[MMcG]

Okay - I need some Monkey help here - I want to buy a tent that is lightweight, easy to set up, well ventilated, and that has good rain protection, but I don't want to spend a ton of money.

I was at EMS tonight and they are having a tent sale. Their base models are on sale for $60 for a 2 person and $100 for a 4 person - but I'm not sure if that is a good deal or not.

Ideally I'd like a tent that would allow me and my two sons to sleep comfortably with room for our gear (or perhaps sometime down the road, me and a date and our gear - but who knows if and when that might happen)

What should I be looking for? Are the Coleman or Eddie Bauer Tents at Target any good? Or should I be looking for something a little better from say an EMS or perhaps a Eureka tent or something along those lines.

Again, this will be a drive to a campsite and pitch type tent - not a backpacking tent per se.

I welcome advice, suggestions, recommendations and links to good deals - but they need to be links to stores where I can make the purchase locally.

Thanks Monkeys!

 

[fuzzynutz]

Bibler, MSR, Marmot, North Face

but it really all depends on the conditions in which you'll be using the tent. THere are 3-season and 4-season tents, also some convertible tents that do both. 4-season have heavy fabic and usually more support(poles), and have a stronger rain-fly. 3-season are lighter, but don't stand up to mother nature as well as 4-season, but are perfect if only being used during the first 3 seasons of the year(depending on were u live of course). If you walk away with any of this it advise let it be this, definately spend time researching tents, because no one wants to sleep in a cold puddle of water.

 

[TreeSaw]

Hey Mark. We're buying a new tent right now as well. We've been looking at a Columbia Bugaboo tent at Dicks/online for $130 that sleeps 5-6 adults and has excellent H2O protection and is easy to put up. We also saw one at BJs for $85ish that was about the same size (although I think it only slept 4-5) by Wenger (the Swiss Army Knife people). I haven't really heard anything about their stuff though so we're thinking of going the Columbia way. EMS does tend to carry nice things so I am sure they would be good as well. I have heard good things about North Face tents as well, but that they are a bit more pricey.

Also, as for size, I tend to like to go with the 5-6 person size because that allows plenty of room for air mattresses, cots, gear or whatever. I would also look for something that has good air ventilation too 'cause they do tend to get hot inside with the rain fly on.

I personally liked the North Face Trailhead 6 tent but Squirrel thought it was too big (it has 3 small rooms that could supposedly sleep 2 people each, but I tend to think 1 person with gear). I saw it at North Face Trailhead 6 Tent

As for a good website to check out. Got to Campmor

 

[MMcG]

Where did you see the Bugaboo - I'm looking at a Eureka on Dick's website right now. Looks nice for around $130 - I like that the rain cover has hoods on all sides of the tent not just for the front.

If I go camping with my sons I think a four person would be fine - one adult and two kids.

So I think a 5 or 6 person would be overkill. The Dome style seem the best for standing room.

Anyone know much about Eureka?

Marmot, NorthFace etc. are out of my price range.

 

[T-Blazer]

mark, as you already know , tent size is almost always rated as one person in a mummy sleeping bag . for three people i would purchase one no smaller than the five person size . when i research a tent purchase , i only consider tents that i can see set up . bring the boys and see how you all do inside . lastly this purchase is like buying a new bike . will the huffy do the job and for how long . i bought my last tent 11 years ago . eurika 6 man , geodesic dome . its my home away from home . the eurika is a great quality for your money . mine is held up great and shows little wear . thumbs up !!! cheers

 

[MMcG]

Thanks for the tips T-Blazer! Cool Avatar too. I gotta pay a visit to your shop when I return to Rochester - I grew up in Chili, NY.

Good to know about Eureka being a quality tent and thanks for the tip about buying up a size to make sure we have enough room for gear and stuff.

 

[T-Blazer]

i look foward to meeting you !

 

[scofflaw23]

My girlfriend and I recently purchased a Mountain Hardwear Approach Tent. Not close to what you're looking at, but I can vouch for the quality of their product. A little spendy though for car camping perhaps. As for Eureka, I haven't used a tent, but I have a pack from them that I'm pretty happy with.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

We bought a Coleman - for the ONE time of year we will use it - and NOT in the rain, I think it'll be good.

 

[Vermont]

we just got back from a camping trip to the coast using our new tent, a coleman 3 room, it has 2 sleeping rooms and a 7' front area with 2 doors. It rained for about 8 hours Saturday early morning until about noon...none of our stuff got wet with just the rainfly that came with it on...it was easy to set up and as a big guy(6' 2" 195lbs) it was nice being able to get dressed standing up...LOL.

 

[douglas]

how often do you plan on using this tent?

I bought a tent frm Walmart for under $40, it goes up in 5 minutes and down & packed away in 10, and has great ventalation.

I threw it up in my yard about 3 weeks ago, left it up for over week - it rained hard for 3 of those days, after I noticed I didnt zip the zippers all the way - there was a about an ounce of water by that spot, other wise it was dry.

my point -> my cheap tent rocks!

 

[jacksonpt]

I'm not sure what you have in mind when you say light or cheap, but I have a ROKK tent that I'm pretty happy with. If you don't use the rain fly, the top 3/4 of the tent is all mesh, which means excellent ventilation. The rain fly itself fits the tent like a glove, offering excellent rain protection, but reducing the ventilation to virtually nill.

I got it at Dicks a few years ago for $75 or so. It packs pretty small, and is reasonably light. And you really can sleep 2 people in it.

Here's a pic...

It's call the ROKK Sequoia. Not sure if they still make it or not, but it might be worth checking into their tents.

 

[Leethal]

All my buddies have high dollar tents--Kelty, Marmot, and North face-- I have a cheapo Coleman I got back in like 1991 last two times we have been camping a trip in Pisgah and a week long rain fest in Squamish I stayed dry and one of them got wet. That said I would love to have a Kelty but if you get a Coleman and be particular about how the fly is on and tied down and make sure you keep everything off the sides, you;ll be fine...

As an alternative Hillary Brand tents from Sears look good and are priced well.

 

[jacksonpt]

Oh, crap... just re-read your post and saw that part about sleeping you and your boys, plus your gear. In that case, I have an eddie bauer tent that I got at target a couple of summers ago. It's a good tent, but huge. My, my wife, and our two dogs have slept in it with plenty of room. To give you an idea, you could easily fit 2 people and 2 bikes in the tent, so you and your boys plus some gear should be easy. It's got huge windows in each side, and a rain fly that is more like a tarp. It's pretty easy to setup, I can do it by my self, but because of it's size, 2 people makes things easier. I'll see if I can find a pic.

It was about $100 at target, it doesn't pack small, and I'm not sure about the weight.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Where did you see the Bugaboo - I'm looking at a Eureka on Dick's website right now. Looks nice for around $130 - I like that the rain cover has hoods on all sides of the tent not just for the front.

Mark, keep in mind what Dick's has on their website does not necessarily mean it'll be in the store. Randee and I went to both Dick's and The Sports Authority looking for an air mattress we saw online and the stores did not stock them.

BTW, what the hell are you doing on at 12:10AM?

 

[berkshire_rider]

Randee and I went to both Dick's and The Sports Authority looking for an air mattress we saw online and the stores did not stock them

Try Target. They usually carry 3 different brands of air mattresses.

 

[Westy]

How a cheap tent or an expensive one performs in the rain depends on how it is cared for. On occasion they will need to have the seams sealed and possibly have the rain fly treated with some kind of water repellent. A tent that is packed away dirty or wet has a much greater chance of leaking the next time it is used.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Bibler, MSR, Marmot, North Face

Bibler: $$$$$$
MSR: $$$$
Marmot: $$$$-$$$$$$
North Face: $$$-$$$$$$



Make sure to get a tent that has a fly that supplies full coverage for the windows - it sucks having it rain and not being able to open the windows because the fly is half-big.

You should be able to get by fine car camping with almost any sub-$100 tent that you find. Just don't expect it to survive 40mph winds or last forever.....

-S.S.-

 

[Jozz]

I have an Eureka tent and love it. Lightweight, easy to set up, and not to expensive.

Eureka is in between general store tent and high end tent like Marmot, North Face, etc...

 

[MMcG]

I have an Eureka tent and love it. Lightweight, easy to set up, and not to expensive.

Eureka is in between general store tent and high end tent like Marmot, North Face, etc...

I'm going to look at some Eurekas today - rainy day here so it might be a good day to go looking for camping gear with the boys.

I could always fall back to the EMS sale/clearance tent, or something like a Coleman or Eddie Bauer tent.

Jozz, do you remember the model name of your Eureka? How big is it?

 

[justbill]

Hi Mark,

My old tent that we used at Bear Brook is a Hillary bought at Sears.
Some things to consider:
The fly shoud cover the entire tent
The bottom of the tent should be waterproof
See it set up or dont buy it. Cruise some campgrounds and ask questions of people with tents you like. Campers like to talk about their gear.
Next to a tent that leaks, a bad zipper is the worst. Get metal if you can.
Use some budget for an easy up awning. One that sheds water so you have a place to cook and if you can get sides for it then even better. Target used to sell a screened version that went up like an umbrella in 60 seconds. Stay away from their tents though.

Don't go on the cheap. Plan on a good $1000 for a full tenting set up for you and the kids. Cooking, cleanup, tarps, tents, sleeping bags and mats, lights, chairs. And a good first aid kit especially cause you got boys.

That is my advise for camping with your kids. For the Date, when that happens, I suggest using somthing like my Coleman. My wife loves it but at 3500lbs its a little heavy.

bill

 

[MMcG]

I want to go look at a Eureka Sunrise 8 or Sunrise 9 - they look to offer good value and I like that the rain fly extends outward over all sides of the tent - so you aren't suffocated if it does rain and water will fall further away from all sides of the tent.

 

[splat]

Bill after sleeping in your Coleman , that is all I herd about from my Wife at Pedro's

 

[Wumpus]

I want to go look at a Eureka Sunrise 8 or Sunrise 9 - they look to offer good value and I like that the rain fly extends outward over all sides of the tent - so you aren't suffocated if it does rain and water will fall further away from all sides of the tent.

Those are great for camping in fair weather, but if the wind blows hard that thing will lay down flat.

 

[MMcG]

Those are great for camping in fair weather, but if the wind blows hard that thing will lay down flat.

Okay - can you suggest an alternative then?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Okay - can you suggest an alternative then?

There are few tents (if any) at reasonable price points that will perform well in high winds. Your best defense in a wind situation is pitching the tent properly - lots of stakes in the tent and the fly, proper orientation, a wind break (car, trees, bushes, etc), and decent poles.

Most cheap tents use fiberglass poles and there is a very real chance that in a decent wind the poles may break. Your best defense is, again, to have the tent WELL staked down. Check for tents with lots of "guy lines" or "stake-down" grommets.

-S.S.-

 

[golgiaparatus]

I dropped about $100 on a Kelty tent about 2 months back...
It was flattened by a massive storm with winds upwards of 40mph on its first trip but it still works great. I used it about 2 weeks ago.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I dropped about $100 on a Kelty tent about 2 months back...
It was flattened by a massive storm with winds upwards of 40mph on its first trip but it still works great. I used it about 2 weeks ago.

This is the mark of a good tent. Hell, I've had my chi-chi 4-season North Face tent flattened by high winds - it still functions as well as the day I bought it.

Thing with car camping is that you *always* have the option of bailing out and taking refuge in the car. So you can get away with a tent that *might* hold up in a nasty weather situation, not one that *has* to hold up.

-S.S.-

 

[Wumpus]

Okay - can you suggest an alternative then?

They are fine tents for car camping. Just be aware that they will not handle a storm in the open. If weather is questionable, set up in the woods or other sheltered area. Remember that when a storm blows in the winds usually shift to the opposite direction just because you are camping.

 

[Echo]

Those are great for camping in fair weather, but if the wind blows hard that thing will lay down flat.

I would like to know what gives you that impression?

I have a Sunrise 9 and I've used it several times in very windy conditions. I was worried, but the tent didn't budge. It's not like we're climbing up Everest here.

A nice feature of the Sunrise tents is that there is no seam at ground level.

The sunrise 9 has a lot more standup room than the 8.

Galyan's has Eureka tents at prices below any internet retailer I could find.

Hope that helps.

 

[MMcG]

I would like to know what gives you that impression?

I have a Sunrise 9 and I've used it several times in EXTREMELY windy conditions. I was worried, but the tent didn't budge. It's not like we're climbing up Everest here.

A nice feature of the Sunrise tents is that there is no seam at ground level.

The sunrise 9 has a lot more standup room than the 8.

Galyan's has Eureka tents at prices below any internet retailer I could find.

Hope that helps.

Echo - would you mind telling me what you paid - ballpark wise - for the Sunrise 9? What other models were you considering? You think the 9 is worth the extra dough for the extra space?

We don't have a Galyans around here - yet - I've heard great things about Galyans.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

We don't have a Galyans around here - yet - I've heard great things about Galyans.

so take the kids to MA for the day! You could hit REI too

 

[MMcG]

so take the kids to MA for the day! You could hit REI too

Only one Galyans in MA - in Danvers - I was doing a search and it looks like Dick's actually owns Galyans now anyway - so perhaps I should just hit that store up on 44 and then Dick's.

I was thinking about driving to Binghamton to the Eureka Factory Store, but that's a long haul just to go buy a tent.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I was thinking about driving to Binghamton to the Eureka Factory Store, but that's a long haul just to go buy a tent.

but it sounds like something I would do :devil:

 

[Wumpus]

I would like to know what gives you that impression?

Because I spent 3 months in a tent of identical design one summer.

You are right. They do OK in gusty winds. The problems I encountered were during thunderstorms. I know my kids would freak out if the top of the tent collapsed in the middle of the night, but they are pretty young.



I would still buy one to use for camping, but I would be more aware of where I set up if the weather was questionable.

 

[Wumpus]

How a cheap tent or an expensive one performs in the rain depends on how it is cared for. On occasion they will need to have the seams sealed and possibly have the rain fly treated with some kind of water repellent.

Have you ever treated the rainfly?




Do purchase some seam sealer. Comes in a bottle like shoe polish. Just set up the teat and go around the inside of the tent where the stiches are.

 

[MtnBikerNJ]

I just bought another EMS tent (my old was was either lost or stolen). The new one is smaller than what you are looking for, but the build quality is great. The old one (which was alot cheaper than this one) was great too, and alot bigger, and I never had the first problem with it.

 

[jacksonpt]

I was thinking about driving to Binghamton to the Eureka Factory Store, but that's a long haul just to go buy a tent.

If you do, give me a shout (and bring your bike). FWIW... the people at Eureka are pretty miserable, and their service sucks, at least it has the couple of times I've been there. I refuse to go back, but they do have decent prices.

 

[MMcG]

If you do, give me a shout (and bring your bike). FWIW... the people at Eureka are pretty miserable, and their service sucks, at least it has the couple of times I've been there. I refuse to go back, but they do have decent prices.

Maybe they are miserable because they are in Binghamton.
Just kidding!

 

[I Are Baboon]

I was thinking about driving to Binghamton to the Eureka Factory Store, but that's a long haul just to go buy a tent.

Any money you save at the factory store will be lost in gas.