Buying a new car camping tent. Any thoughts?

Noshtero

Noshtero

Joined
Oct 10, 2002
Messages
1,551
I'm looking to get a new car camping tent. I want something big, preferably with a large vestibule.

Here are my front runners, basically my top pick from different companies:
REI Basecamp 4
Kelty Pavilion 4
Big Agnes Big House 4
Mountain Hardware Case 4
Sierra Designs Baku 3
Marmot Halo 4P
Eureka Timberline 4xt

Or feel free to recommend something not on the list.

The features I need:
A good sized main body
Some sort of vestibule for wet/muddy stuff

I dig tents tall enough that I can stand up in them.
I dig tents with vesitbule large enough to sit in like the Big House 4 or the Pavilion 4. With these, I could set up a Coleman chair and be out of the rain, but still outside my tent.

This is for car camping, so weight is really no concern. I would like to stay under $500.

Thanks!
 
For car camping, I like a roomy tent with a good sized awning for taking off boots and such. It has to have at least a 6' center ht and rather vertical walls. Of the tents you mentioned, only the Big Agnes and Kelty have center heights that are near tall enough.

For sitting outside but out of the weather, you can't beat the pop-up 10x10 awnings that they sell everywhere. Just make sure you get one with vertical legs so that the awning itself is 10x10, not just the space between the legs. We have tarped up the sides from time to time to protect from blowing rain and it can make camp life much more bearable. I have one by Columbia that has removable screen panels for when the bugs are bad. It has worked great. I saw a white one at CostCo a few months ago that came with zip off side panels and screen panels. Nice touch.

105126392-L.jpg


Both awnings are from Columbia. Mine, the green one, is designed for the legs to be vertical whereas my hunting partner's red one has a smaller canopy but the legs flare out, allowing them to still claim it is a 10x10.

The tent is an Armadillo (by Walrus). I believe they are not made anymore. the selling point was that it was a family camping tent built to 4-season standards. The first year I brought it hunting it was branded "Taj Ma Tent."

-- FLIX
 
I give a huge Thumbs-Up for the Eureka Timberline. I've had a two-man that I've used for over ten years, sometimes living in it for weeks or months at a time. Just bought a 4-man for camping with the family. It's just as easy to set and equally durable as the my old one.

The others might be great tents too, I wouldn't know.

The most important thing to look for, ease of setting up in the dark. For instance no threading poles through a sleeve, tying knots, or assembling long poles from little ones. And practice blindfolded a couple of times before taking the tent out in the field.

Good Luck!
-Bob
 
I have a Eureka Timberline 4 and although it is a classic and a great product for the price, I personally wouldn't consider it a comfortable 4-person car camping tent. For car camping, I'd want lots of interior height, huge vesitbules, etc.

I bought a Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 for a bicycle trip this summer and I am really impressed with that tent. I'll be looking at their products again when I'm in the market for another tent.

Good luck with your choice,
desmobob
 
I have a REI Basecamp 6. I am 5'10" and can just about stand up in the center of it. It is a very sturdy tent, four poles plus one for the vestibule. There are two vestibules built into it, a good size one on the front that you can get a couple of chairs under (snugly though) and a smaller one on the back that is a nice size for storing stuff sacks, boots, etc.
One thing to look for in any tent, is a rain fly that goes down all the way to the ground. We spent a rainy weekend with a few friends last year. The people who had tents with rain flys that only covered the top third of their tents ended up with all their gear soaked. We have also spent a couple of windy nights in it and it has held up well.

Bruceter
 
I'll echo Bruceter's comments. We purchased a REI Basecamp 6 this past spring. I, too, and 5' 10" The tent is awesome. The last time we used it (this past Sept) it was quite windy and temps dipped lower than forecasted. The full coverage fly really helped keep us comfortable and warm.

We got the Basecamp 6 for pur car camping tent because my wife expressed an interested in not crawling in and out of a tent. After using this big tent a few times, I wish we would have gotten one years earlier.
 
I'd suggest you get a 6-person tent and a dining fly (with or without mosquito netting), rather than a tent with a large overhang.

I have lots of Eureka tents, but in the last few years I've come to hate tent pole sleeves!! If you're looking for a 4-season tent on a budget, the Eureka Assault Outfitter 4-person is about the best buy out there. I wanted something bigger and easier to get into without crawling. I recently bought an Alps Mountaineering tent and have been VERY happy with mine.

My "scoutmaster" tent is a 6-person Alps Mountaineering Meramac 6 tent. I REALLY like this tent. Simple 2-pole dome setup, clip pole attachment (no pole sleeves), aluminum or fiberglass poles (I suggest aluminum), lots of mesh for ventilation - front, back, sides, and at the peak (the side vents can be reduced by lowering the two side tie-outs, and the front/back door vents can be zipped closed), 10'x10', 6' tall, hooded entrances with large doors make entering very easy, comes with 4 storm guylines which make it very stable in wind, and a large gear loft. Retail price is $290. Fantastic tent!! You can read about it by going to http://www.alpsmountaineering.com and following the Tents > Camping links.

They also have a Tauras 5 Outfitter, which is a very similar tent, but with vestibules front & back instead of the entry awning, AND breathable nylon walls instead of so much mosquito netting. It also makes for slightly faster setup. It is 8'x10, 6' tall. Retail price is $300. This tent is great for cooler weather (less netting). Follow the Tents > Outfitter links.

Personally I prefer the netting for ventilation and with hooded entrances.

Alps Moutaineering is also one of the few places you'll find a large high quality dining fly for a reasonable price. They have two sizes: 10'x14' for $100 retail, and 10'x25' for $150 retail. To details go to http://www.alpsmountaineering.com and follow the Tents > Awnings links. The EZup-type flies are nice, but they tent to pack VERY large. A simple dining fly is much more space-efficient.

You can purchase directly from Alps by calling them or they'll help you find a dealer. If you happen to be a Scouter they'll give you a 45% discount!!
 
Yet another vote for the REI BaseCamp 6 - great tent, very sturdy, lots of room, good ventilation. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
If you read through the reviews of the Basecamp tents at REI, you'll see quite a few comments about QC problems, people finding tent after tent that have runs on the mesh and whatnot.

If price were no object, would you still pick the Basecamp 6 over a Big Agnes Big House 6?
 
Noshtero said:
If you read through the reviews of the Basecamp tents at REI, you'll see quite a few comments about QC problems, people finding tent after tent that have runs on the mesh and whatnot.

If price were no object, would you still pick the Basecamp 6 over a Big Agnes Big House 6?
Click to expand...

Yes, I would still choose the REI Basecamp 6 over the Big Agnes Big House 6. I like the 2 vestibules and solid 4-pole design of the Basecamp 6. Also, I prefer the colors of the Basecamp 6 over the solid orange of the Big Agnes. I find it easier on the eyes when inside or outside the tent.

If upon receipt my Basecamp 6 had runs in the mesh that compromised the integrity of the window, I would have returned it for another one. REI is good with that stuff.
 
For car camping anything goes. Its not like you have to carry it anywhere.

Costco has massive 2 room tents for a decent price.

Skam
 
You don't say what part of the country you are in. Local conditions can make a big difference in what works and what doesn't.

For example, we do a lot of winter desert camping, and it can get very windy! It doesn't take long to figure out that you are way ahead with several small tents rather than one huge parachute tent that will really catch the wind and get torn to shreds.

Another example, out on the coast it is great to have a huge enclosed vestibule, to keep the dew off gear at night. But in the desert, that vestibule is just another huge parachute.....

Etc., etc......
 
Oh sorry. I car camp mainly in national parks and forrests in the midwest. Mostly deciduous forrest camping on designated camping pads. Wind isn't a HUGE problem due to tree blockage and whatnot. Rain is the biggest issue, followed closely by temperature regulation.
 
Noshtero said:
If you read through the reviews of the Basecamp tents at REI, you'll see quite a few comments about QC problems, people finding tent after tent that have runs on the mesh and whatnot.

If price were no object, would you still pick the Basecamp 6 over a Big Agnes Big House 6?
Click to expand...

Yes, I would stay with the REI BaseCamp. I have the 4 person size as well, and no QC issues with either. If there were any problems, it'd get replaced by REI with no issues. They are very good with that. I've used the two with my family for four years now, on the West Coast, mostly in the mountains but also on the coast, and am very satisfied with it's performance.

We haven't had the tents in any major windstorms, but in what wind we've experienced (on the coast primarily), the low fly and the staking options seemed to do just fine.
 
And while the Basecamp 6 is a large tent, it does have adequate guy points in the event it gets windy. We had ours out on a windy weekend last month. I guyed then tent out using all but 3 designated guy point. I was surprise at how little the tent moved in the wind. Also, the tent has numerous loops inside for gear and what have you. If things really got nasty, you could run cordage between the interior points to further stiffen the structure.
 
Just a note on "runs" in tent mesh netting....

I've found that in many cases, these runs can be removed by stroking the netting with your fingertips to re-align the threads in the mesh. Instead of being caused by broken threads, many runs are just areas where some of the threads that have been pushed out of place.

Good camping,
desmobob
 
Noshtero, the Kelty Green River tents (4 & 6) have a LARGE front vestibule of almost porch-like proportions. The 6 looks as though it could handle at least a couple Coleman chairs. We liked the design of the Green River tents, but in the end, the Basecamp won out. The Kelty Green River tents are also available through REI, though our Wisconsin stores did not stock them.

Our Basecamp 6 (with our Liger standing watch):
DoorCoCondo.jpg


Interior shot. The sleeping bags are on a double sized air mattress withthe heads oriented towards the back door:
PennisulaSP2007023.jpg

We had a channel on each side of the bed, plus a ton of room between the foot of the bed and the door. We also used the factory footprint as a floor saver inside the tent. I cut an 8'X10' chunk of 3 mil plastic sheeting that we used as a ground cloth (footprint).
 
Turner,

That Cablea's tent looks like it would be great for car camping. I also saw their Xtreme Weather Tent which also would fit the bill, and looks pretty bulletproof. Pricey though!

i516306sn04.jpg


-- FLIX
 
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