Replacement tent selection

[egraetze]

I am looking for recommendations on tent selection to provide to my troop. Our troop have historically bought and used several versions of Coleman dome tents. These are 4 man tents. In one version, the average person can stand up in. In the other version, it is a bit to short. Both use fiberglass poles. I don't have the model names. These ran from $80 to $100. Our troop is consistantly having to repair due to tearing floors, or discard due to zippers that stop working. It seems that we only get about a dozen uses out of each tent before they are no longer functional. I consider the quality to be a disappointment from the Coleman products of years ago. I am looking for experienced recommendations on what tents to suggest for the troop to purchase.

 

Guidelines for our use include:

 

Primarily car camping

-Approx 8 weekend trips per year + 1 week summer camp

-3 season use (Michigan)

-Usually 3 scouts per tent with equipment

-Some scouts use cots (rounded legs required)

-Tents that permit ability to stand up at center prefered

-One door is sufficient

-Aluminum poles desireable

-Price: Not an issue within reason (expecting to spend between $125 to $250 / tent)

-Expectation of well over 5 years life

 

Thanks in advance for recommendations. I just learned of this forum recently and just joined yesterday. I did a search for an answer and couldn't find what I was looking for.

 

Eric

Brighton, Michigan

[Beavah]

Yah, some of your tent problems may be because of da way you are usin' them. Haulin' gear into the tents, wearin' shoes in 'em, etc. puts a lot of wear and tear on the floor waterproofing. Kids have bad habits of stressin' the zippers especially when they're gettin' in and out of tents a lot with gear.

 

Yeh could cut down on some of that with smaller tents with good vestibules and some work on trainin' kids how to tent well. Then you might also do some backpackin', eh?

 

But if you're goin' to keep with the big beasties, you might choose to spring for some overstock major brand tents like Mountain Hardware or North Face. These typically have "lifetime" warranties; just send 'em back and they'll be repaired for free. Often well worth it in a scout troop, eh? Some troops around here have also had good luck with the Alps tents, provided they pay for the heavy-duty zipper versions. Alps offers great deals for scout troops (http://www.tentsonsale.com).

 

[kenk]

I think the Alps Mountaineering for Scouts link is http://www.scoutdirect.com/ . The main Alps Mountaineering site is http://www.alplsmountaineering.com .

 

I'd recommend the Taurus OF or the Merimac OF. The Taurus comes in 2, 3, 4, and 5 person sizes. The Merimac only comes in a 4 person size. My tendency would be to get a 3-person tent for 2 Scouts and a 4-person tent for 3 Scouts.

 

IMPORTANT - Don't let Scouts bring cots. These will shred your tent! Also as mentioned before, no shoes, frame packs, food, or flames inside a tent!!

 

These are their outfitter tents. I'm pretty sure that the only difference between the two is that the Taurus has full vestibules, while the Merimac has awnings. I'd lean toward the Merimac since Scouts can be hard on vestibule zippers as they try to squeeze through tiny openings. These outfitter tents come with heavy duty zippers and floors.

 

If you'd prefer fiberglass poles (not as strong as aluminum, but fiberglass can be stepped on without much damage) you can also buy the Meramac 4 with heavy duty floor and zipper but with fiberglass poles (this is what I got).

 

ALSO, don't rule out the Eureka Timberline Outfitter tents. These are great tents, though more expensive than the Alps tents.

[kraut-60]

I will back up Kenks last note with regard to the Eureka timberline series tents, they are the best I've ever used. We are using the 4 man model tents and these tents date back to 1997 when we purchased 8 of them (we presently have 7 as one was stored wet and mildewed/molded very badly).

 

These tents still have the original zippers still working and vestibules as well. Our troop only allows cots with the rounded legs and only at summer camp and limited to 2 scouts per tent.

 

We also have a Eureka timberline 2 man/person tent that is a smaller version of the 4 man tent. We use this when lady members of our troops committee or a mom goes out with the troop.

 

Dump the Colemans for troop use, I have and use a Coleman Montana 5 man tent but I take very good care of it and usually sleep solo or with one other adult leader, but it will fit 3 adults with cots and packer boxes for gear.

 

Keep the packs out of tents, too many sharp edges.

[GernBlansten]

Here's an idea if you don't like tent floors.

 

I just purchased a Mountain Hardware Kiva http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=3&prod=661&cat=47&viewAll=False

 

It has no floor, yet is a four season, four person tent that weighs about 6 lbs. Retails at $220, but I found it for $150. I bought it for winter camping and as an emergency shelter for backcountry skiing. Extremely simple to setup.

 

My son took it on a backpack trip last weekend and it performed admirably. Said it was as warm as our North Face VE-25. Got down below freezing.

 

He used a ground cloth a bit smaller than the tent and didn't worry about taking his boots off in the tent. Hosed the ground cloth off when he got home.

 

The really neat thing about this tent for troops is that it uses a single pole and is really big for the pack size and weight. The negative thing is it has no netting so bugs and ground critters might get in. Perfect for snow conditions, not so good for Texas me thinks.

[Gonzo1]

Welcome,

 

I echo the comments about not allowing cots, shoes, food, standing in tents etc. Have scouts and adults pack their gear to be waterproof, you know, put things in Zip lock bags, waterproof the pack itself and leave the pack leaning against a tree. Put a heavy duty plastic bag over it and it too is water proof.

 

I think Eureka makes the best tent. I've been using a Tetragon 7, (7ft x 7ft) a 3 man by design, but 2 fit. Fiberlgass poles have lasted well for 10 years, no tears, zippers work and still costs under $100. W A T E R P R O O F ! ! ! !

It 's also lightweight.

 

[CA_Scouter]

We actually do the opposite of Gonzo's troop. We DO allow the gear in the tent, its the SCOUTs we don't allow... we find that putting them in those large zip lock bags and leaning them up against a tree at night really prolongs tent life.

 

:-)

 

sorry, couldn't resist...

 

 

But seriously, whatever tent you buy, make sure it has a full rain fly on it... some of the cheaper tents( Costco and others ) have these 'half-flys' on it, and they are useless in anything other than a heavy fog.

 

 

 

 

 

[egraetze]

Thanks for all your recommendations. Keep any other suggestions coming.

I checked out the ALPS Mountaineering site and am very impressed with the selection for the Taurus and Merimac tents, and their offers for scouting. In addition, I have also always been impressed with Eureka, and will consider the Timberline tents. I happen to own half a dozen tents myself. My favorites include a 2 man Timberline I bought back in 1986 for backpacking, and also a 4 man Cabelas version of the 4 man Timberline.

By the way, our troop will be taking a canoe camping trip to Algonquin Provincial Park next summer, and the Taurus 4 man appears to be a good fit for use by 3 scouts.

 

Thanks again,

Eric

Brighton, MI

[eagle90]

I echo the sentiments about the Eureka Timberline Outfitters. Yes, they are more expensive, but our troop is still using some tents that were purchased in 1985, and they are used about ten weekends plus summer camp every year. We have had to repair some rips and replace some zippers, but the durability is exceptional. Make sure you get the Outfitter style, which has a thicker floor, double stitching, and a better quality zipper. We have both the four man and six man models. The adults use the six man models, with 2 people per tent. The scouts use the four man model with 2 or 3 per tent.

 

Don't throw away a tent for zipper problems. Check with your local shoe repair or someone that makes and/or repairs boat covers and canvas. They can replace a zipper quite exonomically. (About $20 here).

 

Dale

[Gonzo1]

You can also save the floor by putting the ground cloth under the tent (too obvious) and also one inside the tent.

 

G

[kenk]

Yup, putting a ground cloth INSIDE the tent as well as underneath is a great idea. Keep in mind that the waterproofing coating is on the inside, so anything that cuts, scrapes, or wears off that coating destroys the waterproofness of the tent.

 

Have each Scout bring thier own groundcloth of sufficient size to fit the tent floor - use one under (fold as needed so it doesn't stick out), one over, and if there are three Scouts, keep one in reserve for all sorts of other tasks such as covering firewood, covering gear left outside, etc...

 

By the way, if you're going canoing where you'll have to portage the canoes and gear, you'd still want to carry light weight tents. I suppose 3 Scouts per tent does lighten the load at bit, but you might even try 4 per tent there.