New here - another tent opinion question

[MWcamper]

Howdy all!

(Quickly on a side note I posted an introduction, but it never posted?)

So I am a car camper mostly, I often pull a boat with me so it makes hike camping a rarity. That said my wife and I are looking to replace a 10 year old tent now that we have a BIG dog to share it with. Coming from a Coleman 6 man dome (HA 6 people if they are VERY close friends!) which has been a good tent for us but there would not be room for our queen air mattress our gear and our new 60 lb shepherd mix Maggie. It had a 9 X 11 X 6ish foot print and we don't want to go HUGE (ok my wife doesn't) so I have narrowed it down to 2 possible replacements.

The Coleman Elite Evanston 8 dome 12 X 12 X 6 footprint.

or

The Eureka Tetragon 10 dome 12 X 14 X 6.6 footprint.

The Coleman has some bells and whistles, the Eureka has a bigger foot print. I can get either for about the same $.

Any opinions? (And I know generally Eureka is thought higher of than Coleman but Coleman has been a good tent for me for most of my life. - So let me know your thoughts based on size, amenities and personal experience)

Thanks everybody!

Scott

[Mike]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Let's face it, a tent is to keep the rain and bugs off of you. If not for that, you don't need a tent

So what it really boils down to is the tarp over the tent

The better and more complete the tarp coverage, the better the rain protection. It is as simple as that.

If you camp in the heat, get a tent with a lot of ventilation

If you car camp where neither weight nor set-upbtime are of particular concern, you simply look at designs like you would an apartment. What strikes your fancy?

Both Coleman and Eureka make good tents. They both also make mediocre tents. Follow the rain-fly and ventilation rule and the rest is easy

[NYCgrrl]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Let's face it, a tent is to keep the rain and bugs off of you. If not for that, you don't need a tent

So what it really boils down to is the tarp over the tent

The better and more complete the tarp coverage, the better the rain protection. It is as simple as that.

If you camp in the heat, get a tent with a lot of ventilation

If you car camp where neither weight nor set-upbtime are of particular The Eureka Tetragon 10oncern, you simply look at designs like you would an apartment. What strikes your fancy?

Both Coleman and Eureka make good tents. They both also make mediocre tents. Follow the rain-fly and ventilation rule and the rest is easy

Many truths above. I will say that the 1st look at the Evanston I noted a hinged door and stopped. They are sooo much harder to repair in the field and even at home. So I stay away from 'em. On the other hand I read reviews where many family campers extoll the feature as easier to enter the tent when hands are full. I have to say the included light strip is a nifty feature. I don't like the fact that Coleman doesn't list the fabric specs for this tent and merely sez it's 'Weather Tec System' guaranteed..I mean what does that mean in English,lol. Perhaps calling coleman will get you a response past the marketing gobbledegook.

I like the 2 doors of Eureka although wish they weren't back to back; makes placing your sleeping system harder to lay out. So much so that 1 door might be preferably. I'm guessing both tents have the same pole materials- all fiberglass although again hard to tell since Coleman doesn't say. For the record fiberglass is the least expensive and most prone to break tent pole material.
The flooring of the Eureka is respectable based on the weight, material used and denier(75 D, 210 poly taffeta); same for the walls at 75D 185 poly taffeta. I would however be sure to coat the rain fly to be on the safe side as it's specs are the same as the walls and you want more protection from the rain fly.

Happy camping and welcome!

[MWcamper]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the reply. I know ultimately that's all that matters. In fact I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Coleman Evanston 8. (not the Elite version - couldn't find it in stock anywhere) It's got all we need for us and the dog, got it for a good price and I like that the fly hangs out over the door far enough that if we get some rain it should keep it off the door.

Where I camp most times there's not enough tree cover to do tarps over the tent, and honestly other than 2 years ago when we camped the weekend after Hurricane Issac hit the gulf and we got TORRENTIAL rain here in MO/KS that weekend, I haven't needed or wanted additional cover. I have never wanted to throw in the towel while camping until that weekend, and all that said, our little Coleman Laurel Creek 6 (11 X 9) dome tent barely leaked even though the wind was blowing so hard at times that the sides of the tent were often almost laying on top of us. So really, in most cases I think for my needs just a tent with a good coverage fly will suffice.
:D

[MWcamper]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Hey thanks for the reply NYCgrrl - I found this about the Coleman - Fly: Polyester taffeta 75D , Mesh: Polyester 68D inner tent, Floor: Polyethylene 1000D-140g/sqm floor, 11mm fiberglass poles, Limited 1 year warranty - so it looks like they really are comparable - I loved the Eureka (it's bigger and when isn't bigger better?) and would have gotten it, however the Commodore (my wife) veto'd it, she didn't like the style as much as the Coleman, and she's only used Coleman tents her whole life. So we got the Coleman. :D

I will seam seal it and probably spray seal the fly, other than that, we'll run with it. Like I said other than extreme conditions that I probably shouldn't have been out in anyway, I have had real good luck with Coleman tents. Not sure when they got such a mixed reputation.

[frank6160]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

I use Coleman tents and have had good luck. Own probably 6 ranging in age from 2 to 8 years and size from 3 to 8 person. Good luck with your choice.

[MacGyver]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

In my mind, Coleman has been steadily going downhill ever since they stopped producing their gear in the United States. I can't find any links telling me where Eurekas are made, but I do know that they make expedition grade and military grade tents that are used in some seriously severe conditions. I could be wrong, but that leads me to believe that their craftsmanship on their entire product line would be better. I can't say I've ever seen a picture of a Coleman on K2 or in a battle zone in the Middle East. I would go with the Eureka. If for no other reason, I like that it has better fly coverage.

[MWcamper]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Hey thanks for comments Frank and MacGyver (BTW - I used to love your TV show Mac!)

Like I said I pulled the trigger and I did like the Eureka better myself, but as any married man knows, it's better for her to get her way and be wrong than the other way around. :D

I am sure we'll be fine. And sadly I missed the sale at REI Outlet on the Eureka anyway. I was gonna use my 20% off which would have made it like $237 I think. Don't want to spend $280 on a tent when I could get this one for $140ish.

[yogiyoda]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

I pretty sure both Coleman and Eureka are made overseas now. I know from experience Coleman has good warranty service if you need it. I'd also recommend seam sealing the tent and upgrading the stakes if you get a Coleman. Included stakes stink and the larger tents I've purchased have come with small leaks. I don't have personal experience with Eureka but I'd bet the same info would apply to their budget tents.

Here's a link to some reviews on these two particular tents:

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Elite-...owViewpoints=1

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Campin...eka-Tetragon-8

http://www.backcountry.com/eureka-te...erson-3-season

Good luck with your new tent whatever you chose!

[markkee]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

I tend to side up with MacGyver on the quality of Coleman tents. Although, the quality of Chinese products is getting much better. The United States has gone down a very slippery slope by designing some of the best products and the world and then sending them over seas to be manufactured. I have owned more Eureka tents than Coleman tents. My last Eureka tent flew out of my roof top cargo box while driving down Mount Shasta. It suffered some minor floor damage that was easily repaired with duct tape.

Back Country dot com has the Eureka on sale for under $300. They offer a life time satisfaction guarantee. The tent is huge and the reviews seem decent. If you don't like it, send it back.

[Avery1979]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

A huge tent with a life time guarantee is worth $300 to me.

[kcscout]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Normally for any serious camping I would look at aluminum poles and full rain coverage.. granted those tents may be outside what you want to spend which then puts you looking at the coleman / eureka, etc. tents. I think I saw some really good options for even Cabelas / Bass pro tents on a variety of prices as well. If weather is not an issue and you are just looking for an inexpensive roomy tent, go to the store and look at a set up of the tents and go with your gut on which you like better on features such as (how many doors do you need/want, color, size, style, etc. A lot of tents I would never consider from the second I saw them, which is where I would say get some basic qualifications of what you have to have in a tent and what you would like / want in a tent and then compare price / quality and go with that.

I have 4 tents now and plan to get 1 more (eventually need a more extreme winter tent), but the coleman I bought which was the first 'cheap' tent to get me started in my son's cub scouts has been collecting dust in the garage... But under good weather conditions would be more than adequate and comfortable to use for camping.

[tplife]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

As one and all know, the following is an expression of an opinion based on personal bias and nothing more than 54 years of tent-camping: Brands like Coleman are the "bottom feeders" of tent makers, taking your money and running! If you're ready for a new tent, then give up your Freezer King 0.75 R-value air mattresses! Buy some "sleeping pads" and a tent from a quality brand like EMS, REI, Sierra Designs, Mountain HardWear, NorthFace, Marmot, or Big Agnes. You won't need to buy cheap tents once you have a couple of 25X77 thick self-inflaters, a 10X10 will easily fit a couple and a dog with a TON of room to spare. We have a Tetragon model we use for a loaner tent, but wouldn't use it outside of the backyard in the dead of summer. Look for "anodized aluminum poles", "full rain flies", or "vestibules" when you shop for a tent (ebay!) and insist on a lifetime warranty...

[hwc1954]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Here's a sale on a quality 8.5 x 10 foot "6 person tent. If you are not in hurry, you can probably find this on sale for $325 sooner or later:

hhttp://www.backcountry.com/marmot-limestone-6-person-tent?ti=UExQIENhdDozLVNlYXNvbiBUZW50czoxOjIxOmJjc0 NhdDcxMTAwMDQx

I got the 4-person version of this tent for my daughter for Christmas. Had it set up in the basement and was very impressed. Lot of tent for the money. Quality aluminum poles. Spreader poles for vertical walls and more room. Quality materials. I actually think that, due to the vertical walls, the 8 x 8 four person version would have as much usable room as the Tetragon. Personally, I wouldn't trust fiberglass poles for any tent that large.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYn10dZfyOA

[Mike]

Re: New here - another tent opinion question

Whatever tent you buy, imagine being inside of it in a howling rainstorm. After all, that is why you bring shelter with you camping. Otherwise, you could just sleep outside with no shelter; save perhaps a mosquito net.

Imagine the wind coming at you sideways. Would you feel safe and comfortable in your tent? When your family huddles next to you and says, "Daddy, I'm scared. Are we going to be OK?", you can tell them with confidence to, "go back to sleep, everything is fine", rather than "grab your stuff kids and head to the car as fast as you can. We're getting the hell out of here!"

Ha ha ha. No kidding. When it rains, I sleep well. I like the sound of rain on my Eureka Timberline or Alpine Meadows tents because I know that I can rely on those tents in any kind of terrible weather. They have never let me down. On the other hand, I did previously own tents that always leaked. It was only a question of how much it would leak and how miserable I was going to become. Pick one.

It is of interest that canvas tents have come back on the scene recently. I Thought they were a part of America's camping heritage, lost to the past. However, you will find people on these forums who love them. Personally, I do not choose canvas BECAUSE of rain. Canvas tents tend to be single walled with no tarp. As a result, then do tend to leak as all single wall tents will. Worse, perhaps is folding up and transporting a wet soggy canvas tent that will easily weigh between 100 to 200 lbs wet: too heavy for me to lift into the car by myself while my wife and kids sit inside the car all grumpy crying about how they want to go home and all the while watching me wrestle with a wet tent. Then when you get home, you have the task of quickly getting it out of the car, setting up the heavy wet soggy canvas tent and drying it before it mildews. I do own some old canvas tents just as I own black-powder rifles. They are nostalgic and fun to take out once in awhile, but if your safety and comfort and convenience relies on making the right choice, I am always choosing the nylon tents.