MR. BIG ‘N’ TALLWith its X-pole design and meshy walls, the Alcove 2 looks unremarkable at first. Then you notice the scoop built into the door frame, which helps create a 14-square-foot vestibule—double the size of those found on many packable tents. I worried about the mesh near the top during several downpours, but the Alcove’s fly closed down like a clamshell and consistently kept me desert-dry.
Bonus: More max headroom—44 inches—than any other two-person tent I tested.
Bummer: Single-door configuration turns a 2 a.m. exit into a game of Twister for the far occupant.