I am heartbroken. I was going to order the Columbia Cougar Flats 2 and now it has been discontinued.
Can anyone recommend a tent that would be big enough for me, my husband who is 6'4 tall, and 3 children? My youngest will be sleeping in a pack and play.
Would like a bathtub floor, good ventilation. A canopy over the front door would be a great bonus. I like the idea of divided rooms.
We are not camping anywhere very cold.. but would need something that will stand up to rain.
Thank you.
Answer
My current family tent would satisfy all of those preferences with the exception of the canopy over the door. However, the lacking canopy has proven to only be a problem when going in and out while it is actually raining, and...really...how much are you going to actually do that?
The straight vertical walls allow for more usable floorspace (especially for things like a pack-n-play), it has a hanging divider, and even two doors. The doors are excellent for camping with kids because they are a hard D-frame with a hinge and velcro, so the kids can easily go in and out without having to zip/unzip/zip/unzip. You can zip up the doors when you want/need to, but you don't have to do it every time.
Big windows on three sides and doors on the fourth side have rather large windows as well. The entire top is mesh. I've never had a problem in the wind and/or rain in this tent.
The tent is very tall (I'm 6'3" so that's a requirement for me as well), and hands-down the easiest tent to setup that I have ever owned. Not exaggering when I say that I can easily setup this tent in 15 minutes by myself, including all guylines. It's also just as easy to break down, and it's the only tent I've owned that actually folds up SMALLER than it came from the store, so you can actually fit additional accessories in the original storage bag in addition to the tent.
It's made by Coleman but only sold in Target stores. If there's not a store near you, they usually offer free shipping on something priced that high. I've seen it on sale as cheap as $150, but it's usually $185-200.
My current family tent would satisfy all of those preferences with the exception of the canopy over the door. However, the lacking canopy has proven to only be a problem when going in and out while it is actually raining, and...really...how much are you going to actually do that?
The straight vertical walls allow for more usable floorspace (especially for things like a pack-n-play), it has a hanging divider, and even two doors. The doors are excellent for camping with kids because they are a hard D-frame with a hinge and velcro, so the kids can easily go in and out without having to zip/unzip/zip/unzip. You can zip up the doors when you want/need to, but you don't have to do it every time.
Big windows on three sides and doors on the fourth side have rather large windows as well. The entire top is mesh. I've never had a problem in the wind and/or rain in this tent.
The tent is very tall (I'm 6'3" so that's a requirement for me as well), and hands-down the easiest tent to setup that I have ever owned. Not exaggering when I say that I can easily setup this tent in 15 minutes by myself, including all guylines. It's also just as easy to break down, and it's the only tent I've owned that actually folds up SMALLER than it came from the store, so you can actually fit additional accessories in the original storage bag in addition to the tent.
It's made by Coleman but only sold in Target stores. If there's not a store near you, they usually offer free shipping on something priced that high. I've seen it on sale as cheap as $150, but it's usually $185-200.
camping tents?
rosemary j
what are some good quality camping tents
Answer
The best are made by a company called The North Face, but can be quite expensive. We camp all the time, and have a Coleman family tent, an Ozark Trail tent (from Wal-mart, I think made by Coleman), and an REI back-packer's 2-man tent. If you have any sporting goods store nearby (Bass Pro Shop has an excellent assortment), go in and talk to a sales person. Keep in mind that the size of the tent (how many people it sleeps) is a very crowded fit. For 4 people to be comfy, with duffelbags inside, you really need an 8-person tent. Keep in mind, too, seasonality, the type of material the floor is made of (you don't want it to tear if you have to put it up on a gravel or rocky area), and weight.
The best are made by a company called The North Face, but can be quite expensive. We camp all the time, and have a Coleman family tent, an Ozark Trail tent (from Wal-mart, I think made by Coleman), and an REI back-packer's 2-man tent. If you have any sporting goods store nearby (Bass Pro Shop has an excellent assortment), go in and talk to a sales person. Keep in mind that the size of the tent (how many people it sleeps) is a very crowded fit. For 4 people to be comfy, with duffelbags inside, you really need an 8-person tent. Keep in mind, too, seasonality, the type of material the floor is made of (you don't want it to tear if you have to put it up on a gravel or rocky area), and weight.
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