynamic as dome-style designs in rough conditions. To be fair, this likely won’t be an issue for most campers, and the Wonderland proved to be noticeably better in the wind than REI’s cheaper offerings. But for those who find themselves camping in remote places, camp in all four seasons, or need a strong design, Cabela’s Alaskan Guide Model, Marmot’s Halo, or REI’s own Base Camp are better options.
 

Ventilation

Although the REI Wonderland 4 Tent isn’t the best performer in inclement weather, it's an excellent ventilator. The upper portion of the tent body is made of mesh, and you can unzip the solid fabric covering the top half of each door to expose even more mesh. This is a situation where the awning-style rainfly comes in handy, as you can open the mesh portion of the doors without compromising protection in light (and not blowing) rainfall—a nice feature in warm, humid conditions. Finally, there are triangular mesh “windows” on each side of the tent that can be zipped open for views or to boost airflow. In the midday heat in Moab, this setup proved extremely useful, keeping the interior from overheating, even with the fly in place. That said, it’s important to be aware that the exposed mesh can be an entry point for blowing dirt, so you’ll want to be strategic about which windows you open up.
 

Storage and Organization

The discontinued Kingdom had some of the best storage and organization, with pockets running the entire length of the tent. REI took a simpler approach with the Wonderland 4, including two vertically stacked pockets at each corner and a hang loop in the middle of the tent to secure a camping lantern. However, while it’s a fair amount of storage at eight pockets in total, they’re positioned too high to access while lying down, a bummer when reaching for a headlamp or lantern in the middle of the night. All told, I’d categorize the overall organization as so-so: It’s easy to distribute gear in all of the pockets, but we wish they were placed lower for easier access, plus we’d like an included vestibule at this price.
 

Build Quality and Durability

At $499 for the Wonderland 4 and $599 for the Wonderland 6, we set high expectations for quality, and REI delivers on that front. Everything from the substantial aluminum poles to the mesh fabric and zippers is clearly well-made and has performed flawlessly thus far. We were also happy to see that the plastic hubs that connect the tent's side poles are set low and not under much strain (these hubbed pole systems can be a source of failure).

In addition, there’s quality seam taping along the interior, and the coated 75-denier fly and 150-denier floor are tough and highly resistant to tears and abrasion. We’ve opted against using a footprint with no issues to report thus far, though bringing a ground cloth is a nice way to avoid long-term damage (REI sells one for $60, or you can simply make your own). Another nice touch is that REI includes enough stakes (18) and guylines (8) to properly set up the tent in wind and bad weather (tent manufacturers often skimp on the number of pegs).
 

Weight and Packed Size

At 21 pounds 11 ounces all in, the Wonderland 4 is one of the heaviest four-person camping tents. To be fair, weight matters a lot less when you’re car camping than backpacking deep in the wilderness, but the heft still is important to factor in if you’ll be walking more than a short distance from your vehicle. For reference, REI’s own Base Camp 4 (16 lbs. 14 oz.) undercut the Wonderland considerably.
 

Despite its hefty build, the Wonderland’s packed size (listed at 12 x 32 in.) is reasonable for a camping tent, but the included stuff sack is a disappointment. Not only did REI ditch the superb backpack-style bag of the Kingdom—which had dedicated compartments for the rainfly, tent body, and poles—but the bag itself is small and requires careful packing to fit everything inside. We don’t usually mind the added effort when backpacking (it’s par for the course to save space), but we value the added convenience of a generous stuff sack when car camping.
 

Set up and Take Down

With color-coded aluminum poles and instructions attached to the stuff sack, the REI Wonderland 4 proved to be simple to set up. Our group admittedly struggled on the first attempt, which was done in the dark at our campsite in Moab. But once we got the hang of the process—and could easily identify the color coding on the ends of the poles—it proved to be intuitive. In fact, it’s possible to set up the tent solo in about 10 minutes—something I was able to do even with some light wind, which made things more exciting. Considering the sheer size and height of the Wonderland, that’s high praise.
 

Sustainability

REI is known for its focus on sustainability, and the Wonderland collection follows suit by utilizing solution-dyed mesh. Compared to standard production methods, solution dying requires less water and energy during manufacturing. We do wish they had included other measures like recycled or Bluesign-approved materials, but it’s nevertheless a nice update from the discontinued Kingdom.
 

Other Versions of the REI Co-op Wonderland

We covered the four-person Wonderland for this review, and we also have experience with the larger six-person variation. For $100 more than the 4P model, the Wonderland 6 adds 13.9 square feet of floor space (83.3 sq. ft. total) and 3 inches of additional headroom (78 in. at its peak). You also get an interior divider wall with a center zipper to create two separate rooms, and the weight goes up slightly to 22 pounds 15 ounces. Most other features remain the same, including two doors, tough fabrics on the fly and floor, and an identical pole structure that provides excellent livability for larger groups and families. 
 

What We Like

• Tunnel-like shape, massive doors, and generous 75-inch peak height make the Wonderland 4 one of the most livable four-person tents.
• Mesh-heavy build, windows at each side, and awning-style rainfly provide excellent ventilation and airflow.
• Great build quality with sturdy aluminum poles, high-quality fabrics, and quality seam taping along the interior.
• Relatively simple and intuitive to set up for such a large camping tent.
• REI includes enough stakes and guylines to properly pitch the tent in wind and bad weather, which isn’t always the case with camping tents.

What We Don’t

• Minimalist, awning-style rainfly offers little coverage against heavy or blowing rain and provides no vestibule space.
• Pricey at $499, considering the limited protection and lack of external storage.
• Tall and upright profile doesn’t stand up well to strong winds.
• Pockets are set too high to access while lying down.
• Stuff sack is fairly basic and requires careful packing to fit all of the tent’s components inside (we miss the Kingdom’s backpack-style design with dedicated compartments).
   

Comparison Table

The Competition

REI’s Wonderland sits at the top of their camping tent lineup both in terms of price and livability, but For those who don’t mind getting out in inclement conditions, REI’s own Base Camp 4 is the most weather-ready option in their collection. Unlike the long and tunnel-like Wonderland, the Base Camp has a traditional dome-style shape that stands up much better to strong winds. You also get a full-coverage rainfly, which translates to far better protection in heavy, blowing rain. However, while overall livability is good with a reasonably spacious 59.7-square-foot floor area and two wide, rounded doors, the Base Camp feels noticeably less roomy due to the shorter 60-inch peak height and lack of vertical walls. It also uses less mesh and doesn’t ventilate as well as the Wonderland does. In the end, the final decision between the two comes down to how you prioritize protection (the Base Camp wins out) versus features and livability (the Wonderland gets the edge).
 

Outside of REI’s lineup, Big Agnes’ Bunk House 4 stands out for its effective balance of interior space and wet-weather protection. Stacked up against the Wonderland, the Bunk House is less roomy with 58 square feet of floor area and a 70-inch peak height, but it’s lighter by around six pounds, has a full-coverage rainfly for added protection in a storm (bonus: The fly can be pitched on its own as a minimalist shelter), and offers 33 square feet of total vestibule space to store gear. Big Agnes didn’t skimp on the details either, including fun additions like an awning-like door that can be staked out as a sunshade, a backpack-style stuff sack that makes it easier to haul the tent to and from camp, and a large “welcome mat” by the front door to stash dirty shoes. The Bunk House does cost $100 more than the Wonderland, but most dedicated campers will likely find the investment worth it.
 

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