Recommend Me a Family Tent

JimB on 27/03/2017 - 14:08
Last edited 27/03/2017 - 14:09

Hi,

As the name suggest, Recommend Me a Family Tent or what to look for.

Family of four with 2 toddlers, but would like the extra room for storage/changing etc, so was thinking of a 8 to 10 person tent. No one in history has managed to sleep 10 people in a 10 person tent.

We don't camp in winter, so it doesn't need to be super heavy duty.

I want something reasonable in quality to last us for many years, we would camp only twice a year.

Something easy to set up would be good.

After borrowing tents off others, it's time of buy one for ourselves.

Budget $200 to $600. Happy to spend more if it's worth it.

So any particular tents I should be looking at? Happy to buy from eBay, seems much cheaper than in store.

We're going camping this weekend, I have a feeling I will borrow a tent again lol while looking out for sales or delivery from eBay.

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • dasher86 on 27/03/2017 - 14:17
    +1

    FYI anaconda have 25% off store wide. Might be worth going instore for a look.
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/299213

    • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 14:19

      Thanks, I did see that, but nothing that great I could see.

  • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 14:18

    Is something like this that bad because it's pretty cheap- http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OZTRAIL-SEASCAPE-3-ROOM-SLEEPS-10…

    I've seen Oz Trail being sold in store too.

    • zerocritical on 28/03/2017 - 07:24
      +1

      I'd recommend to stay away from the "room" tent. The rooms on the sides are so claustrophobic. First, it usually only fits double mattresses not even queen. The person who sleeps on the side (toward tent wall) has their face touching the tent wall. It's ok if you want to put one single mattress on each of the room on the side. Mind you the centre room is usually not water proof (i don't know in this particular tent though)

      • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:09

        Thanks for the tip!

  • btech on 27/03/2017 - 14:27
    +4

    For your budget, I would probably recommend this one:
    https://www.snowys.com.au/instant-up-gold-10p-tent

    If you can stretch a bit more, then this one has all the extra room you could possibly want, but it doesn't go up as quickly. You can't beat the "instant up" for speed. I personally have this Brampton, but on a recent friends camping trip no less than 4 other families had the Coleman. They were all very happy with it.
    https://www.snowys.com.au/brampton-family-dome-tent

    ps. I am not in any way affiliated with Snowys, but I can highly recommend them

    • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 14:58

      Your Brampton Family Dome Tent looks hardcore! lol.

      The Coleman Instant Up Gold 10P Tent is now on my list due to the speed of setting up. Great to know they were happy with it.

      hmmmmmm The Coleman or the Oztrail at half the price?

      • kazoomyn on 28/03/2017 - 07:56
        +1

        Outdoor Connection Bedarra or Heron. Aussie company. If you're only camping in hotter months you will really appreciate their ventilation system, designed for Aus conditions. Pretty much straight sides as they aren't really dome, has like a spine runs down the middle. My folks have the Bedarra, good quality, lots of room, easy to put up. Not instant no, but for the quality, room and ventilation in an Aussie summer storm, any extra time is worth it. Tentworld have for $549 and $499 respectively at the moment.

        • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:09

          Outdoor Connection seems like a good tent too.

          I may visit Tentworld as they sell both Outdoor Connection and the Coleman.

        • kazoomyn on 29/03/2017 - 08:49

          @JB1:

          Outdoor Connection have a YouTube channel and show some of their range of tents and how to put up etc in their vids. On an aside, there is also a guy called The Camping Guru that has a shop up the Sunny Coast Qld who posts camping vids and he has some vids showing packup methods to (a) fit tent back in the bag easier and (b) make it easier/quicker to then setup the next time. Mentioned him because one of the tents he uses in a vid is an Outdoor Connection one. If you can't take those mats suggested earlier too another comfort tip instead is to get one of those rubber-backed picnic rugs in the same size of your room in your tent and leave it there when you roll the tent up. Feels like you have carpet to walk on and is always just in there and you don't forget it. Have been doing this for a while myself.

        • JimB on 29/03/2017 - 09:41

          @kazoomyn:

          Good idea.

          Doubt I will be able to fit in the picnic rug into the same bag as the tent. I struggle to fit the tent into the bag as it is!

      • btech on 28/03/2017 - 12:35

        Yeah, it is. It's quite full-on, but it's a great tent. Have you seen this? Might be OK on a budget:
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/299413

        Edit: nevermind, it's too small

        • JimB on 29/03/2017 - 09:41

          Yeah too small.

  • Hotchips on 27/03/2017 - 14:30
    +2

    https://www.snowys.com.au/villa-dome-tent-20th-anniversary-e…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWxep4iijwA

    I have had this for 4 years. Camping once a year for a week with wife and 2 kids. It is still in top nic, no tears or problems, easy to assemble and pack down, stood up to a brutal - but short storm 2 years ago no problem at all. Would highly recommend this or similar.

    I would also suggest buying the interlocking square rubber tiles (the ones with the holes in them) to use as a floor under the tent. Will help preserve flooring and is nice underfoot.

    Cheers.

    • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 14:54

      They stopped selling/making your tent. The replacement model appears flimsier as it's 20kg vs 30kgs for your one.

      The square rubber tiles is a great idea, but we don't have a trailer and it would take up too much room in the boot.

      • hashtagbargain on 27/03/2017 - 15:26

        I wouldn't read into those numbers too much. It could be an improvement in design, or shedding of excess weight. If it works, it works!

        • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 16:12

          I would agree with you on most things. But with a tent, there's not much weight you could shed without compromising on material strength and durability.

          Obviously thinner material being lighter.

      • Hotchips on 29/03/2017 - 08:46

        If you really want to take the family camping regularly, and you have the means, look into getting a box trailer. We couldn't camp without out one as it holds so much. Tarps, mini fridge, tiles, kayaks, etc. Stuff we have added over the years.

        And you are right to be weary if the tent is now different. Might be ok, might not. Get yourself to a TentWorld or a camping store where they have tents set up on display and check them out. Once you have one in mind, get Google to serve up reviews.

        • JimB on 29/03/2017 - 09:42

          I'm thinking of a getting a small trailer for general purpose shifting of goods.

          I've never towed a trailer before.

        • Hotchips on 29/03/2017 - 21:02

          @JB1: It's piss easy. Just don't forget one important thing… You're towing a trailer!

          practice reversing it and controlling direction.

  • outlander on 27/03/2017 - 15:26

    Are you looking into second hand models? That's the first place I'd be going. In terms of items people buy, intending to use but never actually getting around to it, a tent would have to be up pretty high on the list

    • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 16:13

      No, not looking at secondhand unless I knew the person selling it.

  • WT on 27/03/2017 - 15:51
    +1

    Costco has a 10 person tent for 500 from memory. It was a coleman. If you dont have a membership im sure you can explain that you want to check it out

    • JimB on 27/03/2017 - 16:15

      I checked Costco and there was nothing that large last week.

      The Coleman mentioned above looks good at under $500. https://www.snowys.com.au/instant-up-gold-10p-tent#q-and-a

      Although one good thing about buying from Costco is returning it if you're not 100% happy.

      • WT on 28/03/2017 - 16:02

        Not sure if its the same one but looking here https://www.google.com.au/search?q=coleman+10+person+tent&cl…

        I would buy from the usa

        • JimB on 29/03/2017 - 09:44

          We get so ripped off in Australia.

          How would you be able to get one delivered here short of getting someone you know personally to ship it to you?

        • WT on 30/03/2017 - 10:02

          @JB1:

          Ebay and amazon would be my first go to's

          amazon would be my go to because of the return policy but unlikely to ship due to contractual obligations

          Ebay sellers are more willing to break the rules or fly under the radar, Pay with paypal so you can get free return shipping if you have a problem. Make sure you read the terms carefully. I.e receipt with tracking, picture packaged up (why I dont know)

          Short of that, ship it to (google it) can accept and ship it over for you

  • gummibear on 28/03/2017 - 02:02
    +1

    Have a look at Harvey Norman. They have Coleman tents at a good price.Look for the models that have 'instant' in their names. As they will be the fast pop up tents.

    http://www.harveynorman.com.au/sports-camping-pets/camping-t…

    • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:02

      Thanks.

      Coleman has been mentioned a few times. Pop up is good.

  • woodwa on 28/03/2017 - 08:52
    +1

    Coleman tents have much thicker floors and stronger walls than the others at this price point.

    we have a Coleman north star its a great tent and survived having 10cm of water outside of the tent without a leak!

    • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:03

      Thanks, it's difficult to compare unless you use them. I think I won't get the cheapest one.

  • Big Trev on 28/03/2017 - 09:31
    +1

    http://outdoorconnection.com.au/products/brampton-tent/

    Very good quality tent, not cheap but extremely well made. Not many places stock them, if you're in Melbourne we got ours from Van Cruiser in Carrum Downs.

    • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:00
      +1

      Thanks Trev,

      You're the second person who recommended the Brampton tent.

      • Big Trev on 29/03/2017 - 08:42

        The way I got onto the brand was that they were highly recommended in a Choice review a few years back. Not that specific model.

  • Euphemistic on 28/03/2017 - 11:03
    +2

    Whatever you get, choose something that has an area that you can stand in while not actually in the tent, and that you can open the door of the tent in the rain without getting everything wet inside and you can take your muddy shoes off and leave them outside the tent under cover. Lots of tents 'awning' is also the door, so if you want to close up the tent at night you lose an awning.

    ie this one http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OZTRAIL-SEASCAPE-3-ROOM-SLEEPS-10… doesn't. and neither does this one: https://www.snowys.com.au/instant-up-gold-10p-tent#q-and-a

    Our tent, 9 person, has a vestibule area that is not enclosed to weather (screen only doors), but adds an awning over the doorway 24/7.

    • JimB on 28/03/2017 - 11:11

      Thanks for the tip.

      What about this one https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/outdoor-connection-bed…?

      • Euphemistic on 28/03/2017 - 20:12

        Still looks like that if you want to close off the front section (which also has a floor) then you need to pull the awning down.

        • JimB on 29/03/2017 - 09:55

          Is see what you mean.

          I'll go into a store and see if many have that feature.

          The other issue with Awnings is that I've read most pool water so not sure if you want to leave the awning open if it rains.

        • kazoomyn on 30/03/2017 - 08:30
          +1

          @JB1:

          You can get sidewalls for the awnings. Each entrance on the Bedarra has an awning but you don't need to have them all up. Re rain pooling on awning - put one pole down lower than the other for rain to run off instead of pooling👍 My folks leave an awning up with sidewalls on and use it as their main entrance with a bucket of water at outside of the tent to wash feet off (good for beach camping/sand as well rain/mud) with a towel inside to then step on and dry off. Nice clean tent! The vent system they have is great for downpour rain, leave the gusseted bottom section open for airflow even if you do need to close all awnings.

        • JimB on 06/04/2017 - 15:36

          @kazoomyn:

          Great idea about the bucket of water and towel to step on/dry off.

  • JimB on 06/04/2017 - 15:35

    OK, got back from rather enjoyable short camping trip and looking to get a new tent.

    One thing the new tent must have as Euphemistic mentioned is an area you can stand outside without getting wet and the awning is not part of the door, i.e. awning doesn't form part of the door.

    The tent we had used the awning as a door and it was annoying to open the door from the inside at night because the awning was damp and you would have to reach to the far bottom corner to unzip it. It was also annoying to zip up the door from the inside because the zip would regularly catch onto the nylon fabric covering the zip, very frustrating at 3am in the morning.

    I have friends who have canvas tents and they seem to like them.

    So I was thinking of the OZtrail Chateau 10 Canvas Cabin Tent. https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztrail-chateau-10-cab…

    Any opinions on canvas tents or OzTrail?

    • Euphemistic on 06/04/2017 - 15:53
      +1

      $1200 for a tent?

      Canvas is a lot heavier and bulkier to manage.

      In my experience Oztrail is reasonable stuff. Our tent is an oztrail seemed well made - but has been sitting in the garage or over 4 years as we got sick of all the packing with tent camping and upgraded to a camper trailer, and now a caravan.

      • JimB on 06/04/2017 - 16:14

        yeah, it is more than I wish to spend, so I'll wait for some sales.

        But happy to pay more if it's good quality and will last a long time.

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