Wife gave me teh green light to start planning some family camping. She had been resistant before as she prefers cabin camping. Looking at a couple of tents right now and I would like input.

Right now, I'm thinking this one will be nice. The wings would be useful for putting the beds on the side and keeping the center more open for living space: http://www.amazon.com/Swiss-Gear-Montreaux-Person-Family/dp/B00339R0HQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1298134517&sr=1-5


This one also looks very nice and the price is right. Sounds like it is easy to setup which is a plus
http://www.amazon.com/Swiss-Gear-Alban-Family-Orange/dp/B00339NSK4/ref=sr_1_8?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1298134569&sr=1-8


I've also been considering the Coleman Weathermaster 10, although at that price I like the first Swiss better: http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000001598-WeatherMaster-10-Tent/dp/B001TS8Q94/ref=sr_1_29?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1298134608&sr=1-29


This one is also interesting to me as I think the shape would help have more usable space: http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-9-Person-Family-Cabin-Tent/dp/B002YXNK8U/ref=sr_1_36?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1298134608&sr=1-36


Would have to be able to sleep two adults and two children comfortably which capacity for more. If I ever need a backpacking tent for myself, I'll get one but I want plenty of room for family camping trips.

We'd probably be using some of the blow up mattresses that we already have in lieu of sleeping bags. I don't anticipate camping in any extreme weather although I would like to be prepared if the weather goes south unexpectedly. I guess I will also need to look into a propane range for cooking since I have to feed a family of 4. If it were up to me I'd probably just live on Clif's Bars and Water but I don't expect the wife and kids to do that, especially if I want them to go again.

nissan has a xterra that attaches to the back of our x

I thought about that one, but it is a little pricey and wasn't really sure what the quality was like.

ive seen it only once at a camp site and the guy that had it loved it so i dunno. im interested to see another one also i know that we can fit a twin size air mattress with the seats down, that i have done n it was nice. but i dont think the x tent is very big for a family outing

I've got a Coleman Laurel Creek 6-person tent, got it at Dick's.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4109856

It's super easy to assemble, and the build quality is awesome. I always feel like tent makers aim a little high when they decide how many people a tent can sleep...and 6 seems like a stretch on this one. I could easily see 4 adults being comfortable in it though.

Just make sure you've got some good tarps to make an emergency lean-to over the tent, as tents always wick moisture through if something is touching the fabric.

We used to be avid tent campers until......
We broke down and bought a pop-up camper. You can load all your crap into it and set up camp within 15 minutes. If you get a small one like we got you will hardly know it's back there.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22.asp?location=rv&unittype=&page=floorviewertc&model=1640LTD&choice=rktc&nav=rec&name=112&series=Freedom

Ours has a furnace and fridge that runs on 12v/120v/propane. No more ice and soggy stuff except the cooler of beer for emergency's. :)

You can find them used pretty cheap. It is great for when you go camping and it rains or when it's cold at night. We have been comfortable into the teens up in the mountains of NC. Xterra's have no problems towing a 1500-2000 lb trailer. We used to tow it with our '06 Grand Vitara with no issues except one "shortcut" in the mountains when we never got out of first gear for almost an hour.

Paul

x2 on what Paul (gt601) said. Pop up campers are pretty sweet, definitely quick and easy to set up. Easiest way to stay dry in sudden downpours, and you can load all you stuff into/onto it. And the stove/sink/icebox kitchenette is awesome.

And in 15 years when the camper is beat up and falling apart, you can gut it and turn it into a utility trailer! :D

My parents had a little pop up camper that we always used, my dad modded the hell out of it, haha. 8 speaker stereo cassette player (6 indoors, 2 outdoors), indoor/outdoor TV with a DIY analog antenna (made out of electrical conduit and rectangular wire fence) high-capacity water tank, double propane tank storage, home-built bike rack, cooler rack, at one point we even had a 12'x12' portable deck surface.

I think growing up with the pop up is why I'm so into tent camping now, haha. I like "roughing it" more than a moving summer home, it all depends on what your taste is and what kind of camping you're into.

I feel the same as Kyle on the "roughing it" I can go either way as far as tent or camper. But I sure like the heated mattresses when we have the ability to plug in. (most of the time there isn't anywhere to plug it in since we end up in pretty remote places.) I have also looked at the roof top tents but you might as well buy a camper with as much as they get for them.

Paul

family trip you say?

coleman instant tent, 100% i have it, and its fantastic, huge, well constructed, and be put up by one person in about 5 minutes(including staking it down)

for lighting get 2 of these, they can be found at oreilly or the internet, they are magnetic and have a separate back plate that you can toss on the exterior roof of the tent, then attach the light on the interior roof, and bam instant overhead lighting.
http://0.tqn.com/d/autorepair/1/G/a/m/7/-/eng1.jpg

You need one of these:

http://www.gobiracks.com/Nissan/Images/Gallery/gobishow01.jpg

My dream set up.

My dream set up

ARB has one that is bada$$.

A couple more.

http://www.tepuitents.com/Tepui_Tents/Gallery.html#42

http://www.autohomeus.com/rooftop/maggiolina.php

http://www.cascadiatents.com/index.php?m=81&s=518&c=&id=82

paul

Originally posted by Drake: "You need one of these:

http://www.gobiracks.com/Nissan/Images/Gallery/gobishow01.jpg

My dream set up. "

You're right, that IS a badass X.


Oh, nice tent too. :D

x3 on the pop up camper; my family has had one for 15 years and have taken it across the nation, with no issues besides the wheel bearings (Repacking them in parking lots is fun!). Our camper has protected us through many summer thunderstorms (yes, even hail!) and hardly shows the wear.
For now, I'd have to say that Coleman one of the few companies that can stick their name on everything and still sell quality products. I came upon this one while looking at your ideas and think it might be a better bet. It's marginally smaller, but at a lower price. They even have a video to prove how easy it is to put up.
Oh, and the best factor for figuring out how many people will fit into a space it 1 estimated person = 3/4 real person; so a ten person tent/camper sleeps 8 best, an 8 person sleeps 6, etc.

Do you have a Cabela's or similar outdoor store nearby?
I went tent shopping last summer and ended up just cleaning and re-water proofing my old, broken down dome tent.
I researched the heck out of them online then I hit all the stores around me that have tents set up and what a difference there is to seeing the tent in person vs it's professionally photographed online pic. I'd really recommend buying one only after you've seen it set up somewhere to judge it's quality & interior size.
Another thing, inflatable mattress's eat floor space like crazy and raise you up off the ground high enough in some tents to make the sloping of the sides a problem. As anyone who camps in wet weather knows you never want to touch the inside of a tent while its raining.

If you find a model/brand you like, try googling for the company's home page as there may be a different model that fits your needs better than just what some retailers carry.

For add ons to the tent:
I absolutely love my buddy heater, no more dressing/washing up in the cold : http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=24

And while no one enjoys discussing the subject, if you can make going to the bathroom more comfortable & civilized, you might be surprised how people's reaction to camping can change.
Nature bio-toilet (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/Camp-Essentials/Showers-Toilets-Accessories|/pc/104795280/c/104709780/sc/104569380/Nature-Bio-Toilet/746220.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcampi ng-camp-essentials-showers-toilets-accessories%2F_%2FN-1100689%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104569380%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104795 280%253Bcat104709780&WTz_l=SBC%3Bcat104795280%3Bcat104709780%3Bcat10456 9380) I have one of these and if you combine it with these Wag Bags (http://www.campmor.com/the-pett-wag-bag-12-pack.shtml?source=CI&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11129WC) it makes for a very tidy system.
Put all that in a folding port a privy (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/Camp-Essentials/Showers-Toilets-Accessories|/pc/104795280/c/104709780/sc/104569380/Trekker-Fold-A-Privy/746435.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcampi ng-camp-essentials-showers-toilets-accessories%2F_%2FN-1100689%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104569380%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104795 280%253Bcat104709780&WTz_l=SBC%3Bcat104795280%3Bcat104709780%3Bcat10456 9380) and your life will be much easier. Plus with so many areas having Pack-it-in, pack-it-out requirements it's a very easy, sanitary solution to helping keep our public spaces from turning into sewer pits. Anyone ever setup camp late at night only to find out you're surrounded by toilet paper flowers the next day? Not pleasant. Here's some reading that'll make you laugh

The big drawback I've always had with RTT's (roof top tents) is the weight up high, the cost and you lose ability to store stuff on your rack. I've seen them in use and they are damn nice. Folks pull up, remove cover or unlatch top and flip or crank up their tent and boom they are set up.
While I can break down and pack up my tent as fast as most RTT's there is something about doing it when it's raining/muddy. Also from what I hear from the married people is that the fairer half like the idea of sleeping above all the creepy crawlies, more of a sense of security being up in your 'nest'.

I have always had good luck using two tents when camping with the entire familey. We use one six person dome for sleeping, and a two person to keep all of the clothes in.

The plus side is that we dont need a monster of a tent to have enough room, and if it is only one of the kids with me we can take the small two person instead.

My parents sleep in a pop up on our camping trips, however I prefer to stay relaxed in my ENO Hammock (http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/). Now for family camping, this might not be as practical, however if you get one for your wife and you, also known as a DoubleNest (http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/double-nest-hammock.html), then you can put the kids in thier own SingleNests (http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/single-nest-hammock.html) and store everything in your car. I love my ENO and sleep ever so well in it.

I was a boy scout and enjoyed camping in tents, but with the overall weight of the hammock (practically nothing) i couldnt go back to a tent.

Happy camping

How about a roof top tent?

I dig the tents myself ... pop ups will not get where I like to camp. Lets just say remote!!!

* Offroad Trailers would make it and rooftops would make it.

I had a coleman dome tent for about 5 years up until last summer when it finally gave up the ghost.