6man tents

[titanium_hiker]

Oh boy, I hate to stay away for a month and then come and ask a question...
Anyway, my school is looking to flesh out its (really pathetic) camping equipment stock. So, they are researching tents etc. Since I'm the "free agent" at the moment, guess who gets to do it...

It must be 3 season, waterproof, cheap(ish), 5-7 man and novice friendly.
it also does not have to be ultralight. NOT ULTRALIGHT.

I've looked at the http://www.summits.co.uk/acatalog/co..._Solana_5.html
Aztec Solana 5

http://www.kelty.com/Kelty/index.cfm...pe=tents&ID=66
Trail Dome 6

and the http://www.summits.co.uk/acatalog/co...amma_650_.html
Vango Gamma 650

thoughts? again, this is for school use.

titanium_geek

Oh, and, I really enjoyed camping/hiking/getting soaked back in October, got my nest and slept out in the hammock for a week straight (then the rains started and my tarp leaks and I have no time to fix it so I'm inside now I've been SUPER busy so haven't been able to hang out around here.

[hikerjohnd]

I've not had much experience with tents that size, but Eureka! has always produced a good product, so I'm sure their big tents are to the same standards...

[Skidsteer]

The only thing that comes to mind is the Eureka Timberline series. Do they make a six man/person? Beats me, but I own the 4-man and it has always been watertight. I worry, however, about the skimpy beaks on the fly, and since we only use it for car camping or insanely large teenage hordes( and I can't remember our last car camping trip ), I haven't had a tremendous amount of experience with it. Perhaps someone else can add to this...
Cheers

[theurbansuburban]

I'd have to agree with John. My Boy Scout troop has been using Eureka tents since I can remember, hold up well too.

[Tin Man]

I'd have to agree with John. My Boy Scout troop has been using Eureka tents since I can remember, hold up well too.

My Eureka has a bath tub floor. I did not really appreciate what "bath tub floor" meant until the time a storm front passed through while my family and I were away for the day. When we returned to the campground, the storm had deposited so much water that the whole campsite was under water and the tent appeared to be sitting in the middle of a pond. As I waded over to the tent there was 4 inches of water by the door, maybe less than an inch toward the back, and much to my surprise the tent was bone dry inside. I carried the kids in and we spent a dry night surrounded by a pond of water.

[peter_pan]

TH,

Welcome back.

I vote with the scout experience..reliable and stands up to lots of abuse...simple to set up....

As to your leaky tarp...get a plastic drop cloth, pebbles in the corners, cover with a simple loop knot and you are back hanging out in comfort in your Nest... Enjoy!

Pan

[general]

maybe a large tarp, 12x12 or something, would suffice in place of a large tent. Eureka's are great tents. Kelty makes some nice large tents too but are probably more expensive. i've got a 10x20 3 room coleman that has always performed remarkably well, and it utilizes their "guaranteed to keep you dry" system. only 4 poles and none of those silly "hubs" that many big tents use to connect poles.

[light_heart]

I'm voting for the Eureka Timberline 6. Great tent, stands up to hard use, dry, dry, dry inside. Two people can put it up in 7 minutes and one person can put it up in 5.

[titanium_hiker]

wow, thanks for the links and comments everyone! thanks a tonne!

The Eureka stuff looks really good- bathtub floor is GOOD. thanks.

titanium_hiker

[Tin Man]

Great tent, stands up to hard use, dry, dry, dry inside. Two people can put it up in 7 minutes and one person can put it up in 5.

Don't you just hate it when someone insists on helping?

[mark10203]

I have a Kelty Grand Canyon 11 for my car camping tent. It's definitely not lightweight, but I can attest to the quality and ease of pitching. I recently seen Kelty's yellowstone 6 and it was somewhat lighter (~18 lbs) for a tent of that size with a good size fly.

[C_Brice]

Look into the Eureka Tetragon Series. "Good" quality and a lot less $$ than the Timberline Series. They have the specs at Campmor.

Ignore the "6 man" rating of all tent brands. Cut it in half or at least by a third, Of coarse "their" comfort isn't your concern, HaHa.

Oh, and the Tetragon Series uses pole clips instead of sleeves. Really makes it easy. I have a Tetragon 7 (7' x 7' not 7 man) that has never let me down.

Enjoy,
Chris

[Sly]

Is this for car camping or backpacking?

If you intend on backpacking, as General suggested, go with a large tarp. I'd think 12' x 14' would hold 6 adequately. Plus it would be alot lighter and cheaper than a 6 person tent.

[titanium_hiker]

no- tents are a must. Tarps is just too radical. Thanks for the links everyone, it's out of my hands now.

Thanks! you guys are time, if not life-savers.

titanium_hiker