What camping set up do you use

Yeah I have been checking into that thread as well. And thanks! Great site so far.

 

sub'd

 

Pretty soon I will need to change my answer from hammock camper to hammock camper/RTT

 

Hey guys I am in the market for a tent. I am looking for something on the cheaper side (under $300). I am using the search function and coming up a little dry. Some basic advice would be awesome or if you are aware of a good thread for noobs. I am going to Moab at the end of May so I am looking for something I can have setup on the ground while I am off wheeling around.

 

What size tent are you looking for? 2 person, 3 person, 4 person? Are you looking for a 3 season tent or a 4 season tent? Are you planning on using it only for Moab and then no more camping or perhaps some car camping later on? Or do you plan on doing some backpacking with it? Lots of variables here bud...

 

Yeah I knew there would be a lot of variables but I just don't know what the variables are. I hunt and fish and have camped, but never had my own setup.

I highly doubt I will be doing any camping in the winter so I am going to say 3 season. I am also guessing 4 season are significantly more expensive.

I am buying it for Moab and hoping to use it 3-4 times a year. I am kinda new to wheeling but in theory I want to drive to places all over the country so I can camp and wheel. I don't know where the cool places to go are yet but I figure I will take a couple of trips a year. I wish I didn't live in flatland USA.


Definitely not backpacking it, but I would be nice if I could set it up by myself.

 

Correct, a 4 season tent will be designed to withstand a significant amount of snow build up as well being much more expensive.

You never stated what capacity you were looking for. I am not a big guy at all, and I find that 2 man tents are just too cramped so I stick to a 3 man tent for car camping (if and when I actually sleep on the ground). You also need to decided if you want a tent with just a 2 pole set up (easier to do by yourself) or a tent with a 3 or 4 pole set up. Almost all tents will come with a rain fly, but you will probably have to purchase a footprint seperately, which you will definitely want as it protects the bottom/floor of your tent.

You will also get lots of advice on where to buy your tent. Lots of people like REI because you can return anything you buy there at any time you would like, plus you will receive a dividend at the end of the year if you become an REI member.

I tend to purchase most if not all of my camping/hiking/backpacking/fishing/climbing gear from . Like REI, you can return any item you purchase from backcountry.com any time you would like and in any condition and you will receive a full refund, minus shipping costs. Peruse their website and section on tents and see what you like. Here are a few suggestions

 

I bought the Marmot Halo 4 from backcountry.com during one of their clearance sales.

It was $300 + free shipping.

It's awesome for truck camping... it's easy to set up by myself and it's palatial. I bring a queen size air mattress, put a 3" memory foam topper on it and it's like sleeping on my Tempurpedic at home.

But it's not so big to make it hard to find enough footprint space in the woods. IMO it's the perfect balance between size, comfort and practicality. It's a 3-season tent and my first night in it was a torrential thunderstorm. Not a single shred of evidence pointing towards compromise at all.

 

The REI brand tents (Half dome 2, 4, etc) are really good, in my experience. They're strong in wind and don't have any condensation (Which has plagued me with tents in the past) that I've noticed. Might check into those. I think they're under $300.

 

REI Tents for the win!

In 2011 at Bonnoville Salt Flats for speed week, I had my tent set up with 6" lag bolts into the salt. We got hit with the worst storm that area had seen in recorded history. The next morning we counted 16 easy-ups and 40 tents pilled next to the trash. The number of stuck vehicles was uncountable, but fun to watch. My tent kept its shape and held off the wind, but.... the lag bolts gave and sent the tent into the canal. We used ratchet straps to fish it out of the canal during the down pour. Was able to recover everything, the cot my tent mate had put a whole in one of the windows mesh. I cleaned it up and took it back to REI, the gave me a brand new tent with out issue.










I am a firm believer in REI's policy and customer service, I know I can find some of the stuff cheaper else where, but they wouldn't back it like REI.


If you want to read the whole store about that trip, check it out here: My Website

 

Those are great tents.

I had the half dome 4 before buying the Marmot Halo 4. The only reason I returned the REI tent was because I'm a loyal Marmot customer and couldn't pass up the clearance sale.

 

REI Tents are def the way to go. I go backpacking and I have the Half Dome 2. Ended up getting the floor model and they marked it down like 15 or 20%. I used to use this tent camping as well before the sleeping platform.

I even used it for 4 weeks on my 6 week road trip to alaska and we had plenty of different weather. It still looks like the day I got it.

Now I just use it for backpacking.. girlfriend likes sleeping in the truck up off the ground.

 

I have many tents that range from average car campers, to very light backpacking tents. My favorite tent for base camping is a Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow VX series tent in 10x10 size. I picked mine up on sale last year for $436 shipped! What a bargain! Lifetime warranty. It is a beast of a tent. The poles plus tent weigh about 68 lbs., but thankfully the poles have their own bag to split up the weight. The canvas tents can withstand incredible punishment, more-so than the nylon/poly variety. I love that I can stand up inside the tent, have lots of room, six windows, two doors, high-quality large YKK zippers, and integrated awning.

The Flex-Bow tents use steel rods to spread the canvas and steel poles. It is an exceptionally sturdy design. I've been very happy with our purchase.

 

I like to party so probably 3-4 man tent range. Seems to me REI or Back Country is the way to go. I have a REI one 1 mile form my apartment so I will go ask them for some advice as well.

Thanks for the info!

That is like 3-4 saying REI is the way to go!

Wow great customer service is worth any extra dollar!

Thanks for the help!

 

This thread is awesome, after reading all 12 pages, i've decided on my setup

1)some sort of color-matched LEER/Similiar Cap with load-bars to carry my 4 person RTT(may as well have the extra space in an emergency or parties.. )

2)Not sure which brand of tent though

3) Expo leaf pack to support the cap, tent, passengers

4) OME Suspension..

I wish i have some money....

 

Got to use my trailer last weekend. Wired up a deep cycle battery for some power


Battery box


Once I got home I decided to change it up a bit and be more functional

 

I'm sorry, man. Not to be a dick, but I used to work at REI and the product replacement policy is for defects .. not for user generated damage. It's stories like that that increase prices for everyone, and threaten the very policy you love. Sorry your tent got damaged by your friend's cot. But that was not REI's responsibility and you abused the policy.

 

My Mombassa tent held up nicely in 40 MPH winds

 

So Sick!

 

This is an awesome set up. Is that a new trailer or something you refurbished? It looks great.

What can you power with the battery set up?

Also, With that trailer setup with the RTT on top, do you think you could then put a couple of kayaks on top of the RTT? I have a couple of fishing kayaks, and when they are in the truck bed I use the trailer hitch for a bed extender.