Another question about a tent, or here we go again....

Uncle Timbo

Uncle Timbo

Joined
Nov 23, 2005
Messages
5,300
My brothers, here's my plight, I'm looking for a tent that would accommodate 2 adults. I'm 6'2 and my wife is 5'5. I'm thinking one made for 3-4 people. That way we have room for gear and such.

Okay. The tents I see today don't look nothing like the ones from 20-30 years ago. If you get a rainproof or rain-resistant one, it seems like it has this little poncho or hat on top of it that looks like it would catch the wind in a storm and off you'd go into the wild blue or black yonder. Know what I mean?

Price is also a subject. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg for one. Let's not break the bank.

Any help or thoughts?
 
A couple of questions:

what is your weight range ? are you car camping, or are you going to be packing it in a few miles on your back?

and rough budget, you can get a coleman from Costco for about $50.00 For a bit more Big Agnes has a wide selection
 
Old Navy - Thank you for your suggestions brother. I weigh 275lb. I want an all around tent. I need to check out Agnes. Is she a pricey gal?
Twin Stick - Thank you kind Sir, but my budget will not allow me to spend $350.00 on a tent.
 
Kootaga13 said:
Old Navy - Thank you for your suggestions brother. I weigh 275lb. I want an all around tent. I need to check out Agnes. Is she a pricey gal?
Twin Stick - Thank you kind Sir, but my budget will not allow me to spend $350.00 on a tent.
Click to expand...

Not sure if your pulling my leg or not, I meant tent weight . Lighter Backpacking tents will cost a lot more.

I have a 4 person Coleman Evanston, got it at Costco for 65.00. It weighs a bit over 13 lbs. But I only have
to go about 50 feet from the truck to campsite.
 
If you are car camping, I'd go with a 4-man tent for the room. A 4-man size was always pretty comfortable for my wife and I camping. Really nice to be able to keep most things out of inclement weather and dressing and so forth is easier. I always figure if it says "two man", that means one man to me or two in an emergency. Same goes with the other sizes. This assumes you aren't hoofing it with one of these tents on your back.

My "one-man" is a three man size with the consideration that I am not likely to be carrying it far on my back. :) I believe it weighs about 7 lb. Not ultra light but not heavy weight either.
 
After years of working in other industries I am back selling camping gear! So you are in luck. :)
Seriously the Kelty Salida 4 posted here is a great tent at a great price.
4 person aluminium poles, full rainfly including a vestibule (the Alps posted above has a partial rainfly) and this tent is under 5 pounds. The Cabela's tents look bomber but the 4 person in 23 pounds!! So if you are only car camping fine but not good for even a short hike to a campsite.

The store I work at rents both the Salida 2 and 4 from Kelty and they can take a beating as rental gear usually does.

Lots of choices keep researching.
 
billym said:
After years of working in other industries I am back selling camping gear! So you are in luck. :)
Seriously the Kelty Salida 4 posted here is a great tent at a great price.
4 person aluminium poles, full rainfly including a vestibule (the Alps posted above has a partial rainfly) and this tent is under 5 pounds. The Cabela's tents look bomber but the 4 person in 23 pounds!! So if you are only car camping fine but not good for even a short hike to a campsite.

The store I work at rents both the Salida 2 and 4 from Kelty and they can take a beating as rental gear usually does.

Thanks for the recommendations, OP was hoping to stay to a budget so not sure if Kelty is over budget but looks like a great tent.
Click to expand...
 
Check out used tents. Also, I have a 4 person Coleman with a good rainfly that cost @ $50 on sale at Target. It will work for 2 large people but will still feel cramped. I'd go with a 6 man tent and get decent cots and a couple chairs. Still a lot less costly than a trailer. And you might actually be able to stand up in it.
 
Hey Guys, I'm back. Big Agnes is a pricey ol gal. I'm sure you get what you pay for but there are other things I want in life with only so much money to go around.

I was thinking either a 3 person tent. the option of actually being able to stand up would be sweet as I'm about 6'2. But I'm 61 and I'm shrinking every year. So maybe a Fisher Price when I'm 75?

I will run down ALL the links that have been provided after I finish all the honey due stuff. Happy wife-happy life.
 
Start with a known budget, then check into Backpacker magazine reviews. A lot of good info available.
It also may not hurt to look at some pre-owned gear. I've purchased some things at great prices from people who went all-out before they even knew if they liked camping or not.

And +1 on getting a tent for four when you have only have two. My son and I tent camp (drive-in) and upgraded from a 4-person to a 6-person tent. Roomy!
We also have a 2-person micro dome for backpacking.
 
We have both entered our 7th decade. And 'bout 10-15 years ago I noticed my Sierra Lite wasn't fitting the bill anymore. Not only was it cramped but I was cramped also. Especially in the morning before I got warmed up. It was difficult to get dressed when I was on my back an 2 or three muscles were constricting. I went with an inflatable mattress and larger tent and that helped for a number of years. I find that now having a cot and a chair handy helps with the enjoyment of the overall experience. It is also easier to get up to take a whiz at night. Our group goes for daytime trail hikes instead of backpacking now. So weight isn't an issue. IMO you decide if you want a backpacking tent or want to go the car camping route. The tallest backpacking tent (2 person) that I found was about 42" high and cost north of $300.
 
Six person tent. Perfect for two with air mattresses.
$80 and will probably last years (we tent camp maybe 3x/year and motorhome it 2x/year):

DE058804-363D-4469-8BCC-ACC51E0C193B_zpsrdvo9eo2.jpg
 
a lot of the newer tents rely on engineering and materials that older tents didn't have. A good coverage fly means the inner side can have more mesh for ventilation while its raining. The big domes rely on the fact that they will be in more sheltered campgrounds, so if that's your speed, its not a big deal. Once you get about a two man, cost is really going to go up depending on weight. If weight is not a factor, then go for something you can see in store, and with a decent warranty. At the end of the day a 500$ and 50$ tent need the same TLC to get more than a single use out of them. a little smarts and seam sealer goes a long way to saving a dollar.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top