Family Tent?

frankenyoter

frankenyoter

No Rain, No Rainbow
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Location
DARK CITY
I'm going to get a family tent soon. Need somewhat creature comforts and room. It will be wife and a 3 ye old and a 5 mth old. I'm thinking that a 6 man tent is probably what I want. Most likely set up an air mattress for my bed and a pack and play for the little one.

Does anyone have any input or already use a similar set up? Most of my tent camping has been a 3+ season lightweight backcountry type stuff.
 
Just took the 8 person "Quest" 9x14 with porch instant up back to Dicks, the frame was flimsy and it was poorly constructed, I am back in the hunt again myself......
 
I've read that the REI Hobitat 6 is a good one. Plus REI will stand behind their stuff fairly well. I believe in buying quality once rather than inexpensive several times, but I'm not going to drop $1500 on a tent either.
 
I want an ARB dome for my fishing and wheeling exploits sans fam, but the 400+ price tag for a single person tent scares me off!!
I also read several reviews that they redesigned the hobitat 6 and now it sucks, I like the looks and the material thickness and frame of the Coleman Max 8 person but my old school ways make me want the unavailable rain fly.
 
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oh,I made my own fly from just an over size tarp. The Ausie rain fly is nice since it makes it's own porch but alas,you can't get it here.
 
not sure of the brand but i have a walmart 6,8 or 10? instant up tent like said above they are great set up in 5 minutes mines big enough for a 6-6 person to stand up completely in the whole tent and its big enough for 2 queen size mattress with room for you to walk in between and store your stuff at the bottom of the mattress.
 
I've spent $1500+ on tents and I've bought KMart special tents...I don't seem to get very much more life out of the quality/expensive ones (3ish seasons, in anything from tropical storms at the OBX to snow storms in Boone to backyard camping). So now my only requirements are, can I stand up in it (6'5") and will it hold all my crap (1 duffle bag, a woman and about 38 duffle bags for her)...and several anchor points. The cheaper ones will require more waterproofing, especially at the seams, but I'm willing to do that to save several hundred. I'll also keep a few pole kits around in case one snaps under high wind or weight. I prefer to worry more about the rain fly than anything, and make sure it'll keep the elements out. I currently have a cheapy Ascend brand from BassPro. It's the 8 person, dome style and 6'6" at the highest point. I've been more than pleased with it and besides a snapped pole on my last trip to the OBX and a broken zipper from drunken shenanigans, I think it's been my favorite. After 4 years, it'll get retired after the summer. I want to say it was in the $5-600 range, but looks like it's been discontinued.
 
ord.sgt.26NC said:
got an 8 person Coleman Insta-tent....it's the bomb
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Does the frame seem pretty sturdy against some light winds? The one I just took back had this cheap plastic hub where everything was hooked in the top and it let the poles overextend downward thus loosening the whole setup
 
We just bought the 6-person Coleman instant tent. Only been on 1 camping trip in it so far down in GA. I loved how easy it was to setup and tear down. I didn't say a single curse-word while setting up or tearing down! It didn't come with a separate rain fly and we got no rain on that trip, so not sure about that part yet. There are only 3 of us, but I can already tell that once there are 4 of us, I'll buy the next size up.
 
Infamous1 said:
Does the frame seem pretty sturdy against some light winds? The one I just took back had this cheap plastic hub where everything was hooked in the top and it let the poles overextend downward thus loosening the whole setup
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the poles are pretty stout and the center hub seemed fine.Was this a coleman you took back! I bought mine from walmart for less than 200 skins.I put alot of effort into researching the different tents and for the price,this was what won out.I hate modern tents with a passion esp. having to thread poles in the dark.The dog tent I use reenacting takes all of 5 minutes to put up so a jigsaw puzzle tent was out. By yourself,it takes longer to put up and take down.
 
Ibought it back in april and it's first trip out was to lake phelps for a weekend of fishing.I set it up and first thing I did was spray a whole can of waterproofing on it.Then I built the rain fly.I used an over sized tarp from T.S. and just drapped it over.The poles since being on the outside kept it raised over the fabric of the tent like the store bought one would.I pulled it past the front door and made a portch opening with 2 limbs scrounged out the woods so I could walk in without water rolling in the front door.I'm glad I took the time to do the extra because it rained all freakin weekend there.Hardly found dry time to cook much less fish.No leakage was found and life was good concidering the rain and cold temps.
The factory rain fly would be attiquet to keep the rain off the top but not worth a damn to keep the rain out the front. The Ausies designed one with a front area as a portch so I took their idea and built my own with the tarp.when everything dried out at home,I took the psudo rain fly and rolled it up and stuffed it in a old tent bag and it will be used just for a fly.
 
I don't think it does, the pics on their website show it rolled to the side and tied back. I camped in a borrowed wal-mart store brand Ozark Trail 9x10 instant up cabin style this past weekend, I really liked it. The storage was well thought out in a mesh compartment across the back wall, there was a net in the top to hold my battery lantern, and the almost vertical walls were nice to take advantage of all the floor space. That being said the material was pretty thin and I really didn't like the door being centered in the front. The Coleman 6 person instant up cabin has the same dimensions but has an offset door and there material is supposed to be twice as thick. I found it online for $122 and also found a rain fly for it for $68, so I am pretty sure this is the one I am settled on thus far.
 
Buddies tent door took two poles and would swing like a door. Seem like a really nice option for the constant in and out traffic. It was a Coleman. If I can get him to tell me which model I'll post it up. With fly and some kinda door mat that was built in the price was 200 bills for an 8 man.
 
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I have a 12 person swiss gear tent and it has 3 rooms big enough for a queen size mattress in each with room to spare it is also pretty water proof as long as the water dont try carrying you away lol
 
Infamous1 said:
I don't think it does, the pics on their website show it rolled to the side and tied back. I camped in a borrowed wal-mart store brand Ozark Trail 9x10 instant up cabin style this past weekend, I really liked it. The storage was well thought out in a mesh compartment across the back wall, there was a net in the top to hold my battery lantern, and the almost vertical walls were nice to take advantage of all the floor space. That being said the material was pretty thin and I really didn't like the door being centered in the front. The Coleman 6 person instant up cabin has the same dimensions but has an offset door and there material is supposed to be twice as thick. I found it online for $122 and also found a rain fly for it for $68, so I am pretty sure this is the one I am settled on thus far.
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you sure you want to buy that fly and it costs you better than half the tent and is really more like a topper?Trust me,buy a big tarp and get creative.Also all the reviews between Ozark and Coleman talked how much beefier the rods were on the coleman and the thickness of the fabric.
 
Well I bought the Coleman Max 9 x 13 and set it up tonite. It is a nice heavily constructed unit!! I am happy thus far with the setup and takedown and also the overall quality. I just have to put one of my big tarps in my gear bag to make me feel better about no rain fly.
 
Do tell stuntman. Getting very close to camping weather especially with the lower temps. Living near Asheville, I usually go up to 5,000 ft plus this time of year and it can get chilly at night!

Finally got word from my buddy and he got an Evanston 8 by Coleman. I can't seem to find one for sale in a store locally, but I admit I've been looking for Saginaw power steering parts when I get an extra minute.
 

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REI Kingdom 6 with optional garage. Makes for a good place to sit or cook when the weather is crap or get a ton of gear out of the rain without taking up tent space.
Almost like buying a car, wait til the next year model is out so it hits their outlet discounts, then use the member's 25% off coupon on top of that.

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