- Need a multi-room family tent for 5+

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
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Can you recommend to me some multi-room family-friendly tents?


Oh, and it must be able to survive the crazy Arkansas downpours and thunderstorms!!
(heavy gusts and rain)


Seriously....I'm tired of mopping up the floor of my tent every time it rains. :foot:


I have high-end camping gear for me....when I go with my Scouts....


But the family camping (car camping) has gotten the shaft....and I think I'm ready for something else. :p


What do you guys recommend?


Thanks!

Dan
 
Dan,

I may be wrong, but I don't get the sense that many high end tents are multi-room.

When I think of a quality tent of that size, I think tipi style, Tentipi or Kifaru.

I stayed in the Lolo, in a Kifaru 16 man, and it is nice, real nice, and it would easily hold five, with real comfort, even if you had to stay in due to weather.

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Marion
 
Hey Dan,

The multi room ones won't be waterproof and will not stand up in a heavy thunderstorm. However, making them able to handle weather is super easy. Just rig up a large tarp over the tent and you'll be fine. My family did this for 20 years of multiple weeks a year in the rain drenched Smokies with zero issues.

If you want a large, quality tent that can handle weather on its own, there are a couple of issues. One, you will have trouble finding finding one with rooms. Two, you will pay out the booty ($500+). I picked up a 5 man TNF tent at REI's super clearance that can probably handle weather just fine on its own, but it does not have multiple rooms.

Look at the rain fly on a tent when you are wondering whether or not it can handle weather. If it does not go close to the bottom, then you will get wet in a downpour, guaranteed.
 
For car camping, I can personally recommend the Base Camp 6 from REI.

Check out the reviews from others though: http://www.rei.com/product/777755

It is a solid family sized tent.

BTW, I'm the camp cook in the Piggly Wiggly t-shirt.

BaseCamp6.jpg


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My parents have a multi room tent from coleman that seems to do well in weather but (as has been mentioned already) my dad hangs a tarp over the campsite (and tent) for shade and added rain protection.

david
 
We have a Eureka 9 person, 2 room tent that we use here in central Florida. We have frog stragler downpours followed by stifling heat and humidity and brutal thunderstorms and with the supplied storm flap we stay very dry. I always put down a heavy duty tarp between the ground and tent floor and we've had good luck with it. We got the tent at SAM's club back in 2004 and it's still like new. Hope that helps, Jim
 
Make sure the tent has a room for your grinder so you can keep working on those Bushcrafter blades. ;)
 
I do think the tarp-over-the-tent idea will work...have never considered that before.


Mostly my thunderstorm problem is twofold = Rain & Wind

The rain comes down so heavily that it soaks through the rain cover and then through the tent - which, because of the Arkansas humidity/heat has to be well-ventilated for use during the daytime (kids naps, etc) - so there's no resistance to the rain once it defeats the rain fly.

The winds can really kick up hard. Despite being staked down solid - and being tall with good structure, my tent nearly flattened on me last time I was out, the wind was blowing so hard. Worse, the rain was being blown up under the rain fly into the tent....(get this) right into my face.

So, maybe that's the real motivator.....:D :p



Keep the suggestions coming - prices and pics appreciated.

:thumbup:

Dan
 
2nd for the teepee. The swedish single pole ones are very good. I have used mine a few times and it is nice to be able to stand up straight to get dressed. Mines is the 7 person which easily fits in 4/5 with kit.

UK site

or what about two good 3 man tents instead of a family style 5 man?
 
I also have an REI Basecamp 6. It's a really great tent. Not multi-room, but hanging a sheet through the middle would give you the same effect. It's not like multiroom tents have anything more than a thin piece of material dividing the rooms anyway.
 
Echo4v said:
my dad hangs a tarp over the campsite (and tent) for shade and added rain protection.
Click to expand...

I've done this on a campout with other folks (with their tent). You do have to have some high trees nearby to effectively tarp the area above the tent and get sufficient slope on the tarp for run-off. You also need to make sure rain is going to run off well away from the tent bottom and then flow away from the tent. We also dug a small trench around the tent to keep away water running/flowing on the ground. Lot of work as I recall.

tidefan said:
I always put down a heavy duty tarp between the ground and tent floor and we've had good luck with it.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing, but more to protect the tent. A lot of the Corps of Engineers campsites in this area have very small (and sharp) gravel. Even with the tent footprint, I still put down a tarp, and even on dry days, one thing I always notice is that the bottom of the tarp is wet when I take it up, so I guess it does keep out moisture that can just wick up via the ground.
 
I can fully recommend Paha Que tents. Very well made with some very nice and innovative features.

My wife and I have been using the "Temescal Creek" model (aka the Summer Palace) for 4 seasons now, and I have yet to find any fault with the design or materials. The only issue is the cost, but we should easily get many years of use...this one is 4 years old, we have used it at least half dozen trips per year (from weekend trips to week long trips) with two dogs and last inspection (we had a house full of relatives a couple weeks ago and the wife and I spent 4 nights in the tent---relative paradise;)) and it is good as new, other than minor stains. You get what you pay for and I expect to get at least a dozen years or more use from it. We had a large Kelty previous to this one. It was in fine shape after 7 years use, and was stolen, which was a blessing in disguise that led me to find and buy a Paha Que.

They can be opened up and be breezy as a screen tent, or buttoned up nice and waterproof. The only water that has gotten it was from us or the dogs tracking it in. We have had some marathon card games in it while riding out the storm and nary a leak.:thumbup:

They offer all sorts of sizes, including two room models

Bottom line, we love this tent and I would get another if I were in the market for another "Summer Palace".

I am wanting one of their screen rooms.
 
Responding to what others have mentioned regarding tarps:

I have used the tarp method with lesser tents: In my experience and opinion: Get a quality tent and do the recommended seam sealing maintenance and avoid dicking around with the tarp.

The plastic tarps are noisy in wind and rain and if not tied down well can be tattered by a windstorm.

If done right, it will work well. Another advantage is shade. It can keep the tent much more comfortable on hot sunny days with a tarp over the tent providing shade. I used to take a tarp with extra (and extra long) poles to rig over the tent, avoiding the need for trees.

Also, I think springing the extra for a factory "foot print" or modifying a tarp to put under the tent is certainly a worthwhile cost.
 
I would worry about the wife and kids complaining about bugs in a tipi, asolo, mec etc make really good parawing style pretapered tarps that come with 2 poles and stakes. That over any decent dome tent will fit the bill. Get two, one for cooking and sitting, for the sun as well. A lot better than trying to rig a blue rectangle to trees etc and having the water pool up. Just bring or build some real steel stakes as all manufacturers supply thin bendy crap, I think you have the technology Dan.

Regards and good camping.
 
I have an REI Hobitat 5 man tent and have used it on a bunch of car camping trips. It goes up easily and readily.

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