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Post by dirthurts on Aug 11, 2016 4:48:38 GMT -8
Maybe someone can help me narrow this down. I'm looking at a car camping tent, used mainly on the East Coast, from Tennessee up to Maine. I'm looking at the Big Agnes Tensleep Station 4, and the Marmot Colfax 4. www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/tensleepstation42016marmot.com/products/details/colfax-4pI like the awning and the full coverage of the BA, but I also love the ability to unzip the walls entirely on the Marmot, but there is less storage space and the single wall issues... Any thoughts? Any other recommendations?   |
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Post by Coolkat on Aug 11, 2016 5:05:05 GMT -8
To each their own I guess but I'd never spend that kind of money on a car camping tent. I'd rather spend $250 on a coleman or similar brand that sleeps 6 and has a screened in awning big enough for a picnic table. Unless you're driving a toyota yaris or a honda fit, pack size and weight doesn't matter that much when car camping. Like this... linklinkBut as always there are probably situations that I'm not thinking of where a BA or Marmot is needed. |
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Aug 11, 2016 5:54:21 GMT -8
We were considering a Coleman instant tent for car camping this fall which is under $200 for a 6 person and goes up fast.
When we car camp it always seems we are in a rush to do the next thing wither it be we're on a photography, fishing or hunting trip.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Aug 11, 2016 6:02:47 GMT -8
I use a 3 person dome tent for car camping, but I already had it, as well as a full sized kitchen tent that allows us to sit at a dry, warm picnic table while any wet wether hits. I never understood families who shared tent space. We don't all sleep in the same room at home, so why when camping?
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almostthere
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putting on my hiking shoes....
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Post by almostthere on Aug 11, 2016 6:14:14 GMT -8
If you car camp in rain, don't fold up and go home, do it.
If not, any old cheap junk tent will do.
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Post by dirthurts on Aug 11, 2016 9:30:03 GMT -8
If you car camp in rain, don't fold up and go home, do it. If not, any old cheap junk tent will do. I certainly intend on staying in camp. I'll be spending 9 days in a row at camp in September in Maine, so it must survive. This is why I'm looking at higher quality tents. I've had far too many fiberglass framed tents shatter even under moderate winds, so anything that's cheaply built is going to make me nervous. I will be relying on this shelter, so I need a good one. At this point, I'm still leaning towards the Big Agnes as that awning looks really handy. |
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talus
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Post by talus on Aug 11, 2016 9:33:02 GMT -8
Kelty makes nice car camping tents, and you can usually find them deep-discounted at sites like Sierra TradingPost.
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Post by drilldaddyo on Aug 11, 2016 11:00:43 GMT -8
Hello,
A few things I considered for a tent for car camping:
1) Self supporting tents are nice since some campground sites have compacted earth that makes it harder to drive tent stakes.
2) It's nice if you can stand up or almost stand up in the tent to facilitate changing clothes. A small point but I don't like slithering around on the ground in my tent like an earthworm to change out of my pants if I don't have to. Oddly, the neighbors in the campgrounds don't like me changing clothes outside the tent 
Hope this helps..........
Sincerely,
Randy
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Post by dirthurts on Aug 11, 2016 16:12:31 GMT -8
I'm really not so sure about these... |
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Post by dirthurts on Aug 11, 2016 16:47:14 GMT -8
O.K, so these cryptic encoded messages are doing noone any good. I can make guesses at what you're trying to say, but what's the point in even posting replies like these? |
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Post by dirthurts on Aug 11, 2016 17:15:37 GMT -8
That's a response I can work with. Much appreciated.
They do have some interesting designs. I saw some intriguing videos of them holding up very well in storms too. Is ventilation not a problem with these designs, especially the smaller models with no awnings? It seems like it would be a bit of a sauna in a storm...
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almostthere
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putting on my hiking shoes....
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Post by almostthere on Aug 11, 2016 17:54:16 GMT -8
1) Self supporting tents are nice since some campground sites have compacted earth that makes it harder to drive tent stakes.
Go to an open coastal campground. Wait until afternoon when everyone else is out playing on beaches. The onshore breeze rises, and gusts, and gusts, and gusts.... Watch 100 identical Coleman 8 person car camping tents roll... slowly... around... bumping... into... each... other. Wait until dinner time, when everyone comes back, and sit with your tent which you bothered to use stakes for, while everyone opens these packages of tables, chairs, sleeping bags, air mattresses and assorted small items to figure out which tent belongs to them. I NEVER assume I can get away without stakes. Ever. I have a six person tent -- I got four mega-strong tent NAILS to use on that compacted ground. I've only had to retrieve the tent from another campsite once, when the unhusband forgot to use them. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Aug 11, 2016 20:24:30 GMT -8
For everything from Cape Hatteras windsurfung to Acadia base camping from my car my Eureka Sunrise 11 has performed well. I'd had a big (I'm not carrying it so why not?) two room REI but the more vertical walls finally failed on my last day at Hatteras one year: I mean windy is why I go right? So the wind shedding dome shape was chosen for the replacement. A tad smaller so my masts have to stay outside but otherwise great. Fall photos at Acadia go well.
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Post by drilldaddyo on Aug 12, 2016 9:07:30 GMT -8
I suppose I should have said that I would use rocks or similar to anchor my tent if I were in a windy area and could not get a tent stake in the ground. The idea of using tent nails is a great suggestion. Along that line my experience with using "mini-groundhog" stakes from MSR has been very positive. The mini-groundhogs seem to penetrate the previously mentioned compact earth found in some campgrounds or well used backcountry sites. They are sturdy little devils and are seemingly immune to bending though I'm sure it's possible. Is there a particular brand of tent nail that you recommend almosthere? |
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Post by dirthurts on Aug 12, 2016 9:13:29 GMT -8
Those cheap Coleman steel nails work really well for campgrounds. There is definitely no breaking those things.
I have had groundhogs and mini groundhogs break though...
They won't bend but they'll snap off if you're dealing with really hard earth, so be careful there. I've found the DAC j-stakes to be far stronger.
I decided to go with the Tensleep Station btw. I really liked the massive awning, generous guy out points and the ability to roll up the sides of the tent.
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