pitching a tent

[rushchairman]

i'm a total newb to the camping scene and looking to get involved with a tent. i imagine i'll be primarily 3 season car camping in the future with my son, who is nearly 3. right now i'm looking at 4 person tents. would it be wiser to spring for the more accommodating 6 person tent in the event that my wife (and perhaps a dog) should come with? i wouldn't mind an additional 2 person tent for solo missions as well. i also need help with brands. so far my i've been looking at Marmot pretty exclusively...

basically i have no idea what i'm doing. i think that's obvious.

thanks in advance!!

 

[lowjax]

Look at how many people/pets you have and then double it. If you have 3 of you and a dog, I'd go with an 8 person tent. That's what I have for my, my wife, and 2 kids (6 and 7 years old). By the time you get an air mattress or cots in there and mats for the kid and/or dog to sleep on, there won't be much room for your stuff. I guess if you are only going for a day or two, it will be fine, but if you go for 3-4 days or more, you will have a lot of stuff that will need to go somewhere.

We have a Coleman 8 person tent and love it.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

As a Scout who grew up to be a Scoutmaster let me assure you the description of a, "Four Person" tent is as the British say - a bit conservative with the truth.

In one word consider a Eureka. Mine has been through weeks of muddy summer camps over the years and the zipper works great. Think about how important is it to stand inside your tent. Very, or not very? How tall are you? Will the tent be pitched and left in place for a week - then get one bigger. Hey, it is your home away from home. Are you a backpacker? That changes everything.

 

[Robert45]

You can never have a large enough tent. To me the only limiting factor is weight and the likely distance from the car to the campsite.

 

[nannahill]

Jeff's info is sound advice. We have a Coleman too. It's supposedly a 4 person but is more a 2 person with room for gear.

 

[roklein]

A cabin rental as a back too. Just saying. Camping is fun, but if the others aren't having a good time...I have been camping in a downpour with 3 inches a water in my tent, and it doesn't matter how much you say "I love you".

 

[PMT]

I look at the capacity the same way I look at when they say a pizza serves this many, you will always need more room, especially with all the gear you will need

 

[ouch]

Not gonna say it.

 

[fast14riot]

+1 to Eureka. I have a two person and it works well for the wife and I. She isn't even 5' tall, so that helps, but I've had my tent for 12 years now and its still going strong.


-Xander

 

[Kentos]

Not gonna say it.

I would say it but it would be unbecoming.

 

[Kentos]

I agree on getting the biggest practically feasible. No one ever complains that "this darn tent has too much room!".

 

[superbleu]

If you are car camping, get the biggest, heaviest duty tent you can get. Also it's not a bad Idea to get a blue tarp as a secondary cover/rain fly and a second to use as a groundcloth.
A lot of these "Family size" tent's aren't as well made as true mountaineering tents so they tend to leak at the seams.
Campmor, and sierra trading post are good places to look.

 

[ThePatrician]

Jeff and Robert nailed it. If you're driving to the campsite you don't need to worry about a big and/or heavy tent, the same way you would if you were backpacking. One thing to consider when purchasing a tent is how much work do you want to do setting it up? A dome tent is about as easy as it gets before you turn to inflatable.

Dome tents are easy to get up and take down, they're seriously two rods that slide into two slots that form up the base. Once you get it up they're very stiff and can handle a lot.

 

[dreaded_rust]

Dome tents are easy to get up and take down, they're seriously two rods that slide into two slots that form up the base. Once you get it up they're very stiff and can handle a lot.

I am laughing so hard right now...

I know I know....some day I'll grow up...but not today

 

[rushchairman]

thanks for all the input, all. very helpful as always!

i was about to move on a Marmot Limelight 4 person, but given its relatively small footprint, i don't think it would be all that functional in the long term (with a growing family). friends who have Eurekas all seem to swear by them. i'm also considering the Big Agnes line. additionally, a smaller, 2 person tent for solo backpacking missions. next step, sleep bags. yikes.

thanks again! i'll gladly continue to consider any and all suggestions

 

[redrako]

+1 on Eureka Tents. My wife and I use a Eureka Sunrise 4 person tent for the last six years. We camp mostly in Vermont and Maine, where mountain rain showers, sometimes heavy are to be expected. With the use of a poly groundcloth underneath, we remain perfectly dry.

Three years ago, we had a tropical storm go through the site with 40+ mph gusts and driving rain. The fiberglass poles flexed, but the tent was rock solid and again remained water tight.

A couple of practical recommendations.
Buy a tube of seam sealer and apply it to the tent seams during your first outing. It has the consistency of model cement and is not pretty, but it works.
Second by either a form fitted ground cloth or use a simply poly drop cloth place it under the tent, being sure to keep the edges of the ground cloth six inches inside the edge of the tent. (if the plastic groundcloth is sticking out from under the tent the water will pool on top of it and your tent will be sitting into a puddle.
Thirdly, be sure to check the ground that your setting the tent up and avoid setting up on any sharp rocks, sticks or roots, you'll sleep more comfortably.
Finally, before you set up, try to imagine where water would run during heavy rain and set your tent up away from that spot.

Good Luck,camping is the perfect activity for kids of all ages.

 

[Groat]

Have you been to a store to look at different models? If there's an REI, Eastern Mountain Sports or other similar store around then I would strongly suggest spending a couple hours there. They're likely to have a number of models in stock and often several set up on the floor. It's one thing to look at a picture online, but it's another entirely to actually see the tent in person. Also, some stores (I know REI does, as I'm an employee) rent tents. REI's rentals are just REI brand tents, but you can get a feel for how much room you want. You might consider the Big Agnes Big House 6 tent. It's got a large main room, it's reasonably priced and there's an optional vestibule that would effectively give you double the area for gear.

If you're looking at sleeping bags, actually seeing them in person is great. Sleeping bags come in all different shapes and sizes. Even at the same temperature rating, things like the shape (mummy or more boxy) and filling (synthetic or down) can make huge differences in weight and comfort.

 

[Jim]

Besides putting a tent away wet the most damage is from sunlight, the advice to get a cheap tarp to cover the tent is spot on. Next on your list should be a fly or tarp to cover your cooking and dinning area, a plain blue tarp works but there are task specific ones as well.

Good luck on your adventures!

 

[Harry Snider]

Saw this thread and had to add my 2¢ about Eureka! tents, they are without a doubt the best value/dollar tent out there.
This is the first tent I've stayed dry in ever.

 

[Slash McCoy]

"Sleeps 4 adults" in tents is sort of like "Sleeps 6" in the yacht brochures and ads. Usually totally unrealistic unless everyone is either a midget or a mashochist. I agree that you should double your capacity. Extra flys and tarps are a great idea. It is nice to have a "front porch" area where you can chill out in a comfortable folding chair or cook when it rains.