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Family camping tent help

5K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  Tam631 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi!!
We are a family of 5 who camps about once a year for 2 weeks every year. (Because we have to...) And are new in the country and need to get supplies from scratch. Help!

We were given a tent last year that leaked like a sive. :thumbdown: Not cool. And our air mattress went flat for the last 4 days as well. So last year was not too fun. Now we have a few months till we have to do it all again...

So, what is the best family camping tent with small boys - 4, 6 and 9yrs, a gunho dad -6' 6", tons of clothes - because we need to be ready for all weather conditions, 1 frazzled mother... ? With a queen sized air matress, 2 single air matresses, and a cot. A borrowed gazebo thingy, and no stove yet... Who are camping for a church camp meeting - which requires church clothes on 2 of the 14 days. ;)

We will be camping north of Lansing, MI. Any info and advice would be great.

Thank you!
Tami
 
#2 ·
Flys... full coverage??

Can I ask about flys on the tent? We will be camping in a rainy / windy area... that is gaurenteed to have rain at least 2 - 3 nights out of the 14 we will be there.

Everyone I have spoken to says to get a tent from LL Bean or Cabela's: Browning® Cobble Mountain Tent type tent to stay dry.

I really need alot of room for 4 air matresses (1 being a queen) and all our stuff for camping. And I really need to stay dry... any input would be great.

Thank you!
Tami
 
#3 ·
Personally I hate air mattresses... They ALWAYS leak because the nozzles are not designed to hold the air on the cheap fabric after you put 300 to 400 lbs of body on top of them. I hope you are better ones. I use Thermarest types (closed cell foam inside and a screw type air fitting.

The only recommendation I have is to keep things simple. Do not treat camping or tenting like at home. Think more primitive. Sure it's fun to have gadgets to bring along, but if you don't need it don't bring it. It's just more space and weight being taken up.

Know the rules and guidelines for wherever you go BEFORE you go, including food storage, quiet hours, condition of facilities, sizes of campgrounds, weather condition and prepare for the worst.

I can say so much more but most of this makes more sense over time and I certainly don't want to discourage.

The last thing I'll recommend is that you treat ANY and ALL mishaps as learning experiences. I have learned to NEVER let a bad thing get me down.
 
#4 ·
Get information on products and buy the best you can afford, if you take proper care of a well made article it will last a long time without failure. Just be aware that many camping products are just conveniences and not essentials.

Look to anything that goes into your camping cargo as a potential menace; you will discover how easy is to be overloaded so keep it simple.

There are many good tents for families in the market (I personally like the Kelty brand, even if not bought one for a log time).

If you are planning for a base-camp and not hiking-camping I would say that military cots are another possible option for the sleeping quarters.

Include a basic survivor & medic kit for emergencies. (There are many posts already in the forum about tents, safety, and tips).
:10220:
 
#5 · (Edited)
Thanks for the input guys.
I think being a Pastor's wife and having to be there at the camp for 14 days and run the camp for the kids is a really busy time. The camp has a 24hr Medic service, and a cafeteria... and Classes for all aged kids, and adults. A full Blown Christian Church Camp. :)

So, I guess all I am looking for is a tent big enough to hold all of us sleeping and some stuff... Our clothes got soaked last year, with the leaky tent and the rain.
And having to be there for 14 days in Michigan where the weather can differ by day (I'm told one year it snowed!)... and we are prone to hurricanes.

So - what kind of tent will do for us 5? (Keeping in mind we have growing boys...) lol!

Thanks again!
Tami
 
#7 ·
Get a tent with a "Fly" that covers all the way to a tent's floor. Those flys that only cover parts of the very top are COMPLETELY USELESS, use "seamsealer" on all the seams. This should help keep you drier and most of all. DO NOT touch the sides of a tent or have anything touching the sides of the tent when it's raining.

If your tent is big enough, use cots to keep you elevated (optional, use something at the bottom of the cot to prevent the tent floor from being torn over time.
 
#8 ·
Thank you Kamperman, I will check out your links.

Art, I think I am beginning to understand the importance of a full fly. I sure wish we could afford to get us all cots... Of some kind. We are hoping to buy our 2 smaller boys a cot bunk from cabelas. Maybe in a few years we'll have it all together. This year we are packing in plastic totes instead of suitcases... Hope that helps some. ;)
 
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