Favorite Car Camping Tent

both our tents in action AND the car , just to make it really car camping :)
100_5502.jpg
 
Going against the grain now with this answer but with tents you don't always get what you pay for !!!

Back in the UK I subscribed to an outdoor mag called Trail and they carried out a long term test using a large variety of tents, this test was to see how the materials degraded due to exposure to the elements. Some of the most expensive brands came bottom of the test and showed the most degredation and some of the cheaper brands like your Coleman and Aztecs etc placed up near the top !!!!
I have two Coleman tents and they have both served me well for many years !!!!
 
I use an Alps Mountaineering Meramac 6-person as my "Scoutmaster's tent". Its got a 10"x10" floor, 6' high interior, clips rather than pole sleeves, excellent ventilation, and two doors. Its a great tent and is very well made. The hooded entrances make it easy to get into and provide decent rain protection. It does not have vestibules, but for a family tent car camping tent, I really think that's OK. I've read somewhere that Alps tents are made in the very same factory as REI tents, but I can't prove that.

REI Outlet currently has the fiberglass pole version on sale for just $119.93!!!! The sale is listed here

http://www.rei.com/product/766977

If you're planning on camping in cold weather, this tent has enough mesh that it can get a bit breezy.

If you want the better aluminum poles, for that money you can do what I did - call Alps Mountaineering and order the aluminum pole set. This is an AMAZING deal on a really nice tent!!
 
Ive got a big 3 room coleman tent that has been serving me great. It can fit two families with room for the younger kids to fight in.
... tired of their whining... just zip the door shut.
 
Hi,
Here is another vote for the REI Basecamp 6. I use mine all year including winter. Bomp proof.

Kevin
 
Eureka Timberline 4XT for car camping . . . although my wife is telling me to get something more dome-shaped for extra interior space.

Kelty Gunnison 2 for motorcycle camping.
 
For car camping?
Hell, I use a big old canvas wall tent. Must be 10'x16' or so. No idea who made it or even if it was a production thing. My dad used it when he was a kid, and we still use it.
 
We own many car camping (or horse) style tents. We really like the Flex Bow Tent by Kodiak Canvas if a tent stove is not needed. Very impressed with the construction and design of this tent.
p054659hz03.jpg

My Pyramid tent by Panther Primitives is a favorite when a tent stove and fast setup is desired. We also own several wall tents for winter camping or to use as base camps in the mountains.
pyramidtent1le9.jpg

Occasionally, I will just use a simple oiled canvas trail tarp if moving often in the primitive outback. We NEVER use campgrounds.
oilskintrailtarp1dv6.jpg
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I wound up with the Eureka Tetragon 1210. Overall, it seems pretty good. One thing that ticked me off is that there's seams in what they advertise as a "bathtub" floor. Maybe this is done on all tents out of necessity, but on the two person tents that I have with bathtub floors (a Eureka Timberline and a Kelty Grand Mesa, it's one piece of fabric. Eh, either way, it's coated, and I'll use seam sealer on these seams like no one's business.
 
Back
Top