Inexpensive Family Tent

[The Solemates]

We have backpacking tents, but we want to get an inexpensive family tent for car camping.

It will serve two purposes:
1) We often travel out West with family and peak bag while grandparents watch the kids at the campground.
2) We often take long weekend trips (like this coming Memorial Day) and take everything but the kitchen sink (kids, cooler, dog, fishing gear, etc).

Here's some of my hopes:

- less than 10 lbs in the case I ever want to pack it in
- less than $150 but the cheaper the better
- decent quality
- decent rainproofness
- decent room for 4 (and perhaps a dog if its raining, but not a must because I usually set up a tarp too)

One that I'm looking at is the Eureka Tetragon 8 (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28226). It may be hard to beat since its only $85 with the rebate. But then again I'd rather pay more if this tent leaks and the zipper rips the first time, etc.

Any experience with this tent? Any other suggestions?

[Red River Falls]

They had a 4-person Alps Mountaineering tent for half off. Price at about $125. Lightweight for backpacking. I don't know if they have any left, but it seemed like a good buy.

[Red River Falls]

The tent I mentioned above (4-person Alps Mountaineering tent) is gone. There are numerous other tents on the outlet site, but I am not sure if there are any which meet your criterion.

[kayak karl]

Target is having a sale on tents

[Tinker]

Coleman products are better than most people think for family use.
Marmot has a tent on sale at Sierra Trading Post - a dome with mesh walls and a full fly, but it's over $200. and has somewhat mixed reviews.

[longhiker]

I've used a different 3 person Eureka tent (Juno) and it has served us many years.. great sturdy floor, great in rain/ wind... once it took an unexpected fall snowstorm with serious winds in shenandoah np. we bailed and drove to a lodge but the tent was completely dry and fine the next morning.

[Dobie Swift]

We have backpacking tents, but we want to get an inexpensive family tent for car camping.

It will serve two purposes:
1) We often travel out West with family and peak bag while grandparents watch the kids at the campground.
2) We often take long weekend trips (like this coming Memorial Day) and take everything but the kitchen sink (kids, cooler, dog, fishing gear, etc).

Here's some of my hopes:

- less than 10 lbs in the case I ever want to pack it in
- less than $150 but the cheaper the better
- decent quality
- decent rainproofness
- decent room for 4 (and perhaps a dog if its raining, but not a must because I usually set up a tarp too)

One that I'm looking at is the Eureka Tetragon 8 (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28226). It may be hard to beat since its only $85 with the rebate. But then again I'd rather pay more if this tent leaks and the zipper rips the first time, etc.

Any experience with this tent? Any other suggestions?

This one is a little heavier and a little pricier than your parameters allow but I have had one for about 10 years now and am tickled pink with it. The quality is top notch and I have never gotten wet in it despite riding out some hellacious storms in it. The included vestibule would be perfect for gear and/or the dog...

http://tinyurl.com/2ar7ghy

[The Solemates]

http://www.target.com/s/ref=in_se_pagelist_btm_3?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&fromGsearch=true&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchRank=target104545&keywords=tent&searchPage=3&searchSize=30&searchBinNameList=purchasing_channel%2Csubjectbin% 2Ctarget_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin

http://www.target.com/Kelty-4-Person-3-Season-Getaway-Tent/dp/B0031SGN4U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&qid=1273243536&frombrowse=0&fromGsearch=true&node=1038576%7C1287991011&keywords=tent&searchSize=30&id=Kelty%204-Person%203-Season%20Getaway%20Tent&searchBinNameList=purchasing_channel%2Csubjectbin% 2Ctarget_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchRank=target104545&sr=1-5&searchPage=2

...two more

[The Solemates]

http://www.target.com/Coleman-Hooligan-4-Person-Tent-9%E2%80%99/dp/B001TS8OEG/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&qid=1273243589&frombrowse=0&fromGsearch=true&node=1038576%7C1287991011&keywords=tent&searchSize=30&id=Coleman%20Hooligan%204-Person%20Tent%209%E2%80%99&searchBinNameList=purchasing_channel%2Csubjectbin% 2Ctarget_com_age%2Ctarget_com_gender-bin%2Ctarget_com_character-bin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchRank=target104545&sr=1-17&searchPage=3

[flemdawg1]

Myfamily of 5 and I use a Kelty trail Dome 6. Big enough for all 5 (our 3 kids are still somewhat small) and a couple of duffle bags for clothes. Vents well & very dry. But you pay for the quality @ $300new, and its 13lbs. I got mine thru outdooroutlet.com 2 yrs back for $200, refurbed.

For 4 people car camping, a 4-man tent is dang tight. trust me you'll like having the extra space.

[flemdawg1]

Link to Kelty Trail Dome 6 for $200
https://www.mountainsports.com/MSmain.asp?Option=Detail&Detail=081853

[flemdawg1]

Oops that sold out, heres one for $208.

[flemdawg1]

Adding the link may help.
http://www.bobwards.com/products2.cfm/ID/9519

[mister krabs]

Alps taurus 4, two doors & vestibules on a full fly to the ground, 159$ from overstock, waaaay better quality than eureka. I have a taurus 5 and can't recommend it enough, it's built like my friend's NF basecamp tent. If you're willing to give on the weight, there's an Alps meramac 6 with heavy duty zippers & floor and stand up room inside for the same price on the same site.

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/ALPS-Mountaineering-Taurus-4-AL-Tent/3930888/product.html?rcmndsrc=2

[brotheral]

I'd spend some more money and get higher quality... We have a SD Nomad 5 which has a floor appx 8'x10'. They don't make it any more, but I'm sure they have something comparable. Sat through some real gully-washers in The Smokies w/o any water in the tent. The stake out grommets were wearing out. I called SD customer service, mailed them the canopy, and it was returned in one week with all new ones. :) Eureka makes some pretty good family tents, but you can do better with Sierra Designs, Marmot, Mountain Hardware, and some others. I also have a Eureka Sunrise, but I wouldn't count on it in a storm. I'd cover it with a large tarp....:-?
Good luck !! It's been my experience with tents that you, pretty much, get what you pay for. A cheap tent is "A Cheap Tent" :eek:

[The Solemates]

i went with the coleman hooligan 4 bc i picked it up for $80. the only downside I could find for this tent was that it has fiberglass poles instead of aluminum. i think it will be ok for our purposes though.