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Post by cweston on Aug 15, 2022 6:20:53 GMT -8
I've been using an old 3p tent for years for mostly solo, sometimes couple, car camping. It's always been adequate at best: very poorly-designed small vestibules make rainy afternoons a real pain, and now its basic water-tightness is deteriorating.
A 3p is perfectly adequate in size (kids grown, no grandkids yet). I don't need a big family tent--we have one of those. 4p might be ideal: when my spouse goes with me, she would appreciate the roominess.
Any thoughts on what tents people are using and happy with along these lines?
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 15, 2022 8:08:55 GMT -8
I actually like my 1p tent for car camping. It feels cozy, and there isn’t room to fall off my mattress. I could do with better ventilation, though, which the 2p with doors both sides would offer.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Aug 15, 2022 8:11:42 GMT -8
Add a good tarp to the quiver. Makes those small vestibules roomy. Adds kitchen shade. Can be put up over the tent to add rain protection if ground splash is happening. Solo, I am happy with my REI Half Dome 2+ I haven't had the luxury of needing a 3p for so long that I wouldn't know what was out there to recommend. However, if I was in the market, I'd be looking at this one. Solid manufacturer, good price, 2 doors with a decent rainfly, ground cloth included.
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Post by drilldaddyo on Aug 15, 2022 9:33:04 GMT -8
I use the Kelty Grand Mesa 4 when I go car camping. I've had mine for about 6 years and it's held up well. Easy for me to set up when I'm alone.
Kelty seems to have lots of new tents to peruse on their web site that might suit your needs.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Randy
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Post by bobcat1 on Aug 15, 2022 12:35:25 GMT -8
I have the REI Basecamp-4 for car base camping. Very roomy, I can stand up inside if I tip my head a bit, room for whatever mattress you want (2 single cots), and even room for a chair and small folding table. Not sure I would bother if I was moving every day, but for a week-long base camp, like for instance at a star party, it’s well worth it.
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Aug 15, 2022 15:35:04 GMT -8
I try to avoid car camping, but I think my tent choice would depend on what kind of car camping. E.g., campground with plenty of room to set up tent+tarp versus dispersed on forest road, squeezing into the brush.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Aug 15, 2022 16:05:24 GMT -8
I've basically settled on two car camping tents that were originally purchased to be "backpacking capable"... back when 3lb per person was considered "super lightweight." When solo, I take my old MSR Hubba Hubba, and with two people (or me and my dog), I take a Big Agnes Jack Rabbit 4p (which I don't think they make anymore.) When backpacking, they were my 2p and 3p tents, respectively.
In either case, there's enough room for gear to be inside and to be able to sit up and hang out comfortably in the rain.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Aug 15, 2022 20:12:54 GMT -8
Much to my wife's displeasure, we don't have anything that qualifies as a car camping tent. We generally use Tarptent Double Rainbow. She'd like something big enough to stand up in, and eventually I'll give in.
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Post by trinity on Aug 16, 2022 6:20:17 GMT -8
For many years now, our goto car camping tents have been REI Half Domes. For solo trips I take a 2-person, for family trips the 4. They are simple to pitch, fairly lightweight, and a good value. If you want something roomier (i.e. that you can stand up in), the Basecamp series is nice, we have the 6. Our Half Dome 4 has lost its waterproofness after about 14 years, but that doesn't seem too bad for a tent lifespan. I will almost certainly be replacing it with another Half Dome.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Aug 16, 2022 9:35:45 GMT -8
She'd like something big enough to stand up in, and eventually I'll give in. We used to have an REI Kingdom tent when there were three of us and a big dog. The 6'2" ex wanted a tent he could stand up in and the Kingdom fit the bill.
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on Aug 16, 2022 11:09:54 GMT -8
Much to my wife's displeasure, we don't have anything that qualifies as a car camping tent. We generally use Tarptent Double Rainbow. She'd like something big enough to stand up in, and eventually I'll give in. After researching we bought an REI Basecamp 6. One reviewer posted photos of a rather large campground of big tents after a serious storm hit. Dozens and dozens were destroyed but his Basecamp 6 was the only tent left standing. We have waited out a major storm in ours up on Muley Point, rain, snow and gale force wind. When fully guylined it won’t even shutter. I’m just over 6’ and can stand straight in the middle of the dome. Like Bobcat we furnish with cots, chairs and a folding table. If the evening is cold and windy or even worse we are at home inside. The front vestibule is large and we cook out there. Canyonlands has some of the most attractive campgrounds but we detest campgrounds so we went just outside and down a dirt track, parked and went about a hundred yards to a beautiful spot below a mesa. It was our world and the hiking into the hinterlands was excellent. We did some hiking inside Canyonlands too. This is a car camping tent, a backcountry fortress better than any hotel. Lol we’ve car camped in several backpacking tents and understand the simplicity. But when car camping the Basecamp 6 is so nice.
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Post by cweston on Aug 16, 2022 11:39:45 GMT -8
To engage in a little thread drift, I confess I barely even think of car camping as an "activity" in and of itself. From the time my spouse and I were first married (35 years ago), car camping was always about hiking: either a base camp for day hikes, or a before-backpacking activity. That probably partially explains my minimalist approach to car camping.
But if being a little better equipped with a few more "luxury" touches would encourage my spouse to want to car camp with me (whether as part of larger hiking trips, or just to go camping), that's an investment I'd gladly make.
My solo car-camping is virtually always primarily about acclimitizing to elevation before a high mountain BPing trip. I typically even take work-work with me to fill the rainy afternoons.
I can see where a family-sized tent with a huge vestibule, like the REI Basecamp 6 or the North Face Wawona 6 could make for really comfortable camping days/nights.
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Post by oldbill on Aug 16, 2022 12:52:51 GMT -8
If we aren't flying before car camping my girlfriend brings a Coleman 4P monster tent. Use for base camping. More luxury than I'm used to but appreciate the comfort more now that I'm older.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Aug 16, 2022 13:16:45 GMT -8
This is from the car camping trip we just returned from. That is an REI Kingdom 8. It is about 10 years old and still doing well. We got it originally for music festivals when the twins were small. It can fit two pack and play cribs and a queen size inflatable mattresses. Now it fits two queen. Perfect for a comfy four. With all its guy lines out it can take like gale force winds. Very tough. Good for a basecamp but not really something you want to put up and take down the next morning.
I was packing up. The car is a Honda Odyssey for scale.
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swiftdream
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Post by swiftdream on Aug 16, 2022 13:29:03 GMT -8
To engage in a little thread drift, I confess I barely even think of car camping as an "activity" in and of itself. From the time my spouse and I were first married (35 years ago), car camping was always about hiking: either a base camp for day hikes, or a before-backpacking activity. That probably partially explains my minimalist approach to car camping. But if being a little better equipped with a few more "luxury" touches would encourage my spouse to want to car camp with me (whether as part of larger hiking trips, or just to go camping), that's an investment I'd gladly make. My solo car-camping is virtually always primarily about acclimitizing to elevation before a high mountain BPing trip. I typically even take work-work with me to fill the rainy afternoons. I can see where a family-sized tent with a huge vestibule, like the REI Basecamp 6 or the North Face Wawona 6 could make for really comfortable camping days/nights. Same here, you got it. We never car camp to sit around but it does make a dandy “motel” when driving more than a day to a backpacking destination or a stellar Basecamp for ultra day hiking where that makes sense. When weather moves in the big honking tents and comfortable chairs make for a much cheerier time while waiting for a break. After being out in cold wind all day it is luscious to arrive to such a roomy, protective shelter and all the amenities. I am a fan of minimalism too and they both have their place.
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