Its natural to focus on the quality of a tents rain flyyou need that piece to work when the skies open up. All funds donated are collected by Catch in Bentleigh East, Victoria and will be given to the nominated fundraiser.
Whereas the Copper Canyon LX 6 has a 1,200 mm waterproof coating, the Jade Canyon X6 has a 2,000 mm coating (you can read more on what those coatings are all about in How we picked).
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on H2S Email (Opens in new window), Click to share on SMS (Opens in new window). You can walk straight into it, no stooping required. Note that these tents are strictly meant for car camping; the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 weigh 16 and 21 pounds, respectively, so you wont want to carry either one very far. Those friends may well be novice campers, so we wanted something that the uninitiated but reasonably intelligent could erect, even if the original instructions had disappeared long ago. We are also starting a new round of family-tent testing. This shouldnt be an issue in most situationsin fact, six stakes did just fine in 30 mph conditions in our testsbut if youre headed into a particularly windy place or simply want some backup, we suggest picking up four extra tent stakes at your local outdoor shop or online. The Base Camp, by contrast, has four full-size aluminum struts weaved throughout it, somewhat like a basket. And you can manipulate the vestibule flaps to act as wind shields or capture air for increased ventilation. It was the only three-person tentand therefore technically the smallestin a test group that consisted primarily of four-person tents. And the families universally praised tents that had mesh roofs with little obstruction, and that had built-in pockets within easy reach of a sleeping position. These dimensions give you a tent thats a good size for most families, with room to grow. We concluded that for a family tent, the footprint should measure between 80 and 100 square feet, which is enough space for a double-bed-size air mattress and two smaller Thermarest-type sleeping pads, for five sleeping pads and a line of duffle bags, or for a queen-size air mattress, a Pack n Playstyle crib, and a huge dog. The tent body simply clips onto a set of aluminum poles that dock into grommets at four corners of the tent. We researched new models and redesigns, and we assembled a new batch of small tents for testing in March 2022, this time on Oahu. Getting the fly placed and staked properly took about five more minutes. Size: Large three- or four-person dome-style tents, on average, take up 40 to 60 square feet. (Kit scoured YouTube tutorials and found this video to be the most informative tutorial on guy lines. With a time-tested design, this popular tent is one you can expect to pitch for years to come. We also repeatedly zipped and unzipped doors and windows, looking for annoying snags. (Again, some tents have since gotten more expensive, and for our next round of testing family tents, we plan to increase our price cap for those, as well.) We found out firsthand during our camping trip to Californias Point Mugu that the added weight also means added strength. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. Eureka Kohana 4 Person Tent: The Kohana 4 comes in a great bag with separate compartments for the poles, the stakes, the fly, and the tent body, and its pretty close in design and function to the Marmot Tungsten 4, but its two brow poles slot into the fly rather than attach to the tent body. X. Prestotheres your tent. The Copper Canyons lower price is partly related to the coating materials, according to Flynn. The separate fly uses a third, shorter pole to form protective peaks over the single door and back window. For campers looking for a bit more space, the Marmot Tungsten 4-Person Tent is another great choice for two people. It wasnt as well rounded as some of its competitors, and it didnt offer as good ventilation when fully closed, but its a solid choice for fair-weather camping in particular. No tent is impervious to floor punctures. At the smaller end, thats enough room for a full-size air mattress or pad and two people plus gear; on the larger end, that accommodates three occupants sleeping on more-common camping pads, along with their gear. Flynn explained: Do the extra coatings mean a whole lot? A full rain cover, a spacious vestibule, and a reinforced pole structure make this the best choice for couples who are committed to getting outside no matter the weather. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Amazon Basics 4-Person Dome Tent: Similar to every other tent we tested under $150, the Amazon Basics tent simply couldnt stand up to the elements. A good tent is one of the most important pieces of camping equipment youll buy. But with car camping, youll likely be parking right next to your campsite and unloading. In addition to the Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 Person Tent and the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent, well be checking out The North Faces Wawona 6 Person Tent, a new design from REI Co-op called the Skyward 6 Tent, and a couple of new arrivals from Big Agnes and Nemo, among others. Her decision at the time was based entirely on cost and Amazon reviewsthe tent was consistently cheaper than models of a similar size from higher-end brands, and it got great marks from Amazon customers. The poles were also finicky to insert and left the tent looking decidedly off-kilter. Of all the models we tested, it offers the best balance of generous interior space, ease of setup, good durability, and a reasonable price. Once we had our criteria nailed down, we scoured Amazon reviews of four- and six-person tents, as well as owner reviews on retailer sites such as Backcountry, Cabelas, Campmor, Dicks Sporting Goods, Eastern Mountain Sports, L.L.Bean, and REI, plus professional reviews from GearJunkie and GearLab. However, those that provided the best nights sleep all seemed to have some features in common, namely accessible gear pouches and plenty of carabiner loops in the ceiling. Most of the tents we looked at could handle an unexpected flurry or a coating of frost, but we wouldnt intentionally take them on a winter-camping trip.
Generally, I would rather have a high-quality floor fabric than a high-quality fly fabric, tent designer Bob Howe told us. Cabin-style tents are also generally better at accommodating cots and other basic camping furniture. He has also written for Popular Science, The Awl, Metro, The Observer, and Fortune. And you can unzip the front door, remove it, and neatly stash it into one of the tents internal pocketsa useful feature if youre feeling sociable. Although that is a bonus for people who care about the potential toxicity of materials, it also means this tent is less fireproof than tents coated in flame retardants. At $350, the Mineral King 3 isnt cheap. What are ya waiting for?! If you want a spacious tent with a tall profile and lots of gear storage: Try The North Faces Wawona 4-Person Tent. Site by Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time. (In theory, its meant to house six people, but in our experience, a six-person tent is the ideal size for two adults plus two or three children and gear.). However, REI has since remodeled and rereleased the tent as the Wonderland 6. If you regularly camp in rain and need a vestibulethats the camping word for mudroomyou should consider a more serious tent like the REI Co-op Base Camp 6. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 8 pounds 7 ounces. It got so hot one afternoon that we spent the day taking shifts in the car, cooling our photography equipment while monitoring ourselves for signs of heatstroke and dehydration. Our new top pick is a more well-rounded choice, but if youre looking for a reasonably priced tent to camp in thats a breeze to pitch, and youre not fussed about having two doors, the Kelty Grand Mesa 4 is a great choice. A nylon tent is much stretchier, he said, and can absorb a lot more shock, which can be an advantage in the backcountry, where your only option in a windstorm is to ride it out inside your tent. That means you can fit six adults in a six-person tentbut you probably wouldnt want to do that, because those adults would be sleeping hip to hip, with little spare room for gear. Six years later, many models had gone up in price with the overall cost of materials. (The Jade Canyon X6 still has the same aluminum poles.). Although its designed to accommodate three peoplehence the 3 in its namewe found that at 42.5 square feet, the tent is more comfortable for two, plus maybe a dog or lots of gear. To supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years (Penalty exceeds $17,000); For a person under the age of 18 years to purchase Just as we finished this update, Marmot released a new version of the Tungsten 4; we are currently assessing it and will report back soon. Our second trip, in early March, was to the oceanside Sycamore Canyon Campground (PDF), in Oxnard, California, where we experienced mild temperatures in the 50s and 60s, as well as a pelting, early morning downpour and violent gusts that sent camp chairs and picnic shelters hurtling into nearby woodsthe best testing conditions we could have hoped for. Kit lived in the 2013 version of the larger Base Camp 6 for seven months, and it stayed up the entire time, with the tent poles under constant tensionthat is, until two of the poles snapped within a week of each other. One night during testing, for example, clouds loomed in the distance with clear skies overhead. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Your email address will not be published. Before and after these weekend trips, we turned a neighbors large, flat yard into a tent testing ground. A difference in floor quality, however, will become obvious quickly as you use and abuse the tent. We assumed that most car campers would likely not be camping in snow, so we focused on three-season models instead. ***************************************************. We have heard from a few readers, however, who had problems with the windows tendency to let in rain, so well be looking into other options soon. Great for backyard overnights, this simple dome-style tent is for anyone who doesn't want to spend more than $150 on a tent but also doesn't want to buy another one next year. Eureka Jade Canyon 6 Person Tent: The Jade Canyons poles are steel and lightweight aluminum, in contrast to the Copper Canyons steel and fiberglass, and the Jade Canyon is slightly easier to set up. 
View our Privacy Policy and Collection Statement. (Eureka will replace poles for around $10 each.) Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about daily deals, special events and new products! The rain fly has an additional tent pole, too, to support the vestibule. (This was before Kit started reviewing tents for Wirecutter, so REI didnt know who he was.). Both keep you dry and warm. How to Choose the Correct Baseball/Softball Cleats, Cooking Under the Stars: Essentials of Campfire Cooking, Score a Pre-Game Touchdown: Tips for a Successful Tailgate. After a short phone call, REI offered Kit a full replacement. None of our test tents leaked on the ground level, though a few took in water from sideways showers through their zippers, and we noticed variation in fly absorbency and how well water ran off the tents. At 58.3 square feet, the Tungsten 4 fits a queen-size blow-up mattress and has a combined 30 square feet of vestibule space. Our other dome-style tent picks are structured with two main poles with added support from smaller brow poles. When he was younger, he worked for five years on oil rigs as an NDT (non-destructive testing) inspector, testing metal and welds for signs of corrosion, rust, and whatever other breakdowns and chaos might happen to the steel in the ocean. With D-shaped doors and an overhanging dome scaffolded by two brow polesrather than a single onethe fly provides excellent shielding from multidirectional wind and rain. Howe also told us about tent walls and flies. 36117384. Stoic Madrone 4 Tent: The Madrone 4 is a 2020 release from the new Backcountry-owned brand Stoic.
The two brow poles create an especially effective awning over the tent door, so very little water gets in during a persons entry and exit. We then rotated the tents looking for structural weaknesses, and we tested their guy lines and tabs to see which tents had the best and most intuitive design for withstanding wind. ), Superior vestibule space helped both the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 rise to the top of their respective test groups. Our other favorite features are the tents two wide doors, which you can open halfway from either direction or open fully (you can tuck the doors into roof pockets to keep them out of the way), turning the tent into a useful beach tent or sun shade.
Hip2Save is a registered trademark of Hip Happenings, LLC. Kalee also talked with experts such as Helen Olsson, whose guide provides a fun and practical intro for parents looking to get into regular car camping, and Bob Howe, a prolific tent designer who has created tents for companies including Easton, Marmot, and The North Face. The Tungsten 4 had no major flaws. Marmot Limestone 6-Person Tent: The Limestone 6 was the high-end tent we liked second best, after the REI Co-op Base Camp 6. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. tent skydome We also liked the versatile windows for privacy reasons: Most of the other tents we testedincluding the more-expensive Marmot Limestone 6, Mountain Hardwear Optic 6, and North Face Kaiju 6have mesh walls. Several couples with various levels of camping experience slept in these tents at the wedding, giving us their impressions and helping us whittle the group down to the finalists. Finding the smallest, lightest tent that meets your needs is the logical approach when youre backpacking. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 7 pounds 1.2 ounces. You have several straightforward ways to make any tent last longer: This article was edited by Eve ONeill and Christine Ryan. When the weather permits, its fun to omit the fly entirely, but a word to the wise for those planning a fly-less night: Besides providing protection from rain, the fly also manages an omnipresent source of moisture in camping: condensation. It also comes with a little doormat.
This design is a big plus for people who regularly camp in crowded campgrounds and dont like to get naked in front of strangers. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 16 pounds 14 ounces, Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 20 pounds 10 ounces. A footprint doesnt take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears. In conducting research for this guide, we heard multiple tales of careful campers who had been using the same tent for 15 years or more. Kit Dillon has worked for Wirecutter for eight years in various capacities, writing about everything from backpacks and cooking gear to luggage and road-tripping. Also note that this tent does not come with its own groundsheet. Ad #q%FI)([}X*U?yG0|Si+N'31l((2Q pHdP:j1 SkoL[!74h)>Qhhe@cs,]hln6[hfN?t 363QeAF4{Ok3X,qNa}{PKV2?y\QAU3fy^%Df$@li*w
The couple who volunteered to try out the tentalong with their 6-year-old twinsstruggled for well over half an hour to get it up, eventually attracting the attention of other campers, who came to their rescue. So we didnt look at anything with a list price above $300 at the time of our first testing. It too goes up seamlessly when you clip the tent body to a set of already connected crossing poles, and it shares the Mineral King 3s pre-bent pole design, which maximizes the tents interior volume and livable space. Extra features: Stake design, pole strength and arrangements, rain-fly tie-downs, door construction, zipper strength, and gear-loft placements all play a role in the overall comfort and enjoyment of your tent. The Copper Canyon also comes in four-person, eight-person, and 12-person versions. Adidas Running Shoes for the Family from $27 Shipped (Regularly $75), 7 Sun Bum Sun Care Products Only $45.36 Shipped on Amazon. tent highline person coleman dome tentsi (The mesh on most of the family tents we tested started much closer to the ground.) The design of the Mineral King 3s poles also stood out during setup. Though this tent offered a little more livable space, the broad, flat walls had some trouble during high winds. We also found that the minimum peak interior height should be 6 feet, which allows most adults to comfortably stand upright inside (and to lull a cranky baby to sleep by rocking back and forth while standing). She has been a writer on the emergency-prep and outdoor beats at Wirecutter and has also covered natural disasters for Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines. After first removing the models that failed the structural tests, we slept, watched the stars, and ate our meals in all of the tents, as well as planned hikes from them. The revised tent, she believes, remains the best choice for families who want something spacious and affordable thats easy to put up and take down. Usually designed around two- or three-pole arches, dome designs also tend to be stronger than cabin-style designs.
Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 8 pounds 8 ounces, Claimed packed size: 23.89 by 6.22 inches, If youre a more heavy-duty camper heading into an area with unpredictable weather and can afford to spend a bit more, the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent (for two people) and the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent (for families) are both excellent choices. (The tent no longer appears to be available on Amazon.). She came to the conclusion that the (few) changes were for the better: In the newer model, the rain fly extends up and out over the front door; it still doesnt form a true vestibule, but the little canopy is an improvement over the old fly, which provided no protection for the doorway. We found some common themes: Just about every family appreciated a tent that was quick and intuitive to set up. Big Agnes Big House 6: Although we liked the look and feel of this brightly colored tent, the vestibule is a separate, expensive purchase, making the full package significantly more pricey than our family-tent picks. Two large vestibules add nearly 40 square feet combinedthat is, 18.75 square feet on either sideof potentially protected ground space. Well be testing tents that would be ideal for a family of four camping in all terrains and in three seasons. The shepherds hook design, in contrast, held lines and tabs secure in all conditions and required no extra equipment for handling. Flynn told us that the advantage of the lighter aluminum poles found in the companys Jade Canyon tent is purely about weight. Among the tents setup features, we also appreciated the shepherds hook stakes the Mineral King 3 comes with. vm gm5l*SNwAd.O! 3 |!M d00K Un 3qCis&t{&6q0:g0 (The Jade Canyon 6 has since been replaced by the Jade Canyon X6 Person Tent, which has similar poles.). They do the same thing.. Coleman Hooligan 4-Person Backpacking Tent: Like the Amazon Basics tent, this tent was let down by its flimsy fiberglass poles. These now-common clip-style setups are generally intuitive and can be accomplished in minutescertainly this was true of the Mineral King 3, as under good conditions one person pitched the tent in under five minutes. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 25 pounds 4 ounces.
All three poles, namely the tents two main poles and one shorter brow pole, are made out of strong yet lightweight aluminum and come pre-bent and already hubbed, or connected at the center where they cross. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain. Meanwhile, the aluminum poles on the Jade Canyon 6 and on the more-expensive North Face tent were bent and permanently damaged by the same winds. Alps Mountaineering Meramac 4-Person: The Meramac 4 actually had a bit of a following in our Oahu test location.
(Youre going to lose the instructions. Investing in some high-quality basics can get kids excited about camping outand help you avoid a mid-trip detour to the nearest big-box store. Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with a mere six stakes. A few drawbacks: Although nylon is great-looking and comparatively lightweight, it stands up less well than polyester to UV rays and rain. The Kohana 4 is a good tent, but we found better options. Ease of setup: We looked for dummy-proof tents that were intuitive to set up and that a lone person could erect fairly quickly. registration number FR0015518. For any tent you buy, if it doesnt come with a footprint (though two of our recommended tents, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 and the Marmot Tungsten 4, do), we recommend also purchasing a companion footprint, if one is available.
Bob Howe, tent designer, phone interview, March 10, 2016, Helen Olsson, author of The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids, phone interview, March 10, 2016, Ryan Flynn, salesperson for Johnson Outdoors, parent company of Eureka, phone interview, March 7, 2016, MSR Tents Frequently Asked Questions, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Tent Fabrics Part 1: Fabric Specs, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), November 16, 2015, Tent Fabrics Part 2: Waterproof Ratings, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), November 22, 2015. If youre looking to get into car camping for the first time or if youre an experienced camper but your tent has seen better days, embracing your new reality and investing in a shelter made for car camping can make sense. Despite having the smallest capacity of the tents we tested at 42.5 square feet, the Mineral King 3 easily fits two people with a full-size mattress, or two sleeping pads, and gear. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich. The base is a square: Two identical fiberglass poles feed through sleeves on the tent roof to form an X. Pegs at the corners of the tent slip into the ends of the poles, and then the dome-shaped tent pops up (video). An avid swimmer, surfer, hiker, and camper, she currently lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, where she can be found, as much as possible, in water. The tents are made from similar, high-quality materials; note, however, that the Tungsten 4 is not free of flame-retardant chemicals. Were planning to check it out in our upcoming four-person tent update. Nevertheless, it still comfortably accommodates four, and its a roomy choice for two.
But those higher-end tentssometimes super-size versions of tents the same companies make for backpackingare also less spacious, harder to set up, and arguably no more durable than the Copper Canyon, a tent that was clearly purpose-built for family car-camping. This tentcan fit a queen-sized airbed, has storage pockets, a rainfly and includes a 1 year warranty. The first was an early February trip to Indian Cove Campground, in Joshua Tree National Park, where daytime temperatures in the high 70s plunged to the mid-30s at night. After our longtime top-pick tent for two people ran into some stock issues in 2021, we decided it was a good time for an update to this guide.
Whereas the Copper Canyon LX 6 has a 1,200 mm waterproof coating, the Jade Canyon X6 has a 2,000 mm coating (you can read more on what those coatings are all about in How we picked).
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on H2S Email (Opens in new window), Click to share on SMS (Opens in new window). You can walk straight into it, no stooping required. Note that these tents are strictly meant for car camping; the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 weigh 16 and 21 pounds, respectively, so you wont want to carry either one very far. Those friends may well be novice campers, so we wanted something that the uninitiated but reasonably intelligent could erect, even if the original instructions had disappeared long ago. We are also starting a new round of family-tent testing. This shouldnt be an issue in most situationsin fact, six stakes did just fine in 30 mph conditions in our testsbut if youre headed into a particularly windy place or simply want some backup, we suggest picking up four extra tent stakes at your local outdoor shop or online. The Base Camp, by contrast, has four full-size aluminum struts weaved throughout it, somewhat like a basket. And you can manipulate the vestibule flaps to act as wind shields or capture air for increased ventilation. It was the only three-person tentand therefore technically the smallestin a test group that consisted primarily of four-person tents. And the families universally praised tents that had mesh roofs with little obstruction, and that had built-in pockets within easy reach of a sleeping position. These dimensions give you a tent thats a good size for most families, with room to grow. We concluded that for a family tent, the footprint should measure between 80 and 100 square feet, which is enough space for a double-bed-size air mattress and two smaller Thermarest-type sleeping pads, for five sleeping pads and a line of duffle bags, or for a queen-size air mattress, a Pack n Playstyle crib, and a huge dog. The tent body simply clips onto a set of aluminum poles that dock into grommets at four corners of the tent. We researched new models and redesigns, and we assembled a new batch of small tents for testing in March 2022, this time on Oahu. Getting the fly placed and staked properly took about five more minutes. Size: Large three- or four-person dome-style tents, on average, take up 40 to 60 square feet. (Kit scoured YouTube tutorials and found this video to be the most informative tutorial on guy lines. With a time-tested design, this popular tent is one you can expect to pitch for years to come. We also repeatedly zipped and unzipped doors and windows, looking for annoying snags. (Again, some tents have since gotten more expensive, and for our next round of testing family tents, we plan to increase our price cap for those, as well.) We found out firsthand during our camping trip to Californias Point Mugu that the added weight also means added strength. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. Eureka Kohana 4 Person Tent: The Kohana 4 comes in a great bag with separate compartments for the poles, the stakes, the fly, and the tent body, and its pretty close in design and function to the Marmot Tungsten 4, but its two brow poles slot into the fly rather than attach to the tent body. X. Prestotheres your tent. The Copper Canyons lower price is partly related to the coating materials, according to Flynn. The separate fly uses a third, shorter pole to form protective peaks over the single door and back window. For campers looking for a bit more space, the Marmot Tungsten 4-Person Tent is another great choice for two people. It wasnt as well rounded as some of its competitors, and it didnt offer as good ventilation when fully closed, but its a solid choice for fair-weather camping in particular. No tent is impervious to floor punctures. At the smaller end, thats enough room for a full-size air mattress or pad and two people plus gear; on the larger end, that accommodates three occupants sleeping on more-common camping pads, along with their gear. Flynn explained: Do the extra coatings mean a whole lot? A full rain cover, a spacious vestibule, and a reinforced pole structure make this the best choice for couples who are committed to getting outside no matter the weather. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Amazon Basics 4-Person Dome Tent: Similar to every other tent we tested under $150, the Amazon Basics tent simply couldnt stand up to the elements. A good tent is one of the most important pieces of camping equipment youll buy. But with car camping, youll likely be parking right next to your campsite and unloading. In addition to the Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 Person Tent and the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent, well be checking out The North Faces Wawona 6 Person Tent, a new design from REI Co-op called the Skyward 6 Tent, and a couple of new arrivals from Big Agnes and Nemo, among others. Her decision at the time was based entirely on cost and Amazon reviewsthe tent was consistently cheaper than models of a similar size from higher-end brands, and it got great marks from Amazon customers. The poles were also finicky to insert and left the tent looking decidedly off-kilter. Of all the models we tested, it offers the best balance of generous interior space, ease of setup, good durability, and a reasonable price. Once we had our criteria nailed down, we scoured Amazon reviews of four- and six-person tents, as well as owner reviews on retailer sites such as Backcountry, Cabelas, Campmor, Dicks Sporting Goods, Eastern Mountain Sports, L.L.Bean, and REI, plus professional reviews from GearJunkie and GearLab. However, those that provided the best nights sleep all seemed to have some features in common, namely accessible gear pouches and plenty of carabiner loops in the ceiling. Most of the tents we looked at could handle an unexpected flurry or a coating of frost, but we wouldnt intentionally take them on a winter-camping trip.
Generally, I would rather have a high-quality floor fabric than a high-quality fly fabric, tent designer Bob Howe told us. Cabin-style tents are also generally better at accommodating cots and other basic camping furniture. He has also written for Popular Science, The Awl, Metro, The Observer, and Fortune. And you can unzip the front door, remove it, and neatly stash it into one of the tents internal pocketsa useful feature if youre feeling sociable. Although that is a bonus for people who care about the potential toxicity of materials, it also means this tent is less fireproof than tents coated in flame retardants. At $350, the Mineral King 3 isnt cheap. What are ya waiting for?! If you want a spacious tent with a tall profile and lots of gear storage: Try The North Faces Wawona 4-Person Tent. Site by Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time. (In theory, its meant to house six people, but in our experience, a six-person tent is the ideal size for two adults plus two or three children and gear.). However, REI has since remodeled and rereleased the tent as the Wonderland 6. If you regularly camp in rain and need a vestibulethats the camping word for mudroomyou should consider a more serious tent like the REI Co-op Base Camp 6. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 8 pounds 7 ounces. It got so hot one afternoon that we spent the day taking shifts in the car, cooling our photography equipment while monitoring ourselves for signs of heatstroke and dehydration. Our new top pick is a more well-rounded choice, but if youre looking for a reasonably priced tent to camp in thats a breeze to pitch, and youre not fussed about having two doors, the Kelty Grand Mesa 4 is a great choice. A nylon tent is much stretchier, he said, and can absorb a lot more shock, which can be an advantage in the backcountry, where your only option in a windstorm is to ride it out inside your tent. That means you can fit six adults in a six-person tentbut you probably wouldnt want to do that, because those adults would be sleeping hip to hip, with little spare room for gear. Six years later, many models had gone up in price with the overall cost of materials. (The Jade Canyon X6 still has the same aluminum poles.). Although its designed to accommodate three peoplehence the 3 in its namewe found that at 42.5 square feet, the tent is more comfortable for two, plus maybe a dog or lots of gear. To supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years (Penalty exceeds $17,000); For a person under the age of 18 years to purchase Just as we finished this update, Marmot released a new version of the Tungsten 4; we are currently assessing it and will report back soon. Our second trip, in early March, was to the oceanside Sycamore Canyon Campground (PDF), in Oxnard, California, where we experienced mild temperatures in the 50s and 60s, as well as a pelting, early morning downpour and violent gusts that sent camp chairs and picnic shelters hurtling into nearby woodsthe best testing conditions we could have hoped for. Kit lived in the 2013 version of the larger Base Camp 6 for seven months, and it stayed up the entire time, with the tent poles under constant tensionthat is, until two of the poles snapped within a week of each other. One night during testing, for example, clouds loomed in the distance with clear skies overhead. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Your email address will not be published. Before and after these weekend trips, we turned a neighbors large, flat yard into a tent testing ground. A difference in floor quality, however, will become obvious quickly as you use and abuse the tent. We assumed that most car campers would likely not be camping in snow, so we focused on three-season models instead. ***************************************************. We have heard from a few readers, however, who had problems with the windows tendency to let in rain, so well be looking into other options soon. Great for backyard overnights, this simple dome-style tent is for anyone who doesn't want to spend more than $150 on a tent but also doesn't want to buy another one next year. Eureka Jade Canyon 6 Person Tent: The Jade Canyons poles are steel and lightweight aluminum, in contrast to the Copper Canyons steel and fiberglass, and the Jade Canyon is slightly easier to set up. View our Privacy Policy and Collection Statement. (Eureka will replace poles for around $10 each.) Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about daily deals, special events and new products! The rain fly has an additional tent pole, too, to support the vestibule. (This was before Kit started reviewing tents for Wirecutter, so REI didnt know who he was.). Both keep you dry and warm. How to Choose the Correct Baseball/Softball Cleats, Cooking Under the Stars: Essentials of Campfire Cooking, Score a Pre-Game Touchdown: Tips for a Successful Tailgate. After a short phone call, REI offered Kit a full replacement. None of our test tents leaked on the ground level, though a few took in water from sideways showers through their zippers, and we noticed variation in fly absorbency and how well water ran off the tents. At 58.3 square feet, the Tungsten 4 fits a queen-size blow-up mattress and has a combined 30 square feet of vestibule space. Our other dome-style tent picks are structured with two main poles with added support from smaller brow poles. When he was younger, he worked for five years on oil rigs as an NDT (non-destructive testing) inspector, testing metal and welds for signs of corrosion, rust, and whatever other breakdowns and chaos might happen to the steel in the ocean. With D-shaped doors and an overhanging dome scaffolded by two brow polesrather than a single onethe fly provides excellent shielding from multidirectional wind and rain. Howe also told us about tent walls and flies. 36117384. Stoic Madrone 4 Tent: The Madrone 4 is a 2020 release from the new Backcountry-owned brand Stoic. The two brow poles create an especially effective awning over the tent door, so very little water gets in during a persons entry and exit. We then rotated the tents looking for structural weaknesses, and we tested their guy lines and tabs to see which tents had the best and most intuitive design for withstanding wind. ), Superior vestibule space helped both the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 rise to the top of their respective test groups. Our other favorite features are the tents two wide doors, which you can open halfway from either direction or open fully (you can tuck the doors into roof pockets to keep them out of the way), turning the tent into a useful beach tent or sun shade.
Hip2Save is a registered trademark of Hip Happenings, LLC. Kalee also talked with experts such as Helen Olsson, whose guide provides a fun and practical intro for parents looking to get into regular car camping, and Bob Howe, a prolific tent designer who has created tents for companies including Easton, Marmot, and The North Face. The Tungsten 4 had no major flaws. Marmot Limestone 6-Person Tent: The Limestone 6 was the high-end tent we liked second best, after the REI Co-op Base Camp 6. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. tent skydome We also liked the versatile windows for privacy reasons: Most of the other tents we testedincluding the more-expensive Marmot Limestone 6, Mountain Hardwear Optic 6, and North Face Kaiju 6have mesh walls. Several couples with various levels of camping experience slept in these tents at the wedding, giving us their impressions and helping us whittle the group down to the finalists. Finding the smallest, lightest tent that meets your needs is the logical approach when youre backpacking. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 7 pounds 1.2 ounces. You have several straightforward ways to make any tent last longer: This article was edited by Eve ONeill and Christine Ryan. When the weather permits, its fun to omit the fly entirely, but a word to the wise for those planning a fly-less night: Besides providing protection from rain, the fly also manages an omnipresent source of moisture in camping: condensation. It also comes with a little doormat.
This design is a big plus for people who regularly camp in crowded campgrounds and dont like to get naked in front of strangers. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 16 pounds 14 ounces, Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 20 pounds 10 ounces. A footprint doesnt take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears. In conducting research for this guide, we heard multiple tales of careful campers who had been using the same tent for 15 years or more. Kit Dillon has worked for Wirecutter for eight years in various capacities, writing about everything from backpacks and cooking gear to luggage and road-tripping. Also note that this tent does not come with its own groundsheet. Ad #q%FI)([}X*U?yG0|Si+N'31l((2Q pHdP:j1 SkoL[!74h)>Qhhe@cs,]hln6[hfN?t 363QeAF4{Ok3X,qNa}{PKV2?y\QAU3fy^%Df$@li*w
The couple who volunteered to try out the tentalong with their 6-year-old twinsstruggled for well over half an hour to get it up, eventually attracting the attention of other campers, who came to their rescue. So we didnt look at anything with a list price above $300 at the time of our first testing. It too goes up seamlessly when you clip the tent body to a set of already connected crossing poles, and it shares the Mineral King 3s pre-bent pole design, which maximizes the tents interior volume and livable space. Extra features: Stake design, pole strength and arrangements, rain-fly tie-downs, door construction, zipper strength, and gear-loft placements all play a role in the overall comfort and enjoyment of your tent. The Copper Canyon also comes in four-person, eight-person, and 12-person versions. Adidas Running Shoes for the Family from $27 Shipped (Regularly $75), 7 Sun Bum Sun Care Products Only $45.36 Shipped on Amazon. tent highline person coleman dome tentsi (The mesh on most of the family tents we tested started much closer to the ground.) The design of the Mineral King 3s poles also stood out during setup. Though this tent offered a little more livable space, the broad, flat walls had some trouble during high winds. We also found that the minimum peak interior height should be 6 feet, which allows most adults to comfortably stand upright inside (and to lull a cranky baby to sleep by rocking back and forth while standing). She has been a writer on the emergency-prep and outdoor beats at Wirecutter and has also covered natural disasters for Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines. After first removing the models that failed the structural tests, we slept, watched the stars, and ate our meals in all of the tents, as well as planned hikes from them. The revised tent, she believes, remains the best choice for families who want something spacious and affordable thats easy to put up and take down. Usually designed around two- or three-pole arches, dome designs also tend to be stronger than cabin-style designs.
Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 8 pounds 8 ounces, Claimed packed size: 23.89 by 6.22 inches, If youre a more heavy-duty camper heading into an area with unpredictable weather and can afford to spend a bit more, the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent (for two people) and the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent (for families) are both excellent choices. (The tent no longer appears to be available on Amazon.). She came to the conclusion that the (few) changes were for the better: In the newer model, the rain fly extends up and out over the front door; it still doesnt form a true vestibule, but the little canopy is an improvement over the old fly, which provided no protection for the doorway. We found some common themes: Just about every family appreciated a tent that was quick and intuitive to set up. Big Agnes Big House 6: Although we liked the look and feel of this brightly colored tent, the vestibule is a separate, expensive purchase, making the full package significantly more pricey than our family-tent picks. Two large vestibules add nearly 40 square feet combinedthat is, 18.75 square feet on either sideof potentially protected ground space. Well be testing tents that would be ideal for a family of four camping in all terrains and in three seasons. The shepherds hook design, in contrast, held lines and tabs secure in all conditions and required no extra equipment for handling. Flynn told us that the advantage of the lighter aluminum poles found in the companys Jade Canyon tent is purely about weight. Among the tents setup features, we also appreciated the shepherds hook stakes the Mineral King 3 comes with. vm gm5l*SNwAd.O! 3 |!M d00K Un 3qCis&t{&6q0:g0 (The Jade Canyon 6 has since been replaced by the Jade Canyon X6 Person Tent, which has similar poles.). They do the same thing.. Coleman Hooligan 4-Person Backpacking Tent: Like the Amazon Basics tent, this tent was let down by its flimsy fiberglass poles. These now-common clip-style setups are generally intuitive and can be accomplished in minutescertainly this was true of the Mineral King 3, as under good conditions one person pitched the tent in under five minutes. Claimed weight (including fly and tent poles): 25 pounds 4 ounces.
All three poles, namely the tents two main poles and one shorter brow pole, are made out of strong yet lightweight aluminum and come pre-bent and already hubbed, or connected at the center where they cross. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain. Meanwhile, the aluminum poles on the Jade Canyon 6 and on the more-expensive North Face tent were bent and permanently damaged by the same winds. Alps Mountaineering Meramac 4-Person: The Meramac 4 actually had a bit of a following in our Oahu test location.
(Youre going to lose the instructions. Investing in some high-quality basics can get kids excited about camping outand help you avoid a mid-trip detour to the nearest big-box store. Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with a mere six stakes. A few drawbacks: Although nylon is great-looking and comparatively lightweight, it stands up less well than polyester to UV rays and rain. The Kohana 4 is a good tent, but we found better options. Ease of setup: We looked for dummy-proof tents that were intuitive to set up and that a lone person could erect fairly quickly. registration number FR0015518. For any tent you buy, if it doesnt come with a footprint (though two of our recommended tents, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 and the Marmot Tungsten 4, do), we recommend also purchasing a companion footprint, if one is available.
Bob Howe, tent designer, phone interview, March 10, 2016, Helen Olsson, author of The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids, phone interview, March 10, 2016, Ryan Flynn, salesperson for Johnson Outdoors, parent company of Eureka, phone interview, March 7, 2016, MSR Tents Frequently Asked Questions, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Tent Fabrics Part 1: Fabric Specs, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), November 16, 2015, Tent Fabrics Part 2: Waterproof Ratings, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), November 22, 2015. If youre looking to get into car camping for the first time or if youre an experienced camper but your tent has seen better days, embracing your new reality and investing in a shelter made for car camping can make sense. Despite having the smallest capacity of the tents we tested at 42.5 square feet, the Mineral King 3 easily fits two people with a full-size mattress, or two sleeping pads, and gear. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich. The base is a square: Two identical fiberglass poles feed through sleeves on the tent roof to form an X. Pegs at the corners of the tent slip into the ends of the poles, and then the dome-shaped tent pops up (video). An avid swimmer, surfer, hiker, and camper, she currently lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, where she can be found, as much as possible, in water. The tents are made from similar, high-quality materials; note, however, that the Tungsten 4 is not free of flame-retardant chemicals. Were planning to check it out in our upcoming four-person tent update. Nevertheless, it still comfortably accommodates four, and its a roomy choice for two.
But those higher-end tentssometimes super-size versions of tents the same companies make for backpackingare also less spacious, harder to set up, and arguably no more durable than the Copper Canyon, a tent that was clearly purpose-built for family car-camping. This tentcan fit a queen-sized airbed, has storage pockets, a rainfly and includes a 1 year warranty. The first was an early February trip to Indian Cove Campground, in Joshua Tree National Park, where daytime temperatures in the high 70s plunged to the mid-30s at night. After our longtime top-pick tent for two people ran into some stock issues in 2021, we decided it was a good time for an update to this guide.