I am heartbroken. I was going to order the Columbia Cougar Flats 2 and now it has been discontinued.
Can anyone recommend a tent that would be big enough for me, my husband who is 6'4 tall, and 3 children? My youngest will be sleeping in a pack and play.
Would like a bathtub floor, good ventilation. A canopy over the front door would be a great bonus. I like the idea of divided rooms.
We are not camping anywhere very cold.. but would need something that will stand up to rain.
Thank you.
Answer
My current family tent would satisfy all of those preferences with the exception of the canopy over the door. However, the lacking canopy has proven to only be a problem when going in and out while it is actually raining, and...really...how much are you going to actually do that?
The straight vertical walls allow for more usable floorspace (especially for things like a pack-n-play), it has a hanging divider, and even two doors. The doors are excellent for camping with kids because they are a hard D-frame with a hinge and velcro, so the kids can easily go in and out without having to zip/unzip/zip/unzip. You can zip up the doors when you want/need to, but you don't have to do it every time.
Big windows on three sides and doors on the fourth side have rather large windows as well. The entire top is mesh. I've never had a problem in the wind and/or rain in this tent.
The tent is very tall (I'm 6'3" so that's a requirement for me as well), and hands-down the easiest tent to setup that I have ever owned. Not exaggering when I say that I can easily setup this tent in 15 minutes by myself, including all guylines. It's also just as easy to break down, and it's the only tent I've owned that actually folds up SMALLER than it came from the store, so you can actually fit additional accessories in the original storage bag in addition to the tent.
It's made by Coleman but only sold in Target stores. If there's not a store near you, they usually offer free shipping on something priced that high. I've seen it on sale as cheap as $150, but it's usually $185-200.
My current family tent would satisfy all of those preferences with the exception of the canopy over the door. However, the lacking canopy has proven to only be a problem when going in and out while it is actually raining, and...really...how much are you going to actually do that?
The straight vertical walls allow for more usable floorspace (especially for things like a pack-n-play), it has a hanging divider, and even two doors. The doors are excellent for camping with kids because they are a hard D-frame with a hinge and velcro, so the kids can easily go in and out without having to zip/unzip/zip/unzip. You can zip up the doors when you want/need to, but you don't have to do it every time.
Big windows on three sides and doors on the fourth side have rather large windows as well. The entire top is mesh. I've never had a problem in the wind and/or rain in this tent.
The tent is very tall (I'm 6'3" so that's a requirement for me as well), and hands-down the easiest tent to setup that I have ever owned. Not exaggering when I say that I can easily setup this tent in 15 minutes by myself, including all guylines. It's also just as easy to break down, and it's the only tent I've owned that actually folds up SMALLER than it came from the store, so you can actually fit additional accessories in the original storage bag in addition to the tent.
It's made by Coleman but only sold in Target stores. If there's not a store near you, they usually offer free shipping on something priced that high. I've seen it on sale as cheap as $150, but it's usually $185-200.
Where to find a good back pack for 3 days of camping?
stonesfan_
Where can I find a decent pack that would allow me to hold enough supplies for 3 days of camping?
list of stuff needed to be packed:
tent (2-3 person)
sleeping bag (maybe mats to put under them too)
pot for boiling water
pan
3 days worth of food (mainly MRE's, but other stuff like oatmeal, beefjerky)
hatchet
extra clothes (mainly socks and maybe an extra shirt)
firestarters
freshwater
a bunch of misc. small stuff (lighters, maps, keys, etc)
list obviously goes on
Also I'd like to point out that there will be two people so not all things will be in one pack (only 1 person for the tent, only need 1 person for the pot/pan) but some other things will obviously be needed by both (sleeping bags, food, etc)
My only issue with it is...is how do you pack the sleeping bag? I've never done this before..but most sleeping bags I've seen , even fully compressed , have about a 12 inch diameter or more..so I doubt it can go IN the pack, so how else do you attach it? I've seen a few with places under the bag on the support system for the bag..but that's it
I'd like to keep it under $100 too if that's possible. I've seen a lot of good looking ones on the web but I have no clue if they can hold what I need (emphasis on the sleeping bag part above).
Just to clear some things up:
-$100 is just the budget for each bag, not the entire trip
-pan idea is out (decided to go during deer season instead of small game)
-ground fires are permitted
-we will be boiling/purifying out water without filters (coffee and drink mix will probably be the main form of drinking to slightly help the taste)
-firestarters because it's during winter (below freezing and sudden 25 inch snow storms aren't uncommon)
-nearest REI is hundreds of miles away
I'm sure there are some more points I missed..but I think this covers most. Anyway it goes though, I think I've found a pack I like that will carry what I need/want.
Answer
With larger backpacks, you usually put your sleeping bag inside in the bottom of the pack. 12" diameter is pretty big for backpacking, Most of the bags I've owned compress down to 8" diameter. But with a $100 budget you don't want to go out and buy a new sleeping bag and backpack, particularly if this is the first time you're backpacking. Still, you should be able to stuff even this large sleeping bag in the bottom of the pack with reduced storage above.
Or you can get a smaller/cheaper backpack that has reinforced mounting points on the bottom to slip straps through. Usually this is where you attach your sleeping mat, but you can hang your sleeping bag there; it will just lower the load's center of gravity (and bounce off your butt as you walk). But it's manageable for short distances. Get some cam-buckle straps long enough to go around your sleeping bag. If your sleeping bag doesn't have a waterproof stuff sack, stick it inside a trash bag and seal with duct tape to protect it from getting wet.
A mat or pad of some kind is strongly recommended. In addition to some padding, it provides insulation from the cold ground. Trust me you will not be comfortable without one. An inexpensive ($20-30) convoluted foam mat will work fine.
Head over to REI if there's one near you. They're having their fall sale starting today, and you can probably find some good deals on backpacks. If you're an REI member you can also get 20% off any non-sale item with their coupon. You can also get the 20% off if you sign-up for membership -- recommended if you plan to stick with outdoors activities -- which costs $20 for life. Bring the sleeping bag with you to test for fit.
If you're eating MRE's, oatmeal and jerky, you don't need a pan and can get by with a small pot for boiling water, heating soup, cooking pasta/rice/beans, even making eggs. I usually only bring my 800ml stainless steel bottle cup when backpacking (cost about $15). It fits over the bottom of my Nalgene bottle, and together they sit in the outside pocket of the pack, taking up no internal space. What are you going to use for heat to cook? Many backcountry areas don't permit ground fires, so you need to bring a stove. A small butane stove and one or two small fuel canisters and a windscreen would probably do for two people/3 days, but will eat up your budget if you don't already have one. Or you can make a simple alcohol stove from a cat food can (Google "Super Cat Stove") and a wind screen made from a piece of roof flashing, all for less than $15 including fuel (denatured alcohol).
Water is going to be a big space/weight problem. You'll need minimum 2 Liters per person per day for drinking, cooking and cleaning, and you'll probably want twice as much to be comfortable. That's 3 gallons of water to carry. Better would be to carry a couple of liters of water for your first day hike, then replenish using whatever ground water is available. But to avoid getting sick, you would need to purify the ground water. You can boil the water, but that's not going to make it taste any better, and takes a lot of time and fuel. You can use purification tablets/drops, but again, that's not going to make the water taste better. I'd recommend getting a water filter, but you're up against budget issues again, since a good water filter is going to run between $80 and $120 (First Need XL would be the best at $120, then there's the MSR Sweetwater at round $95, and Katadyn Hiker Pro at around $80).
If you know how to lay a campfire and have access to dry wood, you shouldn't need any firestarters. But sometimes the weather or environment doesn't cooperate. Rather than those big firestarter bricks, coat some cotton balls with petroleum jelly. They light easily, and if you fluff them up a bit first, take a spark quickly from a fire steel, and burn for up to 15 minutes. Watch the YouTube video in the sources to learn how to build up a fire. Don't forget to bring a folding saw and/or hatchet to cut wood, plus a small shovel to bury the ashes when you're done. Also remember that ground fires might be prohibited, so check before you set out on your trek to avoid getting fined.
With larger backpacks, you usually put your sleeping bag inside in the bottom of the pack. 12" diameter is pretty big for backpacking, Most of the bags I've owned compress down to 8" diameter. But with a $100 budget you don't want to go out and buy a new sleeping bag and backpack, particularly if this is the first time you're backpacking. Still, you should be able to stuff even this large sleeping bag in the bottom of the pack with reduced storage above.
Or you can get a smaller/cheaper backpack that has reinforced mounting points on the bottom to slip straps through. Usually this is where you attach your sleeping mat, but you can hang your sleeping bag there; it will just lower the load's center of gravity (and bounce off your butt as you walk). But it's manageable for short distances. Get some cam-buckle straps long enough to go around your sleeping bag. If your sleeping bag doesn't have a waterproof stuff sack, stick it inside a trash bag and seal with duct tape to protect it from getting wet.
A mat or pad of some kind is strongly recommended. In addition to some padding, it provides insulation from the cold ground. Trust me you will not be comfortable without one. An inexpensive ($20-30) convoluted foam mat will work fine.
Head over to REI if there's one near you. They're having their fall sale starting today, and you can probably find some good deals on backpacks. If you're an REI member you can also get 20% off any non-sale item with their coupon. You can also get the 20% off if you sign-up for membership -- recommended if you plan to stick with outdoors activities -- which costs $20 for life. Bring the sleeping bag with you to test for fit.
If you're eating MRE's, oatmeal and jerky, you don't need a pan and can get by with a small pot for boiling water, heating soup, cooking pasta/rice/beans, even making eggs. I usually only bring my 800ml stainless steel bottle cup when backpacking (cost about $15). It fits over the bottom of my Nalgene bottle, and together they sit in the outside pocket of the pack, taking up no internal space. What are you going to use for heat to cook? Many backcountry areas don't permit ground fires, so you need to bring a stove. A small butane stove and one or two small fuel canisters and a windscreen would probably do for two people/3 days, but will eat up your budget if you don't already have one. Or you can make a simple alcohol stove from a cat food can (Google "Super Cat Stove") and a wind screen made from a piece of roof flashing, all for less than $15 including fuel (denatured alcohol).
Water is going to be a big space/weight problem. You'll need minimum 2 Liters per person per day for drinking, cooking and cleaning, and you'll probably want twice as much to be comfortable. That's 3 gallons of water to carry. Better would be to carry a couple of liters of water for your first day hike, then replenish using whatever ground water is available. But to avoid getting sick, you would need to purify the ground water. You can boil the water, but that's not going to make it taste any better, and takes a lot of time and fuel. You can use purification tablets/drops, but again, that's not going to make the water taste better. I'd recommend getting a water filter, but you're up against budget issues again, since a good water filter is going to run between $80 and $120 (First Need XL would be the best at $120, then there's the MSR Sweetwater at round $95, and Katadyn Hiker Pro at around $80).
If you know how to lay a campfire and have access to dry wood, you shouldn't need any firestarters. But sometimes the weather or environment doesn't cooperate. Rather than those big firestarter bricks, coat some cotton balls with petroleum jelly. They light easily, and if you fluff them up a bit first, take a spark quickly from a fire steel, and burn for up to 15 minutes. Watch the YouTube video in the sources to learn how to build up a fire. Don't forget to bring a folding saw and/or hatchet to cut wood, plus a small shovel to bury the ashes when you're done. Also remember that ground fires might be prohibited, so check before you set out on your trek to avoid getting fined.
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