something in the middle

[polocash]

I have a Eureka Titan. It is 9.5x13.5. It is great for car camping with a group. About 30 lbs. I also have a Sierra Designs Comet 2 man, but it is getting old. It was also just big enough for my son and I to sleep in.

I am wanting something smaller than Titan for my 9yr old and myself. He is a scout, but I don't plan on long hiking/camping at this time, so weight is not a big issue. There is one place we go where we have to carry gear about 1/2 mile. We use a wagon, so weight reduction would help.

I thought I wanted to be able to stand up, but have decided that this is not too important.

I just purchased, but have not used a Nemo Asashi. 4 man.. and was thinking of getting the garage for a place to hang out, rather than the tent/sleeping qtrs. I can still return this tent. Tent/rainfly and garage $350 with footprints for both. (tent/rain 199) Tent was almost $500 retail before being discontinued.. a little heavy for a backpacker.. light for car camping about 10 lbs tent and rainfly ........ 63sq ft and 50" tall

Then I saw a Big Agnes Big House 4 or 6 on clearance. No garage available for 2012 model.. so I would get 6 man for space.. no vestibule included though

I don't know why I am having a hard time choosing a second tent.. too many choices...lol

Under $ 400 with tent/fly footprint .. any suggestions or advice?

Thanks,

Rick

[polocash]

Re: something in the middle

Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate all inputs.

I did forget to mention that I live in S Texas, so I only need a 3 season. The hammock system seems interesting, but not what I was looking for, for my 9 year old son. We will be camping with other fathers and sons.

Scout rules: No child can stay in a tent with any adult which is not their parent or guardian. So each father/son require their own tent.

The other function of a garage would be for storing other camping stuff. Cooking gear, bicycles, fishing poles.. etc. Hanging out in the garage would be either bad weather or evening winding down. The boys do like to play indoors at night and the garage keeps them off of the sleeping area.

Keep all ideas coming..

Thanks

[renodesertfox]

Re: something in the middle

In an earlier life, my first marriage, our garage was attached. I hired a licensed contractor and he constructed the garage into a family room, with a fireplace, vented for air-condition & heat, carpeted it, built a liquor bar, installed a bumper pool table and a then large 42" TV. It was a 3-car garage that he turned into a man cave. My children(2 boys & a girl) are all grown now and have families of their own, but "hanging out" in the garage was the best, at least that is what my kids told me. I also had the space & land that the contractor built an un-attached 2-car garage for our jeeps. But it wasn't cheap cost over $40,000 just to do it right! A garage is okay to hang out in, but you gotta fix it up so you can really enjoy it and your children! That was in Vegas, back in the 1990s. Just my $0.02 on the garage issue. Thanks for bringing it up! Great memories there! We had two 9x9 Coleman Tents, one for the boys to sleep in and the other for my daughter, wife & I. Wish I could remember the name of those tents. lol

[Mike]

Re: something in the middle

Renodesertfox, I liked your story about how you turned your garage into living space and how your kids have fond memories of it. Here in Wisconsin, hanging out in the garage, drinking beer, and looking at Green Bay Packer posters and neon beer signs is so common as to seem natural. People have tailgate parties in their UNFINISHED garages and watch football (Packers) in the garage while sitting on lawn chairsx

In Wisconsin, people don't have $40,000 upgrades to their garages, they just have an old refrigerator and some card tables with cheese and crackers, and a TV - most probably an old tube television - not a flat screen. AND they have friends and family. You will see the garages filled with folks partying with the beer, cheese, and Packer football.

Polocash: You sound like a lot of us on this forum. You have several tents now and you are thinking about your next tent. I haven't had to buy a new tent since the early 1980's when I ran an outdoor guide business. Instead, people GIVE me tents. I must have more than twenty tents now of all kinds, brands, sizes and shapes including some glorious large canvas tents.

The only thing better than the tent you have now is the one you are thinking about getting..

[polocash]

Re: something in the middle

Nemo calls it a garage. I guess it is bigger than a typical vestibule.



My main issue is that I have not bought or received a free tent in over 10 years. I have been to REI, Bass Pro, Dick's etc, and even though the reps are nice, they really don't seem to know much about the tents. I was really trying to find a tent guru who could help me make a wise choice.

[polocash]

Re: something in the middle

Polocash: You sound like a lot of us on this forum. You have several tents now and you are thinking about your next tent. I haven't had to buy a new tent since the early 1980's when I ran an outdoor guide business. Instead, people GIVE me tents. I must have more than twenty tents now of all kinds, brands, sizes and shapes including some glorious large canvas tents.

How do I get people to send me FREE tents? Were you offering a tent you didn't need?

I read about some inflatable tents. I assumed these would be light, but the opposite.

This is where I was headed.. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/nem...eason~p~5464w/

Rick

[renodesertfox]

Re: something in the middle

Hahahaha! Sorry guys, I got carried away and just wanted to fit in. Not really a football fan but Ice Hockey, then college baseball, those are my favorite sports!

[Hikenhunter]

Re: something in the middle

Eureka Timberline. They were designed for the boyscouts and are time proven. They come in 2 or 4 prson models amd if you fgo to campmor.com You can get the 4 man model for about 300.00 plus I think they might give you a 10% discount if you tell them it is for the scouts and you supply them with your units tax number. Timberlines are a little heavier than most people woul;d like but they make up for the weight with durability, something you need to consider when you have a group of active boys around. They are 3 1/2 season tents. I personally think this tent will satisfy your needs and will last you for many years of use if properly maintained.

[Gus@campingwithgus.com]

Re: something in the middle

I will second that Eureka Timberline recommendation. That's what we used in our Scout troop too - and durability is definitely a requirement. The 2-person Timberlines were our choice.

Gus

[tplife]

Re: something in the middle

I have a Eureka tent we use for "guests". The Timberline is their classic design, but their other models (except their 4-season expedition and US military models) don't get by my features/quality/design/convenience/warranty template. The Timberline's Achille's heel is just lack of vertical space/design, but if this can be tolerated, they are maybe Eureka's 'best' tent for the pricepoint, IMHO (we have a Tetragon 7 and it's below the Timberline in quality). If you want more vertical space, consider models from NorthFace, Mountain HardWear, REI, EMS, Sierra Designs, Big Agnes, Marmot. If you want a discount angle, consider Ebay. We have bought 3 (new in the box, 6,4,2-man) tents to date at 60% off MSRP. The bigger the production numbers, the greater the opportunity to save money. As always, the most important feature of a tent is that you USE it!

[Mike]

Re: something in the middle

I also agree that the Eureka Timberline is an excellent tent for what it is supposed to do: Provide shelter.

While not an eye-popping light-weight tent, it is a back-packable tent if you are willing to pay for the security via the load on your back.

The Eureka was designed in a day when tents were designed as shelters, not as lounges. You had to balance the efficiency of weight, reliability, and cost. Being able to put your jeans on inside the tent while standing up was never a consideration for a backpacking tent and still should not be today.

It sounds to me like the OP has the gear fever that we all get - what you have will work, BUT... oh look at that beauty!

I agree with Hogsnapper to give up the idea of a hang-out tent and get a good tarp - lighter, smaller, and in fact more comfortable than being inside a fabric box.

If you want a tent that has a smaller footprint, but you can stand up in, investigate the traditional old umbrella tent designs. I have only seen them made in canvas, which are heavy, but if you feel the need, that might work for you.