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scott757 
Group: Members
Posts: 26
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Aug. 14 2012, 10:22 pm |
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My wife and I have a small 3 person tent for just the two of us. But we'd like something a little bigger. Make a recommendation for a decent 5-6 person tent that's great for car camping.
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| Post Number: 2
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BackwoodsPlaid
Group: Members
Posts: 37
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 9:50 am |
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L.L. Bean gave me the King Pine Dome #6 to use this season and it's been a great car-camping tent. Fits a car campers needs - it's large, has a screened in porch, comes in several sizes and has a simplistic setup process.
I've pitched in plenty of times under the light of the moon and it has kept me dry. I did a full review on my site. There are plenty of others out there though. Check out North Face and MSR.
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Rhon Bell
www.backwoodsplaid.com
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| Post Number: 3
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QCHIKER
Group: Members
Posts: 1728
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 10:12 am |
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I've always had good luck with any of the Eureka brand tents for car camping. I still have a Wind River model of theirs I use which has held up well over all the years.
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| Post Number: 4
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TigerFan
Group: Members
Posts: 2014
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 10:35 am |
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We bought the REI Kingdom 6 a few years ago and we LOVE it for car-camping. It is, without a doubt, the most comfortable car-camping tent I've ever used. It has 6+ feet interior height but I almost always put it up by myself (I'm 5' 2") and it goes up faster than the 4-person Sierra Designs dome tent that the kids use. In hot weather, we keep the fly rolled up; easy to batten down for an unexpected thunder storm in the middle of the night (done that...) It handles wind much better than we initially assumed; you just have to use additional guylines when needed.
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 5
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Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10525
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 11:34 am |
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I would be looking at features like having the seams taped, a decent vestibule/entry/exit for dealing with weather, pole type (fiberglass poles are cheap and won't hold up as well as higher quality materials) and overall shape for dealing with high winds since it would obviously be a concern. I always bring an extra length of parachute cord to guy out our "monster" car camping tent. I ended up using nearly three tubes of seam sealer to seal it properly from the weather. I was happy I did because of a "sour" trip to the coast with high winds and rains for a week. Obviously, stitching should also be a concern of some type as more material equals higher strain on the seams. You might even consider reinforcing the corners (I did) where tension is higher.
I would not be concerned about "brand".
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If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
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| Post Number: 6
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bad knees
Group: Members
Posts: 2383
Joined: May 2007
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 11:55 am |
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Eureka sunrise 11 owned a bunch of the different sizes of these.
BA seedhouse 6 saw it at scouts camp and it looked nice.
Eureka equinox 6 Super heavy duty, good headroom and will handle any storm/winds you have. Only downside is trying to figure out where everybody sleeps. With the shape and all.
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There's a story behind that!
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| Post Number: 7
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ogg
Group: Members
Posts: 470
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 12:08 pm |
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Springbar canvas tents are terrific. Very sturdy, easy to set up and they'll outlive any nylon tent by many years. Compared to nylon, the canvas makes them cooler when it is hot and warmer when it is cold. Springbar
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| Post Number: 8
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Arizona
Valhalla, I am coming
Group: Members
Posts: 514
Joined: Apr. 2007
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 12:14 pm |
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Look at the REI Basecamp 6. You can stand up in it, it is very roomy and has a very large vestibule. One of the best things about it is the strength. It has four crossing poles that make it a fortress strong dome with near vertical walls. Mine does not budge in high wind when all the guy outs are used. It has a fifth pole that holds up the roomy vestibule.
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| Post Number: 9
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TimAZ
Group: Members
Posts: 829
Joined: Mar. 2011
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 12:22 pm |
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(ogg @ Aug. 15 2012, 12:08 pm)
QUOTE Springbar canvas tents are terrific. Very sturdy, easy to set up and they'll outlive any nylon tent by many years. Compared to nylon, the canvas makes them cooler when it is hot and warmer when it is cold. Springbar
They are terrific - I own a few of them - but they are HEAVY!
When I go Springbar, it is usually because I plan on staying in one spot more than 5 days, and my camp is set up out of a 5x6 trailer towed by my Suburban.
Springbar tents are not the type of tent you pull out of the trunk of your Toyota Tercel... they can weigh as much as 70-80 lbs for a four person model.
But I will attest to their quality, durability, weather defense...
I have owned an REI Dome tent made for 5-6 people in the past, and it was excellent in price and quality. I just saw a similar one on a recent trip to the North Rim of the Canyon, and was still impressed.
EDIT: I just read Arizona's post above - the tent I was referring WAS the Basecamp 6!!! I had it about 6 years ago when I intro'd my boys to camping (they were 6). Kept it for two years, and sold it due to Springbar purchase.
Thanks Arizona!
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| Post Number: 10
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| Post Number: 11
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Crockett
.jpg)
Group: Members
Posts: 209
Joined: Mar. 2002
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 1:48 pm |
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Escort Tent With Screen Porch, 8-Person
I bought this tent a couple of years ago and have no compaints.
Rain tested: never leaked & never had to seam seal
Surprised how easy it is to set up
Like the fact that, at 6'2", I can stand up in it
I bought it primarily based on price as it was $70 on sale at Canadian Tire. Link below for info/reviews
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST....cale=en
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| Post Number: 12
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| Post Number: 13
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pastywhite
Group: Members
Posts: 1558
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 9:18 pm |
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I have the REI Hobitat 4 and love it. Room to spare. If I were looking bigger I would look at the Kingdom 6.
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| Post Number: 14
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| Post Number: 16
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ogg
Group: Members
Posts: 470
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Aug. 16 2012, 7:27 pm |
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(JonW @ Aug. 16 2012, 2:56 pm)
QUOTE For car camping, I have been looking at both the Springbar mentioned in your note and the Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow.
I owned a Kodiak Canvas tent for a couple of days before buying the Springbar Campsite 3 I now use and love. I am sure there are some happy Kodiak tent owners out there, but I was not one of them. The Kodiak tent roof ripped while I was setting it up for the first time. Not only would Kodiak not replace or repair the tent under warranty, they wouldn't repair the tent for a fee or even sell me patch of material to repair the tent with myself. Their only "solution" was to tell me to take the tent to a local canvas repair shop. The person I talked to at Kodiak was less than friendly, seemed the last thing he wanted to be doing was talking to the public over the phone. When I contacted Springbar, they very kindly offered to repair the Kodiak tent for me, for a fee of course and indicated that Springbar, had the tear occurred with one of their tents, would have at the very least inspected the tent before determining whether or not to honor their warranty. I was pretty well sold on Springbar at that point and ordered a tent over phone right then. I was able to return the Kodiak tent to the retailer (overstock.com) with no problems, but I was out $45 shipping. After successfully setting up the Springbar tent, it became quite obvious that the Kodiak tent was defective in that the main roof cross bar was at least an inch too long. You can save $100 or so buying a Kodiak tent but my advice would be understand that you will be making up the difference in customer service.
The Springbar tents have more available options too. The portico is really nice to have.
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| Post Number: 17
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TrailTramper
Group: Members
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sep. 2009
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Posted on: Aug. 16 2012, 8:08 pm |
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Wouldn't a 4P be big enough for two people?
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| Post Number: 18
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| Post Number: 19
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23927
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Aug. 17 2012, 3:34 pm |
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My tent -- only the essentials. 
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 20
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TrailTramper
Group: Members
Posts: 1292
Joined: Sep. 2009
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Posted on: Aug. 17 2012, 3:49 pm |
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(Upstream @ Aug. 17 2012, 3:25 pm)
QUOTE
(TrailTramper @ Aug. 16 2012, 8:08 pm)
QUOTE Wouldn't a 4P be big enough for two people? You'd think. But comfort can eat up space, and # ratings are kind of a lie. The diagram for my Eureka 4XT shows every inch taken by 4 sleeping bags. OK for two with nice pads and some clothing etc. in reach, and nice for one when I have my cot.
I suppose you're right. I have a 3P for a cot and it's just barely big enough.
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| Post Number: 21
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JonW
Group: Members
Posts: 822
Joined: Jan. 2007
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Posted on: Aug. 17 2012, 4:41 pm |
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(ogg @ Aug. 16 2012, 7:27 pm)
QUOTE
(JonW @ Aug. 16 2012, 2:56 pm)
QUOTE For car camping, I have been looking at both the Springbar mentioned in your note and the Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow. I owned a Kodiak Canvas tent for a couple of days before buying the Springbar Campsite 3 I now use and love. I am sure there are some happy Kodiak tent owners out there, but I was not one of them. The Kodiak tent roof ripped while I was setting it up for the first time. Not only would Kodiak not replace or repair the tent under warranty, they wouldn't repair the tent for a fee or even sell me patch of material to repair the tent with myself. Their only "solution" was to tell me to take the tent to a local canvas repair shop. The person I talked to at Kodiak was less than friendly, seemed the last thing he wanted to be doing was talking to the public over the phone. When I contacted Springbar, they very kindly offered to repair the Kodiak tent for me, for a fee of course and indicated that Springbar, had the tear occurred with one of their tents, would have at the very least inspected the tent before determining whether or not to honor their warranty. I was pretty well sold on Springbar at that point and ordered a tent over phone right then. I was able to return the Kodiak tent to the retailer (overstock.com) with no problems, but I was out $45 shipping. After successfully setting up the Springbar tent, it became quite obvious that the Kodiak tent was defective in that the main roof cross bar was at least an inch too long. You can save $100 or so buying a Kodiak tent but my advice would be understand that you will be making up the difference in customer service. The Springbar tents have more available options too. The portico is really nice to have.
Good to have this kind of feed back - thanks.
If it matters to a reader the Kodiak is made in China and the Springbar in the US.
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| Post Number: 22
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| Post Number: 23
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TigerFan
Group: Members
Posts: 2014
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Aug. 17 2012, 5:21 pm |
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So, someone please explain why you would spend twice as much for a heavy cotton canvas tent.
I understand the "durability" part but, frankly, I've had a bunch of different nylon tents and the only true failure I've had is a fiberglass pole on a Costco special. I'm also not sure that I want a tent to last 50 years...
I remember the canvas tents of my childhood. They weighed a ton, and TWO tons if you had to pack up camp when it was still wet. After a couple of years, there was the inevitable slight musty smell regardless of how careful you were to dry it, store it in a dry place, etc.
I personally love the versatility of a big double-wall nylon tent for car-camping. On nice nights, we sleep without the fly. It lets in lots of light, not just through the big windows but through the fabric as well. It doesn't hold smells, moisture, etc. Easily managable by one person...
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 24
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| Post Number: 25
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kitphantom
Group: Members
Posts: 572
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Aug. 17 2012, 8:54 pm |
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We have had REI tents for 20 + years. First car camping one was a 6-person Geodome. We have usually taken a 4-person tent as a back-up, in the event we find a site that does not accomodate the larger tent, or if something happens to the larger one, which we've had to do on a couple of trips.
Our current car camping tent is the 6-person Basecamp, the integral vestibule is great, with the 4-person Basecamp as a back-up.
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| Post Number: 26
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TDale
Group: Members
Posts: 13156
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Aug. 18 2012, 6:14 am |
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(JonW @ Aug. 17 2012, 4:41 pm)
QUOTE
(ogg @ Aug. 16 2012, 7:27 pm)
QUOTE
(JonW @ Aug. 16 2012, 2:56 pm)
QUOTE For car camping, I have been looking at both the Springbar mentioned in your note and the Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow. I owned a Kodiak Canvas tent for a couple of days before buying the Springbar Campsite 3 I now use and love. I am sure there are some happy Kodiak tent owners out there, but I was not one of them. The Kodiak tent roof ripped while I was setting it up for the first time. Not only would Kodiak not replace or repair the tent under warranty, they wouldn't repair the tent for a fee or even sell me patch of material to repair the tent with myself. Their only "solution" was to tell me to take the tent to a local canvas repair shop. The person I talked to at Kodiak was less than friendly, seemed the last thing he wanted to be doing was talking to the public over the phone. When I contacted Springbar, they very kindly offered to repair the Kodiak tent for me, for a fee of course and indicated that Springbar, had the tear occurred with one of their tents, would have at the very least inspected the tent before determining whether or not to honor their warranty. I was pretty well sold on Springbar at that point and ordered a tent over phone right then. I was able to return the Kodiak tent to the retailer (overstock.com) with no problems, but I was out $45 shipping. After successfully setting up the Springbar tent, it became quite obvious that the Kodiak tent was defective in that the main roof cross bar was at least an inch too long. You can save $100 or so buying a Kodiak tent but my advice would be understand that you will be making up the difference in customer service. The Springbar tents have more available options too. The portico is really nice to have. Good to have this kind of feed back - thanks. If it matters to a reader the Kodiak is made in China and the Springbar in the US.
When spending that much on a tent, it ALL matters.
Thanks for the info.
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"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
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leadbelly2550
Group: Members
Posts: 1042
Joined: Apr. 2009
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Posted on: Aug. 18 2012, 5:43 pm |
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a lot of opinions out there. my take and experience is that it is probably worth a few extra $$ to go to REI, LLBean, or a similar outfit dedicated to the outdoors as opposed to some of the less-expensive brands you might find at walmart or other box stores. it happens we have used and like our REI car camping tent, one of the camp domes; we haven't used it much lately.
for example, while coleman is a dedicated outdoor company and is very price-competitive, i have had mixed experiences with their gear. for gas stoves and coolers, coleman has been fab for us. for duffels, sleeping bags, tents, not so much.
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| Post Number: 30
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DukeFan
Group: Members
Posts: 979
Joined: Jul. 2011
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Posted on: Aug. 18 2012, 10:31 pm |
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I LOVE my Kodiak 10x10 tent for car camping when out for more than 3 nights. At 68 lbs I can set it up by myself. It has been through tropical storms in SC without any problems. It comfortably holds 3 twin air mattresses plus gear. As someone stated earlier the canvas tents are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
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