First time tent buyer

[bassman186]

I've done alot of camping before but I'm looking to buy myself a tent... Any advice on this.

Thanks;

~Matt

[ameyers41]

Depends on what you're looking to do. Car camping? Backpacking/portaging? How many people? Will it be used for winter/harsh weather?

I have an older REI geo mountain 3. It's bulletproof and packable. It'll stand up to any weather. Great for backpacking trips and portaging. However, if you're mainly car camping, I just got a cheaper, larger, heavier cabin tent from Target for 1/3 the price, and it's just fine for 3 season camping with the fiance at state parks, drive in campsites. I actually prefer it in those situations because there's so much more space.

[bassman186]

I'm looking to do mostly camping at campsites... a possibly a little backapcking camping in Ely and such. Just me and the Girlfriend would be using it.

~Matt

[nofishfisherman]

You probably don't need anything to fancy then. Just remember that it always seems that tents say the can hold 1-2 more people then they actually can. One of my tents claims it holds 4-5 people. They most I have ever been able to get in it was 3 people and we were getting real buddy buddy to fit in there. But if a tent is just for the 2 of you it shouldn't be an issue. Check out Fleet farm and target they usually have some decent tents for not a huge amount of money.

Things to check for:

-Rain Fly (quality and size. This will take the most beating in the rain and wind)

-Floor material should be durable and water proof, You might want to get an extra tarp to put under the tent as added protection. Not always necessary but I always use one.

-Tent stakes. Some are cheaper thin metal and then bend easily. Good part is that they are super easy to replace. When buying the tent you might want to invest in a spare set of stakes. I have had to cut stakes out of branches a few times after realizing that I forgot the stakes.

-Try to get one that is real easy to set up. A few tents require strings tied from the rain fly and then stretch out and staked to the ground. I don't like these types becuase those black cords are impossible to see at night. And you will trip on them sooner or later.

-If you want to backpack just look at all the features and then choose the lightest tent that meets your needs. I would rather carry a little extra weight and have a good tent then pick a tent becuase its light weight and then have it tear apart in the wind.

[heavyduty]

another thing to look for is center height, Some tent's are only 5 feet high in the middle of them being alittle over 6' tall nothing is worse than always having to to bend over while inside. Another thing to look at is space, We had a 3-4 man tent That with our full air matress up there was no room for any thing else. We now have one that is about 7x15 which is to big to pack but is great for us We now set up a colemen Queen size Mattress that is actually double the height so it close to the height of a regular size bed which is nice for getting in and out of bed. plus we have room for all of our bags in the other corner plus plenty of room in the middle to get dressed.Bought at fleet farm for less than 150 bucks (i think).

[Dave]

Matt, using the search function, I pulled a thread about tent buying from last summer. There may be more if you search also. May be more helpful info for ya.

Last Summer Tent Buying Thread

[Graybuck]

Bassman

Our boy scout troop has used the Eureka Timberline 4 person tent for years. You can't find a better tent, easy to set up and will stand up to any storm. You can get the tent in standard or outfitter model, we have used both and found both work well.

[onthejob2]

Hard to beat a Kelty

[bottomfeeder]

Can't argue with the last two posters. I had the Eureka Timberline 4 man for about 10 years. That tent went through everything from snow to hail to wind to rain and never flinched. It finally met it's demise when a friend tossed a red hot stick into the side of it.

Now I have a Kelty Rockridge (or some sort) and it too is a very nice tent. A bit more combersome to set up then the timberland but it has a vestible which is nice. That way stuff that you want to keep dry doesn't all have to be in the tent with you (packs, shoes, etc...). It also has some other nice features like a moon roof (when snuggling with the wife), a cargo net that hangs from the ceiling to store sunglasses and stuff safely out of the way, a couple more pouches for storage hanging from the sides, lot's of openable (is that a word?) ventalation. Look for features in each tent you look at!

Neither tent have I ever had to use a tarp underneath to keep dry, a real testament to the quailty fabric used. I camp with friends that have Coleman tents and such, and no offense to anyone, the quailty of a cheaper tent just isn't there, as you would expenct. Then again, if it keeps you dry, who can argue.

I bought the Timberline from Minnesota Surplus here in Duluth. The Kelty I bought new on hsolist as a last years model and got it at a real good price.

[bassman186]

With buying tents is it kind of a you get what you pay for scenario? In other words if I'm looking to purchase one from my local target store is this a bad idea because its obviously not from a place the specializes in camping equiptment, such as a gander or cabelas?

Thanks;

~Matt

[nofishfisherman]

From my experience both places can have good gear. Target will have less selection obvioulsy and won't get to the really high end stuff but if you are planning on doing campground camping where you just open the trunk and pitch your tent you can get a decent tent at target that will meet those needs. Main thing is buy a tent that looks good to you. Probably want to stay away from the cheapest of the cheap but you should be able to get something that will last many years from target.

My first tent was a $50 fleet farm tent and its still going strong. The rain fly tore a little during a storm with 70 mph winds but what would you expect. If the wind would have hit the side of the tent instead of the front it would have been fine.

[Dave]

Think about it though, Target doesn't manufacture its own tent. Neither does Cabelas or Gander. So, investigate the features, quality and price, then, make a decision based on those.

[bassman186]

Thats for all the help guys. I purchased a tent. Its a 10'x 8'supposedly sleeps 4... it suppose to be rain proof. Hopefully all goes well... Now does anyone know of camp ground for tenting in the carver county area?

Thanks;

~Matt

[HaywardBound]

If you don't have one, I'd recommend an inflatable mattress. Way better than the hard ground, plus you are up off the ground a bit.

[so haaad]

I'll second Hayward's post. Get an inflatable matress and a girlfriend will be much happier the next morning...trust me on this one. Kelty is a great option with a mid-level price tag. But some of the Eureka tents are actually fairly decent if you don't want to spend much.

[bassman186]

That inflateable mattress is a very good idea... I never thought of that! Definetly gonna have to get one of those.

~Matt

[ChemE]

I bought a Target (Coleman) tent last year to add a car camping tent to my arsenal. The coleman I bought was really nice until the corner anchor loop popped its threads and pulled off. This was after three uses. I was able to get a full refund from Target without any hassle. I wish it would have lasted longer because it was nice and roomy, accomodated the necessary queen size air bed, and at $99 the price was right. It may have been a fluke but I've been leary of trying another one. Other people with Coleman tents have been using them as long as I have used my Timberline 4; going on 15 years. I wish it would die so I could upgrade.

[nofishfisherman]

My Coleman is going strong. Has survived high winds a brutal cold.

[ChemE]

I thought the faulty Coleman I had was a fluke. I think I'll try another one this camping season. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Eureka! Sunrise gets my vote. I have the Sunrise 11 (11 x 11)& Sunrise 9 (9 x 9). They also make a Sunrise 8. Super easy set-up and totally weather and rain proof! I can even have the windows open in a rain strom because they are shielded by awnings. Have fun! - JD

[fubar]

Matt

When looking for an air mattress, check out the double high ones. They take up as much floor space, but you don’t feel like you are lying on the ground. I too would suggest a tent with two areas, one for sleeping, and the other for storage. I got my tent from target about 4yrs ago. http://www.tc.umn.edu/~nordx016/fishing2006/IMAGE007.JPG

The only thing about mine is the slope of the screen porch. When it rains it seeps in. I have to make sure that the front slopes down when setting it up.