You can go around on tents all day. Add a wife to the mix and it gets really confusing. I have had a pile of tents over the years, since they do not last forever, the sealant turns to goo over time, small rips add up and so on. So I'll just go over my criteria for the last couple.

I needed a new tent that was larger than my usual two person North Face Slickrock. It is kind of a roomy mortuary drawer for two people, but really light if your backpacking. I needed something bigger for my first trip up to Burning Man. So I bought this nice dome and I just cannot remember the model. It isn't important, since the issue with it was it had nice mesh sides, which I thought would be super nice for cooling up at Black Rock. Well after a bit of wind, that nice mesh, even with the rainfly up, allowed a prodigious amount of playa dust to filter in. So by day 3 I was essentially sleeping in 200 grit sandpaper bags.

I was jonesing about this to my buddy Caravan Dan. He said if you want to make it out here you need a mountaineering style tent. One it seals, completely. You can still open both sides and zip to allow the mesh to give you a breath of air in the tent. The other item is they can handle really high winds. So this end I ended up buying a used Sierra Designs Stretch Dome. It hold 3 and completely seals. Fits in a smallish bag and only weighs in at around 9 lbs. I have used this tent all over the world now, since we divide it between us on trips and keeps our baggage weight down. I paid only $100 for it on Craigslist. Most people go camping, buy super expensive stuff and dump it all after one trip, cause camping was not what they envisioned. So shop used and save a bundle on what is ultimately disposable, due to the lightweight construction.

Now I got an Autohome rooftop pop up tent gizmo for the Land Rovers. I thought my wife would be more comfortable up high and so on. She hated it. So The next time we went up to Southern Utah I took the mountaineering tent. What sold her was the Thermarest Neoair mattresses. They are super comfortable and snap together forming a large floor to the tent. She could sit up and dress comfortably and absolutely loved sleeping on them. She only likes to camp in that tent with those mattresses now.

The Stretch Dome is now out of production but it has been superseded by other models. Mountaineering tents are bulletproof in the wind, don't leak water or dirt. They are more expensive, but buy it used, then they are reasonable. The only thing about the newer models are; different colors and probably have bluetooth or some as stupid now. Do get the accessory overhead storage mesh gizmos. They reduce the clutter and make finding you stuff a lot easier.

I've. got the Big Agnes. Plenty of room for two people and all their stuff. My only problem is weight and packing size as I fly a Rans S7 and although it works, with two people it's pushing it.

I’m tent shopping. I need a 6 person tent that is reasonably light, packs well and is tough. It has to be tough. This will be for airplane and raft camping. Our REI kingdom 8 is too big of a pain and not tough enough. I had pretty much decided to get a REI Base Camp 6 but based on the REI website reviews it suffers similar issues as the Kingdom: weak poles, no support or parts from REI. Dealing with REI and the lack of support for their store brand gear is the deal killer.

I’m liking the North Face Northstar 6. Anyone have that tent? Cabelas has one that looks very similar and I like the vestibule on it better but it is heavier.

I bought this for car camping when we take the side by sides out. My criteria were similar, I wanted to be able to stand up, and for it to be super easy/fast to setup. This fits the bill. Weighs 25 pounds, so not light, but the ease of setup and roominess are unbeatable at this price.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004E4ERHA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I snagged a queen size cot that fits nicely in it, with enough room for my lab's bed in the corner. If you ditch the air matress and go with sleeping pads it's much lighter.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AU6AVLW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Since I fly a 182 and typically just with my better half and dog, I have plenty of useful load to glamp a bit.

whee wrote:I’m tent shopping. I need a 6 person tent that is reasonably light, packs well and is tough. It has to be tough. This will be for airplane and raft camping. Our REI kingdom 8 is too big of a pain and not tough enough. I had pretty much decided to get a REI Base Camp 6 but based on the REI website reviews it suffers similar issues as the Kingdom: weak poles, no support or parts from REI. Dealing with REI and the lack of support for their store brand gear is the deal killer.

I’m liking the North Face Northstar 6. Anyone have that tent? Cabelas has one that looks very similar and I like the vestibule on it better but it is heavier.

You might take a look at the tents that Airframes Alaska sells....the Arctic Ovens: https://www.airframesalaska.com/Arctic- ... s/2025.htm. Those things are bomb proof, and were designed by guys traveling the Arctic via snowmachines. Not light, though.

I have used an REI Base Camp 4 tent for years, including camping at Oshkosh. That tent has been through some big blows, and never an issue with poles. Many other tents there a few years ago were flat, and mine was just fine. I've never had to get parts from them for tents, never had a reason to.

MTV

Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8. Huge and nice at 25 lbs.

Whee, what you want really doesn't exist. For a traditional six-person tent to be tough, it's not going to be light. Large mountaineering tents like the MSR Basecamp are 50lbs...and $5,000. A tent that size just catches too much wind to be both light and tough.

If a floor-less tent is an option, look at the Seek Outside teepee tents. A 12-person (good for six) teepee with door screens weighs just over ten pounds. You can order them with a half-floor. Since there's only one center poll, they're as tough as the stakes you secure them with. You can also add a titanium wood stove.

The way Seek Outside tents are built they will keep bugs out, but not rodents or things hunting rodents. If you camp more than one night and eat in the tent, you will have rodents. Pitching them is not that hard, but there's a right and wrong way and it's not super-intuitive.

I love mine, but I know people who won't even consider a tent without a floor.

I would avoid Cabella's tents.

I've got a Marmot Limelight 4P that about 8 years old. I've spent only about 20 nights in it over that time. Have no complaints. However, I have been fortunate enough to have only camped in what I would call a normal rain shower. Not a gusty storm. They have also changed it some since I bought mine. I think I might have a few pinholes in the floor now that need attention. It's been a good tent in my limited experience.

Hammer wrote:Whee, what you want really doesn't exist. For a traditional six-person tent to be tough, it's not going to be light. Large mountaineering tents like the MSR Basecamp are 50lbs...and $5,000. A tent that size just catches too much wind to be both light and tough.

If a floor-less tent is an option, look at the Seek Outside teepee tents. A 12-person (good for six) teepee with door screens weighs just over ten pounds. You can order them with a half-floor. Since there's only one center poll, they're as tough as the stakes you secure them with. You can also add a titanium wood stove.

The way Seek Outside tents are built they will keep bugs out, but not rodents or things hunting rodents. If you camp more than one night and eat in the tent, you will have rodents. Pitching them is not that hard, but there's a right and wrong way and it's not super-intuitive.

I love mine, but I know people who won't even consider a tent without a floor.

I would avoid Cabella's tents.

The Arctic Oven tents aren’t light, but they are tall, and they do stand up. I know of guys who snow machined from Fairbanks to the east coast of Canada, That’s the only tents they’ll use.

Not light, though.

MTV

High praise indeed, the east coast of Canada from Fairbanks?! Damn....I drove it once, from the west coast, quite the drive, as in long. Hard core sled riders I'm guessing.

courierguy wrote:High praise indeed, the east coast of Canada from Fairbanks?! Damn....I drove it once, from the west coast, quite the drive, as in long. Hard core sled riders I'm guessing.

Yes, these guys first “big” ride was mid winter, west from Fairbanks to west coast of AK, then follow the coast around to Barrow, then through Brooks Range back to FAI. They also went to Ellesmere, etc. They wound up designing their own sleds to tow, because everything they tried broke. The Arctic Oven tents were tested and improved by these trips.

MTV

mtv wrote:

courierguy wrote:High praise indeed, the east coast of Canada from Fairbanks?! Damn....I drove it once, from the west coast, quite the drive, as in long. Hard core sled riders I'm guessing.

Yes, these guys first “big” ride was mid winter, west from Fairbanks to west coast of AK, then follow the coast around to Barrow, then through Brooks Range back to FAI. They also went to Ellesmere, etc. They wound up designing their own sleds to tow, because everything they tried broke. The Arctic Oven tents were tested and improved by these trips.

MTV

Yeah, they went through here (Kugluktuk/Coppermine) and I rode my machine with them for a bit. God, when was that? Must be 20 years ago (?) They had their equipment down to a fine art.

I can't add much to this thorough discussion. Whatever I do say wouldn't be of much use to the OP. But if anybody needs to camp during cold weather (occasionally or for survival purposes) I'd suggest a dome design, 3 or 4 person, 4-season tent. The ones with the external fibreglass poles are sturdy, though a PITA to set up when you're cold. I often camp when I land on a lake. I get the shovel out and remove the snow down to the ice. Makes a level floor and gets the tent down about a foot for better wind resistance, though it's colder on ice than on snow. A couple of ice screws to windward and that sucker won't go anywhere, even in a hurricane. Especially when you load up the floor with a couple of people and their gear. I can't stand up in mine, but the only time I need to do that is to dress, and even that can be accomplished outside (quickly) if the weather is not too severe. Waiting for the weather to break I'm mostly sitting anyway.

Definitely check out Big Agnes.. Great products

Thanks for the ideas guys!

Those Arctic Oven tents look nice but they are heavy and expensive. No way I'm going to spend $1500+ on a tent my kids will likely destroy.

I'm one of those people that have to have a floor. We do a fair bit of fringe season camping so rain, snow, and generally miserable weather are all possibilities. A floorless tent, inclement weather, and kids seem like a bad combination.

Heavy is subjective. This tent will be used for airplane camping and rafting so weight is important but I'm not going backpacking with it. Anything under 30lbs is acceptable. Packed size is more important than weight

Troy may have lead me to the winner. It looks like BA updated the Flying Diamond and now calls it the Mad House. Other than the peak height being a couple inches short and the storage pack is weird it seems to fit the bill.

Here are the current top contenders:

https://www.bigagnes.com/Mad-House-6

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/northstar-6-nf0a3byb#productDetailsAccordion

https://www.msrgear.com/tents/backpacking-tents/habitude-6-family-and-group-camping-tent/13129.html

Wow, I told them a few years back that they needed to make the mesh panels all have closures so it could be a true 4 season comfort zone. My winter camping in the Flying Diamond was perfect except for that...needed to be able to keep the airflow down during the night. Looks like they got the message and here it is. I will be saving up for the 8 person version. Bigger is better...in my world. Why am I getting the 8 man version? Because they don't have a 10 man version...

Haha! My REI kingdom 8 is a massive tent so I’m needing to downsize. I have a hard time finding enough room to set it up in river camps. Bigger is better...till it isn’t.

Magnet wrote:I've. got the Big Agnes. Plenty of room for two people and all their stuff. My only problem is weight and packing size as I fly a Rans S7 and although it works, with two people it's pushing it.

You probably know this, but lot's of S-7 pilots tie their tents to the jury struts. Doing it properly is somewhat important......but I end up with a very low drag package, I certainly can't feel any difference in flight, while at the same time not allowing the slipstream to erect it before I land

whee wrote:Haha! My REI kingdom 8 is a massive tent so I’m needing to downsize. I have a hard time finding enough room to set it up in river camps. Bigger is better...till it isn’t.

Ya...that's an issue. On the MF Salmon it can be hard to find a place for two people to sleep side-by-side, at least at the camps we like.

Something to consider is two tents...one for sleeping, and one for everything else you want to do out of the weather when you're not sleeping. Floor-less tents are ideal living spaces, as you can cook, go in and out with dirty shoes, and not care when someone spills a cup of hot coco.

For very inclement weather camping we'll often bring both the stove-heated, floor-less teepee and a separate sleeping tent. Both together don't weigh 20lbs, though they do cost a bit more.

Good luck...tents are one of those things you sort of have to try to decide if they work, and the cost adds up. Though I'm just amazed that people will pay $60 for a pair of shorts and then balk at paying $600 for a tent.

Hey Troy, Considering that I’m not winter camping in AK do you think getting the Mad House over the Flying Diamond is worth the few hundred dollar premium?

I like the idea of having a floor less tent for hanging out in. I’ll check them out.

"Something to consider is two tents...one for sleeping, and one for everything else you want to do out of the weather when you're not sleeping. Floor-less tents are ideal living spaces, as you can cook, go in and out with dirty shoes, and not care when someone spills a cup of hot coco."

This is actually a great idea that had slipped my mind. Guiding pack horse trips I always supplied the wall tent for cooking/gathering/inclement weather; always good to have when being in the saddle sucks.