best car camping two person tent with dog

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
lepegasus
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:14 pm

best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by lepegasus »

Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, those are good days.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
ondarvr
Posts: 415
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 5:03 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by ondarvr »

There are too many tents to list that are at least good, and the price range varies from less than $100 to well over a thousand. You'll need to fine tune your requirements a bit more.

You can get a small dome tent, or a multi room luxury model, options in both models have enough room for you.

Is this for quick overnight and move on the next day type trip, or staying multiple nights in one location with some comfort features desired.
Last edited by ondarvr on Sun May 28, 2023 3:10 pm, edited 3 times in total.
stan1
Posts: 14235
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:35 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by stan1 »

lepegasus wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:57 pm Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
Well I was going to ask what size the dog was, but then realized you are 6'7" so maybe the size of the dog doesn't matter.

Good luck with a 2-3 person tent, I think you are looking at a "4-6 person" dome tent.
livesoft
Posts: 85971
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by livesoft »

I have a dog and I camp in a tent quite a lot. Your question prompts me to link this article from May 19 for everybody who missed it:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/opin ... lture.html
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
Topic Author
lepegasus
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:14 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by lepegasus »

ondarvr wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:01 pm There are too many tents to list that at are least good, and the price range varies from less than $100 to well over a thousand. You'll need to fine tune your requirements a bit more.

You can get a small dome tent, or a multi room luxury model, options in both models have enough room for you.

Is this for quick overnight and move on the next day type trip, or staying multiple nights in one location with some comfort features desired.
I should clarify. It will be to set up shop for a few days to a week at campgrounds along the Great Lakes. I’m happy to spend a few hundred — I’d like to buy something that lasts rather than something that falls apart after a few uses. I know there are plenty of tents out there - just curious if someone has a go-to that they would recommend. For instance, I have a tadpole 2 from North Face that I’ve used for over 15 years on many bike tours. Heavy and clunky but it does the trick. Car camping is new to me. Thanks!
“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, those are good days.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
Topic Author
lepegasus
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:14 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by lepegasus »

stan1 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:02 pm
lepegasus wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:57 pm Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
Well I was going to ask what size the dog was, but then realized you are 6'7" so maybe the size of the dog doesn't matter.

Good luck with a 2-3 person tent, I think you are looking at a "4-6 person" dome tent.
8-)
“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, those are good days.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

lepegasus wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:57 pm Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter. So I go big and nice. This is my car/boat camping tent:

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10x14-flex-bow-vx-bundle/

The smaller version will be plenty big for you and will save you $150.

You can obviously go MUCH cheaper and probably still be fine. It really comes down to how much you'll be using it. I've probably slept 200+ nights in mine.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
ondarvr
Posts: 415
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 5:03 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by ondarvr »

For the type of use you indicated, I'd go with a large full height weather proof design and add a 10x10 pop up shelter.

Available tent models change almost by the day, there's always something new in the works from almost every manufacturer. So what was for sale last year may not be this year, this makes recommendations a bit tough.

Little used tents that were purchased over the last couple of years seem to be everywhere on Craigslist and Marketplace right now, I'd look there first.

Our family did many multi day river trips in remote places, with car camping mixed in, dogs included. Even back then the low cost family tents did an adequate job unless the weather was really bad, I still have one from 25 years ago that was retired only because of a zipper failure. I upgraded to a Cabelas tent with a wood stove as our adventures became longer and in every season.

I have far too many tents, from ultra light backpacking tents to large cabin tents, there is no one perfect tent.
User avatar
Watty
Posts: 28813
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:55 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by Watty »

White Coat Investor wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:55 pm Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter.
That depends on the car. I have done car camping trips in a Corolla where space was still a big factor.

Two simple things that make a big difference to me are having a plastic tent peg mallet like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-9742-Te ... 105&sr=8-3

and heavy duty tent stakes that you could use to kill a vampire with, something like these.

https://www.amazon.com/JFOUTU-8pc-Pack- ... 04&sr=8-11

The wire or even plastic tent stakes that sometimes come with a tent are often a problem.
User avatar
MJS
Posts: 1309
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:55 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by MJS »

One big person in a small tent is fine. Two TALL people and a dog! in a small tent is justification for murder.

Get a Eureka Copper Canyon 4 or 6 person tent with 84" peak height. Being able to escape from rain or bugs can make a camping trip much more tolerable. Save tiny popups for backpacking or solo trips. https://www.rei.com/product/187693/eure ... erson-tent
Ipsa scientia potestas est. Bacon F.
TN_Boy
Posts: 4076
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:51 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by TN_Boy »

MJS wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 6:17 pm One big person in a small tent is fine. Two TALL people and a dog! in a small tent is justification for murder.

Get a Eureka Copper Canyon 4 or 6 person tent with 84" peak height. Being able to escape from rain or bugs can make a camping trip much more tolerable. Save tiny popups for backpacking or solo trips. https://www.rei.com/product/187693/eure ... erson-tent
For car camping +1 to 4 to 6 person tent with 84" height. Still not that big when packed up. And some of them come with a vestibule, very handy for leaving dirty shoes outside, etc.

Once you go to a tall tent, you will wonder in amazement how you lived with crawling into a low tent.
texasdiver
Posts: 3935
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:50 am
Location: Vancouver WA

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by texasdiver »

2 person tents are only for backpacking or bike packing where ounces and size matters.

Like others have said, get yourself something big and roomy.

Also get BIG roomy self-inflating air mattresses and camp style (rectangular) sleeping bags.
hvaclorax
Posts: 586
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:01 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by hvaclorax »

Hilleberg Tents are the best tents in my opinion. Maybe overkill. Give them a good look.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

texasdiver wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 7:00 pm 2 person tents are only for backpacking or bike packing where ounces and size matters.

Like others have said, get yourself something big and roomy.

Also get BIG roomy self-inflating air mattresses and camp style (rectangular) sleeping bags.
Cots are also a huge value add. I am being honest when I say I sleep just as well on a cot and a big thick thermarest in my big tent as I do at home. That is not the case when backpacking.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
Staying the Course
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 11:31 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by Staying the Course »

White Coat Investor wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 5:03 am
texasdiver wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 7:00 pm 2 person tents are only for backpacking or bike packing where ounces and size matters.

Like others have said, get yourself something big and roomy.

Also get BIG roomy self-inflating air mattresses and camp style (rectangular) sleeping bags.
Cots are also a huge value add. I am being honest when I say I sleep just as well on a cot and a big thick thermarest in my big tent as I do at home. That is not the case when backpacking.
Do you have a particular cot recommendation? Much appreciated!
backpacker61
Posts: 1608
Joined: Wed May 20, 2020 6:36 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by backpacker61 »

A couple significant factors to consider are the size and type of vehicle you'll be carrying it in, and the types of wind you can expect at your camping destinations.

My current vehicle is a mid-size sedan, and I expect to have a compact car in retirement. So the 'packed size' matters to me, even for a car camping trip. It needs to easily fit in a passenger car trunk along with my camp stove, clothing, ice chest, box of food, clothes, etc.

The other factor is wind. Some places I've camped experience pretty extreme wind, so something like a dome with a rainfly that can be thoroughly staked is important.

I would look at the REI Wonderland series. No experience with them, though; I car camp with a large tarp or use my backpacking tent currently as my opportunities for trips these days are minimal. The REI products have a good reputation for quality at a reasonable (though not rock bottom) price.

https://www.rei.com/b/rei-co-op/f/pl-wonderland
“Now shall I walk or shall I ride? | 'Ride,' Pleasure said; | 'Walk,' Joy replied.” | | ― W.H. Davies
Topic Author
lepegasus
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:14 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by lepegasus »

White Coat Investor wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:55 pm
lepegasus wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:57 pm Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter. So I go big and nice. This is my car/boat camping tent:

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10x14-flex-bow-vx-bundle/

The smaller version will be plenty big for you and will save you $150.

You can obviously go MUCH cheaper and probably still be fine. It really comes down to how much you'll be using it. I've probably slept 200+ nights in mine.
Have you had any issues with mildew or rot with the canvas? I’m leaning towards a Kodiak at this point - just hesitating a bit when it comes to caring for the material given upfront investment.
“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, those are good days.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
livesoft
Posts: 85971
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by livesoft »

lepegasus wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 11:29 amHave you had any issues with mildew or rot with the canvas? I’m leaning towards a Kodiak at this point - just hesitating a bit when it comes to caring for the material given upfront investment.
Any tent material left damp and wet will end up with mildew all over it. That includes nylon, silpoly, silnylon, DCF, canvas, cotton, etc.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
billaster
Posts: 2882
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2022 2:21 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by billaster »

Staying the Course wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 6:13 am Do you have a particular cot recommendation? Much appreciated!
Roll-a-cot is the go to for Grand Canyon river runners. Comes in two lengths and widths. The standard 74x28 works for most people. I've used this for hundreds of nights in the canyon instead of a tent. It's quick drying plastic mesh so you want an insulating pad if it's cold out. I modified mine to have individual telescoping legs so I can set up on uneven ground or cobbles and boulders, which is typical on the river.

https://www.camptime.com/collections/cots
w5000
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2020 8:33 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by w5000 »

I've been happy with my REI Half Dome 2+. It comes in bigger 3+ size which you'd probably want for 2 people and a dog. Pretty cheap (and on sale this weekend). Plenty of headroom. One reason I got it was that I couldn't sit up in my old backpacking tent and pretty much just car camp now.
WhiteMaxima
Posts: 3323
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:04 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by WhiteMaxima »

4runner with roof top tent. Can go anywhere. Toyota quality.
DWNY
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 9:22 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by DWNY »

For car camping a tent I like a tent that lets me stand up and fits an inflatable air bed. A full size airbed in a 6 person 6foot tall tent is quite plush. Though if the temperatures drop you do need to put some insulating layers between you and the airbed.

I haven't seen this tent but I like Nemo products (I have an obi-1 tent, a pillow, and 2 sleeping bags). At $125 off today at REI it seems like a deal. https://www.rei.com/product/200654/nemo ... se-6p-tent
JohnInAZ
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:39 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by JohnInAZ »

Check out Costco if you can shop there..

I got a nice one I could stand up in and easy to set up... They have a few different sizes..

https://www.costco.com/core-6-person-in ... 41698.html

If there is ever anything wrong with it you can take it back.. :D

-jfc-
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

Staying the Course wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 6:13 am
White Coat Investor wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 5:03 am
texasdiver wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 7:00 pm 2 person tents are only for backpacking or bike packing where ounces and size matters.

Like others have said, get yourself something big and roomy.

Also get BIG roomy self-inflating air mattresses and camp style (rectangular) sleeping bags.
Cots are also a huge value add. I am being honest when I say I sleep just as well on a cot and a big thick thermarest in my big tent as I do at home. That is not the case when backpacking.
Do you have a particular cot recommendation? Much appreciated!
EZ-cots are great for speed of set-up.

https://byerofmaine.com/products/easyco ... 5393345675

Fastest drying cots are used by river runners, a brand called Roll-o-Cot.

https://www.utahwhitewatergear.com/roll-o-cot.html

I own both. They're pretty similar in comfort. The EZ cot is significantly cheaper and much faster to set up and take down (5 seconds versus 60 for the experienced) but takes a while to dry (canvas instead of plastic) and is slightly bulkier and heavier. I think the Roll O Cot is a bit more durable too. I think they're equally comfortable with a pad on top of them, but haven't actually slept on either without one. I'm soft I guess.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

lepegasus wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 11:29 am
White Coat Investor wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:55 pm
lepegasus wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 1:57 pm Anyone have any recommendations for a quality 2/3 person tent for car camping? We’ll have our pup with us as well. I’m a long body at 6’7” an the wife is 5’8”. Thanks much!
Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter. So I go big and nice. This is my car/boat camping tent:

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10x14-flex-bow-vx-bundle/

The smaller version will be plenty big for you and will save you $150.

You can obviously go MUCH cheaper and probably still be fine. It really comes down to how much you'll be using it. I've probably slept 200+ nights in mine.
Have you had any issues with mildew or rot with the canvas? I’m leaning towards a Kodiak at this point - just hesitating a bit when it comes to caring for the material given upfront investment.
# 1 I live in a desert
# 2 I never put anything away wet

But no, never had a mildew issue.

Be sure the size isn't an issue for you. This is a much bigger package than something you'd buy at REI. If you're driving an SUV or pick-up, no problem. If you're trying to camp with four people in a corolla this might take up too much room for you.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
BatBuckeye
Posts: 195
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2020 6:15 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by BatBuckeye »

Cots are quieter than than blow up sleeping pads.
The better the tent the better the rain protection.
Take a nice pillow.

Many have already commented, go with a larger tent. It is very nice to be able to stand or nearly stand.

Is there a budget?
The longer you live in a tent the more you will appreciate plenty of space.
the_wiki
Posts: 2848
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2022 11:14 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by the_wiki »

Unless you are really cramped on space in the car, get a big one with a tall dome height.

When they list tents by people it means literally laying shoulder to shoulder like sardines in a can. If you don’t want to hate life, double or triple. I’d get a 5-6 at least. Something you can put a big air mattress in.

I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
mainiac
Posts: 212
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:41 pm
Location: Maine

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by mainiac »

Yep, get a six person tent.

Our 4 person LL Bean tent is just big enough for two Byer Easy Cots with a very narrow aisle. Now that we have a dog, there isn't enough room in the tent for the dog. Another benefit of the cots, besides a decent night's sleep, is that you can store your clothes/gear under the cots.

Happy camping!
User avatar
ClevrChico
Posts: 3246
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:24 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by ClevrChico »

I'll add another recommendation for Eureka tents as they are a fantastic value and great quality. Two people + dog = 4-5+ person tent, at least with Eureka That will give you enough room for gear and to move around.
s2kduff
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:13 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by s2kduff »

ClevrChico wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 7:10 am I'll add another recommendation for Eureka tents as they are a fantastic value and great quality. Two people + dog = 4-5+ person tent, at least with Eureka That will give you enough room for gear and to move around.
Agreed. Definitely should consider Eureka when looking at a tent for car camping with a dog. We have a Mountain Hardwear for the wife and I, but when we take the dog, we use a Eureka Timberline 4. Looks like Eureka has 20% off select tents until 12am tonight as well.

-s2kduff
LivinGood
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2019 3:14 pm
Location: NW, CO

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by LivinGood »

Nemo Aurora Highrise in 4 or 6 person. We have the 6. It works great with 2 cots and 2 Labs. Been through some serious storms and it’s held up fine. A little spendy but worth the money.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

the_wiki wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:07 pm
I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
User avatar
MJS
Posts: 1309
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:55 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by MJS »

White Coat Investor wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:55 pm Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter. So I go big and nice. This is my car/boat camping tent:

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10x14-flex-bow-vx-bundle/
I looked it up, and small woman here ... does the Bundle really weight over 100 pounds, or is that the shipping weight? And wet canvas weight... Wow! You Guys are Tough!
Ipsa scientia potestas est. Bacon F.
Jeepergeo
Posts: 865
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:33 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by Jeepergeo »

Springbar tents for car camping can't be beat for ease of set up (one person), stability in foul weather, roominess (room to stand up and to use cots in many models), and Made in the USA. They are a tad heavy, but that shouldn't be a big factor for a car camper.
the_wiki
Posts: 2848
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2022 11:14 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by the_wiki »

White Coat Investor wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:40 pm
the_wiki wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:07 pm
I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
Sorry to have offended a wealthy tent aficionado. My most humble apologies.
hvaclorax
Posts: 586
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:01 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by hvaclorax »

The Hilleberg tent is bulletproof in all seasons except deep winter. Snow is ok, ditto for rain or wind. Because it is heavy too much for most backpacking trips, I would only carry it for car camping when weather is iffy.
Ret2018
Posts: 154
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:40 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by Ret2018 »

Party of two just wrapped up six weeks of car camping in Utah and AZ, done on a RAV4 with lots of other gear and two bikes on a hitch rack. This was our shelter setup:
—Marmot Halo 4P (freestanding dome, 5 feet of head room, two vestibules and lots of venting options; purchased prior to 2017 so design may have changed)
—thermarest Mondo XXL pads (two of them side by side are same size as queen bed)
—fitted and flat sheets, wool blanket
—two travel size pillows
—two down sleeping bags
Over the course of the six weeks we comfortably weathered night time lows in the 20s to day time highs near 90, thunderstorms, hail and wind gusts up to 40+ mph. Some nights able to remove the fly to look at stars all night. As we have mummy style bags, we find sheets with the bags as a cover more comfortable, and with the blanket increased our temperature range. Sheets also came in handy for the occasional yurt or primitive cabin stay.
ensign_lee
Posts: 531
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:03 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by ensign_lee »

If it's 2 people plus a dog, you really want a 4 person tent.

I recommend the Kelty Night Owl 4 person. It's what my wife and dog and I use.
User avatar
zincTwo
Posts: 705
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 11:31 pm
Location: California

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by zincTwo »

Don't forget to trim the dog's nails. Ripstop nylon is no match for a dog trying to get to a wandering squirrel.
YoungLion
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:16 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by YoungLion »

My wife and I have a Marmot Halo 4 person tent for car camping and it is an exceptional tent. Well designed, spacious for its footprint, great ventilation, decent sized vestibules in both front and back and holds up well in wind and driving rain. Maybe more than you want to spend (if they even make them anymore).
YoungLion
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:16 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by YoungLion »

I just checked and Marmot still makes the Halo 4 though it looks a bit different than the one we bought in 2012. I love that tent . . .
WhitePuma
Posts: 935
Joined: Fri May 05, 2023 6:34 pm

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by WhitePuma »

When selecting a tent, you may wish to investigate whether flame retardants and/or PFAS-laden durable water repellents (DWRs) are used on the fabrics, particularly given you could be spending a lot of time inside the tent touching and breathing these chemicals. There are very few tent suppliers who have eliminated these chemicals from their tents, due to a combination of: (i) lack of regulatory requirements to do so, (ii) lack of (awareness … and thus) pressure from consumers to do so, and (iii) desire to minimize costs. But there are some… like from The Tent Lab.
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by stoptothink »

the_wiki wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 8:13 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:40 pm
the_wiki wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:07 pm
I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
Sorry to have offended a wealthy tent aficionado. My most humble apologies.
We've camped well >100 nights as a family in our Coleman 6-man tent. I don't believe anything has broken so far and it's done fine in my opinion when we've been rained on. My general philosophy is buy the cheapest thing that meets your needs and upgrade later as necessary. So far, our experience is that the budget camping gear does just fine and I can't think of a single product we've replaced yet. But, that's us and we are generally really frugal.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

MJS wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 5:31 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:55 pm Car camping to me means that weight and size doesn't matter. So I go big and nice. This is my car/boat camping tent:

https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/10x14-flex-bow-vx-bundle/
I looked it up, and small woman here ... does the Bundle really weight over 100 pounds, or is that the shipping weight? And wet canvas weight... Wow! You Guys are Tough!
It's certainly 50 and I could be convinced it is 100 with stakes, poles, and everything. Definitely NOT a backpacking tent!

You make two trips. One with the tent and one with the poles in one hand and the stakes in the other. But you don't want the trip to be more than 100 feet either way!
Last edited by White Coat Investor on Wed May 31, 2023 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 6:34 am
the_wiki wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 8:13 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:40 pm
the_wiki wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:07 pm
I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
Sorry to have offended a wealthy tent aficionado. My most humble apologies.
We've camped well >100 nights as a family in our Coleman 6-man tent. I don't believe anything has broken so far and it's done fine in my opinion when we've been rained on. My general philosophy is buy the cheapest thing that meets your needs and upgrade later as necessary. So far, our experience is that the budget camping gear does just fine and I can't think of a single product we've replaced yet. But, that's us and we are generally really frugal.
It's less a matter of spending than it is one of those things that is "buy nice or buy twice" IMHO.

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by stoptothink »

White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:45 pm
stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 6:34 am
the_wiki wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 8:13 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:40 pm
the_wiki wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 9:07 pm
I like the basic Coleman square dome tents. Easy to put up, big, cheap but not not junk. Great for occasional car camping.
What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
Sorry to have offended a wealthy tent aficionado. My most humble apologies.
We've camped well >100 nights as a family in our Coleman 6-man tent. I don't believe anything has broken so far and it's done fine in my opinion when we've been rained on. My general philosophy is buy the cheapest thing that meets your needs and upgrade later as necessary. So far, our experience is that the budget camping gear does just fine and I can't think of a single product we've replaced yet. But, that's us and we are generally really frugal.
It's less a matter of spending than it is one of those things that is "buy nice or buy twice" IMHO.

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
You have to examine your use case. In ours, there has yet to be a single "buy twice" for our ~20 days a year of camping over the last ~6yrs. We bought budget gear because it's not something we grew up doing and weren't sure if we would like. If we were more serious about it, maybe we'd invest in something better. It's just us 4 in conventional/popular camping grounds and almost exclusively in the summer.

My BILs have all the high-end gear. They are single 30-somethings who live together, make decent livings, and blow all their money on all the latest gear - most of which they have never even taken out of the box. I doubt they actually get outside camping even once a year. Occasionally we'll borrow something, but it's never enticed us to toss our budget gear and level up. I'm certain it is better built and more durable, but we've yet to have something fail so we're fine with the budget stuff at a fraction of the price. If/when it fails, we'll cross that bridge.

OP uses the word "best" in their title. Nobody is going to use that term in a sentence with Coleman, but it has worked for us. Like most related threads, OP should probably mention how much they are looking to spend because it can be $100 or 20x that.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:53 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:45 pm
stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 6:34 am
the_wiki wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 8:13 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 4:40 pm

What tent manufacturer would you describe as junk if not Coleman?

A Coleman or other "Wal-mart type" tent is fine as long as it doesn't rain or blow. It'll provide some shade, privacy, and keep the bugs out until the zipper blows but I don't think most of them even have a real rain fly. Again, it's fine if you're only going to use it twice and only in good weather. But if you really need a tent, you're never going to pick a Coleman over something else. There's a reason it costs $70-200 instead of $400-1,200.

For the OP, by the way, tall tents are not as warm as shorter ones if that matters to you, but they are easier to put a tent heater in!
Sorry to have offended a wealthy tent aficionado. My most humble apologies.
We've camped well >100 nights as a family in our Coleman 6-man tent. I don't believe anything has broken so far and it's done fine in my opinion when we've been rained on. My general philosophy is buy the cheapest thing that meets your needs and upgrade later as necessary. So far, our experience is that the budget camping gear does just fine and I can't think of a single product we've replaced yet. But, that's us and we are generally really frugal.
It's less a matter of spending than it is one of those things that is "buy nice or buy twice" IMHO.

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
You have to examine your use case. In ours, there has yet to be a single "buy twice" for our ~20 days a year of camping over the last ~6yrs. We bought budget gear because it's not something we grew up doing and weren't sure if we would like. If we were more serious about it, maybe we'd invest in something better. It's just us 4 in conventional/popular camping grounds and almost exclusively in the summer.

My BILs have all the high-end gear. They are single 30-somethings who live together, make decent livings, and blow all their money on all the latest gear - most of which they have never even taken out of the box. I doubt they actually get outside camping even once a year. Occasionally we'll borrow something, but it's never enticed us to toss our budget gear and level up. I'm certain it is better built and more durable, but we've yet to have something fail so we're fine with the budget stuff at a fraction of the price. If/when it fails, we'll cross that bridge.

OP uses the word "best" in their title. Nobody is going to use that term in a sentence with Coleman, but it has worked for us. Like most related threads, OP should probably mention how much they are looking to spend because it can be $100 or 20x that.
It's about how you use it too, of course. Glad your stuff is working great for you.

Let me tell you about the night I decided to get that expensive canvas tent. We were camping out of our boat on a beach at Lake Powell, perhaps 30 miles from the marina. The wind was howling. Sand was blowing up under the full fly (on what we thought was a nice REI tent) and literally raining through the mesh. By morning, there was a pile of sand 8 inches deep in one corner and perhaps 1/4 inch on top of everything in the tent, including us. That REI tent subsequently became the "food tent" on those trips, but eventually broke in another windstorm and went in the trash. No way to really repair those nylon tents.
'
Since that time I've been in a dozen or more "wind events" like that one and not only has the tent survived, but I've slept well and sand-free. A few times, the entire expedition has eaten in the tent as the only place to get out of the horizontally blowing sand.

This is just a very different scenario from where you're using your Coleman tent. I mean, if you get a bad storm you just go sit in the car for a few hours or go home early. If the OP's scenario is more like yours than mine, especially if money is an object, they should go try the Coleman option. Lighter too. Even if they realize after 20 nights that they want something better, they're only out a couple hundred bucks at most. I've spent that much on stakes.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
TN_Boy
Posts: 4076
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:51 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by TN_Boy »

stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:53 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:45 pm
stuff deleted ..

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
You have to examine your use case. In ours, there has yet to be a single "buy twice" for our ~20 days a year of camping over the last ~6yrs. We bought budget gear because it's not something we grew up doing and weren't sure if we would like. If we were more serious about it, maybe we'd invest in something better. It's just us 4 in conventional/popular camping grounds and almost exclusively in the summer.

My BILs have all the high-end gear. They are single 30-somethings who live together, make decent livings, and blow all their money on all the latest gear - most of which they have never even taken out of the box. I doubt they actually get outside camping even once a year. Occasionally we'll borrow something, but it's never enticed us to toss our budget gear and level up. I'm certain it is better built and more durable, but we've yet to have something fail so we're fine with the budget stuff at a fraction of the price. If/when it fails, we'll cross that bridge.

OP uses the word "best" in their title. Nobody is going to use that term in a sentence with Coleman, but it has worked for us. Like most related threads, OP should probably mention how much they are looking to spend because it can be $100 or 20x that.
I have nothing for or against Coleman tents :-). I am curious about the answer to White Coat's question. If you set your tent up while dry, and it rains all night on the tent, does the Coleman keep everything dry inside? Because the better tents can do that. And that is one thing I would want in a tent; very reliable rain protection.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17338
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by White Coat Investor »

TN_Boy wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 5:35 pm
stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:53 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:45 pm
stuff deleted ..

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
You have to examine your use case. In ours, there has yet to be a single "buy twice" for our ~20 days a year of camping over the last ~6yrs. We bought budget gear because it's not something we grew up doing and weren't sure if we would like. If we were more serious about it, maybe we'd invest in something better. It's just us 4 in conventional/popular camping grounds and almost exclusively in the summer.

My BILs have all the high-end gear. They are single 30-somethings who live together, make decent livings, and blow all their money on all the latest gear - most of which they have never even taken out of the box. I doubt they actually get outside camping even once a year. Occasionally we'll borrow something, but it's never enticed us to toss our budget gear and level up. I'm certain it is better built and more durable, but we've yet to have something fail so we're fine with the budget stuff at a fraction of the price. If/when it fails, we'll cross that bridge.

OP uses the word "best" in their title. Nobody is going to use that term in a sentence with Coleman, but it has worked for us. Like most related threads, OP should probably mention how much they are looking to spend because it can be $100 or 20x that.
I have nothing for or against Coleman tents :-). I am curious about the answer to White Coat's question. If you set your tent up while dry, and it rains all night on the tent, does the Coleman keep everything dry inside? Because the better tents can do that. And that is one thing I would want in a tent; very reliable rain protection.
Yes in the case of the Kodiak. The floor is rubber and that rubber comes up maybe 6-12 inches on all of the sides. You could have a stream running underneath it and it would keep you dry. But even if you did have a stream running through it, you could STILL stay dry if you were using cots. Doesn't matter if the rain is coming down or sideways, it'll keep it out.

Depends in the case of the Coleman. I've seen lots of wet campers (admittedly mostly youth at girl's camps or scout camps) come out of Coleman style tents in the morning. Nylon tents can certainly keep rain out, but they need a full fly pitched well to do that. Those little halfsie flys are inadequate IMHO. But hey, who's to say my opinion is worth more than StopToThink's. He's got 100 days on that thing and I'm pretty impressed. I don't think I know anyone personally that has spent 100 nights in a Coleman tent. I guess you have to ask yourself, what are the consequences if this tent sucks? Will your spouse never go again? Will you never go again? Could it be life threatening? How rich am I and how important is it to me to have "the best"? Those sorts of questions.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
TN_Boy
Posts: 4076
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:51 am

Re: best car camping two person tent with dog

Post by TN_Boy »

White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 5:44 pm
TN_Boy wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 5:35 pm
stoptothink wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:53 pm
White Coat Investor wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 1:45 pm
stuff deleted ..

I'm actually really impressed you stayed 100 nights in a Coleman tent. The problem with those rainflies is that they don't cover the entire tent so I'm curious what kind of rain you camped in. Just a little coming straight down is probably fine but I can' imagine it stays watertight very long in anything else.
You have to examine your use case. In ours, there has yet to be a single "buy twice" for our ~20 days a year of camping over the last ~6yrs. We bought budget gear because it's not something we grew up doing and weren't sure if we would like. If we were more serious about it, maybe we'd invest in something better. It's just us 4 in conventional/popular camping grounds and almost exclusively in the summer.

My BILs have all the high-end gear. They are single 30-somethings who live together, make decent livings, and blow all their money on all the latest gear - most of which they have never even taken out of the box. I doubt they actually get outside camping even once a year. Occasionally we'll borrow something, but it's never enticed us to toss our budget gear and level up. I'm certain it is better built and more durable, but we've yet to have something fail so we're fine with the budget stuff at a fraction of the price. If/when it fails, we'll cross that bridge.

OP uses the word "best" in their title. Nobody is going to use that term in a sentence with Coleman, but it has worked for us. Like most related threads, OP should probably mention how much they are looking to spend because it can be $100 or 20x that.
I have nothing for or against Coleman tents :-). I am curious about the answer to White Coat's question. If you set your tent up while dry, and it rains all night on the tent, does the Coleman keep everything dry inside? Because the better tents can do that. And that is one thing I would want in a tent; very reliable rain protection.
Yes in the case of the Kodiak. The floor is rubber and that rubber comes up maybe 6-12 inches on all of the sides. You could have a stream running underneath it and it would keep you dry. But even if you did have a stream running through it, you could STILL stay dry if you were using cots. Doesn't matter if the rain is coming down or sideways, it'll keep it out.

Depends in the case of the Coleman. I've seen lots of wet campers (admittedly mostly youth at girl's camps or scout camps) come out of Coleman style tents in the morning. Nylon tents can certainly keep rain out, but they need a full fly pitched well to do that. Those little halfsie flys are inadequate IMHO. But hey, who's to say my opinion is worth more than StopToThink's. He's got 100 days on that thing and I'm pretty impressed. I don't think I know anyone personally that has spent 100 nights in a Coleman tent. I guess you have to ask yourself, what are the consequences if this tent sucks? Will your spouse never go again? Will you never go again? Could it be life threatening? How rich am I and how important is it to me to have "the best"? Those sorts of questions.
My spouse would go. It's me that probably would never go again .....

But seriously, if the Coleman, setup properly does keep you dry absent a river running underneath the tent then that's good enough for most uses. But if two or three hours of rain is seeping through, well that's a different situation.
Post Reply