Family Tents

UTfball68

UTfball68

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2008
Location
Granite Quarry
Looking to get my girls in to some tent camping at the OBX. Been a while since I bought my last decent tent and it wasn’t an 8 person. Looking for what’s good. I think I’m looking for at least a 3 season, 210D nylon, 8 person, cabin style with a small to medium sized vestibule. Strong stitching on sleeves and loops, with a durable fly. Ease of set up with kids will be important too (ie 4-6 poles).

This looks to be darn near ideal…but not sure if there’s something similar that’s in stock or a better option or cheaper.

www.bigagnes.com

Mad House 8 Base Camp Tent | Big Agnes

The Mad House 8 is a 4-season, 8-person freestanding mountaineering tent with a fabric wall to create a two-room condo. Built for the harshest conditions.
www.bigagnes.com www.bigagnes.com
 
If you can find something that goes up like this one does it is awesome.
It is heavy and takes up some room but goes up like and easy up. Super nice.
It didn't make me miss all those tents I used in scouts.
I can't get stupid link to work to amazon. search "core 6 person tent"
 
We have the older version of that tent, back when it was a 3+ season. Ours is bomb proof, but doesn't ventilate very well. The 4 season one is a lot worse. It has a lot of solid panels (to keep out snow) where ours is mesh. I wouldn't recommend it for what you're trying to do.

If you can find a used flying diamond, buy that.
 
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Screw that. Go with something like this.

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Before jumping into all that, I'd buy a cheap easy-setup $150 summer tent to ensure that they actually like the camping thing and it doesn't turn into a huge fiasco. This in a year one you have a sense of how its actually likely to be used, buy something that fits your needs.
 
Eureka! Tents are my personal favorite brand. They are little pricey but I'm still using mine I bought in high-school. It has seen many different storms and has handle them beautifully.

I found this one on their website that might fit your needs. https://eurekacamping.johnsonoutdoors.com/tents/camping/copper-canyon-lx-12-person-tent?id=27026

My parents use to use Coleman tents and they have stood up decently. I have seen where they make like a two part tent that connects.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Before jumping into all that, I'd buy a cheap easy-setup $150 summer tent to ensure that they actually like the camping thing and it doesn't turn into a huge fiasco. This in a year one you have a sense of how its actually likely to be used, buy something that fits your needs.
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Been using my old tent at the local campground. They love it. But it’s 6 man…I count for about 3 of that…plus the tent is 10 years old and pole loops have started to rip and seams are starting to come apart.
 
DSM Turbos said:
We have destroyed two tents trying to camp at the obx. Even with a 40mph rated ones. Those stupid winds ain’t not joke.

I have nothing to add but that lol
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Pretty sure this is a Eureka (identifying tags are gone)…was about a $5-600 tent 10-12 years ago. First time I took it out to the OBX, there was a tropical storm. Wind blowing so damn hard the top of the tent was 6” off my face. It managed a half dozen week long trips at the OBX for 5 years straight (last few years we just get a house). Its seen its share of Ohio and Wisconsin blizzards during deer hunts too. So it’s certainly showing it’s age now. Best tent I’ve ever had and I’d just replace it, but I can’t seem to find what supersedes this model, much less as an 8 man.

053579B0-595D-4FBD-AF58-79B70BB9994B.jpeg
 
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DSM Turbos said:
We have destroyed two tents trying to camp at the obx. Even with a 40mph rated ones. Those stupid winds ain’t not joke.

I have nothing to add but that lol
Click to expand...
This. First night out and my trusty Coleman steel pole "Weathermaster" three room tent folded like a bad poker player.
 
UTfball68 said:
Been using my old tent at the local campground. They love it. But it’s 6 man…I count for about 3 of that…plus the tent is 10 years old and pole loops have started to rip and seams are starting to come apart.
Click to expand...

Seems appropriate...
aNgREPb_460s.jpg
 
shawn said:
If you can find a used flying diamond, buy that.
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Good call…

www.campingpricer.com

Flying Diamond 8 - Big Agnes - On Sale $559.97

On Sale $559.97 - With more square footage than one Big Agnes staffer’s Steamboat apartment, the Flying Diamond series of shelters are much more than standard tents. They are Everest base camp dining rooms, buttoned up Black Rock City roosts, and V ...
www.campingpricer.com

If I’m being real with myself I’ll probably never do any cold weather primitive camping again.
 
UTfball68 said:
Good call…

www.campingpricer.com

Flying Diamond 8 - Big Agnes - On Sale $559.97

On Sale $559.97 - With more square footage than one Big Agnes staffer’s Steamboat apartment, the Flying Diamond series of shelters are much more than standard tents. They are Everest base camp dining rooms, buttoned up Black Rock City roosts, and V ...
www.campingpricer.com

If I’m being real with myself I’ll probably never do any cold weather primitive camping again.
Click to expand...
Pick a tent for the job at hand.

Something else to keep in mind: the flying diamond/mad house tents are BIG.... It takes some work to find enough real estate to pitch it.
 
We have this tent. Probably not up to the task of outer banks wind, but it literally takes a 1-2 minutes to set it up (not counting rain fly or staking it down if you actually do either of those). It huge, cheap, we have camped in it for about 10-12 nights total. I doubt I'd consider it waterproof either, as you can see it doesn't have much of a rain fly.
 

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Cape Lookout or Portsmouth Island, white duck or psyclone bell tent.

no problem riding out a nor’easter in a 20’ white duck bell tent. We also serup a silt fence around the tent to help with blowing sand.
 
Kelty, I no shit slept in a kelty through a tornado in shady valley Tn, the next morning the only tents standing happened to be Keltys. Drive up to the diner for breakfast old Gal that owned it asked where we slept through the storm, Irby’s field in my tent….,,,…
 
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