New Tent to Go With My Trailer!!

[mcgovern61]

Last year I had a great time camping on my way from New Jersey to Florida and back towing my trailer and just having a blast. The only complaint I had is my tent. It is a great 4 person Field & Stream with easy setup, but it is only about 4 feet tall in the center and it is getting real hard to get changed all hunched over in there. Before the trip, I bought a real cheap easy pop up changing tent that worked for the trip, but I really wanted something taller for the whole tent.

Two summers ago when Brian and I rode to the CGW Midwest Meet (what a great time that was!!), we camped along the way and also at Joe's place. Brian made me think real hard about my tent after seeing his 7' clearance in his tent! :yes:

Reading up on several other forums that do trailer camping and tent camping, one style of tent keeps getting good reviews; the Instant-tents! Basically, they have the poles built right into the tent. Unfold, lock the poles tent is up in less than 60 seconds! For me, I am not going to be affording a motorcycle camper trailer anytime soon ($1500 average for a used unit), but I sure like the idea that many of those campers setup by just flipping open the lid!

Well, I have been watching prices and tents for quite some time and came across the right tent at the right price!!! (More to come!) :yes:

 

[brianinpa]

:useless:

:smilie_happy:

I've been keeping an eye on this on as I am not a fan of the weight of the instant tents.

https://www.rei.com/product/827807/rei-kingdom-6-tent

 

[mcgovern61]

PICs?

Okay......here is my current tent setup:

 

[mcgovern61]

I had a tough time choosing between the Coleman 6 person Insta-Tent and the Ozark Trail version. Both had pros- and cons. There are two versions of the Coleman 6 Person Instant Tent:

This one is fairly large and has good headroom, but it does not come with a rain fly and I was sketchy about ventilation. Runs about $159 to $192.

This one seems more sturdy, but it is much heavier. It also does not come with a rain fly and runs up in the $200 range.

 

[mcgovern61]

Ozark Trails has a few good choices too! One that I almost purchased is actually an 8 person tent, but not an instant setup. It also had some minor issues as I read reviews. Nice tent for the money (runs about $130 to $150).

But this one has many more features:

Both come with a rain fly, but the second one is an instant tent. It also has an important feature for me; an access through the tent for a power cord. Price ranges $180 to $228.

 

[mcgovern61]

Post Christmas.....there were a whole bunch of sales!! :yahoo: :clapping:

For $150, I was able to get the Ozark Trails 8 person Instant Tent with rain fly, cargo net storage that hangs inside, a room divider that splits the tent in two sides. The front door is also split by the divider and has two sides to the door allowing separate entrance to either side of the divider. It also has a floor (essentially a waterproof floor) made of the same material as a ground clothe tarp. As mentioned, it also has the electric cord access and a rain fly covered vent down at the bottom that allows ventilation from the floor up. It came with a entrance way floor mat too! It is lighter than the Coleman and really roomy! I set it up and the tent goes up in less than 30 seconds with another minute and 30 seconds to setup the rain fly and set the stakes!

 

[brianinpa]

Nice cabin!

 

[Daeouse]

Cool!

 

[joedrum]

looks great to have

 

[Ansimp]

Very nice Gerry :good:

 

[dkl]

Can u set a small a/c on ground and place it against mesh to cool tent. Tell me dimension of ground vent......Looks almost perfect for us.

 

[mcgovern61]

dkl » Sun Jan 10, 2016 10:09 am[/url]":3p98v82l]
Can u set a small a/c on ground and place it against mesh to cool tent. Tell me dimension of ground vent......Looks almost perfect for us.

I will have to open it up again to get the measurement, but I am not sure a small AC unit will fit. That vent is all the way down at the ground. (But, it might work!)

I love the cabin style tents because they give you so much more room inside for setting up.

 

[slabghost]

One of these a/c's will work. As long as you have power you can be comfy.
https://www.danby.com/products/portable ... 12011bl-2/

 

[dan filipi]

Those stand up units with the flex exhaust hose work very good.
Can zip up to hose rather nicely.

 

[slabghost]

Yep and heat's or cools or dehumidify.

 

[dan filipi]

Can the stand ups be laid down during transporting? They are kinda tall standing up.

 

[slabghost]

They can be but should be upright at least two hours before being turned on. Oil in the system needs time to drop back down to the compressor.

 

[dkl]

smallest upright available is 8,000 btu.....they are bulky and Expensive,,,,,,,a 5000 btu window a/c can be had for $149-it is much smaller, and makes a tent in Louisiana August Heat very comfortable....

 

[slabghost]

Don't need a window for the upright which makes it a lot easier to use. The window units will do fine but will need to be put on a stand and are a little tougher to use for heat when wanted. They also lack a drain hose for the condensed humidity which is built in to the upright units. Up to the person camping which to use if either. i prefer to do my camping with a motorhome.

 

[mcgovern61]

i prefer to do my camping with a motorhome

I like that camping too!! :yes:

But no place here to keep the motorhome. (Townhouse development.)

My concern whether upright or window unit would be the condensation. Water draining out of the unit could ultimately end up under the tent?