Tent recomendations?

DWiggles

DWiggles

Caught the Bug
So we are getting more and more into wheeling, and as we explore further and further from home, we are looking at getting some camping gear. It's just me and my girlfriend, and a 6 year old German Shepherd, but we would like to "rough it", meaning an aero queen bed. We are looking at picking up a new tent, and was wondering what everyone else is using for there "base camp"? We are looking at probably a 6 person or so, and quality, setup and utility are the most important, and of course price. Most of the camping will be in texas, so cold weather isn't really an issue, but would like to be mindful of possible 35 lows (and we'll ofcourse have a heater if that's the case) I'm not looking to spend a small fortune on a tent. What do you guys recommend?

Edit: consider us "beginners", we are looking for the best bang for the buck beginner level family tent, likely from academy, or outdoor world, or amazon. But preferably less then $200-$250. Thanks in advance
 
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A little above your price point, but last year we picked up a 6 person Black Pine Turbo Tent from Costco. I want to say that we paid around $400 for it. The tent has been perfect for us and fits myself, my wife and two boys in it perfectly along with room along the sides for backpacks, blankets, etc. The material is very heavy duty and the entire tent can be setup in less than a couple of minutes. I was a bit skeptical about the "instant tent" idea but the construction is great and I really have no long term longevity concerns. It's great having the whole campsite setup, including tent, within 15-20 minutes of being on site! :thumb:


http://www.blackpinesports.com/black-pine-pine-deluxe-6-turbo-tent
 
Why a 6 person? The misses and I use a Marmot 2 person tent and keep our full size (size of an adult GSD male) in the tent. We also have a 3 person that we don't use too often but will probably will once we tale our GSD camping. I am a huge REI fan. They have their own brand tents, a couple 4 person for less than 200 bucks. Of course you can spend less but I like their products and their passion of the outdoors so I don't mindy money going to them. Where in Texas do you plan to go?
 
ridg3runner said:
If you're lacking a little excitement (stress) in your life then I highly recommend one of these bad boys. View attachment 126361
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Which tent is this?

Jackal01 said:
Why a 6 person? The misses and I use a Marmot 2 person tent and keep our full size (size of an adult GSD male) in the tent. We also have a 3 person that we don't use too often but will probably will once we tale our GSD camping. I am a huge REI fan. They have their own brand tents, a couple 4 person for less than 200 bucks. Of course you can spend less but I like their products and their passion of the outdoors so I don't mindy money going to them. Where in Texas do you plan to go?
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We just figure the price difference is so small from a smaller to larger tent, that we might as well pick up something we can grow into opposed to grow out of, I'm not set on a 6 person, just looks to be about the right size with the full size blow up bed, the dog, and of course the city girls luggage ;) not to mention I'm 6'2" and would like to be able to stand up inside if possible, but not a huge requirement. I'm more interested in the quality vs price then the size.

Our first wheel/camping trip will be to hidden falls adventure park in Mable falls next month. Then of course big bend is second on the list...
 
ERAUGrad04 said:
A little above your price point, but last year we picked up a 6 person Black Pine Turbo Tent from Costco. I want to say that we paid around $400 for it. The tent has been perfect for us and fits myself, my wife and two boys in it perfectly along with room along the sides for backpacks, blankets, etc. The material is very heavy duty and the entire tent can be setup in less than a couple of minutes. I was a bit skeptical about the "instant tent" idea but the construction is great and I really have no long term longevity concerns. It's great having the whole campsite setup, including tent, within 15-20 minutes of being on site! :thumb:


http://www.blackpinesports.com/black-pine-pine-deluxe-6-turbo-tent
Click to expand...

+1 I did the same thing but got the 4 person way worth the price for how easy it goes up! And the 4 persons more like a 2 person iv tried doing 4 it's pretty cramped. lol
 
DWiggles said:
So we are getting more and more into wheeling, and as we explore further and further from home, we are looking at getting some camping gear. It's just me and my girlfriend, and a 6 year old German Shepherd, but we would like to "rough it", meaning an aero queen bed. We are looking at picking up a new tent, and was wondering what everyone else is using for there "base camp"? We are looking at probably a 6 person or so, and quality, setup and utility are the most important, and of course price. Most of the camping will be in texas, so cold weather isn't really an issue, but would like to be mindful of possible 35 lows (and we'll ofcourse have a heater if that's the case) I'm not looking to spend a small fortune on a tent. What do you guys recommend?

Edit: consider us "beginners", we are looking for the best bang for the buck beginner level family tent, likely from academy, or outdoor world, or amazon. But preferably less then $200-$250. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

We have gone through many tents and while I don't have a recommendation what I do know is that a decent tent can make or break an experience. If your cold, your miserable.

While air beds may be comfortable they can be cold with all of that air below you. If you can get to the ground with an isolation barrier you will actually be warmer. Additionally if your in the mountains it will be chilly at night.

Don't get a tent with rated for 100 degrees with a Hugh mesh top. All of you body heat will escape and you will be cold. It's really easier to open the doors and have the screens closed or not put the fly on than try to get warmer.

My 2c
 
JKRay said:
+1 I did the same thing but got the 4 person way worth the price for how easy it goes up! And the 4 persons more like a 2 person iv tried doing 4 it's pretty cramped. lol
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Agree on the capacity. I wouldn't want to try 6 adults in ours. I think it is comfortably a 4 adult tent. 6 would fit, but it would be snug!
 
I have used Marmot tents for camping in the southwest and Colorado and they're great. They may cost a little more, but they hold up and they keep water out. Make sure you get a tent that has a decent rain fly. One that goes down to the ground or close to it. I made the mistake when I first got into camping of buying a "special buy" Coleman tent and the fly did not come down but halfway. The first rain storm, everything got soaked and then unexpectedly turned very cold. Another good choice for tents would be REI brand. Wait for a sale to buy and you can get some good deals. If you are just getting into camping, start out right so you don't waste money. Camping is kind of addicting like jeeping and you might find that you want to branch out beyond Texas, when you do you'll be good to go.
 
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Here is mine. . My wife and I like having room to move around lol. . It has 2 rooms and a patio area. It's a Coleman not sure what model at the moment. If she can't RV, she at least wants to camp in style.
 

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My wife and I sleep in the 2 person kelty, their the kids in the 4 person big agnus. Then the shitter shelter is nice.
 
A 6 person is a huge tent for 2 people. I know you said you're not worried about low temps, but a big tent with less people will be colder in the lower temps-- which is something to keep in mind. But what will really be the determining factor when it comes to a decent sleep is wind. This seems to be overlooked by a lot of new campers, but it is really important. In the wrong tent, a 20 mph gust feels like 60 and a 60 mph gust can flatten you or fill you with dirt or sand. People don't realize how common wind gusts are before they've spent a few nights in a tent... because a solid structure doesn't get effected by wind as much. Even in mild climate, wind becomes an issue as the temperature cools or warms.

SO..... I highly recommend focusing on wind ratings and getting a 4-season tent that is as close to "bomb-proof" as possible. It's the difference between listening to your walls flap and rattle all night, worrying that your tent is gonna fall and actually sleeping. I swear by my Sierra Designs Mountain 3, which is super easy to setup, very roomy for 2 people and gear and is completely wind and rain proof-- it has lasted me for almost a decade without any wear.... I've spent several peaceful nights in 80mph gusts.

Sierra Design's current iteration of the tent can be found at sierra designs website.

Some people think I'm nuts when I recommend a mountaineering tent for car camping..... but those same people usually complain that they didn't sleep so well when I slept like a baby. ;) If you're "getting out there" in your Jeep, you want to be ready for the elements. :thumb:
 
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We have several members on here that prefer hammocks. Have you thought of trying one? I'm certain they are much easier to deal with than that Demon Possessed Monstrosity in the pic I posted.
 
Rccrwlr said:
We have gone through many tents and while I don't have a recommendation what I do know is that a decent tent can make or break an experience. If your cold, your miserable.

While air beds may be comfortable they can be cold with all of that air below you. If you can get to the ground with an isolation barrier you will actually be warmer. Additionally if your in the mountains it will be chilly at night.

Don't get a tent with rated for 100 degrees with a Hugh mesh top. All of you body heat will escape and you will be cold. It's really easier to open the doors and have the screens closed or not put the fly on than try to get warmer.

My 2c
Click to expand...
+1 on all of this. If you want the warmest, most comfortable sleeping experience in a tent, I highly, highly recommend the Thermorest Mondoking XXL. It's amazing. Comes 30" wide and 4" thick. 2 make a queen bed and you won't feel your partner roll around. It's got an r rating of 11. It's almost better than my bed.
 
doojer said:
A 6 person is a huge tent for 2 people. I know you said you're not worried about low temps, but a big tent with less people will be colder in the lower temps-- which is something to keep in mind. But what will really be the determining factor when it comes to a decent sleep is wind. This seems to be overlooked by a lot of new campers, but it is really important. In the wrong tent, a 20 mph gust feels like 60 and a 60 mph gust can flatten you or fill you with dirt or sand. People don't realize how common wind gusts are before they've spent a few nights in a tent... because a solid structure doesn't get effected by wind as much. Even in mild climate, wind becomes an issue as the temperature cools or warms.

SO..... I highly recommend focusing on wind ratings and getting a 4-season tent that is as close to "bomb-proof" as possible. It's the difference between listening to your walls flap and rattle all night, worrying that your tent is gonna fall and actually sleeping. I swear by my Sierra Designs Mountain 3 ( http://www.backcountry.com/sierra-designs-mountain-meteor-3-tent-3-person-4-season ), which is super easy to setup, very roomy for 2 people and gear and is completely wind and rain proof-- it has lasted me for almost a decade without any wear.... I've spent several peaceful nights in 80mph gusts.

The link I provided shows similar tents that are now in production and Sierra Design's current iteration of the tent can be found here: https://www.sierradesigns.com/product/convert-3

Some people think I'm nuts when I recommend a mountaineering tent for car camping..... but those same people usually complain that they didn't sleep so well when I slept like a baby. ;) If you're "getting out there" in your Jeep, you want to be ready for the elements. :thumb:
Click to expand...

I will second all this. Having been in the BSA for 11 years before my Eagle Rank you can imagine all the camping we did and all the tents I used from cub scouts in a 4 person tent with my dad to my one man tent in the Chicago Basin. I dont like tall tents...the wind catches them too easily so I like low to the ground, 3 or 4 season tents. My current Marmot is suited more for cold weather because it lacks mesh so warm weather sucks. Our 4 person is nice and roomy but it is a tad tall (bought at a garage sale for 10 bucks...can't say no to that). You wanna find a tent that also comes with a ground cover. not all do but I prefer it because it fits under the tent perfectly, has stake loops, etc. Even in Texas in gets chilly at nights, well...not June -September. I dont camp in those months too hot. Just nasty hot and only so many clothes can come off before you have Texas Parks and Wildlife comes to your site. But you wanna have lots of winodws/doors/mesh. You can always cover up but you can't make holes in your tent for more ventilation. I also like tents with a vestibule to keep boots and dirty items in but outside the sleeping part of the tent. And then a rain fly that covers the entire tent. Most tents with all these features can be pricey but for me it is my home in the woods so I want it to keep us moderately comfortable. I'll poop in a hole anytime but I don't wanna sleep on a wet bag or suffocate from CO2 poisoning due to lack of ventilation.
 
Check out rei, they have good sales all the time on really good quality tents and equipment. Rei or the clymb
 
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