Tent Advice - Which Is a Better Option?

hashtagbargain on 29/01/2019 - 22:52
Last edited 29/01/2019 - 22:55

Hi everyone, I'm hoping to get some advice on buying a tent - I'm looking for something spacious and of good quality around the $300 mark. My tent buying interested was piqued by this deal.

Here are the contestants so far:

  1. Wanderer Larapinta 10 Person Dome Tent $189 - seems to be a popular deal, but I dont know about the brand or its reliability.

  2. Wanderer Goliath II Dome Tent 10 Person $289 - the idea of having 2 rooms really pleased the wife, so we started looking at those options.

  3. Coleman Instant Up 8P Tent $299- Someone suggested snowys.com.au and I found their options quite interesting too. This one is instant up… and seeing the tent go up and down in a jiffy in their demo videos really puts me to ease, esp given we're rather new to the world of camping.

  4. OZtrail Latitude Family Dome Tent $299 - 3 rooms! Just not sure of this brand.

  5. Coleman Montana 12 CV Family Tent $449 - the luxury contender. I read a great review so was compelled to check it out.

I understand that tents are usually comfortable when at half the rated capacity. Is the wanderer/coleman brand reputed? Anything to watch out for? Any other deals/tents I should consider?

Your critique is appreciated!

Sports & Outdoors Tent

Comments

  • mafmouf on 29/01/2019 - 23:07
    +2

    Coleman is a brand I would recommend from personal experience. The others.may be good but I haven't used them.

    My advice is to go check them out if you can.

    1. See how big they are. Depending on your car, you may not even be able to get it in the boot.
    2. Check the weight too. If you need to cart it from car to some remote campsite, it may be a super challenge.
    3. Ease of setting up/packing up. I am a big fan of the instant tents. Saves 10's of minutes for both setting/packing up. Some cheaper options may have numerous poles and be super fiddly to deal with.
    4. Seasonal tents. I've used small summer tents in winter and they're horrible. Try and find tents that offer good ventilation but can keep warmth in if needed.

    Tldr, go check them and pretend you need to use it. You'll find the pros and cons.

    • fantombloo on 30/01/2019 - 08:35
      +1

      go check them and pretend you need to use it.

      Include setting it up, tearing it down and packing it away. If a shop won't let you try that in store then consider going elsewhere that will.

  • kahn on 29/01/2019 - 23:21
    +5

    Now is the summer of discount tent?

  • xyzed on 29/01/2019 - 23:27
    +1

    Go the Gold Series Instant Up Coleman tents, not the silver model. Way worth the small price difference between the 2 models these days. If 2 rooms are essential, then I'd look at the Coleman Instant Up Gold 10P Tent ($479 - but quality compared to the others listed is worth it).

    All the rest are dome style, so will take longer to put up.

    Wanderer is BCF's own brand (usually made by Coleman but to a lower spec). From memory BCF (and Anaconda) are going to go direct to China for products now instead of companies like Coleman and OZtrail making their products to save $$)

    On another level altogether. If you plan on having a gazebo as well, look at either the inner tent kit, or portico tent with the OZtrail deluxe gazebo (3m x 3m). You can have 2 portico's on 2 sides of the gazebo.

    • muppet on 30/01/2019 - 01:05

      I have a Coleman Instant Up Gold 10P. We've gone camping with it several times. Originally just for the two of us, but now with kids. Good quality tent. Pros: Love the 3 way opening / awnings + 4 doors to get in and out of. Makes for a flexible layout and you can adapt to where the sun is coming from. Cons: lots of pegs to hammer in, we wished the room separator would zip all the way - the bottom isn't fully separate i.e. you can slide things under the divider, but it's not a big issue. It is also quite big when packed but it fits in the boot of our Camry.

      In any case, I would recommend getting a tarp, cut to size (and use duct tape to join things if necessary), to function as your footprint ie. to isolate your tent from the ground. It keeps your tent cleaner.

      Another tool I find indispensable is a cordless vacuum cleaner to clean up inside your tent. Mine is a Makita, costs $69 from bunnings (without the battery/charger) love it. Makes cleaning inside your tent a breeze. This cordless vacuum is the same one we use at home for quick clean up. Gets used several times a day.

    • chriise on 30/01/2019 - 21:12

      I'm actually on the lookout for either the Wanderer Gazebo Hub or the Oztrail Portico. I have the Aldi gazebo (which is actually really good) and recently decided a hub would make a much nicer set up with shade immediately outside the tent. But I have seen some reviews that the hubs are not particularly water proof, do you have any experience with them and can make a recommendation on either of the two products?

    • chriise on 30/01/2019 - 21:21

      Snowys are selling the silver 8P for $300, and gold 8P for $450. Would you consider the price difference reasonable?

  • fantacular on 29/01/2019 - 23:33
    +2

    how many people? where do you usually go camping? what sort of vehicle do you have?

    • GG57 on 30/01/2019 - 09:50

      Exactly this.
      And also:
      - How long do you usually camp for?
      - Do you only camp in summer, or during other times of the year as well?

    • fantacular on 31/01/2019 - 13:45
      +1

      glad i didn't bother writing out a reply for an @OP that has not replied to anything!

  • altomic on 30/01/2019 - 00:25

    check facebook marketplace/gumtree as there are plenty of near new tents that were bought with the best intentions (pun intended) and were used once before realising that camping isn't for everyone.

  • Arcticsoldier on 30/01/2019 - 04:52

    Went from a 3man dome tent to a 8man Coleman tent to an awning tent. Only reason I switch out of the 8man Coleman tent was setup time. Also it can get stuffy in summer even if you have front and rear open due to the material used. These days awning + awning tent + swag makes quick and simple setup. Always an issue folding tents back into their original bag after use. Swag and awning not for everyone though. Depends on your needs

    • muppet on 30/01/2019 - 13:22

      Got a picture of your set up with the awning tent?

  • Euphemistic on 30/01/2019 - 07:06

    Consider how you get in an out of the tent when raining. The first one looks like you need the awning down to close it up which is a pain as there is nowhere to stand to take your shoes off while out of the rain.

    As above somewhere, how many campers, will it fit your car etc.

    We had one like the oztraik one, but without the front awning. Was good for a family of 5 having the entry area out of the rain, a central room for changing, card games, storage and the end rooms for sleeping. It took a bit to put up, but typically we were camping for 3 or more nights.

  • swapsey on 30/01/2019 - 09:25

    I have Coleman instant up and can recommend. I would only say that if you are going to use it a few times a year then replace the pegs they give you with heavier duty ones.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 30/01/2019 - 10:51

    I also have the Coleman Instant Up 8 person and it is fantastic. Can be set up and packed up very fast. Heaps of room inside which led to its nickname the "Taj Mahal" whenever I go camping with overs.

    Only issue I had was getting everything back into the original bag. I just use the original bag for the tent only and bought a cheap duffel back for all the accessories, detachables and pegs.

  • chriise on 30/01/2019 - 21:26

    Personally I'd look at the Coleman Instant Up - but as I mentioned in a comment above I'm exploring the gazebo hub options. 100% you will want a gazebo, just makes those evenings much more comfortable and cosy, and valuable shade during the day (tent will get hot). Depending on what car you have… don't go too big, if you have a gazebo you'll only really sleep in the tent, and you'll appreciate more boot space.

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