However, tent repairs are often costly and impractical, making replacement the better choice. If tent damage is isolated to a single component, such as a side wall or anchor, these components can often be replaced without users having to replace the entire tent. Spot repairs can be made for tears in fabric, but pin holes and scrim mold are virtually impossible to fix without replacement. Rust is also very difficult to reverse, so if you are looking to take care of rust on your tent’s frame, you’ll likely have to replace the frame component or the entire tent.
If you’re in the market for a SUP, check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Standup Paddleboards to compare some options. Choose your vessel and dive into the crystal-clear Missouri waters for the aquatic adventure ozark trail instant cabin of a lifetime. From tranquil river tubes to spacious rafts and sleek kayaks, your perfect river journey awaits. Our shuttle service will whisk you to the start and welcome you back with open arms.
After our longtime top-pick tent for two people ran into some stock issues in 2021, we researched new models and redesigns, and we assembled a batch of small tents for testing in March 2022, on Oahu. During this period, winds rose up to 35 to 40 knots, and we experienced passing showers as well as direct sunlight and 80-degree temperatures. To mimic heavier rain and to test the tent’s ability to withstand soggy ground conditions, we also soaked our tents with a garden hose. A few weeks ozark trail shower tent later, we brought the front-runners to a platform in an area that had higher elevation, near the Waianae Mountain Range, and camped out overnight in intermittent but consistent rainfall. Its fly extends into a huge front vestibule that can store large items like bikes, or even accommodate a table and chairs. Adults over 6 feet tall will be able to walk upright inside this tent—which has almost-vertical walls that can easily accommodate beds, cribs, and cots—as well as in the vestibule.
This shouldn’t be an issue in most situations, but if you’re headed into a particularly windy place or simply want some backup, we suggest picking up four extra tent stakes at your local outdoor shop or online. These inexpensive stakes are comparable to the ones that accompany the Mineral King 3; these slightly more expensive stakes will serve you well in any car-camping terrain. The Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 Tent is the best car-camping tent choice for couples.
Use the extra stakes and guy-lines provided to stabilize the vestibule as much as you need. Families who regularly pitch their tent in rainy locales need a wind-fighting tent with a good-size vestibule for storing wet shoes and gear, as well as a full rain fly for added weather protection. Car campers who plan to brave miserable weather will appreciate the extra strength and protection of the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent. 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.
If you can afford to spend more on a family tent, we recommend The North Face Wawona 6. Everyone who tested this tent loved it, and it’s not hard to understand why. With plenty of interior space, near-vertical walls, and a gigantic vestibule that could accommodate a golf cart, the Wawona feels more like a tiny home than a tent. Coleman makes no dedicated footprints for its tents—the idea being that the polyethylene is tough enough not to need one. (Still, we suggest that you buy a groundsheet.) The tent has two small, internal pockets—fewer than on any of our other picks—and a loop at the ceiling center to hang a small, lightweight light.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). We also appreciated the shepherd’s hook stakes that come with the tent.