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Ultimate Tent Guide: Ground Truck & Roof

17K views 23 replies 18 participants last post by  SFSmedic 
#1 · (Edited)
Will be looking for a good tent here before too long. While I don't have a truck to put a camper or bed tent in, feel free to review it anyways. Im looking for a decent priced ground tent that will last me a few years. Backpack tent isn't a bad idea. One person or two person. Would also like to hear about your tailgate tent/system if you have a 4runner/SUV. Roof system would be too expensive for me and not practical. Feel free to review whatever you have though. Helps others in the future.
 
#2 ·
Here.... I'll help you get started ;)

way to start an Ultimate guide thread... (while adding nothing to it) :rolleyes:
and then misspell a word in the title as well :doh:



next
 
#3 ·
Yo yo yoo I gots da new limo tint on the ground homies LOL


I have a north face mountain 25 tent. Love it, I do hunting/mountaineering with my old man so a 4 season tent was exactly what i needed. It works good for camping with the truck too, although its overkill.

I have seen plenty use the wallmart coleman tents and they hold up good for $50
 
#4 ·
Haha wow, yea that's a fail :p tEnts. My phone autocorrect could have done it or something. Just cus I didn't add anything to it doesn't mean others won't :flipoff1:

But yea, fail on my part.

It wasn't about just lookin for tents. I could spend hours on google if I wanted to. Sometimes, people want specifics and unique stuff.

Bla
 
#5 ·
It wasn't about just lookin for tents. I could spend hours on google if I wanted to. Sometimes, people want specifics and unique stuff.

Bla
Let me re-type that for you... so it reflects a real meaning

I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
And even tho' I started up this Ultimate Tint guide,
I feel no requirement to add to it or do any investigations of my own

I figured all you dipshits would do that for me ! ?
That about sum it up ? :D
 
#7 ·
Let me answer your question... with a question

What's right with an OP starting an Ultimate Tent guide thread and then,
not bother to lift a single finger to help it along ?

^ Don't tell me your official input to this thread... is that
we should all rejoice and praise the OP for teeing off first ? :rolleyes:


How many boxes of rocks does it take to make a square ?
 
#8 ·
Damn Dell.

I guess when they did your surgery they decided to leave your hate bone....however, I do agree. OP: Search the reviews on a good outfitter site such as cabelas. Lots of good stuff there, just a bit pricey. The el cheapo Wally world tents will hold up ok for a year or two, but they lack any beefy features you'll get from a quality canvas or outfitter style tent.

Give us a few factors. What's your budget? What conditions are you willing to camp in? Etc.
 
#9 ·
That's the thing.. This wasn't just for me. Intentions were to help others as well. This forum isn't going anywhere. I figured if more and more people add to it, it would grow and give people ideas. I wasn't looking for just ground tents. Back hatch tents are cool, too and I like to see custom shit. Just sayin. Don't go gettin butt hurt cus I didn't throw some info in :D Maybe when I find what I want or create my setup I'll toss it this way.
 
#10 · (Edited)
marmot limestone.

marmot limeston. for car camping its very good. i have the 4 person for my me my wife and two 40lb dogs.

it has a full coverage rain fly with two vestibules. if you canp in the rain or snow both of those things are great to have. especialy camping with wet dogs.

it has a ton of tie down points so it wont blow away in gail force winds.

has a gear loft to keep some stuff off the floor and i think the "footprint" was free.
 
#11 ·
You failed because you should have posted this on a forum with a population that actually gets away from their computers and recreate. (Ya, i'll wait while the rest of you look up that last word. :p)

If you want real opinions from real users, go to Expedition Portal. People here are too hardcore to bother with stuff other than frame height or "up-travel"

Anyways, I have had/used/abused a Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD for over 10 years now. that I use when by myself or for a cozy two man excursion. I love it when only one person uses it because it shoule really be a one man tent... It's simple to setup, STILL one of the lightest "bang for your buck" tents you'll find in a backpacking class. The downside to this tent is that it's not fun to be in during a rainstorm, unless sleeping, you can't just hang out in it, playing cards or reading.

Link to Tent:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/sierra-designs/clip-flashlight-cd/

I just bought for this year a REI Quarter Dome T2 Plus, it's a roomier tent for myself and the GF on those rainy days. It's heavier than my Flashlight....tent... ;) but what i gained in weight, i also gained in room/comfort. We shall see how it holds up...

Link to Tent:
http://www.rei.com/product/827787/rei-quarter-dome-t2-plus-tent

I also had a $20 7'x7' blue Dome tent from Big 5 Sporting Goods that we used as a "base camp" tent on the night we stayed at the main campground before heading into the wilderness. That way we wouldn't have to repack the backpacking tent in the morning. It was super simple to setup and teardown. The big down side is if you're just over 6'-0" like myself, a 7'x7' tent is really a 6'x6' tent, because they count the tarp material that goes up the sidewall about 6" to be part of the floor, hence you lose 1'-0" to the sides of the tent. So that would result in damp feet or head from condensation/moisture when it was rainy or dewy.:mad: It served it's purpose but not as well as i would have liked.
 
#12 ·
you can't go wrong with REI.com There are tons of reviews and the outlet part is great. Plus everything they sell is lifetime warranty.
Blessings!
 
#15 ·
Too bad they support groups that want to close our trails down...
My thoughts exactly, even though I do have an REI tent that I love, bought it before they came out and showed their politics. They've been blacklisted for me.
 
#14 ·
i have a walmart tent and have had it for 5 years. i have used it for every camping trip and wheeling trip over the past 5 years. not a single problem with it. snow, rain, wind, sun...it works. i believe it is an ozark trail tent. paid $30 for it and it is a 3-4 person tent i think, though it will only fit 2 comfortably. i think i have gotten my money out of it and then some.
 
#17 · (Edited)
A bit of an old thread, but info is still valid. I practically live in my Kodiak canvas tent like this http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/12x9-ft-6-person-canvas-cabin-tent-with-deluxe-awning/ March thru Sept. including week long stays in Burning Man and similar conditions. Spring Bar is similar. I love it, it's just very heavy and is helpful to have some help setting up. But nothing like being able to fully close or open fully meshed sides, and have an attached awning.
 
#19 ·
I've owned and do own dozens of different tents. For car camping just about any tent will do. There is no reason to pay a fortune for tents from REI or camping stores. Coleman or other Tents from Costco, Big 5, Walmart or any sporting goods store are fine and are frequently on sale for a fraction of the cost of REI tents. Depending on size you can get a very good quality tent for from $50 to $100.

You just need to figure out the best size for you. They are all pretty easy to set up. Higher tents are more comfortable but more vulnerable to high winds. But its pretty hard to go wrong.

Personally after years of ground tent camping I love the flip pac flip up tent on my Tacoma.
 
#20 ·
That may be true for short trips in moderate climates and if you don't use it very often/long, but in the desert where it is very hot and dusty, it is imperative to have a tent that you can completely seal shutfrom dust without having to use a rain fly because that is too hot. Thus canvas tents with full sealed/open windows, a feature I have never been able to find on a typical economy tent.

All the cheap big store tents I've owned have proven to be disposable and of inferior quality. Broken zippers, torn material, easily bent poles, are all things I'be experienced with lesser quality tents and at the most inopportune times. Pesky insects and water have made it into the tent, leading to a miserable experience. You really do get what you pay for-to a point of course. Sure those big, cheap, economy-lopsiding stores have almost unconditional return/exchange policies but that's more time wasted, and more broken cheap tent garbage filling up the beautiful world I want to camp in when you could have just bought the right tent once.
 
#21 ·
For good tents...look into Mountain Hardware, Sierra Designs, REI, Eureka, and Marmot. They are not Roof top tents but are good quality, lightweight, and if taken care of....will last a long long time.

And remember, never fold a tent. Always stuff it in supplied sack like dirty laundry. Folding (over time) creates creases and tents will rip along creases.
 
#23 ·
Too many choices and personal preferences. For me, if I'm solo or +1, it's a mattress topper in the bed with a tarp overhead. Unless there's bug problems.

For family outings, my REI tent is great. If we were to camp more often, I'd spring for a Springbar tent.
 
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