We've been talking about getting some camping gear. This will be a starter set for us. likely just looking for a 2 person tent. Something not ultra tiny. I'm curious what the price points are in quality, what the best brands are for tents/sleeping bags/etc, where you've purchased yours from, and any recommendations.

Thanks!

Car camping or backpacking? There's a bit of a difference especially when it comes to buying tents. I typically go to rei and find what I like and then wait to see it pop up on steepandcheap.com, backcountry.com, camofire, or moosejaw on sale. I love everything about rei, I'm just too frugal to actually buy anything there at full price. They do have rei garage sales where you can get some killer deals. As far as brands go, I would look at sierra designs, kelty, north face, marmot, etc. For the price they are all good brands, I would just start looking at their warranties in case something were to happen (I don't know how hard you will be on your equipment). A good rule of thumb though is the lighter your tent is, the more it is going to cost.



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We've been talking about getting some camping gear. This will be a starter set for us. likely just looking for a 2 person tent. Something not ultra tiny. I'm curious what the price points are in quality, what the best brands are for tents/sleeping bags/etc, where you've purchased yours from, and any recommendations.

Thanks!

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And a 2 person tent is that ... for 2 people. You may want a 3 person.

We would probably start out car camping but I am def interesting in back packing. I just think we'll start out with a couple simple camping trips first. But what is the main difference in tents, backpacking will be more expensive and smaller while car camping is larger, less expensive?

If this is a temporary car tent, try craigslist. There are several good 2 man tents for about $100 on there now.
5 lbs+.
No biggie out of a car. Get's heavy in a pack.

Just search for the big names and tent on craigslist.

If you are not hiking or camping in foul weather, a cheaper dome tent will do fine.

As a Scoutmaster for many years, camping monthly, both car camping and backpacking, the options are limitless.

If you want comfort in your car camping outings (cots, chairs, etc...), I would get a 6 man Coleman or a cheap 6 man form Walmart, Target, eBay, or Amazon. A nice cot goes a long way to providing comfort.

If you are prepared to sleep on a backpacking air pad or air mattress (not a cheap foam pad), I would get a 3 or 4 person backpacking tent (some are even big enough for a shorter cot). They are more expensive but they have metal poles and are generally made better.

The real expense is all the rest of your gear, sleeping bags, cooking stoves, backpack, cooking pots and pans, utensils, etc.

The key is to be patient and attentave to sights and shops that sell camping gear, you can find a lot of great deals (30-70% off).

Good luck, look me up if you have specific questions.

Drevans at Aggienetwork.com

David

Campmor is also a great place to get started with a broad list of products and prices. When I was prepping for a backpacking trip a few years ago thats where I got my basic price points.

We have an REI Half Dome 2+ and it is an awesome tent. It's is small though and with much gear it would be tight. Agree with what's said above about lighter=cheaper. I would also recommend getting a cheaper 3-4 person and starting there. You won't know what you want for permanent until you get started.

Will also add that I have some old camping gear from my grandfathers and I really enjoy using the old style Coleman fuel powered stoves and lanterns. It's heavy but for car camping it is really great. You can find older used stuff on Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist. That stuff just works and it feels good using it. Plus it can run on gasoline in an emergency.

It's fun!

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Campmor is also a great place to get started with a broad list of products and prices. When I was prepping for a backpacking trip a few years ago thats where I got my basic price points.

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Campmor, REI, Sportsman Guide, Overstock.com, Backcountry.com, Amazon, and many other online shops.

I've had great success with Alps Mountainerring Backpacking Tents - starter pricing and good quality. REI and Kelty tents are great if you can buy them on sale.

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We would probably start out car camping but I am def interesting in back packing. I just think we'll start out with a couple simple camping trips first. But what is the main difference in tents, backpacking will be more expensive and smaller while car camping is larger, less expensive?

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Yep. Any large walmart/rei/whatever tent will work for car camping. Once you step up to backpacking tents and worry about weight you look at silnylon and cuben fiber ($$$). You can get some simple tarps and survive, go tarptent, or go full heavier double wall.

I like backpackinglight for good discussion and ideas. A bit of research and you can get a REI/Walmart set of gear or pay $500+ for a single person cuben fiber tent from zpacks. Research twice, buy once. BPL for instance has a used gear forum where you can buy used gear from other members. Other forums are similar. If you are serious about backpacking, lighter is better on the knees.

Mpl - great advice - for every pound of front in weight it feels like an extra 10 lbs as the day rolls on. Every ounce matters.

I've done 100 mile backpacking trips over 10 days and weight is evil!

Check out Snugpak. The company manufactures sleeping bags, tents, packs and clothing. Super high quality stuff.

snugpak.com

Thanks for all the suggestions!

OP,
If you want to get more specific about your wants/needs/price, I'm sure several people can offer suggestions.

For car/cub scout camping, I have a 3 person Field and Stream tent I picked up on clearance from ****'s. For backpacking, I have an old Walrus Archrival or Eureka Timberlite. If bad weather is in the forcast, it's the Eureka....generally speaking, I am not a fan of nylon wall tents.

I've always had to scrape by on the cheap for camping gear, and will camp regardless of the weather. I love to window shop REI/Bass Pro/you name it big box outdoor store, find what I like, and go find it cheaper elsewhere....or more likely, talk myself out of it and go with some 20 year old gear.

Newly finding myself to be a Cubmaster, with little notice, this thread is of interest to me.

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For car/cub scout camping, I have a 3 person Field and Stream tent I picked up on clearance from ****'s. For backpacking, I have an old Walrus Archrival or Eureka Timberlite. If bad weather is in the forcast, it's the Eureka....generally speaking, I am not a fan of nylon wall tents.

I've always had to scrape by on the cheap for camping gear, and will camp regardless of the weather. I love to window shop REI/Bass Pro/you name it big box outdoor store, find what I like, and go find it cheaper elsewhere....or more likely, talk myself out of it and go with some 20 year old gear.

Newly finding myself to be a Cubmaster, with little notice, this thread is of interest to me.

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Welcome to Scouting - I was a Scoutmaster for 10 of the 14 years my boys were involved in scouting - both of my boys are Eagle Scouts. If you have questions, I'd be glad to help.

I'm an Eagle myself, and was on the council camp staff then Philmont staff for a total of 11 summers (and fall/winter season at Philmont). By default I became the Tiger Den Leader back in September. About a week ago I was asked if I would "consider" becoming the Cubmaster, "sure, let me think about it". Next night, during the Court of Honor, "let me introduce our new Cubmaster, effective immediately". Oh. My understanding was about this time next year.

I'm mainly watching this thread to get over my tendency to be extremely cheap on the matter.

Nothing wrong with cost effective - you can find lots of great deals on nice equipment.

I'm still looking for great deals on a regular basis.

I am thrifty....at nearly everything

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We would probably start out car camping but I am def interesting in back packing. I just think we'll start out with a couple simple camping trips first. But what is the main difference in tents, backpacking will be more expensive and smaller while car camping is larger, less expensive?

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Weight (and cost) will be the biggest difference. You must put more effort and thought into choosing your gear and what you're going to bring when backpacking. If you're car camping you bring cots and a cooler and actual cookware, etc. Backpacking means everything is coming with you, on your back. It must fit in your pack, you must be able to carry it, and you have to know what you're going to do for food and water.

This doesn't mean you have to be miserable while backpacking, but the possibility is definitely there. I still have not found a setup that lets me sleep for more than maybe 4 hours a night while backpacking.

The best advice I've received for backpacking and how to cut weight is to look for things that serve multiple functions. Trekking poles that will also serve as your tent supports, for example, or using a puffy insulating jacket to extend the comfort range of your sleeping bag or putting the same jacket in stuff sack and using it as a pillow.

IME, the most comfortable way to sleep is on an air mattress. So if it's you and your wife on a queen sized air mattress, find a cheap tent that is large enough to accommodate that air mattress and your gear.

Obviously if you are not car camping and you are hiking, you won't be carrying an air mattress and that's where you get into the lighter more expensive gear. I have one nice tent a big agnes 2 person tent. But it would never fit 2 adults. Unless you and your wife sleep on your sides spooning. and leave all your gear outside the tent.

If you plan on doing any backpacking in the future, go ahead and spend the little extra now for a backpacking tent. You can use it for both car camping and backpacking, instead of buying a cheap car tent now and a cheap backpacking tent later. You can get a nice Kelty backpacking tent for $100-$120. check out campmor, REI, and backcountry.com

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If you plan on doing any backpacking in the future, go ahead and spend the little extra now for a backpacking tent. You can use it for both car camping and backpacking, instead of buying a cheap car tent now and a cheap backpacking tent later. You can get a nice Kelty backpacking tent for $100-$120. check out campmor, REI, and backcountry.com

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I kind of disagree on just one tent. Yes, if the budget is limited to one decent tent (or two crap ones) OR if the OP plans to start car camping and transition entirely away from it to backpacking, then I'd go for one backpacking tent. But if the future holds car camping still, I'd suggest a more palatial tent right now for car camping. He can get a giant air mattress or cots. You can stand up in the bigger ones. You can take all kinds of things and you don't mind time in the tent. If you add a kid or pets, then if you have that oversized tent, you are already set.

Of course the BP tent also depends on the style of hiking you do. If you have a SO that insists on a bigger tent, then you are stuck. If your idea of backpacking is 5 miles and setup a camping spot at lunch and stay there for 2 days before hiking back out, then a bigger tent is nice. If you hike until evening and use the tent just for sleeping, then a small lighter tent is ideal.

Whatever the decision, definitely research it up and buy the right one first. If you go to REI and you don't like it after a few nights, then you can return it. So there is that advantage to REI.

Eureka Apex 2 and Slumberjack sack for motorcycle camping have made me a happy camper.

Great replies. i think I'll go for a large truck tent to start with and see how much we actually use it. practice reducing supplies we take with us, and if we start really getting into it, move to a backpacking tent.

With that being said, what supplies do you truck tent campers take with you? Small generator recs? Take propane tanks for cooking? Fun parks within 4-5 hours of Houston?

I don't do a generator. I know some do. And while people run their RVs at campsites, I prefer more peaceful environments. Generators detract from the experience of others around you.

I mean honestly, you can do the car camping in style still. (And go minimal on backpacking later.) If you car camp, no reason not to have a big cooler. A big coleman type grill (or charcoal/wood grills depending on where you go). Hell you can take a coffee press. Plan your meal out. Some people like a good tent and a separate nice cooking tarp. That way you can have a congregating area away from the sleeping bags. This is especially nice if you are going with friends. You can take a frying pan and do eggs and bacon for breakfast.



Decide on what you want to eat and drink and how you want to prepare those. Then go to REI, Gander MT, academy, walmart, etc. Look at the stove and cooking options. Shop for a good price. Enjoy. You won't take this setup backpacking but it is a way to enjoy good food and atmosphere while getting away from the city.

From there you can learn what foods are easier and take less work. Do these for backpacking.

For car camping get a Dutch oven. If you have a legit Dutch oven game you will be the envy of the campsites.

Also, as stated before, Coleman stove and lantern do wonders.

I suggest borrowing gear if you have a friend(s) that will loan it to you, with the caveat that you will repair/replace if damaged. That way you get personal experience with different gear/setups.

Both of my sons are Eagles and we went on many high adventure and car camping trips, so I've run the gamut on gear.

All my coleman stuff was found at garage sales and my high end cooking stuff on Craigslist. For tents and bags, I suck it up and find a good bargain on the best I can afford. Oh same goes for hiking boots too.

*Note to Ursus and anyone else who is intereted*

Alps mountaineering has a scout program-as the leader you can sign up the troop and get steep discounts. I really like their gear, had good luck with it and their customer service is great.
Website to register: http://hikerdirect.com/

REI has been known to work with troops also, don't think it's a formal program but we were able to get a good deal on a bulk purchase of tents

Consider hammock camping.

I've camped a lot my day. Recently (few years ago), I started using hammocks instead of tents. To me, they are infinitely more comfortable. Also they are a light option if your hobby develops into backpacking.

I love my Nub shelter and Pares hammock from Sierra Madre Designs. I also have a Clark Jungle Hammock that is great, but heavier and more expensive. I also use a ENO setup in the backyard that doesn't have some of the options of the others, but has held up nicely.

Something to consider...

Thanks for that tidbit.

My camping style, when given my druthers, is car camping meets backpacking. Even car camping, I generally don't like to carry a lot of stuff.

I will admit that I am slowly figuring out that the 1" Thermarest at nearly 40 years old, isn't quite as comfy as when I was 20....dang, just realized I bought that Thermarest back in '96, my first year on staff at Philmont.