Pitch a tent!

March 28, 2016 5:58 PM

I'd like to start camping again and need supplies, starting with a good tent: what specific brands and models do you recommend?

I'd love to hear all of your tent tips, both budget bargains and those that break the bank. Sleeping bag recommendations would be great as well; I've already got a good backpacking pack.

This thread has great advice for items to bring but little mention of specific brands; I'm reading up on this thread on tent basics. For starters I'm thinking of just camping for a night or two in a group of 2-6 people in spring, summer or fall. Our campsites will likely be somewhere in the mid-Atlantic United States and no more than a few miles hike from a parked car.

Growing up I camped at least once a month and we made do with simple supplies. However, I know things have come a long way and will help improve the experience.

posted by smorgasbord to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (19 answers total)

If you aren't familiar with it already, go and check out Outdoor Gear Lab. I don't have any specific recommendation, but will say this: if all other factors are equal, by all means prioritise light weight. But you are buying a shelter, and if the light weight compromises its ability to properly shelter you in adverse weather, then the tent isn't doing its job. Also, pay serious attention to the tent's architecture, particularly likely drainage or drip points. Will the innter tent stay dry if the inner door and fly are open at the same time? Or will the fly drip and drain into the inner?

I would also emphasise the importance of actually seeing the tent in the flesh before buying one. It's not a cheap bit of gear, and you have to be pretty confident of it meeting your needs. Good luck!
posted by tim_in_oz at 6:46 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Tents have gotten really light in the last few years. I really like my Big Agnes tent because it's super light and packs down to a ridiculously small size. Pretty expensive though. One step cheaper but still nice are the tents made by REI.

I love my Western Mountaineering sleeping bag. It's hard to go wrong with a high end down sleeping bag; they're super warm; they pack down small and they are very light for their warmth.

I agree with tim_in_oz, light weight is really important. The lighter your pack and gear the better you're going to feel at the end of the day. I wouldn't go too crazy, but with a little effort if you're camping with someone (split the tent between two people, split the cook kit, etc) you can easily get your pack weight down to 10-15lbs (not including water & food).

memail me if you have any questions about brands, I've tried a bunch of gear
posted by gregr at 7:37 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Seconding Outdoor Gear Lab. You are going to need to do a lot of research because there are limitless options for every budget, and highly personal choices within them. The advice to see in person is very good, or at the very least, to have a generous return policy available.

My main advice would be that tents have very specific purposes, and dedicated campers/backpackers often have multiple tents for a reason. An ultralight tent can be amazing, but will also be fragile, fairly fussy to set up (lots of staking and skill required), and probably will have warmth/condensation tradeoffs compared with more rugged gear -- definitely not something that will also double for car camping.

And honestly, the most critical thing is that whatever tent you buy, you learn to pitch it correctly before you go out.

Good discounted tents (and sleeping bags) can be found at:
Sierra Trading Post
REI Outlet
Campmor
posted by veery at 7:37 PM on March 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

I re-upped my camping gear about five years ago, and spent a chunk of change doing it. I still own and love the previous generation of this tent from Nemo. They are a newish (2002) , smallish, slightly under-the radar American company, founded by outdoor enthusiast engineering nerds. It is worth reading a bit about the company and their design philosophy on their website. Their gear definitely pushes towards break-the-bank territory, but I haven't regretted shelling out for it. They have some good videos about their individual products if you want a more detailed look at anything.

Things I love about this tent? The design of the storage rollup, the super easy/fast setup, the double entrance and double vestibule, the build quality, the weight (even at a pound heavier on the current version), and especially the unique pole configuration that pulls the walls straight, making it much roomier and sturdier than a traditional dome or peaked tent.

Happy camping!
posted by jamaal at 7:49 PM on March 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love my Mountain Hardware tent. I will never ever buy a tent that isn't completely freestanding. Much of my camping happens in pretty rocky terrain, so stakes can be a bit of a challenge. Unless you only use it for one person, get something with two doors. It's the best luxury.
posted by advicepig at 8:09 PM on March 28, 2016 [3 favorites]

Second Nemo. We have one of the designs with the air baffles you pump up. So eye-catching, sexy, easy to erect (Lordy!), and has a Tardis-like bigger inside than it seems it should.
posted by thebrokedown at 8:12 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have an ALPS tent that was substantially cheaper than many of the other reccomendations in this thread and that has served me quite well, even through torrential downpours. In case you're looking for a less expensive option when starting out...
posted by kickingtheground at 11:33 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Get a Coleman Wak Jak. Best thing I've ever used for hitting in tent pegs and getting them out again.
posted by awfurby at 3:41 AM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

I got myself a new tent a couple of years ago, and here's the one I chose: Mountain Hardware Drifter 3. It also comes in a 2-person size.

I chose it because it got lots of very positive reviews praising its durability, and because it was cheaper than comparable tents (the one I linked to is a "past season color", which apparently gets you $60 off). Having used it for the past couple of years, I really like the fact that it's long enough for tall folks, has two doors and two vestibules, has very handy interior pockets, can be "dry pitched" (meaning that, in case of rain , you can pitch the rainfly first and then pitch the tent underneath to keep it dry), comes with a footprint that clips right into the tent, and is just super-easy to pitch and pack up. I'd highly recommend it.
posted by ourobouros at 5:38 AM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

(Shoot! my comment got eaten in a browser crash!)

OK, REI rips off the good ideas from other tent manufacturers, and puts them into their house brand stuff a year or two later. Since you have been out of the loop for a long time, this should be fine for you. Consider shopping at their outlet, whether you buy their stuff or someone else's, if you are an REI member, because their return policy is still good (for members). For example, I bought a small tent, tried it out for a weekend, and when I finished hyperventilating from the claustrophobia they happily allowed me to swap it for the next size up.

I have both a Quarter Dome tent and a Half Dome tent from REI, and love them. If you are a member (which you should be if there is a store near you), there's a coupon code now good (did I say "for members" yet?) to get 20% off one item in the regular store and another item in the Outlet, through April 4, with code MEMREWARD16.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:21 AM on March 29, 2016 [2 favorites]

A side-note: if you're just car camping, or not going far from the parking lot, then you may not need to indulge the analysis paralysis of over-researching stuff to find the lightest, strongest, whateverest gear available -- but plenty of us do love reading all the details and specs of all the toys, and there's no shame in it.

I totally respect the gram weenies who drag their gear and their selves over miles and miles of country: I made a few long trips as a kid and treasure the memories. But now I camp with kids, and my priorities are just different. *shrug*

(And I won't even put the bug in your ear about eschewing your tent for a hammock plus an underquilt and a nice tarp -- that's a rabbit hole you may never come out of, especially after watching how much fun Shug has!)
posted by wenestvedt at 7:27 AM on March 29, 2016 [2 favorites]

I've owned an REI Half Dome for about six years. Camped with it in Patagonia and several places year round in the Northeast and have been generally happy with it. It is not as light or as compact as other tents, but most of those other tents also tend to be twice the price. I've also definitely the "OMG, it's a thunderstorm, I need to setup ASAP ... in the dark, with just a headlamp" routine and it's been super easy for that. Depending upon your local weather and your intentions (some people pick a weekend and camp on that weekend regardless of the forecast, others just have windows of weekends and pick one to go camping when the forecast is good) then you'll want to give a mind to having simple tents that can be setup quickly if you're caught out in a storm.

A lot of tents tend to come with a footprint tarp that's a separate item, but is worth purchasing as an associated item. It's good for keeping condensation out of the tent as well as protecting the floor from punctures.

For sleeping bags, I'd get a bag that suits the average nighttime lows in the region and season where you'll be doing most of your camping. If you wind up expanding your season to colder sections, you don't have to buy a warmer sleeping bag. You could instead get a silk liner, which adds a nice 10F boost of warmth to your bag (and it just feels nice) The silk liner also does double duty as a superlight sleeping bag for summer camping.

I assume that you already have a sleeping pad? If not, I'm a fan of Thermalite inflatables. I've found that REI's inflatable sleeping pads tend to be a bit fragile and will develop a ton of micro punctures over time that slow leak over the night. A well made winter sleeping pad is also another worthwhile heat booster if you need it.
posted by bl1nk at 7:46 AM on March 29, 2016 [2 favorites]

I too have owned an REI Half Dome for about 6 years, and it's the sturdiest and most liveable tent I've ever used. I've probably spent a solid year and a half living out of it and it's held up great.

Nthing an REI membership and going down the rabbit hole of Outdoor Gear Lab.
posted by scrubjay at 9:12 AM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

I've used an REI Quarter Dome 10-12 times a year for the past five years and it's been a tank. If you're not going to backpack with it, I agree with others: get the half dome.
posted by craven_morhead at 11:19 AM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have an REI Kingdom 4 and it is glorious for car camping. I can set it up myself, it comfortably sleeps three, I can stand up in it, it has great ventilation -- did you know you don't have to wake up with the sides of the tent all clammy? -- and fits into its own backpack.

It's not a backpacking tent, if that's what you're hoping for.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:15 PM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

> I'd get a bag that suits the average nighttime lows in the region and season where you'll be doing most of your camping

A good rule of thumb, in my experience, is to add 20 degrees to whatever the sleeping bag company says it's rated for. Comfort vs "will not die."
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:16 PM on March 29, 2016 [3 favorites]

Do not buy this

The brand is World Famous Sports. The logo is WFS. We changed that to "We Fucking Suck" to help us remember which brand to never buy again. It offers nearly zero protection from the rain.

Hi-tec tents are not crazy expensive and are substantially better.

With car camping, weight and space may not be a big limiter, but if you are going to do a lot of hiking where you carry everything, every ounce matters. Lighter (and smaller) is better and is worth paying for if you can afford it.

In cold weather, you want good ventilation because if the inside of the tent is so humid from your breath that it makes your clothes and bedding damp, death from hypothermia becomes a real concern. Well ventilated, small tents that are too short to stand up in are warmer. Tall tents will not create a bubble of warm air around you. Heat rises and your body heat will be warming the ceiling, not the occupants.

If you have awesome sleeping bags and stuff, you may not care. But if you want to travel light, this makes a substantial difference in how much bedding you need to stay cozy warm and comfortable.
posted by Michele in California at 2:32 PM on March 29, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love my teepee tent.

Also, if you're car camping and not worried about weight, get a cot to sleep on. Not having rocks and twigs poke you in the back is amazing.
posted by culfinglin at 2:36 PM on March 29, 2016 [1 favorite]

I also meant to mention the tent footprint and a sleeping pad. Also an inflatable camping pillow if your budget allows.

Get the real footprint, but if you must use just a crummy tarp, remember that the footprint should be smaller than the tent or else it functions as a gutter to collect water, which then gets in your tent and steals your joy.
posted by wenestvedt at 4:25 PM on March 29, 2016 [2 favorites]