tent recommendations

T

ThirdTooth

Joined
Mar 21, 2012
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is it sad that I'm 22 years old, LOVE camping but DON'T own a tent? I think so, so this summer I am getting myself a tent!

but I know next to nothing about what makes a tent good or bad or what.

I'm looking for a 6 person tent (i will almost always be going with a group)
I have my eye on three different tents of three different prices and presumably three different qualities.
one is $149 (on sale from $219), one year warranty, the stitching and fabric looked cheap.
next $339 (on sale from $379 I think) don't know the warranty, probably one year. looked like pretty overkill stitching, which I like.
and lastly a high end tent at $479. lifetime warranty, didn't get to see it set up however, presumably pretty sturdy, sounds like its built pretty sturdy though, its spec for winter camping (ie won't collapse easily under snow weight)

so what I'm wondering is, are tents one of those thing that you really get what you pay for? is a good warranty worth it? is top of the line the way to go or should a middle of the road tent suffice?

Thanks!
 
They are "you get what you pay for". I really like DAC poles over fiberglass, so that's pretty much where I start weeding tents out.
 
do a search, there are many of these types of threads. read through them and if you have any questions come back to this.
 
Tents are usually one of those things however you would probably be well served by any non cheapo tent. take a look at Kelty, alps mountaineering, eureka, marmot. I would personally buy a hammock, comfortable, easy, cheap and more weatherproof then a tent
 
As a scouter for over ten years, I highly recommend the Alps Mountaineering brand. Very well made stuff. Scout troops and Cub packs get a huge discount. I have one of their four man, seam sealed tents and it always performed flawlessly, even when it rained the entire time we were camping.
 
Can't PM you, but one of the outdoor equipment places is having their Anniversary Sale with high end 6 person tents in your mid price range.
 
Looks like you are getting plenty of good tips on tents so far. I will just share my thoughts on the 'type' of tent as you asked in the original post.

If you can, go with a dome style tent. The dome styles have proven to be the strongest from what research I have done and the experiences I've had. I've got a 6 person Coleman tent that absolutely amazed me after going through a rough storm on Lake Michigan a few years ago. That was her maiden voyage and she performed extremely well. Especially after seeing how a domed tent reacts to high winds, well I see the wisdom in the design. A domed shape allowed for less wind resistance and therefore stands up to the elements much better that a square shaped tent. Even one squarish shaped wall on a tent could be disasterous in a storm. Be sure what ever tent you choose can stand up to an unpredictable turn of evens with mother nature. The worst storm I ever went through while camping wasn't even forecasted. It was a popup and boy was it scary!
 
Freestanding, full coverage fly, 2 doors with vestibules, 'no-see-um' proof bug netting, sealed seams, aluminum poles, a sheltered entrance so you can get in and out in the rain w/out rain getting in, and think about whether you really want a six person. That's pretty huge, how big a group will you be going with? do you really want to share a tent with that many people? Are you going to be backpacking with it, canoe tripping, or just car camping? Unless you really need it a smaller (3-4 person size) is a lot more versatile. If you don't care about weight then you can save money with a sturdy mid priced model; after a certain point (around 250) the extra cost beyond this is going towards getting the tent lighter, not better. But if you are going to be backpacking get the lightest tent you can afford; and forget about a 6 person, get a 4 person, that way if you go with just 1 or 2 friends you can still carry it! Don't get a winter mountaineering tent unless you are winter mountaineering; you will get extra weight, cost, and less windows/screen/airflow which is HOT in the summer time. Get a 3 season tent, you can still use it in mild winter conditions as well. There are lots of good brands; don't be afraid to try out a few if you can before you buy. If you are tall make sure it is long enough for you, some are only good for folks up to 6 feet. And make sure you can all sit up in it at once!
 
Like Bobthemotorcycle...I have a tent from Wal-Mart....I've had it for at least 10yrs now & it's still going strong ! Mine was $100.
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When ever this tent wears out I'll get myself another "Wal-Mart" special ! Now If I were a person that had the time to go camping ever weekend or every other weekend then I would look at a "higher quality" tent like a Kelty but if your the type of person who only gets time to go a few times a year then a Wal-Mart Tent(with proper care) would do you just fine !
 
I used to camp a lot more than I do now. I used a Sierra Lite. I still have it but the seams are tearing. Its a couple of decades old. I car camp now. 1 or 2 times a year. I have a Coleman tent. It works great and I got it on sale in January a couple of years ago. If you are 3 season car camping a couple of times a year, an inexpensive tent is fine. If you are going to do a lot of camping in harsh conditions or backpacking then moving up to better materials is more important.
 
Hey Coal.. looks like your twins are morning kids and the other, not so much. both pics he looks like " come on man let me sleep for a little longer" LOL... glad to see you get to spend some great time with that fine bunch of boys. my dad worked 60hrs a week and couldnt do a lot of things with us that he wanted to.
 
I needed a new tent last year and I was also on a budget. I got the coleman river gorge 6 man tent at my local sporting goods store on sale for 67 dollars. I invested in 2 cans of Kiwi's waterproofing aerosal spray and I sprayed all of the seams inside and out, the entire rainfly, and the entire floor inside and out. I high recommend doing this to any of the cheaper tents. I have had zero moisture issues with this tent and it survived a high wind storm of gusts up to 60mph. It also only takes roughly 10 minutes to set up yourself. Keep in mind that however many people a tent claims to sleep comfortably, its usually 2 people less than their claim due to gear. The river gorge is 74in tall so most can stand in it.
 
I own a Coleman 10x12 Sundome tent that will run in your price range (around $180-200). It works fine for 6 people, easy to set up, and its lasted 12 years with moderate use (3-4 times per year). This will work fine for a typical low-moderate use family tent. Only thing is its definitely not a four season tent, fine for late spring to early fall.

I also have a Cabelas Alaknak 12x12, but IMO this would probably be overkill and out of your budget.

On the higher end the 6 man version of the Eureka Timberline is a great tent. It can take a beating and will last forever if you take care of it. I used to work with the Scouts and most of the Councils used these tents. If you can spend $400-500 this tent is worth every penny.
 
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