|
Post by sharper on Feb 21, 2017 9:14:07 GMT -8
Curious what everyone's take is on tent sizes. Are 2-person tents generally big enough to comfortably fit 2 average size adults? Group of 6 backpacking and trying to determine best course of action for splitting up shared gear(tents, cookware, etc). Three 2-person tents or two 3-person tents? Thanks for your input!
|
|
tigger
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,547
|
Post by tigger on Feb 21, 2017 10:26:33 GMT -8
If shelters have a vestibule, this really helps to offset the cramped quarters of your average 2 person shelter. My recommendation is to take three two man shelters so you can separate out the snoring folk from the others easier, make getting up in the middle of the night easier and allow for more flexible setups in areas where space is limited. That also helps for dealing with an emergency situation where a shelter is destroyed by environmental factors (It's easier to squeeze 3 people into two two-man shelters than 6 people into a three-man shelter). I can't think of a good reason to go with two three man tents over three two man tents based upon my experience except for weight savings and in the case of shelter, I don't think it's worth the weight savings.
|
|
|
Post by sharper on Feb 21, 2017 10:59:41 GMT -8
I hadn't though of the emergency situation. Good call on it being easier to fit 3 in a 2 as opposed to 6 in a 3 person. Will definitely be getting them with vestibules for gear storage.
|
|
|
Post by Lamebeaver on Feb 21, 2017 11:02:34 GMT -8
IMHO You typically want a tent one person larger than your planned occupancy. If you're solo, you want a 2 person tent. If you have three, then you can probably get away with a 4 person tent. I also agree with many small tents instead of one big one. On uneven terrain, it can be a challenge to find a 10' x 12' are of flat ground.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Feb 21, 2017 11:12:57 GMT -8
IMHO You typically want a tent one person larger than your planned occupancy. If you're solo, you want a 2 person tent. This depends a lot on the relationship of the people involve and the size of the people. My husband and I are quite comfortable in a 2-man tent, because we are fine being close together and we are both pretty small. I would be willing to share my BA 2-man tent with another person if I had to, though my preference is for a solo tent if I'm not with the spouse. If you are 6'3" and weigh 250, you will find the BA Copperspur 2 to feel more like a 1-man tent, I suspect.
|
|
foxalo
Trail Wise!
Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent.---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posts: 2,359
|
Tent Sizes
Feb 21, 2017 11:21:56 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by foxalo on Feb 21, 2017 11:21:56 GMT -8
I couldn't imagine three people in my two-man even in an emergency situation. That's a tight fit. My daughter and I fit comfortably in mine without gear, but she's a skinny 11-year old. I'm a not-so-skinny, tall woman. If I were to share it with another adult, I'd have to like them a whole lot.
|
|
|
Post by sharper on Feb 21, 2017 12:23:15 GMT -8
The trip is 4 days 3 nights, 6 men all of similar build. We're all old friends so 2 guys per tent won't be an issue and 3 in a 2 person if the situation arises would be made to work. From what I've heard here and what I've read elsewhere, we'll be fine for this trip 2x2x2; but obviously long term preference would be something a little roomier.
|
|
|
Post by cweston on Feb 21, 2017 12:43:55 GMT -8
There are a lot of variables. My Tarptent Stratospire 2 is actually pretty roomy for 2 regular sized adults, but most 2p tents are a little smaller. I have shared a 3p BPing tent with a non-related adult partner a few times and it was fine. But I wouldn't be too eager to share a standard 2P with an adult partner who was not a family member.
(My most frequent BP partner is my adult son, and we usually share a 2p tent.)
|
|
T4
Trail Wise!
Posts: 100
|
Post by T4 on Feb 21, 2017 13:01:36 GMT -8
I always double the recommendation.
I have a 2 person tent that I use alone. I have a 4 person tent that I use if it's just my son and I. I've never wished I had less space.
|
|
|
Post by cweston on Feb 21, 2017 14:06:10 GMT -8
I always double the recommendation. I have a 2 person tent that I use alone. I have a 4 person tent that I use if it's just my son and I. I've never wished I had less space. There is a trade-off, of course: 4p tents tend to weigh a good bit more than 2p tents, and, as mentioned earlier in this thread, in some kinds of terrain it can be very difficult to find an acceptable spot to pitch a larger tent. But, as always, HYOH.
|
|
franco
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,297
|
Post by franco on Feb 21, 2017 15:12:47 GMT -8
There is no standard size , as long as the tent sort of fits two mats it can be called a 2 person tent (as Ben as already pointed out). However there are doubles that can only take two tapered 20" wide mats (about 17" at the ends) and there are doubles that can take 3 rectangular 20" mats (to take 25" mats or 3 in an emergency ). In other words you need to take a good look at the floor plans and usable room of the specific models . Here is an example : All the mats there are 20". Note also the head and foot room (the one with 3 mats is the same at the other end)
|
|
reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,209
|
Post by reuben on Feb 21, 2017 15:20:55 GMT -8
3 person tents are generally 2.5 person tents. 2 person tents are generally 1.5 person tents. 1 person tents are generally 1 person tents. Yes, the number of occupants is often based on the number of pads that can fit in the footprint. Now ask yourself how many times you've hung over the edge of your pad. As tigger noted, vestibules can help, but they're really for storage, not for sleeping. If you're sharing a tent with an 11 year old like foxalo, a 2 person tent will probably work fine. If you're sharing it with a 250lb man, well, that's a whole 'nuther kettle o' fish.
|
|
texasbb
Trail Wise!
Hates chicken
Posts: 1,223
|
Post by texasbb on Feb 21, 2017 16:39:18 GMT -8
This depends a lot on the relationship of the people involve and the size of the people. For sure. Sharing a tent with someone who's been sweating in the same clothes and eating unfamiliar trail food all week is a definite fun killer. Absent extenuating circumstances--limited campsites or matrimony--I always prefer more tents.
|
|
markskor
Trail Wise!
Mammoth Lakes & Tuolumne Meadows...living the dream
Posts: 651
|
Post by markskor on Feb 21, 2017 16:48:51 GMT -8
double post
|
|
markskor
Trail Wise!
Mammoth Lakes & Tuolumne Meadows...living the dream
Posts: 651
|
Post by markskor on Feb 21, 2017 16:49:45 GMT -8
Freezer bag food makes me fart horrendously...'nuff said.
|
|