My partner and I are looking to buy a new tent on sale this winter for our summer camping. The old tent he inherited from his childhood left us absolutely soaked one morning from rain. We are both fairly tall, him 6’2 and me 5’9, so space is a must. We are currently eyeing up the TNF Wawona 6, but I am hesitant based on conflicting reviews.
Things on our ‘dream tent’ list if it helps with recommendations:
1: Waterproof (Rain fly that goes to the ground would be nice)
2: Vestibule (Nice to store extra stuff or firewood out of the rain)
3: High interior height where we can both stand and change with enough space inside the actual tent to put our clothing bags etc.
4: Lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. My partner is a rough guy and a zipper getting caught and ripping the fabric is a fear of mine. No option to repair or replace is also a worry.
5: Sturdy construction and material. As mentioned, my partner is rough, not careless by any means, but him sleepy before coffee is enough cause for concern to consider a concrete tent.
6: Footprint available to purchase or one that comes with. The Wawona 6 footprint is constantly out of stock (I do know of other brands that would fit those dimensions, but those tend to be out of stock).
Things we don’t care about:
1: Weight (We have a truck and primarily do car camping so gear weight is not an issue).
2: Set-up complexity (We both love a challenge, so if it’s a difficult tent to set up, we won’t mind. We do tent set-up during the early afternoons, so plenty of daylight).
3: Colour of tent (I’d like it to be a fun colour but put quality above aesthetic every time).
4: Hanging storage options (In my experience, anything that hangs off of wall tents just causes more wear and tear over time, and it’s more convenient to have stuff neatly packed in a suitcase than dangling).
5: Ventilation (It’s easy enough to open the vestibule to let airflow in, or unzip the waterproof door section to let the mesh sections create airflow, etc.).
6: Price (We would like to get something on sale, as anyone would. But we are willing to spend what is needed to get a quality tent that will last!)
Sorry for this post being so wordy, figured more info is better than not enough!
Edit 1: Made points easier to read by adding spacing.
Edit 2: We live in Canada, some tent models and sizing are not available for us like in other countries.
@Blair
A shade cloth… Interesting. So it still acts as a barrier but has holes for water to drain into the earth? Do you have a link for one you’ve used with success?
Remy said: @Blair
A shade cloth… Interesting. So it still acts as a barrier but has holes for water to drain into the earth? Do you have a link for one you’ve used with success?
It’s just… Shade cloth. My local Home Depot sells it off a big roll, 10’ wide by however long you want it. No brand name on it.
Fyi, double spacing between your lines will format them better in your post and make it a little more readable.
The good news is that good tents don’t have to be crazy expensive if you aren’t concerned about weight. High-cost tents are primarily about using weight-saving materials.
To your point about needing a footprint, in your situation, I’d just get a big tarp instead. Cheaper and more durable than a footprint, and the tarp you can get large enough to extend into your vestibule to give you the ability to step out in socks and put your shoes on a little cleaner outside the tent.
I’ve been happy with my Big Agnes products, and their Spicer Peak 6 seems to fit your bill (other than the color, lol) and is on sale right now.
@Marlowe
Second for Big Agnes. Our Big House 4 was purchased years ago when Gander Mountain went out of business, and it has been awesome. Lots of headroom, and there is a vestibule available, IIRC.
I’d get a tarp to cover wood and not keep it in a vestibule area. I’d be afraid creepy crawlies will be hiding in the woodpile and want to come explore inside my tent. Storing extra stuff would be nice.
Even if a brand has a lifetime warranty, read the fine print. If you break a zipper versus it failing, it may not be covered. You also may pay a lot more for a tent with a longer warranty, so I’d balance cost of the tent with a better warranty vs possibly needing to replace a tent sooner because of your partner being rough on gear.
No need for a footprint. Just get a tarp that doesn’t stick out or it can make water pool under the tent.
Comments for your not cares:
Hanging storage isn’t something I would be concerned with. I don’t even use the little mesh pockets on the lower part of the tent as they never are where I want my odds and ends. I got 2 little collapsible crates (about 4x6). One goes near my head when sleeping for my glasses, phone, tissues (I’m afraid in the dark I’ll squish my glasses), and the other is closer to the door to keep my keys.
I still miss the ventilation I had in my first tent. Window on the door and on the three other sides. All zipped up. My current tent just has a zip-up window in the door and back wall. The sides are mesh. Good for airflow but can get chilly.
What I do for big purchases that tend to go on sale is pick what I want then wait to pounce. Depending on the item, I may narrow it down to a couple of choices to buy on a good sale price.
I currently use a Coleman Sundome 4-person tent for just me (I either camp solo or when with friends, we each use our own tent). Coleman makes larger sizes that would work for your height requirement. I think they are good value tents but not the highest quality. From what you describe, I would look for a higher-end tent in 6 or 8 person sizes.
@Lian
Those are fantastic points! Love the crate idea as I also wear glasses! Did not think about the lifetime warranty vs cost thing, amazing point to consider. My plan is to definitely narrow the tent down to one or two and keep my head on a swivel for sales. Primarily Black Friday and Boxing Day because tents are out of season (is my thinking anyways).
Ashwin said:
Get a tipi with a 12-foot, collapsible centerpole. It’ll be like, a 12 feet square floor plan or maybe bigger. Tons of room & weatherproof for storms.
Do you have a link or suggestion on which one would work well?
Ren said:
My Snow Peak tent kept us dry through 50 mph winds and a rainstorm. The Alpha Breeze satisfies all of your requirements.
My only concern is with such angles and more of a tipi style, moving around the mattress might be a bit uncomfortable. An enclosed vestibule is more ideal than just the roof that can extend out. It does still look like a great option though, thank you for sharing!
@Remy
I’ve been in one and it’s pretty rectangular inside. It’s not tipi-style, really. It’s very tall and spacious. The vestibule can be closed too, it’s just a setup to have it open the way the pictures show.
Remy said: @Ren
Oh interesting, yeah the pictures made it hard to tell!
If price and weight are no concern, the Land Locks are really enormous. Two 6-foot-tall people can stand and move around it easily, and it has a giant covered vestibule that you can hang out in and have an entire camp kitchen setup. And they are completely waterproof, they also survived the 50 mph rain and winds.
. Great suggestion!