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I want a serious tent that can handle rain AND warm weather. We’ve got three young kids and live in the South, which is usually warm and humid with lots of rain but can get down into the 30s or worse in the winter (we camp in all seasons). I currently have a Eureka Equinox 4, which isn’t big enough and doesn’t handle rain all that well. What I do like about it, however, is that it has two large windows that have full interior covers, and a door that has a full interior cover, such that you can completely zip up the tent or zip it down to near the ground on three sides (of a hexagon). That feature seems to have gone missing in virtually all new tents.
We have camped as much as a full week, but most of our camping is weekends, so canvas tents probably are more trouble for us than they are worth (things don’t usually dry out quickly here).
It seems to be common wisdom that the rainfly should cover the entire tent, but we have flexibility to get airflow at the same time. Big Agnes Chimney Creek 6 seems to do this with the vestibule and upper vents, but does not allow full privacy and cold weather insulation due to uncovered screening (unless the rain fly is fully engaged). Kelty Trail Ridge 6 or 8 almost works but has a lot of screen that you cannot cover in cold weather. At least in our Equinox we can fully cover all screens when it’s cold. Big Agnes Tensleep Station Tent 6 has only screen for the front door (and a vestibule that does not go completely down to the ground), plus having entry on the short side. Cabela's Guardian 6 is criticized for lack of air flow – a dealstopper. REI Base Camp 6 has a half-screened door and yet still poor ventilation, according to the reviews. Marmot Halo is the right size and shape but has the half doors and a vestibule that doesn’t go all the way to the ground.
Floor should be rectangular or square, around 100 sq. ft. If rectangular, the door(s) should be on the long side, so you aren’t stepping over people. Hex shape tent is fine for a couple of people but inefficient for 5. I don’t like the configuration of the REI Kingdom 6 tent and have read enough negative comments about how it handles storms, which we get a lot of.
Aluminum poles!
It’s sad that for $300-$600 you still have to make major compromises and go for the one with the least bad features. A common refrain in the reviews was that the older model of this tent or that tent did not have such and such negative feature. What’s that economic term for cheapening the quality of a product over time, to minimize price increases?
Thanks.
We have camped as much as a full week, but most of our camping is weekends, so canvas tents probably are more trouble for us than they are worth (things don’t usually dry out quickly here).
It seems to be common wisdom that the rainfly should cover the entire tent, but we have flexibility to get airflow at the same time. Big Agnes Chimney Creek 6 seems to do this with the vestibule and upper vents, but does not allow full privacy and cold weather insulation due to uncovered screening (unless the rain fly is fully engaged). Kelty Trail Ridge 6 or 8 almost works but has a lot of screen that you cannot cover in cold weather. At least in our Equinox we can fully cover all screens when it’s cold. Big Agnes Tensleep Station Tent 6 has only screen for the front door (and a vestibule that does not go completely down to the ground), plus having entry on the short side. Cabela's Guardian 6 is criticized for lack of air flow – a dealstopper. REI Base Camp 6 has a half-screened door and yet still poor ventilation, according to the reviews. Marmot Halo is the right size and shape but has the half doors and a vestibule that doesn’t go all the way to the ground.
Floor should be rectangular or square, around 100 sq. ft. If rectangular, the door(s) should be on the long side, so you aren’t stepping over people. Hex shape tent is fine for a couple of people but inefficient for 5. I don’t like the configuration of the REI Kingdom 6 tent and have read enough negative comments about how it handles storms, which we get a lot of.
Aluminum poles!
It’s sad that for $300-$600 you still have to make major compromises and go for the one with the least bad features. A common refrain in the reviews was that the older model of this tent or that tent did not have such and such negative feature. What’s that economic term for cheapening the quality of a product over time, to minimize price increases?
Thanks.
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