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  #1  
Old 04-26-2012, 08:35 AM
uk_figs's Avatar
uk_figs uk_figs is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tulsa, OK
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Default Tent recommendation

After the Petit Jean fly-in last year I realized that my current 2 person tent is too small and requires the kind of contortions to do anything (like get dressed) that get more difficult as you gracefully age. I still plan on aircraft camping on occasion and am therefore researching an upgraded and more comfortable solution for both the tent and the mattress (my inflatable burst and is now a duck blind at Petit Jean).
As I am 6' 3" I need some head height and so far I have found two tents that seem to fit the bill, the Kelty Trail Ridge and the Big Agnes Big House 4 or 6 and they get reasonable reviews. These tents seem to be in the 12lb weight range which is not too bad. Also thinking about a folding cot versus a self inflating or similar pad.
Interested in advice from the experienced campers out there.
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  #2  
Old 04-26-2012, 08:54 AM
JDRhodes JDRhodes is offline
 
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Location: Taylorsville, GA
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Default opinions

While we're at it, would you also like an opinion about tri gear or tailwheel, slider or tipper, or build vs buy? JK.

I got a Coleman Stockton 8 for my "pack mule" trips with the family. Cheap but decent. I wouldn't want to carry it far, but you can stand up in it and fit 2 air mattresses and some misc stuff.
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  #3  
Old 04-26-2012, 08:55 AM
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rleffler rleffler is offline
 
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Location: Delaware, OH (KDLZ)
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Default

I can't speak to the two tents you mentioned. I've camped for about the last five years. I have a four person tent that I can stand up inside in the center. I also used two folding cots. With the cots, its a nice set up for two people. I would recommend splurging and getting an XL cot. I did and enjoy it significantly over the standard size cot that my wife uses. I still use a self inflating mattress on the cot for additional comfort.

I also put a plastic tarp over the tent as a rain fly. I've found that no matter how much I treat the tent's original fly with waterproofing, it still leaks that one night every year in which we get heavy rain. My tarp is orange, looks tacky, but is quite functional. I've never gotten wet in my tent.

Also, make sure your tent poles can handle a good deal of stress. I've have had the tent sway several feet in some of the strong winds I've experienced at OSH. Fortunately, it doesn't happen often. I've seen some of the inexpensive tents with fiberglass poles snap.
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  #4  
Old 04-26-2012, 09:14 AM
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Lemmingman Lemmingman is offline
 
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Location: McKinney, TX
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Default

My LL Bean 5 man tent is about 8 years old and is a veteran of quite a few camping trips. It received its worst punishment last year at Oshkosh with the kids constantly going in and out, sometimes tripping over the the threshold of the tent. It and the rain fly got it biggest test on the Wednesday morning when the heavens opened and it rained. Not a single drop got in the tent. Even the bottom stayed dry on the inside. I am very impressed with it.
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  #5  
Old 04-26-2012, 09:55 AM
wjnmd wjnmd is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Ft Myers, FL
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Default REI Hobitat 4

While I have no personal experience with this tent, I like the looks of it. It is a 4 person tent which means it would probably be well suited for 2-3 people. It appears to be tall enough to be able to stand up reasonably comfortably. It is 13 pounds unless you get the optional "garage".
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  #6  
Old 04-26-2012, 09:59 AM
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jbagley jbagley is offline
 
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Location: Aloha, or
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Caveat: I'm a minimalist camper...

Most of my camping has been on river trips either with rafts or kayaks. Camping out of a kayak is akin to backpacking, really limited in what you can bring. Most of the time I just use an inflated pad and a bivy or tarp. A few of my favorite pieces of gear are:
  • Kelty Noah's Tarp. Lightweight and tough! It has tie down loops placed conveniently and an overall good shape. I've used it as a ground cover, rain cover, and (in a pinch) bivy (think burrito wrap).
  • North Face Cat's Meow sleeping bag. This synthetic bag is awesome! Keeping dry camping along a river in the rainy season is simply impossible which leaves down sleeping bags out. I've woken up perfectly warm laying in a puddle of water with this bag.
  • Go-Kot. When it's a benefit to get up off the ground, these Cot's are the best. They pack small and are reasonably light (for a cot). You still need a sleeping pad unless you like an overly firm sleeping surface.
  • Exped Downmat Sleeping Pad. If you ever camp anywhere cold this will add 10 degrees or more. Also, it's extremely comfortable. Skip the cot if you use this pad.

Hope that helps!
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  #7  
Old 04-26-2012, 10:42 AM
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Steve Ashby Steve Ashby is offline
 
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Location: Stone Mountain, Georgia
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Default How about this?



Nice and comfy. Thinking of getting one for the next SNF.
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  #8  
Old 04-26-2012, 11:01 AM
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uk_figs uk_figs is offline
 
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Default Great input so far

JR
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDRhodes View Post
While we're at it, would you also like an opinion about tri gear or tailwheel, slider or tipper, or build vs buy? JK.
Tailwheel, Slider, Build
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  #9  
Old 04-26-2012, 01:01 PM
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Av8torTom Av8torTom is offline
 
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Location: Yardley, PA
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Default Lots of options

There are a lot of 4-6 person tents available. Shop around at places like Sears and Walmart. I bought a 6 person Hillary tent (Sears brand; about $90) about 15 years ago and it's been awesome. The only thing I would change are the fiberglass poles to aluminum. Fiberglass is much heavier, and they tend to split after a while. As for cots, I don't like them for one reason... they're noisy. Yep, they squeak and groan when you move around on them. You may not mind, but your partner might. As mentioned, you really need a pad on top of them to be comfortable anyway, so I prefer to just set-up on the ground.

I was backpacking in Olympic National Park a few years ago. The trail maintenance crews we met all had these very high end tents - and every one of them had a tarp strung over it.

For a ground cloth, I buy a piece of plastic and custom cut it so it's just a little smaller than the foot print of the tent. Any bit of ground tarp that sticks out of the bottom of the tent will collect water and direct it under your tent between the tent floor and the tarp - you don't want that.

Tom
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  #10  
Old 04-26-2012, 04:45 PM
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Bruce Bruce is offline
 
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Default

Dave,

I have a Coleman Fast track.
7' x 7'6
One piece and goes together in about 1 minute.
4 stakes and done.

Love it.
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