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Let me preface this by saying I'm 27, married, and have a 2.5 week old girl :D. I was in cub/boy scouts (lots of camping, campground, back woods hiking, below freezing, etc) and have camped maybe 10 times at a campground since then.
My wife and I enjoy camping. We've gone 3 or 4 times in the past 5 years of being together (we both work at different times and seldom, if ever, have any days off together). We had a 6 person (i think) dome but now need to upgrade. The tent we've been using I've had for about 14 years. Three poles, and I can set it up by myself in less than 10 minutes, including the rainfly.
Anyways, with this child, and my wife's summer-long maternity leave, we'd like to go camping at least a few times this year, but need a bigger tent. We currently have a queen blow up mattress, which we hate, and a will be bringing along a pack and play for the baby. We also need room for our clothes, and other baby stuff. Ideally, We'd like this tent to be able to handle our growing family. This means we may be trying for another in the next 1-3 years, and would assume any tent we buy would last that long.
Anyways, I've been looking for the past 2 weeks or so for a tent that would be suitable. Every tent I decide on, I find something wrong with.
These are the tents I've looked closely at, and ruled out:
Wenzel Kodiak - rainfly doesn't appear to have great coverage. Not the greatest of reviews.
Tents I'd like, but still not quite sure
High Sierra Mesa Family Dome - might not have the space we're looking for
Eureka Copper Canyon 1610 - This would be THE PERFECT tent for us, if only the screened area had a floor
Tents currently considering (as of this post)
Kodiak Canvas Cabin with awning (and screen) - My wife likes the screened porch for the youngin'... and there seems to be enough room inside the sleeping area... $700 is a LOT of money....
Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 - Definitely tempting, 12 person tent is plenty big, not sure what the issue is with me not being convinced by it.... Is it an old model? I couldn't find it on their site... and I've been seeing it for $500... my brain is turning to mush looking at all these tents so that might not be the best price... but 520 could get me the Kodiak...
Coleman WeatherMaster Screened 6 tent - Also very tempting - Has 2 rooms, plus a screened room.. a number of bad reviews about the poles bending... but CT doesn't normally see very high winds. For some reason, the "Elite" version has even worse reviews...
In the minimum, we'd like something that will fit us comfortably, with a possibility of a screened area for a pack and play to sit while we are outside of the tent. We aren't against a separate screened tent, but that makes my head hurt even more at this point. BTW, I'm 5'8 and she is 4'11"
At this point we only have a 10x10 ezup (64 sqft) shelter. I know the Kodiak will last, and I have a good friend that might be able to get me a deal at one through cabelas, but are there any tents I'm forgetting about? is the Eureka 1512 a long lasting tent? or am I living in a dream thinking a Chinese-made nylon tent can last 10+ years now.
My wife and I enjoy camping. We've gone 3 or 4 times in the past 5 years of being together (we both work at different times and seldom, if ever, have any days off together). We had a 6 person (i think) dome but now need to upgrade. The tent we've been using I've had for about 14 years. Three poles, and I can set it up by myself in less than 10 minutes, including the rainfly.
Anyways, with this child, and my wife's summer-long maternity leave, we'd like to go camping at least a few times this year, but need a bigger tent. We currently have a queen blow up mattress, which we hate, and a will be bringing along a pack and play for the baby. We also need room for our clothes, and other baby stuff. Ideally, We'd like this tent to be able to handle our growing family. This means we may be trying for another in the next 1-3 years, and would assume any tent we buy would last that long.
Anyways, I've been looking for the past 2 weeks or so for a tent that would be suitable. Every tent I decide on, I find something wrong with.
These are the tents I've looked closely at, and ruled out:
Wenzel Kodiak - rainfly doesn't appear to have great coverage. Not the greatest of reviews.
Tents I'd like, but still not quite sure
High Sierra Mesa Family Dome - might not have the space we're looking for
Eureka Copper Canyon 1610 - This would be THE PERFECT tent for us, if only the screened area had a floor
Tents currently considering (as of this post)
Kodiak Canvas Cabin with awning (and screen) - My wife likes the screened porch for the youngin'... and there seems to be enough room inside the sleeping area... $700 is a LOT of money....
Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 - Definitely tempting, 12 person tent is plenty big, not sure what the issue is with me not being convinced by it.... Is it an old model? I couldn't find it on their site... and I've been seeing it for $500... my brain is turning to mush looking at all these tents so that might not be the best price... but 520 could get me the Kodiak...
Coleman WeatherMaster Screened 6 tent - Also very tempting - Has 2 rooms, plus a screened room.. a number of bad reviews about the poles bending... but CT doesn't normally see very high winds. For some reason, the "Elite" version has even worse reviews...
In the minimum, we'd like something that will fit us comfortably, with a possibility of a screened area for a pack and play to sit while we are outside of the tent. We aren't against a separate screened tent, but that makes my head hurt even more at this point. BTW, I'm 5'8 and she is 4'11"
At this point we only have a 10x10 ezup (64 sqft) shelter. I know the Kodiak will last, and I have a good friend that might be able to get me a deal at one through cabelas, but are there any tents I'm forgetting about? is the Eureka 1512 a long lasting tent? or am I living in a dream thinking a Chinese-made nylon tent can last 10+ years now.
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), 9' ft ceilings, great screening and currently functions as a camping kitchen/rainy day L/R space/extra B/R for short term guests.Wellllllllll actually that's not completely true since I bought a lg Kelty Sunshade last summer. I find it makes a wunnerful sun/rain/windproof shelter in addition to the above.....heehehehe..I'm a bit of a camping gear junkie...... oops.
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