ghart999
Denver, CO
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Joined: 06/17/2008
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Hi all. Newbie to the forum.
Have been doing lots of car camping in Colorado the past year and want a bigger tent now that we have 2 kids and a 3rd on the way.
Looking for 150sf or more to fit some queen mattresses and a infant crib, etc.
Things that are important.
1) 3 Season. It gets cold at night at 9000 feet, so it needs to be 3 season.
2) Floor material. I would really like the heavier duty stuff like polyethelene instead of the material the sides are made from.
3) Rain - doesn't rain much when we camp, but certainly want something that can hold up.
4) Height - would like something a 6' man can stand up in.
5) Cost - no more than $300.
I keep hearing great things with Eureka, but the cheap material floors really turn me off. Is putting a tarp underneath and on top of the floor enough to make this a great tent maker? The models of Eureka I have been considering are the Copper Canyon 1312, 1512, Blue Mesa 1610.
Coleman Evanston is another on my list. Good material bottom. Rain fly seems to cover all the way to the ground.
Columbia Cougar Flats also looks very nice. Saw this one set up locally. Nice floor material. Very decent interior size. Construction seems decent. But the rain tarp does not seem to cover much, leading me to believe a decent rainstorm will result in lots of interior water.
I also saw a Browning Palisade locally set up. Also looks very nice with great rain fly coverage. But I can't really find any info on them at all.
None of the Kelty tents seem to fit the size I need. Same with REI brand and Northface. Any other ideas or suggestions within the ones I already mentioned?
Thanks a lot for the help.
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TMBLSN
Washington State
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Joined: 04/07/2008
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ghart999 wrote:1) 3 Season. It gets cold at night at 9000 feet, so it needs to be 3 season.
A three season tent? I didn't know there was such a thing.
They make sleeping bags in different temperature ranges.
Yes, I've tented in below freezing weather, but it was my sleeping bag that was rated for it, not my tent.
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ghart999
Denver, CO
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Yes there are 3-season, 4-season, extreme weather and warm weather tents.
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Kamper_Kelly
Texas
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My question is do they make 2 season tents? It seems to me that if your tent is not 4 season then by default it's 3 season.
The tent size you want seems really big. I know that in many places in CO in the NF they don't have tent pads so, you can set up where ever you want but, aren't you worried about finding a big enough level, rock and root free space? We had trouble and our tent is only 57 sq. ft.
Eureka makes good quality tents. North Face might also have a tent that would work (Trailhead 8) but, it will be beyond your budget.
I understand that camping at 9000 ft can get cold (we've done it plenty). I don't think the tent is what is going to make the difference in comfort. As the previous poster stated your sleeping bag (and a cap) are the real key to staying warm at night. We have a high quality 3 season tent with a full rain fly but, I was still happy to have a 15 F bad.
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TMBLSN
Washington State
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This appears to be what you're looking for, but I still don't see anything about the seasons:
Two room tent
You could move up to a 200sf tent in your price range, also.
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vwGTImkv
Canada
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The reason why some companies use the thin floor material is for light-weight and to conserve space when the tent is packed up. I would highly recommend a footprint for that specific tent to preserve the tent floor.
Take a look at the REI Hobitat 4 or REI Hobitat 6. Cabin-style tent w/ aluminum poles.
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TMBLSN
Washington State
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vwGTImkv wrote:The reason why some companies use the thin floor material is for light-weight and to conserve space when the tent is packed up. I would highly recommend a footprint for that specific tent to preserve the tent floor.
Take a look at the REI Hobitat 4 or REI Hobitat 6. Cabin-style tent w/ aluminum poles.
Those Hobitats say "for three-season campers" in the description, but they say 2-season in the specs.
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R N R
Denver area
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You're 'season' rating in tent usually only applies to backpacking type tents, not the bigger cabin tents. Now having said that, .Cabelas has the outfitter type tents that are 3 season, but then you're talking over $600. And then you can get into the white canvas outfitter tents that you can put a wood stove into. Again, the higher price.
I've got the Cougar Flats and I think the rain fly would keep the rain out pretty well
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cada
Tavares, FL
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Not really a specific, but I used to camp in CO with a large Walmart special tent I picked up for $99. Some name brand is on it, but I don't remember. I can fit two queen sized beds with a bit of room in the middle. And yes, three season basically meant not four season. I never had issues with size in the campgrounds. Rain fly is huge with sort of an awning over the door and the floor solid enough I never use a footprint. The downsides are that it's heavy and it's not freestanding (needs poles and stakes), but I just use it for car camping.
-- If I were still in CO, this would be the tent I'd buy for family camping. In FL, I bout a pup with A/C.
I also have a small eureka with one of those flimsy floors. No problems with ripping.
To fight the cold, we always had one of those propane heaters for morning and night.
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Vapor_Trails
Yucaipa, CA
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I have a Copper Canyon 10 and I think it's more of a 2.5 season tent. When it's cold outside, it's cold in the tent. The entire roof is mesh. The fly sits high above the roof and does not cover much more than the roof. The walls are vertical and the roof is seven feet tall. It is NOT made to keep heat in. We love it for the beach and desert, but not in the mountains when it gets chilly.
For your needs I like what TMBSLN recommended. Also, ditch the air mattresses and get some good quality cots and pads. They are worth every penny!
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