Tent recommendations

Dudley Do-Wrong

Senior Member
I have been shopping for a good 4 to 6 man tent. It will be only me but need room for an air mattress plus my gear. I have been researching for a couple of weeks and haven't found what I am looking for. I will be using the tent on weekends during turkey season. Need something that is water proof and good quality that I can set up by myself. All of the tents I have looked at (under $200) have some reviews that scare me; but since I am going to use it only during turkey season I don't want to invest hundreds of dollars. So, any of you more primitive campers have any recommendations?
 

ryanh487

Senior Member
I'd add one more feature since you're looking at a tent of size anyway: tall enough to stand up in. I don't know about you but I'm 6' and can't stand not being able to stand upright while getting dressed. Or being forced to stay seated or hunched over for hours while waiting out the rain.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
If you look at too many reviews you'll never buy anything. I'm guilty myself of that.
Waterproof, I'm not sure that exist. Especially under & $200.00. You're only using it during one season so you don't need a airy summer tent. You could put a tarp over the top for added rain protection. Sad that one has to do that but I see it often. We've did it to add a porch to the front of the tent. A porch is nice.

The same season, once a year. You wouldn't want to spend a lot of money like a family tent that would be used spring, summer, and fall.

Not to endorse these models, just presenting them. Kelty is a good brand. Wenzel used to be as well. Eureka as well.
https://www.steepandcheap.com/kelty...MI2o6P5fOr2AIVVLXACh3mRgBCEAQYASABEgKswPD_BwE

Coleman's Instant 4 is reviewed well. I like tents that strap to the poles instead of having to slide the poles through sleeves.

Eureka's Copper Canyon 4 get's good reviews. Some of these models have steep sides which should give you more inside room and help shed water vs a tent with slanted sides.
 

7Mag Hunter

Senior Member
I'd add one more feature since you're looking at a tent of size anyway: tall enough to stand up in. I don't know about you but I'm 6' and can't stand not being able to stand upright while getting dressed. Or being forced to stay seated or hunched over for hours while waiting out the rain.


X-2....I prefer cabin style tents with solid roofs....Mesh type roofs
will allow condensation to form on the rain fly during rainy
weather and it will drip water inside the tent!! Mesh roof tents are
also impossible to keep warm in cool spring weather...

you will also need to use seam sealer on the seams,
and get an oversize tarp to ensure your gear stays
dry during spring rains>>>
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
X-2....I prefer cabin style tents with solid roofs....Mesh type roofs
will allow condensation to form on the rain fly during rainy
weather and it will drip water inside the tent!! Mesh roof tents are
also impossible to keep warm in cool spring weather...

you will also need to use seam sealer on the seams,
and get an oversize tarp to ensure your gear stays
dry during spring rains>>>

For me it's been the other way around. The solid roof tents condense and drip. It's one of those things I don't think exist. Waterproof tent that is. Rainproof, yes. Condensation, no. Too tight and it drips. It's the same with waterproof raincoats.
Then like you say, too much mesh and the cool air comes in. Too tight and it condenses. I would think the smaller the tent the more of a problem with condensation.

Maybe a 6 man tent would be better. Regardless the rainfly over the breathable roof seems to be the better route. Just make sure the breathable roof part doesn't contain too much mesh if you are going to use it in the spring and fall.
In the summer all that mesh is nice. Some are completely mesh with just the fly being solid. I'd rather the breathable roof to be mostly fabric with just a bit of mesh in the top center. Then one can control humidity and ventilation with the windows.
Even in the spring and fall, I like a bit of ventilation to control the condensation.

It's a catch 22 type of thing. That's why I switched to hammocks.
 

ryanh487

Senior Member
I've tent camped in everything from July heat to December cold. I always put a tarp under the tent, and another one over it to two poles, creating a large covered porch area and waterproofing the tent as well. If you have power, box fan for the heat. For cold, one of those propane heaters works great, just leave a window open for ventilation. I have a good sleeping bag so I only use the heater to heat up the tent before getting up and getting dressed.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Maybe a propane catalytic tent heater. I still wouldn't leave in on all night. I burnt my hand pretty bad on one of those heaters you mount to the top of the propane tank. I went to move it and got careless.

My Dad had one of those old Coleman white gas catalytic heaters we used in our pop-up. We ran it all night long. I guess the new propane ones would be OK to run all night. See related Mr. Buddy heater thread.

Related to the ground sheet, I'd make sure it is a little smaller than the tent footprint. Tyvek works good or just plastic.
I like the idea of extending it out to make a porch floor with the combined tarp over the tent and porch area.

One time my groundcloth was a few inches bigger than the tent. The rain off the tent ran under the tent and through the tent floor. It got my brother's sponge sleeping pad and sleeping bag wet.
 
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Rich Kaminski

Senior Member
I have a 6 person tent that I used 1 time, that I am willing to get rid of. Because now I have a camper. PM me if interested.
 

Dudley Do-Wrong

Senior Member
I appreciate all of the inputs, I think I have narrowed it down. I'm leaning towards the Eureka Copper Canyon
 

3ringer

Senior Member
I have a Coleman 10 man Instant Tent that works great except when it rains.
 
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