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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Car camping tent suggestions

    Have a 1 person backpacking tent. Looking for a 2-3 person car camping setup. Spring summer and fall.

    Have proform on Big Agnes...Any good?

    What does the collective maggotry like?

  2. #2
    Hugh Conway Guest
    something that's cheap.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    Buy something at least 1 person "size" bigger than however many people you expect to actually sleep in the tent. i.e. for 2 people, buy a 3-person tent.

    REI Outlet generally has good buys on tents.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Aloft
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    Get something you can stand up in or at least nearly stand up in. Also, something large enough to fit a couple cots or a queen size air mattress. It's car camping, might as well be as comfortable as you want.

    Big Agnes are great tents. Cheap tents are the worst thing ever as they almost always have fiberglass poles and will blow away if you fart in it's general direction. If you have a decent budget get a nice tent.

    I picked up an REI Base Camp 4 at the garage sale for like $60 as it had a bent pole from the idiot probably setting it up wrong. Ordered a new pole for $15 and have had a bomber car camping tent for the past 10 years.

    Also, tech talk JONG

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Kelty used to make nice inexpensive tents- I still have a couple that are 10+ years old. Backcountry.com etc. always have nice deals on discontinued models of various manufacturerereres.
    Daniel Ortega eats here.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    My Happy Place
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    Full Disclosure: I work for Big Agnes's sister company...

    I have the Big House 4 with the Vestibule and LOVE it. My sister in law just got the Tensleep 6 and after looking at it, I may have gone with the Tensleep 4 over the Big House. But BA didn't make it yet. These tents may look like they are just another dome, but when you set them up, the care put into the design really shines.

    The Wyoming Trail 4 looks awesome but has a HUGE footprint.

    I really don't think you can go wrong, especially if you have a hookup...

    I get to see a LOT of tents and these are the best car camping tents I have seen.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    I have the 2-person version of this and love it.
    http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-arx-sl3-tent-3-season

    Quick to set up for late-night arrivals, and takes up little space in the car. If I were getting a tent specific for car camping, I might go bigger like soups818 said, because why not if you don't have to carry it on your back?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    2,030
    Thanks for the replies guys. Looking like something from BA is going to be my new Moab home.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    We have some long discontinued TNF tent that's enormous - it has 3 "rooms" plus a vestibule. Thing is awesome... but packs into a bag that's basically a medium duffle. Large and heavy, but who cares. It fits fine in the Thule box.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Arrrvada, CO
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    3rd on the Big Agnes recommendation. We have a 3 or 4 person, and I am a yeti and it fits me, wife, daughter and 2 dogs no problem. Their stuff is bomber and they have a great warranty too.
    Quote Originally Posted by RockBoy View Post
    The wife's not gonna be happy when she sees a few dollars missing from the savings and a note on the door that reads, "Gone to AK for the week. Remember to walk the dog."
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    Damn it. You never get a powder day you didn't ski back. The one time you blow off a day, or a season, it will be the one time it is the miracle of all history. The indescribable flow, the irreplaceable nowness, the transcendental dance; blink and you miss it.
    Some people blink their whole lives.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    4th on Big Agnes. Their stuff is great for car camping.

    I have an REI Halfdome 4 that I'm happy with too.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest_Hemingway View Post
    I realize there is not much hope for a bullfighting forum. I understand that most of you would prefer to discuss the ingredients of jacket fabrics than the ingredients of a brave man. I know nothing of the former. But the latter is made of courage, and skill, and grace in the presence of the possibility of death. If someone could make a jacket of those three things it would no doubt be the most popular and prized item in all of your closets.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    The rei half dome is a pretty great tent for the money. We had big agnes for our rental tents of all sizes and they were pretty bomber. I'd get whichever was cheaper of whatever size you feel like. Don't over think it.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    River City
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tippster View Post
    We have some long discontinued TNF tent that's enormous - it has 3 "rooms" plus a vestibule. Thing is awesome... but packs into a bag that's basically a medium duffle. Large and heavy, but who cares. It fits fine in the Thule box.
    We have a coleman (costco special) that is the same thing. Sleeps 5 people and two dogs w/ no problem and packs into a duffle bag.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Since weight is not an issue, I'd look for a 3 person tent with 2 side access (or 4 if 3 are needed to be in it) plus a nice vestibule in the storm covering. You can still store some stuff in the car, but it is nice to have room to have some gear inside the tent as well as the vestibule to hold things like boots or anything wet that you do not want in the tent.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    1,484
    Get at least a 4 person for car camping...something you can stand up in to change clothes in and not be uncomfortably close to a male friend in. I've got a sierra designs 4 person that is nice - fits me, the woman and 2 50lbs dogs and has enough space to store stuff for a week inside it. Vestibules are nice for keeping daypacks/storage bags etc in. ONLY downside compared to a smaller tent is setup time, which is 5-10 min compared to 3-5 for my backpacking tent.
    I wear crocs for the style, not the comfort.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Hokkaido
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    1,301
    Another vote for BA Big House 4. Solid construction, plenty of room, can stand up to change clothes, easy to set up, good fly coverage. That last one is a big difference over cheap tents where the fly doesn't extend all the way to the bathtub floor so when it rains you get wet no matter what. Big Agnes yes. What more could you want?

    I boiled my thermometer, and sure enough, this spot, which purported to be two thousand feet higher than the locality of the hotel, turned out to be nine thousand feet LOWER. Thus the fact was clearly demonstrated that, ABOVE A CERTAIN POINT, THE HIGHER A POINT SEEMS TO BE, THE LOWER IT ACTUALLY IS. Our ascent itself was a great achievement, but this contribution to science was an inconceivably greater matter.

    --MT--

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Moose, Iowa
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    7,908
    We use an REI tent for car camping. Nice but it takes way too long to set up.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    MN
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    4,395
    If you are just looking for a 2 or 3 person tent, the old Marmot Swallow tent came in both 2 and 3 person. It's convertible between 3 and 4 season due to having zippered windows that can shut out the wind or you can leave them open and have just the screen. I almost bought another one last year. They seem to come up a lot on Ebay and for some reason lots seem to come up new as if some shop just never sold them. Compared to Mountain Hardware and other brands I looked at, this particular Marmot tent is bigger than most for what it is rated. Really nice and reliable tent.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Access to Granlibakken
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    11,172
    Haven't owned a big Agnes tent, but have accumulated a few of the usual major brand 3 and 4 season backpacking etc tents.

    None of them work as well for car camping as my large Coleman I bought new for $90. Main advantages are super heavy duty tarp floor, and room to stand in.
    Know of a pair of Fischer Ranger 107Ti 189s (new or used) for sale? PM me.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
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    The Marmot Swallow is a fantastic product but personally for car camping I think the Marmot Limestone is a better bet. It is bigger and more importantly higher, so standing albeit slightly stooped is a possibiity.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    Tents are great, I use a GoLite ShangiLa-5, it is floorless but I picked up the optional floor and fold it in half. A fold-up Ti-Goat wood stove will go in soon and is light enough to pack in when combined with the pyramid tent.

    But a gazebo with walls has truly changed camping for us. The option to truly walk around, dry off, enjoy a seat and a table has extended many camping trips for us as weather is often an issue. Breakfast can now take up to 4 hours! I will be putting a boot for the stove into it as well, but for now I run a miniHeater Buddy, which works great.


  22. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    here and there
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    Along with my 3 person el cheapo dome tent(stand up in the center) I have an EZ up with the three sided addon. Getting a flue free LP water heater soon and with a folding table for the kitchen it all works together nicely.

    Also carry a "Big Blue" 30'x30' tarp with extra long para cord ties for that extra coverage when needed.

    DV; I like that foldy chair, however we need to upgrade yo beer selection. Invite me and I can provide sum home brews.
    watch out for snakes

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Uber Alles California
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    I bought a coleman 8 person tent for car camping and OMG its amazing. I parked my car in the tent, slept in the car.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    livin the dream
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    BUMP!

    I am thinking about upgrading from the two person backpacking tent the girlfriend and I have been using. I want something to stand up in, leave gear in....

    Anyone have a canvas outfitter style tent for car camping?

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    Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow 6-Person Canvas Tent

    This thing looks baller, gets great reviews, and is just a little more expensive than a massive REI/BA tent. Do you have to re-treat the canvas with some sort of waterproofing every few years?
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  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    ^^^ We had one for years when I was a kid. Lasted a longass time until the pole finally broke and I think my dad couldn't find a replacement.

    I have an REI Kingdom 8 now. Thing is massive and awesome. Design is well thought-out. Way better than the Coleman Instant Cabin POS that I thought I'd cheap out with from Costco. Returned that. If you want to go conventional nylon, I'd highly recommend the Kingdom series.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest_Hemingway View Post
    I realize there is not much hope for a bullfighting forum. I understand that most of you would prefer to discuss the ingredients of jacket fabrics than the ingredients of a brave man. I know nothing of the former. But the latter is made of courage, and skill, and grace in the presence of the possibility of death. If someone could make a jacket of those three things it would no doubt be the most popular and prized item in all of your closets.

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