Family of four—tent or tent(s)

[Rot Box]

Just thinking out loud…. 2023’s resolution is to Keep It Simple Stupid! and already I’m over complicating things lol. Lots of tent camping opportunities nearby and I’m already making plans for the new year 😎

What are your thoughts on one big tent to fit the whole family vs. multiple small tents? I was thinking about getting a 3 man tent for me and my wife and two 1-2 man tents for my two kids (nine and fourteen).

Should I go that route or just get one large tent that everyone can fit in? What do you guys do when you tent camp? Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Tonkaman]

I went through this same dilemma earlier and his year. My thought process kinda branched out several ways as follows:

- are you sleeping on cots or mats? If mats how wide?

We use exped mega mats for their comfort, but they are so wide that they instantly eliminated several tent options.

- what are the size constraints of the tent(s) while folded up?

Backpacking style tents are no issue, but many tents get to be too large for the storage space. Canvas tents are notoriously bulky and heavy. Many of the other tents I was interested in ended up being extremely long stowed away. That’s ok in a truck bed, but not a car.

- do you camp in wide enough/flat enough places for one large tent? Or will it be more practical to find a suitable place for two small footprints?

The have an 8 man tent that gets used with no issue most places we go, because we’re often in the desert. If we make plans to stay up north in the forest though I know it will suck to find a good spot.

- Do you need an annex of some sort to keep items out of the sight or out of the morning dew?

I love having an annex on my tent for keeping muddy boots out of the tent but safe from rain. It’s also great for keeping extra gear out of the car, but still safely stowed away from eyesight.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

Growing up, my family had 9 people in a 6-7 person eureka tent. My brother and I slept under my parent's cots. It was very cramped but very warm. As we all got bigger we added a second 2-3 person eureka tent. That's how we camped until everyone moved out and started our own families.

My wife wanted a tent that she could stand upright in, so now we have a Kodiak canvas tent and use a big air mattress. We want to try cots now, as we can't seem to find an air mattress that stays inflated.

I still prefer a hammock for solo camping though.

 

[Spork]

I have a 10x14 Kodiak and then I have Disc-o-bed cots for the kids. I stack a set on each end (4 kids in the space of 2) and there is plenty of room.

 

[Kevin B.]

We are a family of four and have lots of options. We have a four man RTT that the four of us just barely fit in. We have a 10x10 Kodiak that we fit in fairly comfortably, although cots make it tight. And I have a three person backpacking tent that we can shove the kids in if we want more room. And there's always the back of the Ex if I'm solo or just have one of the boys with me.

 

[Cody]

I use a basic Kelty Grand Mesa 4 for family camping. It's just a 2 pole design, full fly. Easy setup (I make the 8 year old do it now) and pretty weather resistant (it'll handle at least as much as n RTT). It was only about $150 and packs up reasonably small, but as my kids get bigger it's going to be too small. Right now the dog can sleep at the feet of the kids, but that won't last forever.

When I don't have the full posse, I have an old Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 3 that works for most seasons and can handle a lot more wind/weather abuse, or a Trango 3 for winter camping. If it's just me, I have this little 1-2 man Kelty tent that I REALLY like. I think the new version of it as called the Far Out. It has so many little clever design elements in it and is perfect for motorcycle camping because it packs up flat instead of into a roll (fit into my hard cases better) or just solo with the dog.

I've been eyeballing the Mountain Hardwear Aspect 3 to replace the Hammerhead one of these years. I've got some finicky zippers on that guy that I could repair, or just upgrade into that new new.

 

[Gravy]

I just have some old Coleman "6 man" tent we got for our wedding. Its getting a little cramped with our 3rd kid about to grow out of a pack and play. But no complaints, just a little soap on the cheap zippers once a year. And maybe 2 years ago I splurged and hoses it down with some new waterproofing spray.

We've basically grown out of floor space in the small cargo trailer we use for motorcycle desert racing, so I sometimes hang a hammock up outside for me. If I jackknife the trailer just right I can hang it from the bed to the trailer door hinge. I bought myself a cheap cot a Recreation Outlet on Black Friday that I'm excited to try.

 

[moab_cj5]

Ive used many different setups for family camping. My wife is most comfortable when we're all in the same tent. I like having us all in one tent when we're hanging out, but I also like having a kids tent and adult tent when I can get the 2 tents kinda close together.

We all sleep on cots with pads, and we use bunk cots when the kids are in our big tent.

The big tent is a 10 person Coleman instant up tent. When weather is bad, it's nice to only have 1 tent to dry out. It all depends on how you haul the gear and how much help you have setting up camp.

2 Tent setup


5 people in 1 tent

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks fellas I appreciate it—lots of good info 😎

I have a couple small tents one of which is a Kelty Teton 2 that I am in love with so Cody I hear ya on Kelty tents they’re fan-freaking-tastic.

I do not have a large tent but my brother has a sweet spring bar 10x10 he said I could have. I’m a little hesitant as it uses stakes and I do a lot of camping in sand so I’m worried it wouldn’t free stand…. Or am I overthinking it? I don’t have any experience with those but I’ve heard they’re great.

Anyway I guess the thing to do would be to get out there and see what works and what doesn’t haha.

 

[Tonkaman]

Plenty of people are using springbar tents out in the sand, it will be fine. I worry more about hitting solid rock that is just barely below the surface.

I don’t have a springbar, but if I did I think I would bring along a small impact and some long lag bolts/concrete bolts for those unforeseen conditions.

 

[Stephen]

I do not have a large tent but my brother has a sweet spring bar 10x10 he said I could have. I’m a little hesitant as it uses stakes and I do a lot of camping in sand so I’m worried it wouldn’t free stand…. Or am I overthinking it? I don’t have any experience with those but I’ve heard they’re great.

Plenty of people are using springbar tents out in the sand, it will be fine. I worry more about hitting solid rock that is just barely below the surface.

I don’t have a springbar, but if I did I think I would bring along a small impact and some long lag bolts/concrete bolts for those unforeseen conditions.

I've loved the Springbar/Kodiak Canvas tents I've had over the years. But I will say that it's a pain 30% of the time because you come upon solid rock that impedes one or two stakes. Like Derek suggests, I've used lag bolts before. but that doesn't always work. Sometimes the rock is hard enough for the stake to make no progress, but soft enough that the lag bolt augers the hole out to where it won't hold.

When I'm out alone I'm a swag bag guy. Takes about three minutes to set up my ARB Skydome and requires no stakes. I also picked up a 23Zero Bandit 1400 this year with an eye to camping with my son as he gets a bit older.

 

[moab_cj5]

Thanks fellas I appreciate it—lots of good info 😎

I have a couple small tents one of which is a Kelty Teton 2 that I am in love with so Cody I hear ya on Kelty tents they’re fan-freaking-tastic.

I do not have a large tent but my brother has a sweet spring bar 10x10 he said I could have. I’m a little hesitant as it uses stakes and I do a lot of camping in sand so I’m worried it wouldn’t free stand…. Or am I overthinking it? I don’t have any experience with those but I’ve heard they’re great.

Anyway I guess the thing to do would be to get out there and see what works and what doesn’t haha.

I would definitely take a free Spring Bar! If you already have the gear to try both ways, I'd say go a few times and switch it up until you find a system that works well for you.

 

[N-Smooth]

I set up a springbar in a parking lot once at a comp. We used a cooler, spare tire and tied it to the truck and trailer to make it stay up. Adapt. Improvise. Overcome or whatever

 

[Cody]

I set up a springbar in a parking lot once at a comp. We used a cooler, spare tire and tied it to the truck and trailer to make it stay up. Adapt. Improvise. Overcome or whatever

I just prefer spending 3 minutes setting up a freestanding 10 lb tent that can handle 70mph wind, and then spending the next 10 minutes watching the canvas tent guys try to adapt, improvise, and overcome while I drink beer.

I remember taking my springbar to lake havasu for spring break while in college. I woke up with a tent on me and some random thinking they were being burlap sacked and kidnapped ha ha. That's the last time I set that thing up...stuck to real tents after that :stickpokeemoji:

 

[DAA]

I'm not sure how I've managed all these years with a Springbar.

And I'm even less sure that Cody knows how to set one up.

- DAA

 

[DAA]

When I don't have the full posse, I have an old Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 3 that works for most seasons and can handle a lot more wind/weather abuse...

My Hammerhead 3 in the wind.

- DAA

 

[Stephen]

I'm not sure how I've managed all these years with a Springbar.

And I'm even less sure that Cody knows how to set one up.

- DAA

I was going to say, I've never had an issue with my Springbar in the wind. But I've personally seen Cody set up tents, and I know the beer comes out long before he's finished...

 

[Cody]

Honestly, that wind doesn't seem as bad as we had out there (also with my hammer head) and that's cool that you set it up in the worst possible orientation to demonstrate that even a poorly situated tent like that can still survive the wind (and **** that spot too. 3 out of the 4 times I've been there have just been a beating with the wind). The Trango would handle it with far less drama, but I don't think there is a tent in the world that would make sleeping in wind like that very enjoyable. Wind just sucks.

How did the Springbar do in that wind?

Also, it would take me at least 30 minutes to setup that old spring bar...probably more. In lake havasu, I set it up after drinking 36 beers so I'm not entirely blaming the tent and under normal circumstances I wouldn't have even cared that it collapsed on me. I get that it's nice to have room and there are advantages to those tents, they just aren't for me, and I think a lot of people that use them aren't always realistic about what they are and what they are not.

Same with RTT's. I think there are lots of places where having one is really nice and there are advantages to them. But there are lots of places that they are not very nice, and for me the cons far outweigh the pros. I think there are a lot of people that think you have to have one to apply for your overlanding badge and post on instagram, when in fact, it's actually ok to go camping...in a vehicle...and sleep in a normal tent.

 

[mbryson]

......, when in fact, it's actually ok to go camping...in a vehicle...and sleep in a normal tent.

WHAT? Blashpheeemmmer!!!!

 

[N-Smooth]

I’ve never thought to myself- you know what would be fun in the middle of the night when I have to piss? Climbing down a ladder. Nope. Then again I’m a travel trailer kinda guy.