Tent Advice - Truck Camping

[Unckebob]

My kids have convinced my wife and I to take them tent camping. I am looking for a two or four person tent for camping in established campgrounds so it doesn't have to be light or backpack portable. From there, we would do day hikes in National Parks.

Part if the reason I agreed to buying a tent was I have plans to use it for some hunts I have planned where I would camp next to my truck. My original plan was to buy a small teardrop camper.

Later, if I get the kids comfortable in the outdoors, we can move towards backpack camping.

If I could get some good recommendations, I would appreciate it.

 

[ScottRK]

We headed to a national forest primitive site with a vault toilet not too far for the family and a river and trails close by this summer. 1 step away from the dispersed and no crowds.And cheap.
We got a Kelty element 6 man dome style 10x10 15# lots of room and easy to set up and take down.Lots of room with 4. It replaced a Coleman stargazer 4 man

I picked up a 2 man River Country for myself in the spring.

 

[traildust]

I use a Marmot Limestone 6P. I can set it up in about 5 minutes. I've used it in 40mph winds without any issues. It's got vestibules on 2 sides and tall doors

 

[Zdub02]

I've had great luck with eureka tents.

 

[zacattack]

I’ve had good luck with Coleman’s for car camping, they are pretty reasonably priced too. We have a two person we got for $20 and an 8 we picked up for $100

 

[Uncle Bill]

I’ve had good luck with Coleman’s for car camping, they are pretty reasonably priced too. We have a two person we got for $20 and an 8 we picked up for $100

Same here. We have a 10’x10’ dome when it’s just the two of us and a 10’x17’ for longer stays or when our granddaughter goes with us. We bought them both at the same time a few years back. I think we gave 225.00 total.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Kodiak is popular.

 

[Ferrulewax]

Depending on what you want to spend, I absolutely love my Gazelle 4p.

 

[TheHammer]

I have a White Duck Outdoors 13ft canvas bell tent. Idk what the budget is. I think I paid 695 for it. But it is very durable, has a floor and a stove jack. Easy to setup, has a nice case with wheels to maneuver if the wife wants to help move it.

 

[brian wagar]

Kodiak Canvas easy setup great tent!

 

[Oklahomahunter]

I use a Kodiak 12x14. Setup is simple even with one person. It’s tough and well built. Big enough for a family but I stay in it alone a lot too. You don’t want it if you’ve got to carry it a long way.


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[Newtosavage]

If you're staying one night, I've had great luck with ALPS tents. If you're staying multiple nights, it's hard to beat the comfort of a Kodiak Canvas tent with cots.

 

[EdP]

Where are you going, what season are you going, do you need heat, how old are your kids?

A canvas tent and wood stove is great in all kinds of weather, but bulky compared to silnylon, plus you need poles. How and where you intend to use it makes all the difference. If you want good recommendations you need to provide good info.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Okay...let's start with the basics. A 2 person tent is perfect for one person, a four person tent is comfy for 2. How many kids do you have and what age are they? If it's me...I spoil em with cots, all the creature comforts and a huge tent. But it must be something you can erect quickly, solo, and without stress. Multiple rooms is better than multiple tents, you want your kids with you in case anything needs to be "dealt with" in the night. If budgeting is a factor, share that too. Lastly, do you want to be able to heat it or will you camp in comfortable temps?

 

[DawnPatrol]

Just spent 10 days in a Cabellas Alaskan Guide 6-man. I liked it a lot. Not the easiest set up I’ve ever experienced, but not tragic. A very weather-worthy tent, with plenty of head room.

My usual car camping tent with two little ones and the wife is the REI Kingdome 8. Easier to set up and roomier than the Cabellas tent. Does good in the rain, but not like the Cabellas tent.

Lots of other cheap tents will work, provided you don’t get any rain or wind.

 

[Oklahomahunter]

I’ve got this same Cabelas tent and it would take a lot of money to find something better for harsh weather. It’s tight for my 12yo (5’9”) and me, but very doable without cots. The shape not being square or rectangular makes interior space usage odd compared to others.


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[dutch_henry]

Okay...let's start with the basics. A 2 person tent is perfect for one person, a four person tent is comfy for 2.

^^ This ^^
My six man cabelas instinct alaska guide is spacious for my wife, kid, dog, and me. Could go smaller but wouldn't want to.

For car camping, I wouldn't go any higher end than cabelas, REI (best in business for warranty and returns), or even LL Bean. Skip the costlier hillebergs, big agneses, nemos, expeds, etc. (With those, you're paying for lighter weight and better backcountry performance--arguably money wasted for family car camping). Eureka and Kelty are often overlooked...good mid-grade options before you hit department store tents (many of which are great for car camping).

Also, think about your likely camping spots vs the footprint of your tent, too. I wish I could make a long, two-room tent work...but it doesn't fit the sites we find ourselves at.

Back to my Cabelas Instinct Alaskan Guide. Setting it up in wind/rain is a chore, but it's nice once it's up. If I had to do it again I'd probably just get the cabelas alaskan guide (not the instinct). Cheaper, easier setup, at the tradeoff of less vertical sides. You didn't ask, but consider getting a hub screen shelter like the Clam Quick Escape. They set up in a few seconds and work fantastic for a cook shelter when its buggy. When it's just me, I sleep in my rig but do everything else in my hub shelter.

 

[revcwood]

I have a Cabelas Alaskan Guide 8 man that is now 10 years old and going strong. Used it for both hunting trips and and family camping. Normally we run 3 men with cots and a Mr Heater in the tent during hunting trips. Family camping, we have 5 of us comfortably in there without cots (using inflatable pads).

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

You want a large tent with divider wall and a tent you can stand up in. Really makes the kids feel like they have their own space and makes it fun. My parents took us camping A LOT and eventually (around age 7) we each got to pick out our own tents. It was our responsibility to pitch them and tie them down appropriately. Tons of fun and great for learning.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

FYI...I tried to set up my Alaskan 6 man tent in the backyard solo and couldn't do it. Moreover, a dark colored tent makes you feel much more "enclosed" than something like a Kodiak Canvas which lets in light, breathes better and easy to erect solo. I have a couple 10X14 Flexbows (the VX for hot weather and the basic with stove jack for cool/cold weather) but if I were looking for a family shelter for several days of camping, it would be this one for the reasons shown in the video.