Camping Tents

[DannyLlama]

Let this be a thread to share your favorite tent, ones you wouldn't recommend and ones you highly recommend.

Wife and I purchased a 6 person tent from Costco 2 years ago. It did the job and was very spacious. I like it very much, my only gripe so far is the floor. We had a little rock under the tent and it slowly tore some of the lining, nothing huge. This is the one we have

Coleman - Big Camping Tents | 10 Person Tent | Coleman - WeatherMaster? 10 with Hinged Door

I'm in the market for a 3 person tent for my solo trips.

What do ya'll have?

 

[KidVermicious]

A little baby Eureka for really bad weather, a tarp over the hammock otherwise.

Thinking about a Springbar or Kodiak for when the family comes along. I've done the nylon cabin tent thing, they're a PITA. The footprint is too big for most nice campsites and they turn into a sail when it gets windy. Lost two of them that way and I don't think I'll try again.

 

[470SNC]

I love my Coleman instant tent, sets up in literally 5 minutes, water resistant even without a rain fly although there is an optional one. It's held up for 3 years even in 50 mph winds at Pismo, and thunder/rain storms in Zion, UT

 

[gshadow325]

CVT RTT, this is the Mt Shasta on a [MENTION=77764]Whitson Metalworks[/MENTION] rack. I have a annex also and the anti condensation mat

Moving on up like the Jeffersons to the penthouse in the sky! LoL

First real camping trip out, had a real bad overnight rain storm that flooded out a low lying campsite my cousin was in. meanwhile me and my family was high and dry hehehe.

 

[gshadow325]

I love my Coleman instant tent, sets up in literally 5 minutes, water resistant even without a rain fly although there is an optional one. It's held up for 3 years even in 50 mph winds at Pismo, and thunder/rain storms in Zion, UT

I think mine sets up faster,

it is ready to sleep in 10 minutes and takes one person to do so.
Pull up and to a flat surface. open up and you done.

 

[470SNC]

with the coleman, the frame is attached to the tent already, fold it out, pop the legs and lock em, and youre done, similar to an EZ-UP, although I would love a rooftop tent but a coleman instant tent is less than a 100 bucks haha

 

[ndcent]

Don't do a ton of tent camping any more, but always used an simple tent from LL Bean, never a problem with it.

Glamping on the other hand, I'm getting sucked into.

 

[MtnT4R]

I'm in the market for a 3 person tent for my solo trips.

Why would you want a 3 person tent for a solo trip?


Just my opinion, if you can't see the stars you aren't camping. 95% of the time I use a hammock, include tarp only if rain is unavoidable. If there's no trees around I use a standard issue Gore Tex bivy. I haven't used a tent at all in 3/4 years, but I do have my eye on the MSR Nook for next season if the lady decides she wants to start backpacking vs. car camping:

 

[Antman]

I have the Coleman Instantent 8 (Dick's had it marked wrong and I got it for $80 bucks!!) . Mine has the screen roof with a rainfly you can attach separately- keeps condensation at bay. I like it- it packs up huge though. Literally takes about 2 minutes to set up or take down. I camped in a HUGE thunderstorm that lasted about an hour- big winds and flooding rain. Stayed completely dry all night.

If I had my choice I would get an Oztent though. After seeing them in person I fell in love! Expensive as hell too!

 

[KidVermicious]

When did you buy yours, Antman? I looked up those instant tents a couple years ago and the reviews were full of guys saying they were about as waterproof as a salad collander.

 

[telum01]

I have a 3-season, 3-person Kelty (I think that's the brand?) for me and an ABO Gear "Dog Haus" for the pups. I have a 3-person tent for myself because 3-person really means 2-person and I'm still holding out hope that I won't die alone so maybe some day my tent will be occupied by more than just me.

 

[DannyLlama]

Why would you want a 3 person tent for a solo trip?

Because from my experience, you take what they suggest for occupancy and divide it by half. Most tent manufactures don't account for "storage", only persons per tent. So a 3 person tent would be perfect for my wife and I, slightly too much for just my self, but perfect for my dog and I.
I don't want to have more than 2 tents in the house, so thats what I came up with.

I found a tent that I really like from Big Agnes, the Flying Diamond 6, it's a 4 season tent and it has a little storage area/dog are:

Just have to find it on sale somewhere

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/FlyingDiamond6

When did you buy yours, Antman? I looked up those instant tents a couple years ago and the reviews were full of guys saying they were about as waterproof as a salad collander.

I have read the same about these tents, It most have some [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] mods to make it superior

 

[470SNC]

lol so two people with actually having instant tents tell you it held up in this thread, and youre basing on other site reviews? I have one of the earlier ones without the rainfly and it holds up fine, with the rainfly, you should have zero issues

 

[MtnT4R]

Because from my experience, you take what they suggest for occupancy and divide it by half. Most tent manufactures don't account for "storage", only persons per tent. So a 3 person tent would be perfect for my wife and I, slightly too much for just my self, but perfect for my dog and I.
I don't want to have more than 2 tents in the house, so that's what I came up with.

Ah gotcha, that makes more sense. Another option, just for variety, would be to get a 2 person tent with the option to add on a vestibule, like this one from Black Diamond:

This one offers 13sqft of extra space, so it would work great for gear + dog, especially if you wanted to bring the wife along too. Sort of a more modular option if you want to keep redundant gear to a minimum.

 

[Antman]

When did you buy yours, Antman? I looked up those instant tents a couple years ago and the reviews were full of guys saying they were about as waterproof as a salad collander.

I think about 2 years ago. Mine has a separate rainfly and the roof on the tent itself is screen. The older models had a solid roof and no rainfly.

Dick's mistakenly marked down the newer model instead of the older model they had in the store. I bought it, went home and thought about it and drove back to buy the rest (to sell!) but they corrected the mistake that quick, lol.

Mine = no leaks yet!

 

[DannyLlama]

Ah gotcha, that makes more sense. Another option, just for variety, would be to get a 2 person tent with the option to add on a vestibule, like this one from Black Diamond:

This on offers 13sqft of extra space, so it would work great for gear + dog, especially if you wanted to bring the wife along too. Sort of a more modular option if you want to keep redundant gear to a minimum.

Not a bad idea either, but thats 2 separate items you have to purchase and remember to bring instead of just one...

I tried to look online to find relative photos or reading material of how they connect and didn't find much, do you have a link or 2 to share?

 

[MtnT4R]

Here is the product page for Black Diamond:
HiLight Tent Vestibule - Black Diamond Hiking/Trekking Gear

And here is a comparable model made by Nemo:
NEMO Losi Garage Vestibule for Losi Tent | NEMO

Mountain Hardwear's:
Mountain Hardwear Direkt 2 Vestibule | Backcountry.com

There isn't much about the attachment systems- probably something a lot like a hook and loop system, some makers have them under the rainfly, some over. The ones I have experience with are 4 season tents with integrated vestibule so it sets up as one piece. Nice to have a mudroom for wet boots and gear.

 

[youngr]

I am an avid Backpacker so we use 2 tents.

1) Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2 for Backpacking Trips.

2) Marmot Limelight 3 for Car Camping Trips.

Both are fantastic.

 

[gshadow325]

Don't do a ton of tent camping any more, but always used an simple tent from LL Bean, never a problem with it.

Glamping on the other hand, I'm getting sucked into.

like you after getting my RTT, i dont think i can do a regular tent anymore. One day i'll get a pop up. I need to get more than 8 nights a year in my RTT first.

i youtube these coleman instant tents. pretty neat. how well are these constructed?

 

[DannyLlama]

I am an avid Backpacker so we use 2 tents.

1) Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2 for Backpacking Trips.

2) Marmot Limelight 3 for Car Camping Trips.

Both are fantastic.

I like the marmot tent... for single person camping. Thanks for sharing!