Will be looking for a relatively inexpensive durable tent that will keep me dry...

 

the ability to sleep 2 is a plus..

 

I know nothing about tents.. know nothing about the difference between a $100 one and a $500 one... can someone with some outdoors experience educate me on the subject..

Will be looking for a relatively inexpensive durable tent that will keep me dry...

 

the ability to sleep 2 is a plus..

 

I know nothing about tents.. know nothing about the difference between a $100 one and a $500 one... can someone with some outdoors experience educate me on the subject..

 

I haven't camped in a long time but my experience is that your trade-offs are weight vs protection and cost vs re-usability.

 

Sort of, you can have 2 of those things and a negative in the others. You want something light that protects well, it's going to cost you or it's going to fall apart the 3 time you try to use it. You want something that protects very well, it's going to be heavy as blazes and if it's cheap, it's going to leak the 3rd trip out.

 

There are always exceptions but in general, you get what you pay for.

 

Something light, protects well and is durable? Expect to pay a small fortune for it but if you're camping on the side of K2, that's what you need.

A Coleman tent is fine if you are car camping. Ability to sleep 2 means a cozy two. Any ratings on tent mean "cozy". If it is you and your wife, a 2-person tent is fine. If it is you and some other dude, you might want to get a 4-person tent.

 

Tents come in cabin style and dome style. Cabin take longer to put together but are more "house" like. Domes can go together pretty quick once you practice it but don't expect to stand up in the dome tent.

me mostly.. me and the girl sometimes.. me and a dude? never.. lol

Something else to look for is a "mud area" where you can put dirty boots, near the main flap, which serves as the "door" to the tent. This gives you access to your footwear from outside without having to mess-up the inside. Also make sure to buy a couple extra tent stakes and bring along a hammer to set them, especially in rocky/rooty areas. How well the zippers zip is a good indication of over-all quality and how long the tent will last.

 

Good luck!

 

Dave

appreciate feedback.. I have not been camping in years.. but love the woods.. love the snow.. and love freezing cold temperatures.. combine them all and you get the picture of where my head is at.. never been out overnight in the winter.. but looking to do some pretty substantial camping.. alone.. away from everything.. can not wait.. been doing a **** ton of reading and will continue to do so as to keep it safe..

More than stakes, also bring some nylon tie...like the stuff you can get free at Home Depot and Lowes for affix stuff to your vehicle. We had one tent(cabin like) tent that used support poles. We found it was easier and sturdier to just tie the upper support off to trees. You won't really need that in domes but what it can do it help tie down your ten if you get some wind. It was always very frightening and exciting when a big blow would arrive. Makes you feel alive and you switch into survival mode...and then it'd blow over and be boring again, lol.

More than stakes, also bring some nylon tie...like the stuff you can get free at Home Depot and Lowes for affix stuff to your vehicle. We had one tent(cabin like) tent that used support poles. We found it was easier and sturdier to just tie the upper support off to trees. You won't really need that in domes but what it can do it help tie down your ten if you get some wind. It was always very frightening and exciting when a big blow would arrive. Makes you feel alive and you switch into survival mode...and then it'd blow over and be boring again, lol.

 

 

I have a couple hundred feet of paracord in my pack..

 

I am thinking after some more reading and looking that I am going to end up with a North Face 2 person tent? seems to be a decent compramise of quality.. cost.. and weight..

Not sure if you will be hiking to a camping spot .however if you have a pick up truck they make tents that set up in the bed. I have one and it sets up in a few minutes. You are off the ground , no rocks in your back. I also got an air mattress that comes witha 12v air pump ,infaltes and deflates mattress .Comes with a rain fly. Sleeps 2 nicely with room to store some crap out of the elements. The new ones actually encompass the tailgate where mine only goes to the end of the truck bed

8' . they make them for just about every truck bed size

Not sure if you will be hiking to a camping spot .however if you have a pick up truck they make tents that set up in the bed. I have one and it sets up in a few minutes. You are off the ground , no rocks in your back. I also got an air mattress that comes witha 12v air pump ,infaltes and deflates mattress .Comes with a rain fly. Sleeps 2 nicely with room to store some crap out of the elements. The new ones actually encompass the tailgate where mine only goes to the end of the truck bed

8' . they make them for just about every truck bed size

 

 

nope no car.. will be very deep in the woods (providing all goes well) lol..

Tent sizes: A 2 person tent fits 2 people - side by side, with no gear. For 2 people with gear, get a 4 person tent. A 6 person tent will be nice and large.. but in the cooler weather it will get colder than a smaller tent.

 

Coleman tents are fine. When I was in the boy scouts, we all used Coleman tents, and we went camping at least once each season. We had tents like this:

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000007827

It's small enough to be carried decently. A little large for backpacking but for regular camping trips its just fine.

It has 2 cross poles - that's all that's needed with a dome tent. You put the Rain Fly over the top and you're covered for the rain.

 

Definitely get some bigger tent stakes. The little metal ones they give you suck. They'll rip right out of the ground easily.

 

Another thing to pickup that not a lot of people know - get a tarp. One large enough to fit under the whole tent. Actually it should be bigger than the tent base. This way, if it rains, you won't have water moving right under you and your gear. Roll up the edges of the tarp inwards and tuck them under the edges of the tent so that it doesn't hold any water running underneath.

If it rains, you definitely want to air out your tent afterwards to make sure they don't get moldy.

You going to go Kaczynski style?

Tent sizes: A 2 person tent fits 2 people - side by side, with no gear. For 2 people with gear, get a 4 person tent. A 6 person tent will be nice and large.. but in the cooler weather it will get colder than a smaller tent.

 

Coleman tents are fine. When I was in the boy scouts, we all used Coleman tents, and we went camping at least once each season. We had tents like this:

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000007827

It's small enough to be carried decently. A little large for backpacking but for regular camping trips its just fine.

It has 2 cross poles - that's all that's needed with a dome tent. You put the Rain Fly over the top and you're covered for the rain.

 

Definitely get some bigger tent stakes. The little metal ones they give you suck. They'll rip right out of the ground easily.

 

Another thing to pickup that not a lot of people know - get a tarp. One large enough to fit under the whole tent. Actually it should be bigger than the tent base. This way, if it rains, you won't have water moving right under you and your gear. Roll up the edges of the tarp inwards and tuck them under the edges of the tent so that it doesn't hold any water running underneath.

If it rains, you definitely want to air out your tent afterwards to make sure they don't get moldy.

 

 

for the time being.. this will likely be trips no longer than a day and a half or so..

hiking in...

tent setup sleep...

hiking out..

 

it will not be any kind of extended stay.. gear will be VERY limited... honestly I have greater concerns with water supply than I do tents and all that.. I am trying to understand how much water I NEED VS how much I WANT.. VS worth in carrying.. and all that..

You going to go Kaczynski style?

 

 

LOLz.. no.. I just have access to acres and acres of uninhabited woods on private land to camp/canoe/shoot on... and I like those things.. so just want an appropriate tent..

Eureka Alpinelite XT check it out. Katadyn Water Filters too!

. Katadyn Water Filters too!

 

they seem as cheap under $100? if they work that would likely be ideal..

They do been using them for a while now. Stainless steel only for cookware! Whisperlite stove is good also. both my boys winter camp. they love it! 20 degress out and they are playing around like its summer.

They do been using them for a while now. Stainless steel only for cookware! Whisperlite stove is good also. both my boys winter camp. they love it! 20 degress out and they are playing around like its summer.

 

 

we are on the same page with that.. I really love the cold..

Don't get a Coleman unless you really wanna buy something super cheap. A lot of Coleman stuff is crap unless you camp once a year for one night.

 

I am a pretty avid backpacker so I will reply more to this thread after work.

 

I do 80% of my backpacking during the fall/winter/spring so I will have a good amount of info for you.

Don't get a Coleman unless you really wanna buy something super cheap. A lot of Coleman stuff is crap unless you camp once a year for one night.

 

I am a pretty avid backpacker so I will reply more to this thread after work.

 

I do 80% of my backpacking during the fall/winter/spring so I will have a good amount of info for you.

 

 

thank you.. very much!

If your going to be walking in and camping any long distances you want to stay on the light side and probably a 2 to 4 person tent. I use a cheap one I got a Dicks Sporting goods on sale and it was less than 50 bucks. It's not the greatest quality but you do want to look at something that is easy to setup and break down, has a rain fly. Also pick up a bottle of spray or swab on rain sealant and do the seams on everything. If you treat the cheap ones nice they can last for years. I do this being I carry it mine on my Motorcycle.

 

Now when I used to spend every weekend up in NY state Hang Gliding, I had a more expensive 6 person tent, but I kept it setup for 6 to 7 months a year and lived in it 2 to 3 nights a week. Sounds crazy, but 2 to 3 days of quality hang gliding a week are worth it.

 

Now here is the biggest thing, while sleeping bags are great and can be warm, if you want to get a good nights sleep and your girl to go more than ONE TIME, get a good ground roll or really go all out and get a inflating mattress, I got one at Costco for 25 bucks that take 4 D cell battery's and it inflates in a few minutes and can be just as comfy as you bed at home.

 

Harry

Cold weather camping is an entirely different game than the other 3 seasons. Make sure you get a 4 season tent that will not cave under snow.

Yes, if you will be camping in the winter get a 4 season tent. It is important. And, it will be more costly as well. I don't know if they are still popular, but I have and like a Sierra Designs 4 season tent. It is a 3-man tent that I used. If you are in Northern NJ, go to Campmor in Clifton. Or visit the website.

The Katadyn water filters work great. I used the Pro Hiker (formerly Pur before the acquisition) when I hiked the AT and also for many extended backpacking trips is CO, AZ and UT.

You have A LOT of choices to think about - free standing, non free standing, 1 season or 3 or 4 season, 2 person or 4 person or 6 person, lightweight vs. heavyweight, cheap quality vs. good quality, horizontal poles or cross-section poles, more vestibule space vs. less vestibule space, and more but the biggest two things are weight and camping vs. backpacking.

 

I say these two because, just like most things, you gotta figure out what you will be doing. Camping and backpacking are similar, but are two different things. Car camping/truck camping/driving to or near a campsite an unloading 500lbs of stuff to your campsite is considered camping. Backpacking is, just what the word is, hiking with everything you need in your backpack and on your person. I know you stated you want to just basically bushwack in your woods, then I would highly suggest keeping everything lightweight as you will be carrying everything in your pack, which is of course, on your back. Other people prefer to car camp, or camp at some eh campsite...if they wanna do that, then good for them. But I would much rather prefer to stuff everything into my pack and be self sufficient. Understand, well it's kinda obvious, that the campsite campers and truck campers can enjoy the blow-up mattresses (weight) and gallons of soda and water (weight) and plenty of extra clothes and changes of clothes (weight) and so on and so forth. I mention weight because weight is everything. It's easy to fill your pack up with 100lbs of crap, but hiking 8 or 5 or even 3 miles with that pack is going to be pretty brutal if you can't really handle something that heavy.

 

If you really want to actually BACKPACK, you're going to have to plan to bring only the real essentials that you will need. I just realized I went off on tangent, and am now just being a chatty Cathy, so let me get back onto tents.

 

If you're going to be backpacking, you will want a light tent. I've mentioned weight a thousand times so far, but I do it because it is important. If you're hiking in 1 mile, setting up shop, then camping back out 1 mile, you can get a 10lb tent and not really have to worry about weight. But if you plan on hiking some actual mileage, then don't expect to hike with a super heavy pack. I would suggest a tent under 5lbs. You stated preferably roomy for two, which I would suggest a 3person. That will give two people some room, but 3 people will be like sardines. 3 person tents are nice as they are a little roomy for one or two people, but they also don't weigh a ton.

 

As I ramble, I realize I gotta cut to the point. The difference between a $50 tent and a $300 tent is the materials used to make it, how strong the thread is that stitches it together, how well the fly is made, pole options, the zippers which are very important...but basically quality. I have a really nice Mtn Hardwear 3 person (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28207?cm_vc=MPRODUCTZ1) that has lasted me about 4 or 5 years now and I have done countless backpacking and camping trips in. I prefer the horizontal-pole-tent designs over the cross-section (X design) because it seems to lessen weight and you're only sleeping in there, so I don't need the extra space. My friend has this Sierra (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28045#), it's a 2 person and it's a cozy 2 person but if you plan on doing a lot of hiking, then the loss in weight is worth it. My gf has gotten use to not having so much space in the tent so she is much more comfortable now than the first time I took her backpacking.

 

Honestly though, I would just look at a tent you like, check out the Specs, and buy it. Look at the diagram with the measurements, that is probably the most important info about it. Anything from Kelty, Sierra, Mtn Hardwear, North Face, and Marmot are top notch. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask and I will try to help to the best of my abilities.

In regards to other necessities like water filters, sleeping stuff, maybe even a pack if you don't have one, check out Campmor. I have used them, as well as an outdoors store in VT for all my needs the past years. Campmor really has SO MUCH STUFF and their store is fun to go and browse in, plus their prices are pretty good.

 

For sleeping gear, I would suggest...did you guess it!? lightweight gear as well haha. Do not cheap out on sleeping gear, you will be PISSED and you will be COLD! Mummy bags are awesome, I highly suggest them. If you're planning to do winter hiking and backpacking, like as in DEAD of winter, get yourself a 0 degree bag or maybe even a -10. I can tell you from winter experience, that the degree ratings on bags are usually a little higher than what they state. There are synthetic bags and down bags - synthetic are made out of faux fill and are lightweight and you can get a nice bag for not too expensive, while down bags are of course natural fill and are substantially heavier as well as jump in price, but they are much warmer than synthetic. My friends and I all have synthetic, mostly because they aren't so expensive, and they don't weigh a lot. I have a 40 degree North Face for the spring and fall, and I have a 0 degree Kelty for December-february.

 

Sleeping pads are next. Get a self-inflating Thermarest. Thermarest pretty much owns all other sleeping pads for a reason. Get a 1.5in or 2in thick pad. They take about 60seconds to blow up and work very well in not only comfort, but to get your body off the freezing ground. Some of us bring out two pads in the winter to add an extra between us and the ground.

 

Get a camping pillow, they are tiny and pack up into something hte size of your fist. I can't sleep with no pillow, the blood rushes to my head and I get a headache. I know, I'm weird. I have a North Face pillow that is small but works well in propping my head up.

 

Water filters- Katadyn are awesome. That's what I have seen most people have. I don't have one because all my friends do, so I just pump my own water out of theirs. The filters last a long time, most are ceramic, and need to be replaced every year if you're pumping a lot of water, every couple if not.

If I have any advice for winter backpacking, it is try to pack light BUT if you need to bring an extra sweatshirt or clothes, hats, socks, etc, bring them. It's going to be cold and it's not as easy saying, I'll just walk back to the car. For winter trips, my pack usually weights around 40lbs. Even though my friends and I split stuff up, somehow I always end up bringing my tent, it's fly, poles and everything when two other people are sleeping in it. I usually bring my Carhart insulated astronaut jumpsuit to sleep in my bag with. Most of the weight is clothes, food, and beer. Beer cans are easier to backpack with, you can crush them and toss them into a bag and it doesn't add much weight. Glass is glass...heavy and difficult to bring out with you. All freeze-dried food is good, it's tasty and light. It's easy to boil water, pour it into the bag, let it sit for a couple mins, and you have a nice hot meal in minutes. No added work. Remember to bring string and rope for general use, the most important being a bear bag. The first year I went winter backpacking, even though we hung a bearbag, a friend that has no common sense (and has not ever been invited backpacking with us again) left out a bag of chips and a bear ended up smelling it however many miles away. We heard it early in the morning, then got out and got the fire raging to scare it off. We never saw it, but we saw some large paw prints near our site. Make sure the bag is hung a good distance away from your site, and far out on a branch that if a bear were to climb the tree, they can't reach it.

 

Please remember to hike out what you hike in. Garbage and all of that, even if it's on your own property or someone elses, all adds up and it is SO easy to bring a plastic bag and bring your garbage back.

Here's a pic of one of the bear prints we found. This was in February 2009, unrelated to the potato chip bear print..unfortunately I failed to take any pics of that one. Here, we were hiking out from out site and found a couple of prints. This was from a family backpacking trip I do with one of my friends and his family every winter. The second picture is a bunch of us standing around it, with 'oh crap, a bear was near us last night' looks on our faces if you can't tell.

 

 

 

 

Edit: And to anyone that thinks every bear hibernates and is not out roaming during the winter, please stop right there. Yes, most bears do hibernate, but a lot of bears either do not eat as much as they should or can to provide themselves for those 5 months or get restless. Understand that there ARE bears out during winter time, in northern NJ in Sussex (lots up there) and even some spotted down in southern NJ as well. Take appropriate caution and action. I highly suggest getting a big bottle or two of bear spray, it sprays up to about 25-30 feet depending on brand and size of bottle. I test sprayed one of the big bottles and I can tell you I, nor I doubt a bear, would want to get sprayed by it. It is a very large stream of pepperspray that travels far, and a good amount comes out of the big bottle. And yes, if I/we could in NJ, I would definitely be carrying a handgun as well as a shotgun but you must take advantage of other options sometimes (spray, as well as a big knife for big work/defense, and compact knife for small business) when the superior choices are denied.

recessed gave great advice. If it is two person affordable and trustworthy easy to set up dome backpack tent go Eureka

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28253

 

or for an aframe that will last forever

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40324

 

the Timberlines are basically indestructible and they have been selling that model for eons.

 

Look at REI also for sales.

 

Buy once... cry once. but both of those are very good deals.

Those Eureka domes are nice, a buddy of mine has one and their nice and roomy for such a small tent.

 

EMS is also another outdoors store to check out. REI and EMS have good gear, but are fairly overpriced when compared to other stores like Campmor and internet stores. EMS gives students a 10% discount I believe.