5-6 Person Family Tent Under $200

[pint]

I need a new tent and don't want to spend a bunch. I had a Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 which was a great tent. The only problem is the mesh roof. It had a nice rain fly, but no way to close up the mesh ceiling. Even in the summer, the nights get cold in the CO mountains where we usually camp. It may be 80 plus during the day, but 30-35 at night. Even with a tent heater, it all goes out the mesh. I was thinking abut the Bass Pro Shops new 2 room family dome. It's 12x12 and has the mesh ceiling, but it zips shut! At the local Bass Pro it goes for $160. The quality looks decent. I need to sleep 5 people and a dog comfortably. That includes 3 kids, but all are between 5 and 6 foot tall. Anyone have experience with the Bass Pro tents? Any other suggestions? Not picky on brand, just want a good sized tent that I can FULLY zip up when needed. I know for $200 or less I won't get a tent to last a lifetime, but I plan to buy a pop-up in a year or so.

 

[go4aryd]

For your price range and size, you won't find a new one that will keep out nasty weather - not even if you wait for the fall clearances. They all seem to start about $300and up. You might look at Cabelas. Every now and then internet stores have the Sierra Bedouin 6 on clearance (awfully tall, but stormproof), but not for $200. You may get lucky if you look hard enough and long enough and find a used Canvas tent without mildew for that price point.

 

[pint]

Anyone else? Not looking for a 4 season mountaineering tent, just basic family shelter. Really don't want to get wet in the rain. I don't have a problem with used, just looking for feedback on a new one that might work. Typically I wouldn't have a problem spending $400 or more, but I know I am not going to use this more than 5 or 6 times before I buy a pop up camper.

 

[ntsqd]

Bump up the budget another $100 and:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27594 ?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I've bought 2 tents from Costco and been happy with them. It is possible to get a decent tent for that price range. Costco seems to get tents with house brand names that keep changing, but I think the manufacturers are the same.

I've bought two of them, a "3 man" and a "6 man" and both have been acceptable for the price.

I agree that there is a LOT of junk out there. Whenever I go to a car camping place, I see everybody has a cheap Walmart tent, with a tarp over it. I can't believe that the market has evolved to where this is acceptable. I have brought back tents that weren't water resistant. I just won't put up with that ****.

 

[Hltoppr]

Go for the Kodiac that Jeff's selling, you will get a much better tent than nylon, and for a great price!

-H-

 

[go4aryd]

I've bought 2 tents from Costco and been happy with them. It is possible to get a decent tent for that price range. Costco seems to get tents with house brand names that keep changing, but I think the manufacturers are the same.

I've bought two of them, a "3 man" and a "6 man" and both have been acceptable for the price.

I agree that there is a LOT of junk out there. Whenever I go to a car camping place, I see everybody has a cheap Walmart tent, with a tarp over it. I can't believe that the market has evolved to where this is acceptable. I have brought back tents that weren't water resistant. I just won't put up with that ****.

Ditto!!!

 

[08Silverado]

Recommendation

I have had great luck with my Big Agnes Big House 6. I bought this tent at REI last year and have used it 3 times with great success. In April it withstood some very nasty wind and rain like a champ! I think the price for the tent was 300. I added the vestibule which I highly recommend for another 100:bike_rider:

 

[ZREM]

Check out the Coleman Outlet store...you can find some CHEAP stuff there. I have always used cheap tents with great results. Had a 4-man Hillary from Sears that cost me $7.50 on clearance, still works great 10 years later, just grew out of it. Replaced it with a 12x12 from Coleman (has mesh roof, so not for you) that has done well on it's first 3 trips and was only $39....worth a look. Last trip was in September at 9500 ft, was 27* when we set the tent up, slept fine, plenty warm.

 

[Stumpalump]

I have a Eureka Big Kohona that was used once if your interested and are in or near Colorado. Make offer.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=189534

 

[hidesertwheelin]

I would pass on Coleman. We just took our brand new Coleman Galileo 9'x7' tent out this weekend. Not only did it not keep any heat inside (even with the rain fly on), but as soon as it started raining (not hard either), it leaked all over our cloths bag inside the tent. I'm taking the thing back and getting a refund. I'll be keeping an eye on this to hopefully get a new tent that does not leak.

 

[hillbillyjake]

i would also stay away from coleman. wife and i had a 2 room tent when we went to Maine a couple years ago. it rained. we got wet. it had a bathtub style floor and the rain ran right down the sides, through the seams that held the floor to the walls and stood in the floor. not good. just my 2 cents.

jake

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Coleman tents are one thing I found don't live up to the name. They tent to be the same quality as all the other junk.

IMO, any tent that does not have a FULL fly, is junk. The fly can be made of a waterproof material, the tent walls are always "water resistant" at best.

In fact, my 3 man Costco tent is basically a full fly that you deploy first, then you hang the inner tent inside, which is nothing but mosquito netting sewn to a poly floor.

 

[GreenToys]

Here is a big tent from Kmart, it's big that they call it a "family cabin" ...
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_...1P?keyword=Tents+&+Canopies#descriptionAnchor
I'm not recommending it, just curious if it's in the same category as the crapola Coleman mentioned above. I wonder how it's gonna hold up at least to semi-extreme weather and temps.

 

[Conrad_Turbo]

Last year I was looking at the same tent Eureka Copper Canyon 1512, I went with the Columbia Cougar Flats II. I have no regrets with the tent. We went camping this year on May Long weekend...it got to around 20-30°F at night and the tent was cold but the sleeping bag was nice and warm. I have never put a heater in the tent so I couldn't comment on how well it traps the heat.