So you want to buy a tent?

[mamaloya]

Now that I know I can post pics, here is a pic of our small dome

And here is our screen room

This is so cool. Hey, now I maybe can post some pics of our site from Feb on the pic thread.

 

[juligrl]

1) What brand/model tent do you have?
I have a Greatland 2 room dome tent with a screen porch.

I don't use the divider so I use it as a large one room tent.

2) What size?
I believe it's 16'W x 15'D, but that includes the porch area.

3) Cabin or dome and why you prefer one or the other.
I have the dome version, but I actually prefer cabin style since they generally have more headroom. For being a "dome" it's pretty generously sized. I'm 5'8" and I can stand up in the center of my tent which works for me! Also since it's usually just me setting it up, I find it easier to set up a dome style solo than a cabin style.

4) How many in your family?
4 + a small dog but my husband doesn't camp (okay he's giving it a try this weekend). Usually it's just me and the kids and the dog and we have tons of room!

5) Do you use cots, air mattreses, sleeping pads, bags, etc and how many can you fit in your tent and would there be room to spare?
Air mattresses and sleeping bags. I have two air mattresses that were handed down from my parents - about 25" wide and 72" long. My youngest daughter sleeps in her pack 'n' play crib. I'd like to purchase two Big Agnes air mattresses eventually.
I have 108" that I consider sleepable area side to side (if an adult sits up quickly they won't bump their head on the tent). The air mattresses I have and like work well with my tent. I can fit four and have room for a bag for each person and there's still room for the dog. I wouldn't want to sleep the 7-8 the box says it can - 4 is quite comfortable.

6) Did you seam seal or dry coat it and did it keep you dry?
I seam sealed because I thought I should. I toss tarps over the doors/windows at the ends of my tent in threatening weather anyhow so I couldn't tell you if it would leak or not.

7) Do you use a fan, a/c or heater and how is it set up?
I have not used any of those but I've never needed to either. If I were to be camping with electric and wanted to use my fan I would just leave an area in the center and toss my oscillating fan on a crate and let it cool the place down.

8) Do you use a screen room and what brand and size?
My attached porch is my screen room. I can fit 4 folding camp chairs in there snugly.

I got my tent at Target last year right after Thanksgiving. It was originally $129 marked all the way down to $27. Yeah, I snatched that puppy up despite it's terrible reviews. No complaints - yet. They now carry a slightly different version

a cabin tent I believe. If that one goes that low too I may be starting a tent collection.

My whole family is going camping soon and I will definately post some pictures! The non-camping husband is camping so I will be documenting the moment!

 

[nuke]

We have two tents. An old Greatland cabin tent that we love for the room but is so hard to put up. It's also got some twisting going on that we can't figure out. So we bought a Coleman dome tent. It's super easy to set up but I'm not liking the mesh roof with the fly. It gets really cold in there (we only spring and Fall camp) and there is no way to close the windows since the entire roof is a window.

I'm trying to talk DH into buying another tent with a solid roof and windows we can zip up closed however we have been having trouble finding one to even consider it.
Does anyone have a recommendation for tent with a solid roof?

 

[mamaloya]

How much harder is it to set up a cabin than a dome?

I know with a dome it is usually just 2 poles X'd on the top and one person can usually manage to get it up, 2 for the larger ones. Just slide the poles through the sleeve, push the clip in the end and then push and the put the clip in the other end of the pole. Then attach the rain fly.

It has been so long since we owned a cabin. How easy is it to get the poles in and push the tent up? What do the poles attach to? Is it a definite 2 person job?

Also, most domes tents can be moved after setup if need be w/o taking them down. Then, stake it down when you find your spot. I assume with a cabin that you cannot do this. If I remember correctly, you must stake it down first and then put the poles in and up. Is this correct?

 

[OK GRUMPY]

Juligrl you have my tent. Mine is just like yours!

 

[juligrl]

Juligrl you have my tent. Mine is just like yours!

We just got back from a great family camping trip this weekend! I'm still loving my tent!

 

[romarbeardies]

My husband and I are going to be camping for the first time in years at FW the last week in Oct.
What I really need is advise on a bed for him. The double inflatable doesn't let him get up easily and with his health problems , he is up at least 3-4 times a night. A cot tends to flip over when he tries to push himself up and he really doesn't like them. The twin portable bed with legs that I set up this week will let him get up but will not hold the air for more than a couple of hours. My husband isn't that large, but is 6'1 and 235lbs We replaced it this weekend and will set it up and see if it was maybe just a leak. I can't remember the manufacture but has anyone any other ideas. Should I get a double size just for him? What are those in a bad like other than expensive, big and heavy

Thanks

 

[2goofycampers]

My husband and I are going to be camping for the first time in years at FW the last week in Oct.
What I really need is advise on a bed for him. The double inflatable doesn't let him get up easily and with his health problems , he is up at least 3-4 times a night. A cot tends to flip over when he tries to push himself up and he really doesn't like them. The twin portable bed with legs that I set up this week will let him get up but will not hold the air for more than a couple of hours. My husband isn't that large, but is 6'1 and 235lbs We replaced it this weekend and will set it up and see if it was maybe just a leak. I can't remember the manufacture but has anyone any other ideas. Should I get a double size just for him? What are those in a bad like other than expensive, big and heavy

Thanks

You might want to start a new thread, you might get missed in this one.

 

[romarbeardies]

Thanks for your advise. I have started a new thread

 

[juligrl]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1852624&page=5
In case any tenters are interested, I posted my latest tent camping adventure pictures on the other thread.

 

[Pinkee77]

How much harder is it to set up a cabin than a dome?

I know with a dome it is usually just 2 poles X'd on the top and one person can usually manage to get it up, 2 for the larger ones. Just slide the poles through the sleeve, push the clip in the end and then push and the put the clip in the other end of the pole. Then attach the rain fly.

It has been so long since we owned a cabin. How easy is it to get the poles in and push the tent up? What do the poles attach to? Is it a definite 2 person job?

Also, most domes tents can be moved after setup if need be w/o taking them down. Then, stake it down when you find your spot. I assume with a cabin that you cannot do this. If I remember correctly, you must stake it down first and then put the poles in and up. Is this correct?

Did this get answered? Because I was wondering the same thing. I'd like to have a tent I can stand up in. But since it's just me and the kids, I need one that only takes one person to put up. (I typed that sentence 3 times and it still doesn't sound right.)

 

[juligrl]

Did this get answered? Because I was wondering the same thing. I'd like to have a tent I can stand up in. But since it's just me and the kids, I need one that only takes one person to put up. (I typed that sentence 3 times and it still doesn't sound right.)

I can only answer from my experience so for what it's worth...
I've never tried to set up a cabin tent by myself. My parents have an older cabin tent, but we have always set it up as a family - I don't think I could get it up without becoming a comedy show, by myself. Again though, I've never tried.
I do set up my Greatland by myself without too much struggle. I can definately stand up in there as the center height is at least 6'. Hope that helps.

 

[mamaloya]

There are many dome tents, the larger ones, that you can stand up in the middle in. I am planning on putting our air mattresses on the ends and leaving room in the middle for standing up in.

 

[bamanukes]

Juligirl, My wife just bought the greatland 7-8 person tent you have, the poles are supposed to be color coded and they are not, and no instructions with it. Do you happen to have the instructions that you could email me or post them here so that we can use the tent? Thanks

 

[momoffive]

Juligirl, My wife just bought the greatland 7-8 person tent you have, the poles are supposed to be color coded and they are not, and no instructions with it. Do you happen to have the instructions that you could email me or post them here so that we can use the tent? Thanks

We have the same tent and we love it. I have extra copies of the instructions, I will try to scan them in tomorrow and post it here. I think I am the only one that got the instructions with their tent. It is easy to set up. DH and I can have it set up in less than 15 mins. We just have a hard time finding the right placement for the rain flap. We keep it on all the time. Never sealed it either. We will be setting it up next weekend to do this though. And it is too tight for the 7 of us. Made an emergency run to Wal-Mart last December and got another dome tent same size no screen room.

I saw at K-Mart though a huge Family Cabin tent that was 14 x 20. Does anybody have that? It was on sale at one point for $ 150. I was thinking if it was more squared off we might have an easier time with all of us in the same tent.
Loretta

 

[juligrl]

Juligirl, My wife just bought the greatland 7-8 person tent you have, the poles are supposed to be color coded and they are not, and no instructions with it. Do you happen to have the instructions that you could email me or post them here so that we can use the tent? Thanks

Did you get the instructions? PM me with your email address and I can send them to you in pdf form. I actually had to have them sent to me too as mine were missing as well.

 

[juligrl]

We have the same tent and we love it. I have extra copies of the instructions, I will try to scan them in tomorrow and post it here. I think I am the only one that got the instructions with their tent. It is easy to set up. DH and I can have it set up in less than 15 mins. We just have a hard time finding the right placement for the rain flap. We keep it on all the time. Never sealed it either. We will be setting it up next weekend to do this though. And it is too tight for the 7 of us. Made an emergency run to Wal-Mart last December and got another dome tent same size no screen room.

My tent has been set up in the backyard for the past couple of days and I did at one point have eight people in there very comfortably - me, a 7 year old, a 6 year old, DD5, two 4 year olds and two 2 year olds. It can be done!
Once I had my "duh!" moment with the fly I've never struggled with it since. There is a Greatland logo that gets centered above the porch door. Find that, fasten it down and the rest is easy.

 

[BRDof3]

Just noticed this thread after the update this AM. The previous posts predated my joining the DIS, so I never saw this thread in bold.

1) What brand/model tent do you have?
We have a 10x20' cabin tent from Cabellas. Cost a lot, but we couldn't get the Sears/Wal-Mart types to last very long. I love the all-enclosing rain fly. If you have it spaced good at ground level, we get a better cooling breeze all closed down than with the fly up and the windows open, depending on the wind.

3) Cabin or dome and why you prefer one or the other.
The cabin style is better for us, though some of the domes look like they'd have more walking room when all the air mattresses are out.

4) How many in your family?
5, plus the dog and any friends.

5) Do you use cots, air mattreses, sleeping pads, bags, etc and how many can you fit in your tent and would there be room to spare?
6 is the most we have tried at one go, and it worked out fine, even with the dog.

6) Did you seam seal or dry coat it and did it keep you dry?
We never have done either one (bad Daddy, I know), but this tent has a rain fly that cocoons the whole tent. So far it's never leaked. Of course, we don't normally go out if the weather looks too iffy. We have made it through rain dry, though.

7) Do you use a fan, a/c or heater and how is it set up?
Fan, but I should have rigged up AC a long time ago.

8) Do you use a screen room and what brand and size?
It's a 10x10, I think. We've had it so long that I forget the brand. I like using it, though I don't always take it. It usually has the table in it, and the coolers and kitchen tub. I try to set it up just off the front door/canopy of the tent to make a better shading on the front door.


After several years in a tent, DW and I have set next Spring to have a TT or hybrid. We both just want to have AC, better storage, and a fridge/freezer. Until then I'll enjoy lying in the tent listening to the crickets at night, and the birds in the morning.

 

[momoffive]

Once I had my "duh!" moment with the fly I've never struggled with it since. There is a Greatland logo that gets centered above the porch door. Find that, fasten it down and the rest is easy.

Yeh, We have that "Duh" moment every time we set it up. I can never find it, and I know what I am looking for it. Blame my blondness.
Loretta