Recommend me a tent!

[jlee]

2-3 person (for two people, but I don't want a small 2 person tent). Not too expensive is good, but I don't want a POS either. Other than browsing Amazon and looking for 2-3 person tents with 4+ star reviews, what should I look for?

I don't expect to use it a whole lot, but I'm camping at the track (Summit Raceway) this weekend and I'm going camping with friends the weekend after...and I may start to be more outdoorsy and actually start using it after this month, too.

Edit: I ordered a Eureka Sunrise 8 Adventure. Thanks dougp (and everyone else, too)!

 

[gaidensensei]

Most of the "good" tents are the ones you'll find with the $60+ price tag for 2. Things that seem to consist of the bulk of reviews are to look for the material quality and resistance to condensation and/or water.

But I feel the average person doesn't go camping enough to encounter those situations that plague the extreme mountaineers (which seem to be the vicious reviewers), so they shouldn't be deterred by those kind of comments on a tent - most likely if you got a 2 person tent for $30-50 or so, it should do the job given normal circumstances.

 

[Bignate603]

Do you ever plan to backpack with this or not? A good car camping tent can be heavier (and cheaper) than a good backpacking tent.

Personally, on smaller tents I like vestibules. They let you keep gear and things like dirty shoes outside the tent but out of the rain.

 

[jlee]

$60 isn't an issue - I just don't want to be spending $100+ unless there's a really good reason to do so. I'll look in the $50 price range, then - thanks!

Nate- probably not...I'm not big into hiking.

 

[IronWing]

Eureka! Timberline is hard to beat for the price.

 

[Bignate603]

$60 isn't an issue - I just don't want to be spending $100+ unless there's a really good reason to do so. I'll look in the $50 price range, then - thanks!

Nate- probably not...I'm not big into hiking.

Coleman's tents typically are decently priced and work well enough for car camping. They won't do as well in a really heavy downpour but for decent weather camping it should do plenty well.

This one looks pretty reasonable, and has that vestibule that I mentioned so your gear can stay out of the rain.

As always though, buy a tarp and use it under the tent.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Just stay away from Coleman. Check zippers and if you plan on doing much camping, the first thing you do when you get your tent is throw away the stakes. Go to the hardware store and buy some large flat head nails about 8" in length.

 

[jlee]

I'm probably ordering it online since any local place will probably rape me (I live in hippie Prius-ville where everything is way overpriced).

So stay away from Coleman? I just found the Hooligan 2 and Hooligan 3 for about $50 on Amazon - I'll look at some other brands too.

Also, any recommendations for warm-ish (above 50f) weather sleeping bags?

 

[dougp]

Eureka! Timberline is hard to beat for the price.

There's a reason it's the tent of choice for the BSA, but they're not cheap. I used 3 of them (different variations for specific reasons) for over 10 years, and I'm sure one of them was older than me.

You can't go wrong with a Kelty or Eureka!, but it comes with a cost. Well worth it, though.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Coleman USED to be the benchmark for tents but, now they're poorly made and the zippers tend to rip out easily. My wife and I car camp a lot and while you probably don't need to invest in a $1300 pavilion like we have, you should decide what's important to you. Do you want an extended rain fly for shade? Do you want to be able to stand up in your tent (that's a must have for us)? Do you want a vestibule or access to a cooler outside without having to go outside? Be sure to practice putting up your tent before you get where you're going. Bring extra rope/cord, an extra tarp and, a decent hammer.

 

[Bignate603]

I'm probably ordering it online since any local place will probably rape me (I live in hippie Prius-ville where everything is way overpriced).

So stay away from Coleman? I just found the Hooligan 2 and Hooligan 3 for about $50 on Amazon - I'll look at some other brands too.

Also, any recommendations for warm-ish (above 50f) weather sleeping bags?

I help out with a local scout troop, plenty of the boys have Colemans. I wouldn't trade my north face for one but they're decent for cheap tents if you're not backpacking or using it in really nasty weather.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You might want to check out Cabela's I've always been happy with their quality and prices.

 

[jlee]

$120 for a tiny (7x5) Eureka Timberline..I'm sure it's a great tent but I can't justify that much. North Face also seems to be in the $150+ range.

I'm using it twice this year (in warm weather)...after my AZ move, I won't see cold weather or much rain, either.

I just found out that I need a tent (the one we were going to use is apparently no good) and I need it by Friday, hence the Amazon (Prime FTW) shopping.

 

[TheVrolok]

marked for later, I need a new tent

 

[jlee]

Coleman USED to be the benchmark for tents but, now they're poorly made and the zippers tend to rip out easily. My wife and I car camp a lot and while you probably don't need to invest in a $1300 pavilion like we have, you should decide what's important to you. Do you want an extended rain fly for shade? Do you want to be able to stand up in your tent (that's a must have for us)? Do you want a vestibule or access to a cooler outside without having to go outside? Be sure to practice putting up your tent before you get where you're going. Bring extra rope/cord, an extra tarp and, a decent hammer.

I already have a $7k tent for really shitty weather - it's called a Subaru Forester.

None of the above stuff is really an issue for me - I just need something to sleep in that'll keep rain and bugs out.

 

[dougp]

Here's some tents:
Eureka Apex 2 - Tent
Eureka Tetragon 8 - Four Person Tent
Eureka Tetragon 7 - Three Person Tent

Sleeping bags:
Eureka Kotey 35 Degree Sleeping Bag
Eureka Sandstone 30 Degree Sleeping Bag
Sierra Designs Wild Bill 35 Degree Sleeping Bag Regular

You will need to get a sleeping pad, something like this:
Thermarest Trail Scout Self Inflating Sleeping Pad with free stuff sac

Camping isn't cheap, and if you try to do it cheap, odds are you will be miserable. All of this equipment is good and will last you awhile if you care for it properly.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

$120 for a tiny (7x5) Eureka Timberland..I'm sure it's a great tent but I can't justify that much. North Face also seems to be in the $150+ range.

I'm using it twice this year (in warm weather)...after my AZ move, I won't see cold weather or much rain, either.

I just found out that I need a tent (the one we were going to use is apparently no good) and I need it by Friday, hence the Amazon (Prime FTW) shopping.

Camping isn't about getting everything perfect the first time out, it's about enjoying yourself. Go get a cheap decent sized tent at Wally World and enjoy! If you decide you like camping, you won't have any problem justifying decent gear. The wife and I didn't wake up one day and go out and buy the most expensive tent we could find, it was an evolution of many, many tents and a lot of years.

 

[Bignate603]

$120 for a tiny (7x5) Eureka Timberland..I'm sure it's a great tent but I can't justify that much. North Face also seems to be in the $150+ range.

I'm using it twice this year (in warm weather)...after my AZ move, I won't see cold weather or much rain, either.

I just found out that I need a tent (the one we were going to use is apparently no good) and I need it by Friday, hence the Amazon (Prime FTW) shopping.

I've had good luck getting camp gear on craigslist, people buy nice stuff, use it once, sit it in their closet for years, then finally get rid of it for cheap.

 

[jlee]

Here's some tents:
Eureka Apex 2 - Tent
Eureka Tetragon 8 - Four Person Tent
Eureka Tetragon 7 - Three Person Tent

Sleeping bags:
Eureka Kotey 35 Degree Sleeping Bag
Eureka Sandstone 30 Degree Sleeping Bag
Sierra Designs Wild Bill 35 Degree Sleeping Bag Regular

You will need to get a sleeping pad, something like this:
Thermarest Trail Scout Self Inflating Sleeping Pad with free stuff sac

Camping isn't cheap, and if you try to do it cheap, odds are you will be miserable. All of this equipment is good and will last you awhile if you care for it properly.

I'm not rich like a stereotypical AT'er...I've got like $1700 into this race weekend already and that's a pretty tough kick to the wallet. :\ I'll poke around a bit and see what I can find that stuff for on Amazon..might hit WalMart later too & see what they have.

 

[dougp]

I'm not rich like a stereotypical AT'er...I've got like $1700 into this race weekend already and that's a pretty tough kick to the wallet. :\ I'll poke around a bit and see what I can find that stuff for on Amazon..might hit WalMart later too & see what they have.

You can get a setup for under $150, which is damn reasonable. Even if you go to Walmart, you'll probable spend $100 and get inferior gear that will leave you unhappy. Just watchin out for your best interests, jlee.

 

[BoomerD]

A quick google search shows New Hampshire has Dick's Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Sports Authority, and many more. All of those have several decent options for tents in the <$100 range...How much you want to spend really depends on how much you're going to use the tent. If it's a one-time thing...it doesn't matter if it's not going to last several years...and a Coleman should do just fine. If you're going to use it a couple of times or more each season...and want to keep it for several years...then you want a GOOD quality tent that will last.


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...3GGLL_enUS411US412&ie=UTF-8&aq=0h&oq=new+hamp

 

[Bignate603]

Camping isn't cheap, and if you try to do it cheap, odds are you will be miserable. All of this equipment is good and will last you awhile if you care for it properly.

Sure it can be cheap. You just make do with what you can get and you have fun. If you need to have everything perfect to have a good time then camping is not for you.

 

[Zenmervolt]

It's well above the $60 range, but REI's Half Dome 2 Plus tent is fantastic. At $199 it's not cheap, but if you're using it often you'll appreciate that it's a solid tent.

ZV

 

[jlee]

Well, now I'm wondering if I should just cough up the money for this guy. There's the less expensive Eureka Tetragon, but reviews aren't so hot.

Other options - ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 3 FG
Chinook Sirocco

 

[Zenmervolt]

Well, now I'm wondering if I should just cough up the money for this guy. There's the less expensive Eureka Tetragon, but reviews aren't so hot.

Other options - ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 3 FG
Chinook Sirocco

I would say either the Eureka Apex or the Chinook of those three. The ALPS has a pretty chintzy rainfly and in my experience those little rainflies don't always keep you dry. While I like the aluminum poles on the Chinook, I think that, overall, the Eureka looks like a more well-thought-out design. Having a separate full rainfly is really nice; you get great cover when it does rain, but better ventilation on dry nights when you may not need the rainfly at all.

ZV