Looking to get a new tent

cburgin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
statesville/boone NC
I want something this is super easy to set up, yet very durable...I hate taking the time to set a tent up when camping, so anyone have any suggestions on what to get?...in the $100-$150 dollar range?
 
sierratradingpost.com always has really good deals

as far as set up any tent that has collapsable poles and secures them using some kind of clip is very easy to set up, some cheaper tents have sleeves or hooks and they take forever to set up.

How many person tent are you looking for?
 
Depending on the size you're looking for, REI brand tents are durable, easy to set up and very well-priced compared to some of the other brands. Their website also has an 'outlet' section that might be worth a look. I'll also second everything andrewhove said... sierratradingpost.com can have good deals and cheap tents are a PITA.
 
http://www.rei.com/product/731378

That one isn't terrible. Decent for the price, but personally, I would rather it had more mesh and that the fly came completely to the ground in front of the door. A vestibule would be nice, too.

http://www.rei.com/product/800024

We used to use these when I was a kid. Not bad for the price, good ventilation and access, but not quite bombproof in a storm, and a touch on the heavy side.

If you can find one of the old-style (two pole) REI half domes or quarter domes from about five years ago, buy it. If you can't find one, these look similar:

http://www.rei.com/product/796133

http://www.amazon.com/Marmot-Earlylight-2-Person-Footprint-Gearloft/dp/B002NA9E0W

I have one each of the old-style REI quarter domes and half domes, and a Big Agnes Emerald Mountain SL3 that's about two years old. Lots of mesh, big fly, big vestibule, low pack weight, and bombproof storm performance.
 
Find out when CBS Sports in Morganton is having their next tent-sale. I bought a Kelty there years ago that still looks great.
 
REI tents are good but I have a Kelty Gunnison 3.1 and love it. If I were to buy one again, I would still stick with Kelty. I have taken it to Philmont in the Rockies and the Boundary waters in Minnesota and it is a very easy to put up tent, has plenty of room, and is very sturdy. Another big selling point for me was the fact that it had doors on either side of the tent so if you had to get up at night, there was no climbing over someone to get out. My friends have Kelty Tetons and they are also great tents. All have been to Philmont as well as countless other backpacking trips. Our scout troop has the Eureka Timberlands. I used one my first trip out to Philmont and the zipper broke halfway through the trip. We had to use carabiners to keep the flaps shut and the downpours out. Would never use one of those tents again. Save up another $50 and get a kelty, mine takes about 5-6 min to setup by myself. HTH
 
Tom got a tent from Gander Mountian that literlay sets up in about 1 minute. Its big, they may have a smaller option, ask him about it.



It doesn't matter, you ain't going anywhere.
 
We bought a tent on sale from Wal-mart that will fit me, my wife, and three kids. It only cost us about 80-90 bucks and is very durable no matter what the weather is like. It's very easy to setup only took a few min to get all set up. The Rain cover can be removed to uncover the mesh skylights. I also have an old military style half shelter which is basically a lean-to when it's setup. This one is great for nice weather but worthless in bad, you can get two of them to make a little pup tent.

Wal-mart tent.
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Military half shelter, I only have half of it.
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x2 on the Kelty. All my camping/backpacking gear is Kelty. Great quality for the money. And REI usually has some good Kelty stuff on their outlet page.

I have a Kelty 2-man tent. Sets up in about 5 minutes and has plenty of room for me plus my gear (for weekend trips). You're welcome to borrow it and test it out. Would probably be a little small for someone your size, but you can at least get a feel for the quality of their gear.

Also check Campmor.com. Always some good deals to be found there.
 
I know walmart is quick, easy, and cheap. But you'll be better in the long run by paying for a quality tent from an outdoor store. They pack down smaller, are better built, and will out last anything walmart has to offer.

few good sources I frequent for gear

www.backcountry.com
or www.backcountryoutlet.com

also if you can be patient go here to find deals but be warned it is very addicting --> www.steepandcheap.com
 
For cheap, easy to set, & excellent bad weather manners... Coleman! I bought a 6'x6' "3 man" ($30) 10 years ago for Scout outings & 6 years ago bought the same version in a 8'x8' "5 man" ($50).

They both feature the heavier "tarp" floor (12" up each wall), FULL rain fly, & the entire upper (minus the 12" floor) is no-see-um screen (excellent in the summer for just leaving the fly off and letting the breezes blow thru. Stack down the corners, slip 2 long fiberglass pole thru the sleeves (opposed corners), stab them on the pins, throw the fly over, bungee it down, & finally the fly pole... 5 minute setup tops (brew stops included)!

The 3 man withstood a monsoon at URE 7-8 years back... 7" of rain in 3 hours! Ended up with 6" of water flowing past my tent (location sucked, but that's what I get for being the last to setup) with <a tablespoon of water making it inside. Others got flooded and left with everything soaked.

The 5 man is perfect for 2 folding camp cots, rubbermaid tote for "night stand", and room to move around... Tater & I have used it exclusively for the past 6 years worth of wheeling/camping trips.

Quality enough to withstand years of abuse, easy enough to set by yourself in the dark, & cheap enough that if "something" happens to it (blows away, gets burned, stolen) you really don't care... :lol:
 
FunkSkunk said:
I know walmart is quick, easy, and cheap. But you'll be better in the long run by paying for a quality tent from an outdoor store. They pack down smaller, are better built, and will out last anything walmart has to offer.

few good sources I frequent for gear

www.backcountry.com
or www.backcountryoutlet.com

also if you can be patient go here to find deals but be warned it is very addicting --> www.steepandcheap.com
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I would have sprung for a "better" tent if I only needed a place for my wife and I. But, to get one that fits us, the kids and gear would cost a bloody fortune. Plus when we go everything gets packed into and out of the jeep. Once my wife and I get out to go hiking we will get a smaller one from outdoor world or cabelas just because I will have to carry the damn thing.
 
I have a good Coleman tent. We probably went camping 15-20 times last year and we have already went twice this year. I wouldn't get any kind of tent with alot of poles. Two poles seems to be about the easiest to me. Me and my wife can put up the tent in less than 10 min and have it folded up and back in the back in just about as much time. (We can get it back in the bag as well.) As long as you put the guy lines on the tent and the rainfly on the top you will be fine. We have been through some serious downpours and made it through fine with out a drop on the inside.
 
Gander Mountain had one that set itself up. Saw it there over Christmas. I've never used it but it looked like a good unit. Don't remember the name, etc., but it was great. Basically, pull it out and it popped up on its own. Only thing you had to do was put the stakes in the ground! Like I said, I have no experience with it, but I looked it over pretty good and it looked better than the crappy wal-mart ones.

The one I saw was a little small, maybe a 3-man tent. But, I think they are available in larger sizes
 
I've got a Eureka Pinnacle Pass 3XTA, and I absolutely love it for general camping or backpacking. It is a 3man tent, but it sleeps 4 people fine if gear is outside. It is lightweight and simple, has a door on the front and back, and the rainfly has 2 vestibules for gear storage front and back. Also, the tent has mesh doors and a mesh wall, so it is nice in the summer. I got it for about $120 with a rebate, but looks like the price is around $150:
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=eureka+3xta&price1=80.00&scoring=p
 
Here is what you need chad:
http://www.rei.com/product/794296

I have the regular version of this, and its an awesome tent. I would either go this route or the Kelty Gunison. I like this tent better b/c it has more mesh than the kelty and all the same features. The one in the link is a bit larger version of the one I have, which would be good for you, being so tall. The rain fly gives you two huge vestibules to store boots and packs. You also have dual side entry which is a must for me. Plus REI has lifetime warranty on anything they sell and they have several stores pretty local to us. No matter what, keep in mind when you are camping (during the year), and the features you are looking for. You want lots of mesh for breathe-ability in the summer and to keep condensation down, not to mention they pack smaller and are lighter.
 
ncgamedog said:
Here is what you need chad:
http://www.rei.com/product/794296
I have the regular version of this, and its an awesome tent. I would either go this route or the Kelty Gunison. I like this tent better b/c it has more mesh than the kelty and all the same features. The one in the link is a bit larger version of the one I have, which would be good for you, being so tall. The rain fly gives you two huge vestibules to store boots and packs. You also have dual side entry which is a must for me. Plus REI has lifetime warranty on anything they sell and they have several stores pretty local to us. No matter what, keep in mind when you are camping (during the year), and the features you are looking for. You want lots of mesh for breathe-ability in the summer and to keep condensation down, not to mention they pack smaller and are lighter.
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When I was buying a tent, I considered the Gunnison 4 and the REI Half-dome. I went with the Eureka 3XTA because it is about 1.5lbs lighter, and a good bit cheaper. It is considered a 3 man, but if you look at the dimensions, its barely smaller than a 4 man.
REI Half Dome 4: 7lb10oz, 94x86", $260
Kelty Gunnison 4.1: 8lb0oz, 100x82", $250
Eureka 3XTA: 6lb8oz, 90x78", $150
 
thats cool man, but the two I posted both weigh less than that. Mainly b/c they are 2 person tents. I think anything larger loses versatility and becomes primarily a "truck camping" tent. Which is fine if thats all you plan to do. A 2 person is enough room for me or me and a girl, which is all I plan to do any camping with and I can pack it with me if I decide to do some backpacking or whatever.

*edit* I actually checked out the Eureka it is a very good tent for its size, it actually packs about as small as my REI 2 man (impressive). I still favor the amount of mesh on the half dome in comparison though.

Chad the first one I posted Is still a 2 man, but they added some extra floor space to it...so its basically a large 2 man. and its under $200.

either way, just read reviews before you buy. If you find a tent you like check trailspace or just google reviews of that particular model. helped me a lot making my decision.
 
ncgamedog said:
thats cool man, but the two I posted both weigh less than that. Mainly b/c they are 2 person tents. I think anything larger loses versatility and becomes primarily a "truck camping" tent.
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... and that's really where the "what are you going to do with it" question comes into play. After I got the 3-man Big Agnes, the REI Half Dome doesn't get used. The quarter dome is super light, good for traveling solo. But you can't fit three or four people into a two-man to play cards in a rainstorm. And if the three-man only weighs 3oz more...?
 
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