The separate fly, which covers the upper half of the tent, uses a third, shorter “brow” pole to form protective peaks over the door and the back window. In our tests, an experienced camper took only about six minutes on the first try to set up the tent body alone and stake it out. Getting ozark trail shower tent the fly placed and staked properly took about five more minutes. For this guide, we focused on tents that suit the most common terrains you’re likely to encounter when car-camping—grassy lawns or clearings, beaches, dirt campsites, and basic platforms—in spring, summer, and fall.
It also costs more, though, and is less forgiving of a careless set-up. Easy to set up and pack away, the Mineral King 3 is a lightweight, two-door tent with a generous footprint and a sturdy dome shape. When testing the Napier Sportz SUV tent, I was immediately impressed by its compatibility with my SUV and how well it fit attached to the rear. I drive a Ford Excursion with a 6 inch lift and the vehicle sleeve adjusted perfectly. While the setup was slightly time-consuming on the first attempt, it became more efficient with practice—we were old pros after just a handful of tries.
From the name and from the pictures you realize this is a 2-room construction with a shower room and a changing/utility room, both the same size. But if this is not enough, note that this EasyGo Product Shower Shelter is larger. An avid swimmer, surfer, hiker, and camper, she currently lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, where she can be found, as much as possible, in water. Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time.
Mesh panels offer ample ventilation, and a mesh drain in the shower allows quick water evacuation. Two windows let you make use of natural light with a towel rack and a toiletries holder for convenience. Durable polyester/steel construction means this facility can accompany you on many outdoor vacations.
The directions were very detailed and are attached to the tent storage bag so you never misplace them. But it’s one of the least expensive tents we found that had no significant drawbacks and will truly cover your bases for three-season camping. The tent also comes with its own footprint, a groundsheet that protects the tent from abrasion, which we recommend that you have. A full rain cover, two vestibules, and an extra-sturdy pole structure make this the best choice for families who want to get outside in any weather. The structure is freestanding, but you have 10 steel stakes included for the tent and for the fly, together with all necessary guylines.
It’s spacious, easy to set up, has weather protection, and is durable, all at an affordable price. The Wireless 6 lacks some of the premium materials found in pricier tents, but it features solid workmanship and should provide dependable, comfortable shelter in most three-season camping situations. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp ozark trail instant cabin tents is built to withstand wind and rain. It has two main that thread through sleeves, stretching between the four corners of the tent. Generally, we like clip-on designs better, since those are easier to put together, but in the case of the Base Camp models, the sleeves add extra tension and stability throughout the tent fabric.
These extras can help keep your campsite organized and/or provide shade or shelter. Our family had more than enough room to move around, sleep, and stash all our gear. I appreciated the removable rainfly, which allowed us to customize the ventilation, making it ideal for various weather conditions.
The main bodies of our other picks are structured with two main poles with added support from smaller brow poles. The Base Camp, by contrast, has four full-size aluminum struts woven throughout it, somewhat like a basket, plus an additional brow pole that frames the front entrance and supports the larger of the two vestibules. The Base Camp also offers more privacy compared with our other picks—with or without the rain fly. The size of your family tent will depend on the size of your family and the extra space you’d like to have during your camping adventure. For a smaller family of three or four, a 6-person tent may be sufficient, but our big family tents at BCF cater for up to 12 people.
In terms of flaws, there aren’t much to speak of with the Wawona 6, apart from the price. The North Face offers a limited lifetime warranty on the tent, and will repair most flaws and damage at its discretion. Our Also great picks, the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 and Base Camp 6 tents, have been temporarily phased out for the season. Regarding best use and purpose, this is a utility shelter for families and for groups of friends. It is convenient to have such two rooms, you can use the change room also to place a portable toilet inside.
Zippered doors can enclose the vestibule fully, so it serves as a separate room for the tent, or you can leave one or both open, so the vestibule can act like a porch or mudroom. The main tent body has a giant front door that’s oriented to make entry and exit easy for all the tent’s occupants at night, and a smaller back window that doubles as a second door. Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with only six stakes. (Our runner-up pick comes with eight.) Six is enough to secure the tent and fly but not to fully secure the tent’s extra lines in very windy conditions.