Eureka Sunrise or N!ergy?

[5terre]

http://www.eurekatent.com/p-83-eurek...-11-tent.aspx#
http://www.eurekatent.com/p-73-nergy-1210-tent.aspx#

I have narrowed down to these two tents. I can get them locally on sale (plus Eureka has a rebate going on now) and I need it asap. I prefer the 12x10 shape of the N!ergy (I won't be using the electricity!). Will the Sunrise get more wet because of the tented fly? Also, there seems to be a difference in the material (1200mm vs 800mm) and also the floor material; is this much of a difference?

Vegasdesertfox, I would appreciate your input, since you are so familiar with the Copper Canyon which has some material similarities. Thanks!

I have learned so much here already. I think I must have had a tarp folded incorrectly or sticking out under my tent once when we had a river running under it. And seam sealer? Had never heard of it before.

[renodesertfox]

http://www.eurekatent.com/p-83-eurek...-11-tent.aspx#
http://www.eurekatent.com/p-73-nergy-1210-tent.aspx#

I have narrowed down to these two tents. I can get them locally on sale (plus Eureka has a rebate going on now) and I need it asap. I prefer the 12x10 shape of the N!ergy (I won't be using the electricity!). Will the Sunrise get more wet because of the tented fly? Also, there seems to be a difference in the material (1200mm vs 800mm) and also the floor material; is this much of a difference?

Vegasdesertfox, I would appreciate your input, since you are so familiar with the Copper Canyon which has some material similarities. Thanks!

I have learned so much here already. I think I must have had a tarp folded incorrectly or sticking out under my tent once when we had a river running under it. And seam sealer? Had never heard of it before.

Howdy 5terre,
To begin, thanks for your gracious comment! Secondly, thanks for joining in the best camping boards around! And lastly, seems like you have already answered your own question...you like the N!ergy! Nothing wrong with that.

The Sunrise footprint is smaller but at 11x11 it's plenty big. The sunrise has a thicker taffeta construction of 400mm and adds a couple of more pounds to the carry weight(but that is no big deal) and is constructed better to withstand more wind. The N!ergy only has two openings, the doorway and the rear wall window, so a warmer tent at night.The Sunrise has 4 windows for great airflow. The footprint of the N!ergy is larger than the Sunrise but it has the option of two rooms(you might like that). Concerning rain; when it rains everything that is out in the rain will get wet. And when camping in the rain, I have always liked Eureka tents because that is the class of tent that I can afford. Yes, there are better tents out there but I can't afford those models. If I know that rain is likely, I always have a larger tarp that I hang over the tent itself(at least 3' higher). Which tent is better...and if I were you, I'd go with gut feeling!

Besides the Sunrise is more expensive than the N!ergy, still go gut feeling. Happy camping! Let us know how your trip was and include some photos too. Your imput is just as good as mine, probably better.

[tplife]

My God! Almost $300? Just the peanut gallery here, but I'd head off to Costco or Walmart, use their tent and take it back later if you need it in a hurry. When you have more time, do a bit more research and go to Ebay. You can get higher quality tents with real vestibules (those tents will be come sails or noisy night rustlers in the wind and scoops in the rain), lifetime guarantees and repair facility options. Note also that Eureka! has higher-end quality tent lines too, the Sunrise and the Tetragon (I own a Tetragon too) are the more economical lines. And by sitting through a couple of auctions, you'll pay about 1/2 of retail price for new-in-the-box tents. Just a 2nd opinion here, not to critique you or 'Vegas.

[5terre]

Vegas After more hours agonizing and reading reviews, I learned that the N!ergy had mesh on the sides instead of zippered windows and can be cold. Also the price was less, yet it came with all that wiring, so I deduced that perhaps the Sunrise was slightly better material. So, I went with the Sunrise! It is now assembled in a room inside my townhouse (totally hilarious, impossible to take a picture that shows the tent and what's left of the room). The fly will have to wait, this thing is already 1/2" from the ceiling. My husband thinks I'm nuts. He is not a camper. Last year we added air mattresses, which helped as he's not complaining too much about going this time (plus it didn't rain last year, the year before was a different story). This year we're adding a massive tent that he can stand in, I think we'll all be a lot more comfortable. So we went from 7x7 to 11x11, and the size difference is shocking. It's only us and our 5-year-old, but we want room for a sibling or a friend, and I don't want to buy another tent for a long time. And we should be able to fit four across on air mattresses, which was a priority.

tplife Good to know. I got it on sale $60 off plus a $30 Eureka rebate, so it was $200 plus tax. I wanted to be able to easily return it and wanted it now, so this turned out to be a great deal for me at this time. I thought about the Tetragon (it was out of stock), do you like it? We have a small Coleman Sundome that has suited us fine, and I would have gone that route again, but the reviews for the larger one on Amazon (and pretty much all the Coleman tents) were really poor.

Will I feel embarrassed camping with this huge monster? The material seems good. The floor especially is much thicker/heavier than the LL Bean tent I am returning. And nothing like the tarp-like bottom of my Coleman. So now I have to figure out how to seal it.

[renodesertfox]

Howdy 5terre,

Okay, so we both learned a thing or two! (Heehee)! When we bought our Copper Canyon 10x10' we too set our tent up in our dining room and it took almost every inch of space. I had to moved our massive 12 seated table and chairs onto our patio. What a blast it was setting the tent up as sure as I'm sure so was your experience. I know your husband will love the idea of standing up in the tent!

Go back to the store and purchase some seam sealer(Walmart's brand will do just fine). On a sunny day, take your tent, the seam sealer, a step ladder and a small bag of corn starch to a local city or town park. Set up your tent and seal every seam, inside and out, all rivets, all groumets, and the bottom floor seams as well. If pinched for time once over is good. Use a smooth thin coat over those parts, and let it air dry(1 hour). Then repeat and air dry again(1 hour). If you have to do it in a hurry then use the corn starch over the seams after you seal them. The starch will dry the sealer faster for you. I recommend the starch also so that when packing away your tent anything that might be damp won't stick to each other and cause any tears. Or if you know when you are camping and it's not going to rain, then seal your tent on your camping trip. Being overly protected with sealed seams is great satisfaction when it's pouring outside and you are dry as the desert inside!

Note: Someday when your child is older(he/she) may want his own little pup tent to escape his father's snoring, but for now that will wait. Heehee. And my bride always shops of ebay for jewelry and gets great deals, but I have always had bad luck with trying to purchase great camera gear because the price is usually driven too high. Oh well, e-bait is good for certain things & bad for others.