Family Tent Recommendation: Keep Cost Under Control

[renodesertfox]

Howdy,

In this third segment on Family Tent Recommendations I just want to touch on what might be best for you. Not everyone needs a tent with strength and durability. The milder and drier the climate, and the closer to home you camp ("just in case"), the more the least expensive tents will be very good bargains.

If you are just starting out in your family camping adventures, and don't know if you will really like camping, then you might want to stick with the least expensive tents, and many families do. It is very likely that you will try your first trips when the weather is warm and dry, and will probably keep close to "civilization" until you gain some experience and decide whether you like camping or not. One can always upgrade to a better tent later(we did), and keep your original budget tent for when conditions allow or use it a spare for supplies, whatever, the choice is yours.

[Goingforthegold]

Dusty has some really good advice for families just getting into camping. If you are careful and pick your times you do not need an expensive tent to enjoy the wilderness. It isn't usually the tent that makes the trip, it is generally the tenter's and the surroundings.

A cheap tent can provide you with lots of great experiences but just be aware that depending on the elements a cheap tent can cause you the extra expense of having to move to a motel. Provided the weather is cooperative a expensive tent is not a necessity.

Sometimes a mid range tent can be a good compromise if you can afford it. Cheap tents are usually cheap for a reason. A mid range tent will probably be more durable and last a lot longer but if you find out you hate to camp out you have wasted the extra expense. I guess in the end the decision is up to you.

[renodesertfox]

Family tent recommendations

Howdy Goingforthegold,
Welcome to the camping boards and you are absolutely correct about camping, it's either a like or a dis-like. And the idea of starting inexpensive is the best way to go to find out if one like camping. Thanks for sharing!

[Delurn]

Another thing to consider (depending on the type of camping you're doing) is weight. I personally enjoy hiking and exploring then setting a camp for the night, packing it all up and moving on. Weight and how small it is fully packed are big considerations for me. It needs to be able to fit in my pack and not add any extra weight than neccessary.

[Bigdog57]

So far, my tents have been on the less-expensive side. They work for me fine - but my needs are simple. If I camped with a family or loved one, I would likely want something better - the ladies generally have higher requiremnts for comfort than us single guys!
I also have not had to camp in extreme weather situations - snow and heavy rain do require a more robust tent than I have at the moment!

[CampingNewbee]

That's pretty good advice. I wonder though does the type of tent (i.e. expensive or inexpensive) factor into whether the tent is more or less difficult to put up. Any idea?

[renodesertfox]

Family Tent Recommends...

That's pretty good advice. I wonder though does the type of tent (i.e. expensive or inexpensive) factor into whether the tent is more or less difficult to put up. Any idea?

Well, heck no, sometimes the least expensive tent can be the hardest to set up as well as the most expensive tent. Usually tents today almost set themselves up if you take the time to set a tent up at home before you go out on the camping trip. It is a very good idea to see what you have gotten yourself into. I know this may seem like over kill but when we(bride & I) get a new tent we set it up once in the backyard, noting if anything piece of the tent is missing or a tear somewhere and the we make notes of those defects(which usually there're aren't any), and then we take it down and put it away. I week or two later, we test ourselves and try to set up the tent without the instructions just to see if we remembered the procedure. Sure enough, we are back looking at directions and having fun. Having fun is what tenting is all about. After setting the tent up twice when we go camping, it looks like we are old pros at making camp. If you wait to set up the tent on the first time you go out, tempers can flare and I always try to keep the war department half of my marriage happy at all costs! Heehee! Besides, we go camping whenever we can get the chance, in January our wedding anniversary was celebrated at Joshua Tree National Park and we camped there a whole week!

[Bigdog57]

For fast & easy set-up, I'd look for the tent to have the external hooks that clip to the poles.
My tents use the sleeves, and they tend to bunch up and make set-up and take-down more difficult than it needs to be.
However, the sleeve design might be stronger under a snow fall?