Replacing my old 3 person tent now that I have two boys. Just need more room. Also last trip we spent a lot of time in the tent due to rain. I want one big enough to move around in. Will have up to 5 people at times. Was hoping to have enough room for 5 people plus a table or some chairs or something if it's rainy out.

I keep seeing tents with a 17x9 or 13x10 (or similar) footprint. That seems huge to me, but when I think about 5 normal sleeping bags or air mattresses plus some extra room that seems about right. Never bought a big tent for several people though. Any recommendations?

I've looked at REI, Kelty, and Coleman tents. The REI and Kelty are really cool, but also kinda pricey.

What are you looking to spend? Cabelas guide tents are awesome, but pricey.

Yeah I saw those, definitely look good with the full heavy duty fly. Was trying to stay under $300 though. Not that I'm opposed to going over as I've done more shopping now and see the prices, but $550 is probably a little high. This is just family car camping, won't be in any extreme weather or anything.

[This message has been edited by Sweet Kitten Feet (edited 11/22/2013 10:43a).]

When I needed a GOOD tent for 6 weeks of field work, I ended up with a two person tent that was adequate for me and my gear to sleep.

I say that because it has always been my practice to divide the 'tent number' by 2 in order to determine the comfortable number of people it will hold. For my family, I would go no smaller than an 8 person.

Remember, a tents that sleeps eight has no room for gear and has eight people crammed in at of angles

Yeah shopped a little more at lunch. Think I'm leaning towards a Coleman 10 person. It's 17x9. I'd rather have something too big than too small. If we are stuck in the tent at least it would be comfortable. I definitely want to be able to stand up in the center of it. They even make some with screened rooms one end, but some don't have floors in the screened room. Kinda wierd.

General rule we have always gone by is at least 2X the number of people you plan on sleeping in there. If you pack heavier then at least 2X +2.

Also, keep in mind....the bigger the tent...the better sail it makes for storms!

My camping tent was a two person, but it was LOW to the ground. I thought it was a pain in the ass until a windstorm came through in NM and it was one of two tents standing or still on site. Teh other tent was also a North Face lower profile style.

Of course that doesnt matter really for the kind of camping you are doing, but its worth noting.

I have a Coleman we picked up at. WM or Academy years ago-kids used to call it the circus tent. Has held up well all things considered. Of course it takes 12 hrs to assemble.

Nothing wrong with a Coleman tent for car camping. No need to get a spendy REI tent. My Coleman has held up well, but it's a bit heavy for anything else.

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Also, keep in mind....the bigger the tent...the better sail it makes for storms!

My camping tent was a two person, but it was LOW to the ground. I thought it was a pain in the ass until a windstorm came through in NM and it was one of two tents standing or still on site. Teh other tent was also a North Face lower profile style.

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Also depends on how it's guyed out...

These were my tents last week. Stayed dry and cozy in an hour of rain. You don't have to have a tent the size of a house to be comfortable.

Nice! Where was that?

Big Bend, that's a side shot of Mule Ears

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-14x10-Foot-Person-Instant/dp/B003QUT9OE

I've got one of these that I've never opened I bought off Amazon a October 9th for $209. The price has dropped since then. I ended up buying one exactly like it without the extra little room that is the same size but it calls a 10 person tent(10 X 14) before it showed up. I intended to return it to Amazon, but didn't get it done in time and am now stuck with it. I'd sell it for $160 if you're anywhere near Carmine. I plan on going to CS in a couple of weeks if you're around there.
wunderbrad at hotmail dot com

add: I love the instant tent. I've slept in it with my 2 boys, 4 and 6, twice now(both times in the backyard). I don't have a rain fly and it did rain once for a couple hours and no rain got on me. Incredibly easy up and down. Getting the tent up really did take a minute. Staking it down is the slower part of it. The space is nice when you have kids because they love to play / jump around and this affords them plenty of room to do it.

[This message has been edited by wunderbrad01 (edited 11/23/2013 4:57p).]

I did a fair amount of research and landed on a Eureka Copper Canyon 10.

Have looked at the eureka. Was concerned about durability in the floor material. How has yours held up?

On the instant tent I'll let you know. I know others with one and its been mixed reviews.

No issues.

My Magellan cabin tent rocks... Academy cheapie.

So, we have a grocery store chain called Fred Meyer up here in Seattle and they have a sporting goods section. The cheapest tents I've ever seen are from a brand called Glacier's Edge - the joke being that ain't no way, no how that mf'er is ever seeing a glacier. But, for car camping, it's PERFECT...

If you only camp a couple of times a year, I'd definitely get a cheapie...

Brazos - what tent do you have? I'm looking for one to use on IMET trips when I don't get lazy and sleep in the truck. Figure I can't keep borrowing my buddy's Coleman anymore.

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Brazos - what tent do you have? I'm looking for one to use on IMET trips when I don't get lazy and sleep in the truck. Figure I can't keep borrowing my buddy's Coleman anymore.

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Bivy Bag...

Just get camping hammocks!

Years of tent camping experience and this is a far better way of doing it. Takes a little bit more effort to protect from the cold, but WOW it's worth it.

We have two tents. One is a cheap Coleman pop-up tent from Academy. The other is a great canvas tent from Springbar. We've used both extensively in all kinds of weather.

We are very experienced campers in camping in all kinds of weather. After kids came along, we saw the light and got a very simple travel trailer. The time it takes to pack a vehicle full of camp gear, tents, food boxes, water etc. is time consuming. Also, routine camp chores such as cooking/dishes, etc. are much faster when you don't have to live out of a food box and ice chest. With the trailer, we also sleep better and spend more time enjoying the great outdoors. The trailer is always stocked with non perishable food and camp gear so getting ready for a camp trip just means loading ice chests, hooking up and driving off!

We still use the tents for camping trips in rough country where we can't take the trailer.

Pinnacle 10 X 24.....around $500. Lots of headroom. I've used it regularly and in all kinds of weather, including severe thunderstorms. Comfortably sleeps 8 in cots. I've put it up myself a couple of times. Well made and will be buying a second in the spring.

just saw this on Amazon, there is only 20 minutes left to buy it

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TSCF96/ref=gb1h_tit_c-3_7982_ac466a63?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0J2H08H5QHAEJ6KM4F4X&pf_rd_i=5550342011&pf_rd_p=1673797982

I got one from Gander Mountain (their own brand) a month or so ago, but have not used it. Haven't seen them mentioned yet, so I thought I would.

Hey thanks for the heads up. Already got one though. Went with a coleman weathermaster 10 person.