EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

[NYCSlicker]

We are looking to get into camping and want a tent. We are 2 average sized adults, with 2 little children, so don't need a huge tent. Also, we don't need something high end as we are not sure if we would use it more than say half a dozen times a year. I'd rather be prepared for wind and rain than not. I was looking at:

REI Camp Dome 4
REI Base Camp 4
REI Kingdom 4 Camp
EMS Big Easy 4
EMS Sunapee 4
Marmot Limestone 4P
Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 MtnGLO

Now I'm sure any of these should be fine, but if going with EMS I'm concerned with the lack of reviews and quality vs. REI tents as well the Marmot and Big Agnes ones, specially since EMS is significantly cheaper specially with sales and coupons.

Any recommendations?

[NYCgrrl]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

Hello and welcome, NYCSlicker,

OK let's start with a lil more on the usage before we get into the style and models.
The tent is for 2 adults and 2 kiddos. For that amount of people conventional wisdom recommends a minimum 6 person tent and with room for growth an 8 person. For most tent manufacturers when they list the amt of people a tent sleeps they are not counting gear and as layouts will show they expect you to sleep head to toe.

Looking at the tent styles you are considering I see you prefer domes. Great for wind control and easy to setup! So now it's time to get to the tents specs:

EMS Sunapee

• Capacity: 4 People
• Packaged Weight: 6 lb. 10 oz.
• Trail Weight: 6 lb. 2 oz.
• Floor Area: 58.6 sq. ft.
• Vestibule Area: 9.75 sq. ft.
• Peak Height: 56 in.
• Length: 87 in.
• Width: 97 in.
• Doors: 1
• # of Poles: 2
• Floor Coating: 1500 mm polyurethane
• Rainfly Coating: 1500 mm polyurethane
• Canopy Fabric: 68D polyester, 20D polyester no-see-um mesh
• Floor Fabric: 75D polyester
• Rainfly Fabric: 75D polyester
• Freestanding?: Yes
• Pole Material: Aluminum
• Seasons: 3 season

EMS® Big Easy 4 Tent

• Capacity: 4 People
• Packaged Weight: 10 lb. 1 oz.
• Trail Weight: 8 lb. 2 oz.
• Floor Area: 59.4 sq. ft.
• Vestibule Area: 30 sq. ft.
• Peak Height: 5 ft 1 in
• Length: 7 ft 7 in
• Width: 7 ft 10 in
• Doors: 1
• # of Poles: 3
• Floor Coating: 1500 mm polyurethane
• Rainfly Coating: 1500 mm polyurethane
• Canopy Fabric: 68D poly ripstop
• Floor Fabric: 70D nylon
• Rainfly Fabric: 75D poly
• Freestanding?: Yes
• Pole Material: 7000 Series Aluminum
• Seasons: 3 season

more to come....

[NYCgrrl]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

Marmot Limestone 4P Tent

Specs

Camping

3-season

4-person

10 lbs. 10 oz.

11 lbs. 11 oz.

10 x 27.5 inches

8 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 2 in.

60 square feet

21 square feet

5 ft. 1 in.

1 door

4

Aluminum DAC DA17

12 millimeters

40-denier polyester taffeta no-see-um mesh

150-denier coated nylon

68-denier coated ripstop polyester

Freestanding

Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO Tent

Seasons

3-season

4-person

10 lbs. 12 oz.

11 lbs. 11 oz.

27 x 15 x 5 inches

96 x 90 inches

60 square feet

19 + 11 square feet

5 ft. 8 in.

2 doors

4

Aluminum DAC

13/10.2 millimeters

Polyester/polyester mesh

Polyurethane-coated polyester

Polyurethane-coated polyester

Freestanding

[NYCgrrl]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

REI Kingdom 4 Tent

Specs

Camping

3-season

4-person

18 lbs. 8 oz. ounces

25.5 x 8.5 x 15 inches

100 in. x 100 in. / 8.4 ft. x 8 ft. 4 in. inches

69.4 square feet

29 square feet

6 ft. 3 in. feet

2 doors

2 hubbed pole sets + 1 crossover pole

6061 Aluminum / 7001 Aluminum

14.5 mm / 11 mm millimeters

Nylon / mesh

Coated polyester Oxford

Coated polyester taffeta

Freestanding

[NYCgrrl]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

REI Base Camp 4 Tent

Specs

Camping

3-season

4-person

14 lbs. 3 oz.

17 lbs. 1 oz.

25 x 16.5 x 9.5 inches

8 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 2 in.

60 square feet

23 + 17.5 square feet

5 feet

2 doors

5

Aluminum

11 / 10.3 / 10.2 millimeters

75-denier nylon / 40-denier mesh

150-denier polyester

75-denier polyester

Freestanding

REI Camp Dome 4

Specs

Backpacking

3-season

4-person

8 lbs. 4 oz.

8 lbs. 13 oz.

8.7 x 27 inches

100 x 86 inches

59.6 square feet

56 inches

2 doors

3

Aluminum

Nylon

Polyester

Polyester

Freestanding

[NYCgrrl]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

OK the specs seem to be pretty much equal as far as the construction so w/o looking at the price differences I'd narrow the choices down to the :

Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO Tent

or
REI Base Camp 4 Tent

Both have large vestibules that could allow you to stay w/ a 4 person tent. Now it's a matter of personal choices and needs. The REI has a bigger vestibule/gear storage area; the EMS has built-in lighting which might save you from buying a lantern.

HTH and what area(s) and times of year are you planning to camp and are you backpacking or car camping?

ETA: the REI in Manhattan down around Tribeca mostly has gear for rock climbing and such so the in house tent collection is edited down accordingly. The last time I was in the Yonkers REI across the highway from Stew's + HD they had a few tents on display but I don't recall which ones since I was there to pick up folding bikes.The nearest EMS I'm currently aware of is in Scarsdale:(.

[tplife]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

These, including models from Mountain HardWear, A16, NorthFace, and Sierra Designs, are all quality tents with modern features and integrity. I would concur that a 6-man sized tent would be a better choice for your needs, if at all possible. It provides room for 4 adult 25 X 77 inch sleeping pads, gear, and some room to move around and get in and out. A 2-door model is a must in any case. I've found that tents larger than a 6-man present a host of their own problems regarding less weather and structural integrity, fewer options on where you can set them up in-camp, and more difficult pitching.

[dennis b]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

Thanks NYCgrrl,
Your information will make it easier for me to decide between the REI Kingdom 4 or the Kodiak 8 X 9'..... Many years ago I fell in love with a NYC girl......Never left my mind. Spent a great deal of time near Forked Lake area in the Adirondacks.
best

[a65hoosier]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

One of the specs I look at when kids (or pets-lol) are involved is the denier and material of the tent's floor, the waterproofing, and quality of zippers. The thicker the denier on the floor, the more abuse it can take before wearing out and/or losing it's water resistance.

Only the REI Basecamp series and Marmot Limestone series provide a thick 150D floor (polyester on Basecamp, nylon on Limestone. Polyester doesn't stretch like nylon when wet, nylon has more abrasion resistance). Both of these have durable floors. The Basecamp is especially wind resistant due to the pole structure. As to waterproof coatings, REI doesn't indicate. Marmot coats Limestones to 3000mm on floor, 2000mm on walls, and 1800mm on the fly. Both of these tents are the most weather worthy on your listing. A negative, imo, against the Limestone 4 is that it has only one door (I like 2 doors on family style camping tents--4P and up).

All that said...I would be looking at a 6P tent for your family. They are a bit more budget wise, but you'll get a 10 x 8-10 ft tent, 2 doors with good sized vestibules, an interior height most can stand up in (important when stepping around sleeping sprawled kids trying to get out in the am). Footprint wise they are a bit larger than a 4P, but not really much harder to set up. And you'll get at least the next 5-8 years out of the tent without running out of family space.

The BaseCamp comes in a 6P as does the Limestone (the 6P has 2 doors). I think the other tents on your list also have a 6P model). Of course, there are other good 6P tent models not on your list.

For size comparison, here is my Marmot Limestone 6P my wife and I use and the Marmot Tungsten 3P our 12yo son uses when we camp. I couldn't imagine having him...and my wife and I (just 3 people), with duffels...all together in a single 4P tent.

[MacGyver]

Re: EMS vs. REI for first 4-person car camping tent

I second the need for the 6-person tent. I can almost guarantee you'll regret trying to fit four people in a 8 x 9 tent. Make an 8 x 9 rectangle on your living room floor with something... string, rope, masking tape... then have everybody lie down in it. You'll quickly see that you won't have much room to move around and that there's not room for much anything else, like your clothing or any gear. Also keep in mind that the walls of the tent aren't quite vertical, effectively decreasing the space even a bit more.