In search of: The Best Ground Tents

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Drifterman

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1,721
East Patchogue, NY, USA
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Fluffy
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Drifter
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14708

Well i have been trying to find a good canvas heater tent or campfire tent for a few years that will work for backpacking hunt camp and now overlanding im thinking the tentpi or may be this bakers tent from tentsmithsScreenshot_20190224-110417_Samsung%20Internet.jpeg
 
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NLrunner

Rank II
Launch Member

Enthusiast I

404
Chattanooga, TN
Member #

5949

I’ve been looking for a good awning tent. I know dicks and Walmart have them. But I have the 2000 arb awning. And those seem to be too wide. I’ve read post about other brands. But they seem to be discontinued. Any help?
I’ve been looking for a good awning tent. I know dicks and Walmart have them. But I have the 2000 arb awning. And those seem to be too wide. I’ve read post about other brands. But they seem to be discontinued. Any help?
I love my ARB awning room...I have the 2000 awning and the 2000 x 2500 fits perfect.
 
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bobzdar

Rank I

Enthusiast I

231
Richmond
Is it just you? I really like the Cabelas ultimate Alaknak tents, but even the smallest one (12'x12') is pretty big. I have the 27'x13' with vestibule and roof protector, but I generally camp with 4-8 people, and honestly it's overkill for anything under 8 (the 12x20 or 12x12 are better for up to 8 and 5 people, respectively). However it's extremely good in bad weather and has amazing ventilation. I've had it in 30mph winds down to 12 degrees with no issues. My only complaint with it is that the stakes aren't the highest quality, I've bent them up some pounding them into and removing them from frozen ground. They can be bent back and I've only actually ruined one, but I plan to invest in some better stakes at some point. Takes me about 45 minutes to set up/take down by myself, but that's for the stupid big one and half the time is spent pounding in stakes. The 12x12 would be way less. Rain and snow are no issue, biggest issue in it is condensation, and they have a lot of ventilation for that. The tradeoff in bad weather is you have to balance condensation vs. insulation (wood stove helps), but contrasting to a canvas style tent, it does not hold water/moisture in the fabric. I put it away in a snow storm and when I took it back out to dry out it barely held any water and really, if you took a towel to it while packing up it wouldn't be an issue as the fabric doesn't hold any water itself.

I usually set up a base camp and explore from there, if you're more one that changes locations every night, it might be too much work (imo) as you'd probably still be looking at 15-20 minutes to set up and take down the small one. Not horrible, but that's half an hour to 40 minutes a day just for the tent. Weight wise the huge one weighs about 180lbs with the accessories, the 12x12 would probably be under 100lbs. The poles are the heaviest part. I have a Thule roof bubble for my JLUR, I put the tent and all accessories in that with some other stuff, and the poles in the back of the Jeep (they're too long to fit in the bubble). I also have a trailer, depends on how much stuff and how many people I'm taking in my vehicle. Last trip we fit everything for 2 people without the trailer and the rest met us there. More than 2 people and I need the trailer.

DSCF1356.JPG 20190224_171417s.jpg
 
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Speric

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Advocate III

4,045
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
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Speric
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Great thread. Those are some pretty sweet set-ups. Currently looking at tents because my NorthFace backpacking tent, although a great tent, is not as “fun” crawling on the ground to get into, as it was when I was in my twenties. I want something I can stand in, get dressed in without having to wiggle into my clothes, etc. something like a tall 3-4person size.
 
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Baughb

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Enthusiast I

231
Henderson, NV, USA
First Name
Bob
Last Name
Salcedo
I went with a rei kingdom 6. How much space do you need? Bought it for $500 plus got the garage to go with it and a footprint. Very nice tent. Well made I think. I believe Mr. Overland bound himself had a rei in the beginning. Saw it in his one video.


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Like my older Hobitat.. it's a (almost) two room place! LOts of condensation in the Garage IMHE. Thinking of Canvas for colder camping with a stove inside.
 
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Fellow Jeeper

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Influencer II

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Latrobe Pa
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Lee
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Bobincheck
Like my older Hobitat.. it's a (almost) two room place! LOts of condensation in the Garage IMHE. Thinking of Canvas for colder camping with a stove inside.
We didn't have a lot of condensation in the garage. But did get a lot in the main tent. Probably because we didnt vent all the time.
 
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Hans Sommer

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Arroyo Grande CA
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Hans
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Sommer
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8595

I recently bought a Cabela’s west winds 6 person Geodome tent and I’m very impressed. I was considering the REI kingdom 6 and read a bunch of the reviews and picked the Cabela’s tent. It’s on sale for $250. And has about 10x10’ floor space and 6’3” of headroom and a big vestibule. I set it up this weekend and slept in it during a rainstorm and not a drop inside or leaks. It rained .7 inches.

The geodomes are great in the wind too and they can be stakes out to handle decently strong wind. I think this a score of a deal.
 

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Hans Sommer

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Arroyo Grande CA
First Name
Hans
Last Name
Sommer
Member #

8595

I recently bought a Cabela’s west winds 6 person Geodome tent and I’m very impressed. I was considering the REI kingdom 6 and read a bunch of the reviews and picked the Cabela’s tent. It’s on sale for $250. And has about 10x10’ floor space and 6’3” of headroom and a big vestibule. I set it up this weekend and slept in it during a rainstorm and not a drop inside or leaks. It rained .7 inches.

The geodomes are great in the wind too and they can be stakes out to handle decently strong wind. I think this a score of a deal.
!
 
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AZBubs

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Enthusiast III

1,836
San Tan Valley, AZ
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11192

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OzTent owners: Not sure if anyone has or used the ridge spreaders for the awning but this price is hard to beat. I ordered 2. Hopefully it’s not a scam. OzTent Telescopic Ridge/Spreader Bar is only $11.99 US on Amazon. Can’t seem to share link so you’ll have to just hunt.
 
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bmwguru

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2,271
Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Jim
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Pickrell
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14032

OzTent owners: Not sure if anyone has or used the ridge spreaders for the awning but this price is hard to beat. I ordered 2. Hopefully it’s not a scam. OzTent Telescopic Ridge/Spreader Bar is only $11.99 US on Amazon. Can’t seem to share link so you’ll have to just hunt.
Here you go.
 
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MMc

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Influencer II

1,749
San Dimas, Ca.
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Mike
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McMullen
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18647

Check out Spring Bar Tents. 4 season tents, very roomy, very comfortable. They are not my style but my hunting friends love them. Pretty fast setup too.
Kodiak is the other tent they like, They look the same.
 
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AZBubs

Rank V
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Enthusiast III

1,836
San Tan Valley, AZ
Member #

11192

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So the OzTent spanner bars weren’t a scam! I was a little worried as i’ve been burned before on Amazon with some Ka-Bar stuff. Got them UPS yesterday. $11.99 each.IMG_3536.JPG
 

BCJohn

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Launch Member

Traveler I

271
Boulder Creek, CA, USA
Member #

17125

The king of all ground tents, the Shiftpod2. Just got back from a 10 day trip in with temperatures from 97 degrees to 35 degrees. Thunderstorms in one place, 50 mph gusts in another for two days. It stays warmer and cooler when needed, it keeps dust out... expensive, yes. Cheaper than a RTT by far. I’m a fan. 105644