O.K. Camper's Suggest A Tent To Buy

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - O.K. Camper's Suggest A Tent To Buy

Posted: 2/20/2006 3:32:25 AM EDT

I'm looking to buy a 3-person or family tent, but not sure of a quality manufacturer. I have had tents in the past that were basically junk and hope to pick up a decent one this time around. I won't have time to mail order one, so I'll have to go look for a suggested brand name tent here in my area either at Gander Mountain or Academy Sports.

Posted: 2/20/2006 3:52:18 AM EDT

[#1]

Silly bump for the late sleepers.

Posted: 2/20/2006 3:54:03 AM EDT

[#2]

Purpose for the tent:

Backpacking, car camping, summer, 3 season, 4 season?

Posted: 2/20/2006 4:07:54 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Purpose for the tent:

Backpacking, car camping, summer, 3 season, 4 season?

I need a tent for what I would call roughing it easy. Mainly in local State Park's where I will be able to just drive up to the site and set up, so weight and storage size is not really a issue. Here in SE Texas there are only two season's, if you want to call them season's. I'd like something that's durable and not fall apart after the first set up. I've looked at some of the online reviews, but would prefer the unbiased opinion's from my ARFCOM brethren

Posted: 2/20/2006 4:11:53 AM EDT

[#4]

The first thing I learned when I went camping in a tent was to take the number of people the tent says it holds and divide by two to get the real number.

The "8-man tent" we had MIGHT have been able to fit five if we really had to. They assume you're all horse jockeys, going to be lying in the tightest possible configuration, with no room for gear, and with no way for the people in the middle to get out to take a leak without stepping on someone else.

Posted: 2/20/2006 4:19:44 AM EDT

[#5]

The only way to rough it...

Posted: 2/20/2006 4:30:58 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I'm looking to buy a 3-person or family tent, but not sure of a quality manufacturer. I have had tents in the past that were basically junk and hope to pick up a decent one this time around. I won't have time to mail order one, so I'll have to go look for a suggested brand name tent here in my area either at Gander Mountain or Academy Sports.

If you are looking for a 3 person backpacking tent look at the Mountain Hardware Light Wedge 3.
Under 7lbs , Bombproof , Perfect room for 3 with room for gear.

If your looking at a Car Camping tent , go ahead and got bigger (heavier) and get a top line 4-5 person. You will never regreat the extra room as long as you do not have to carry it on your back.

Check out Sierratradingpost.com , Backcountry.com , REI.com , etc. for clearance deals.

Go ahead and spend the most you can aford , it will pay off in the long run.
Stay away from Walmart , Academy Sports , etc.

Posted: 2/20/2006 4:37:35 AM EDT

[#7]

Cabela's.........alaskan guide. Several different sizes. If weight is not a problem. I've got the 8 man with the big vestible for all the gear and you can put the lawn chairs under there and sit out the rain. Had it for about 8 years and love it. Lots of room. 40 pounds so it's only good if you can drive up to the campsite.

Posted: 2/21/2006 10:57:37 AM EDT

[#8]

I really like Eureka tents for "family camping".

Posted: 2/21/2006 11:02:32 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Cabela's.........alaskan guide. Several different sizes. If weight is not a problem. I've got the 8 man with the big vestible for all the gear and you can put the lawn chairs under there and sit out the rain. Had it for about 8 years and love it. Lots of room. 40 pounds so it's only good if you can drive up to the campsite.

+1

I have the 4 person model and I love it! I would imagine the 4 person might be adequate for you (3 people), though they do have a 6 person as well as the 8 person like WUFMAN has. Very sturdy tents!

Posted: 2/21/2006 11:04:14 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I really like Eureka tents for "family camping".

My new 4-man Eureka arrives this week. This will be the 3rd Eureka I've owned and they are fabulous for the money. It is the perfect 3-season tent, and probably could be used in winter, too.

HH

Posted: 2/21/2006 11:38:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Just make sure it's tall enough for you to comfortably stand up in. You will get tired of being hunched over very fast.

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:02:55 PM EDT

[#12]

We purchased a Eureka www.eurekacamping.com/equinox.asp back in 1993 and have used it several times each year since then (some times for 15-20 days while camping & 4 wheeling up in the Rockies) and it's still holding up like new.

It's been well taken care of & does show signs of use/wear, but it's great at keeping you dry in heavy rains & if you lash it down with para cord 70 mph winds are no big deal

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:09:24 PM EDT

[#13]

Eureka's are great for family car camping. I've got one (would have to go into the basement to tell you which one exactly) that's been fine. It's...well...it's a tent. What can I say? It's easy to set up, and it's held up well over the years.

I'd be alot more wordy and enthusiastic if you were asking about backpacking tents.

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:33:23 PM EDT

[#14]

I’ve got a Eureka 9x9 tent and it’s pretty good for me. But, if you tried to get 3 people in there… Well, we would all have to be real friendly. Get one that’s bigger than what you think you need, and make sure it’s big enough to stand up in. That’ll makes changing clothes much easier.

And go out and get a Coleman air mattress. I’ve slept on the hard ground plenty of times before and I can do it again, but I sure don’t want to. My air mattress is more comfortable than my real bed. (Make sure you get a pump for it too.)

Oh, if you go for Eureka, they have a very slick nylon floor. You need a ground cloth to protect it, but if you get a slick plastic one you will be slipping all over the place. Just get a cheap tarp, they work fine.

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:40:11 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
The first thing I learned when I went camping in a tent was to take the number of people the tent says it holds and divide by two to get the real number.

The "8-man tent" we had MIGHT have been able to fit five if we really had to. They assume you're all horse jockeys, going to be lying in the tightest possible configuration, with no room for gear, and with no way for the people in the middle to get out to take a leak without stepping on someone else.

This is not entirely true.

I spent an two weeks in Russia camping in a two-person tent that comfortably slept three people in it every night. Actually, it was myself, an American woman and a Russina woman, and it was very coozy sleeping in the middle every night. However, we never slept that much.

Damn, I miss my youth.

SBG

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:49:24 PM EDT

[#16]

I can recommend the

Gander Mountain Guide Series Grizzly Den 8 Person Tent.

My wife and I use it when car camping with the grandkids.

Two cots fit on the sides with plenty of room left for the grandkids in the middle.

It is a well built dome "like" tent but has a square floor lay out.

You can stand anywhere in it and it has great ventilation, at the same time, is really

water tight.

It went for about $190.oo

GM

Posted: 2/21/2006 12:52:20 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

This is not entirely true.

I spent an two weeks in Russia camping in a two-person tent that comfortably slept three people in it every night. Actually, it was myself, an American woman and a Russina woman, and it was very coozy sleeping in the middle every night. However, we never slept that much.

Damn, I miss my youth.

SBG

You're officially my new hero.

Posted: 2/21/2006 1:00:40 PM EDT

[#18]

Car camping in reasonable weather, Coleman and Kelty are good too. I usually put a heavier weight drop cloth under the tent and a cheapo furniture mat/pad down first. You want to avoid moisture or twigs etc poking through.

Vestibules are nice but not a make or break.

It's never too soon to inculcate the habit of never taking or keeping unattended "smellables" into the tent for ALL members of your family. Lipstick, chap stick, candy, chips, cookies, candy chips, cookies, toothpaste, deodorant, perfume, chips, cookies, candy, in other words anything that a four, six, eight or more legged critter might smell and decide to take a bite to see if it tastes as good as it smells.

Mice, rats, ground squirrels and chipmunks, usually can't get in unless somebody leaves the zippers unzipped. Raccoons, skunks, bears, etc, usually open the tent in their own manner.

Posted: 2/21/2006 1:03:48 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Purpose for the tent:

Backpacking, car camping, summer, 3 season, 4 season?

I need a tent for what I would call roughing it easy. Mainly in local State Park's where I will be able to just drive up to the site and set up, so weight and storage size is not really a issue. Here in SE Texas there are only two season's, if you want to call them season's. I'd like something that's durable and not fall apart after the first set up. I've looked at some of the online reviews, but would prefer the unbiased opinion's from my ARFCOM brethren

If you have an SUV or a pickup with a camper shell, this works pretty well:

This is from Sebring last March. I have graduated up to a pull behind camper so the tent part of the picture is available if you are interested. IM me.

The tent can loop around the back of the truck or SUV making one large area. See the new ones here:

www.missgrizz.com/Products/sportz_tent.asp?OVRAW=trucktent&OVKEY=trucktent&OVMTC=standard

You can close the loop and drive somewhere and put it back around the truck when you return.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - O.K. Camper's Suggest A Tent To Buy

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