Posted by: Family Camping in Family Camping Tents on April 28th, 2011
I would like to purchase a family camping tent for my husband and kids – only problem, I don’t know ANYTHING about camping! I know I would like a 2 or 3 room tent, but I would like to be able to stand up in the side rooms. Some of the tents I have looked at it appears that you must "crawl" into the side tents. Is this a common thing? Also what do you suggest I purchase as necessities along with the tent? Sleeping bags, cots, stove? Any help is greatly appreciated, again I have never in my life camped so this is completely new to me.
What are some things that you find essential for camping? Things that you don’t leave home without???
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Camping Checklist (compliments of camping.about.com)
Shelter and Bedding (essentials)
__ tent
__ tarp
__ sleeping bag
__ sleeping pad
__ headrest
Cooking and Dining (essentials)
__ water
__ food
__ cooler
__ camp stove
__ mess kit
__ can opener
__ charcoal
Clothes
__ t-shirts
__ shorts
__ jeans/pants
__ socks
__ shoes/boots
__ camp shoes
__ hat/cap
__ sweater
__ rain poncho
__ underwear
__ swim suit
__ laundry bag
__ _____________
__ _____________
__ _____________
__ _____________
Personal Hygiene
__ tooth brush
__ tooth paste
__ wash rag(s)
__ towel(s)
__ soap
__ comb/brush
__ nail clippers
__ razor
__ toilet paper
__ _____________
__ _____________ Shelter and Bedding (optionals)
__ book
__ cot
__ comforter
__ throw rug
__ pillow
Cooking and Dining (optionals)
__ charcoal chimney
__ smoker
__ Dutch oven
__ hot dog sticks
__ pie irons
__ chairs
__ folding table
__ table cloth
__ butane lighter
__ screen room
Cleaning Items
__ broom
__ dust pan
__ whisk broom
__ lawn rake
__ dish pan
__ detergent
__ dish rags
__ ppt scrubber
First Aid Kit
__ personal medication
__ bandages
__ aspirin, Tylenol
__ medical tape
__ sterile gauze
__ elastic wrap
__ antiseptic wipes
__ antibiotic cream
__ burn ointment
__ sunburn lotion
__ hydrogen peroxide
__ scissors
__ tweezers
__ eye wash
__ sanitary napkins
__ snake bite kit Chuck Box
__ salt and pepper
__ herbs and spices
__ cooking oil
__ pot holders
__ paper towels
__ napkins
__ plastic trash bags
__ tongs and spatula
__ aluminum foil
__ measuring cups
__ plastic silverware
__ paper plates/bowls
__ plastic cups
__ zip lock bags
__ knives
__ cutting board
__ cork screw
Miscellaneous Items
__ binoculars
__ bird guide
__ bug spray
__ bungi cords
__ camera
__ candles
__ cards, games
__ cell phone
__ clothes pins
__ compass
__ duct tape
__ fishing gear
__ flashlight
__ frisbee
__ GPS
__ kites
__ knife
__ lantern
__ matches
__ pen and paper
__ rope
__ shower bag
__ sun block
__ tools
__ water filters
__ whistle
Try REI.com they have a lot of tents from 1 person tents to expedition style tents that sleep a dozen or more. If you guys are the pull up and camp style people the expedition style works best, if you are backpacking hiking sort of campers the crawl around style tent is they way to go due to the less weight. Also Bass Pro shops on-line and Cabelas have different style tents to choose from.
When it comes to sleeping bags go no further than REI.com they have the largest selection of all kinds, mainly their brands are best in my opinion, my kids and I each have 2 a piece, ones for the summer months and one for the winter months.
As for camp stoves this again will depend on your "style" of camping. Personally I love the MSR brands they are so neat and trouble free, but the Coleman brands are much larger and you guessed it a lot more trouble due to the type of fuel you use for them, but there again if you are just planning on taking the SUV up to a local camping area and getting out and camping this may be a better choice. Just use a search engine on the net and check these products and sites out, it will give you a better idea of what you need for what you have in mind.
Most of the multi room tents will not accommodate standing adults in the side rooms. Those rooms are separated as sleeping quarters and offer a bit of privacy so that people don’t have to go outside of the tent while others change clothes.
As you look at tents, try to keep in mind that you will really only use it when it is dark or raining – it’s not where you will spend your waking hours so it doesn’t need to be that spacious. You will be outside most of the time doing whatever you want to do while you camp.
You could go to a high end store like REI to get advice and see some truly fantastic gear, but you’ll likely be shocked by the prices and to me it has always been a better store for more intense campers than the casual or first time camper.
Discount stores like Walmart and Target have some decent tents that will get you started. I would avoid the store brands and go with a good national brand that you trust. At either of these stores you should be able to find a good tent, okay sleeping bags, maybe an air matress, a coleman stove that runs on propane, a lantern also propane, 1 pound propane cylinders, and a couple of headlamps (they are my favorite light source because you can use them to pitch tents in the dark, etc.).
Keep in mind that you won’t be buying premium gear, but will certainly have the right stuff to get a feel for camping without breaking the bank.
For the sleeping bags, think about what time of year you want to camp, how cold it gets, and buy one that is rated 10 degrees lower! The ratings assume that you will be sleeping fully clothed, and if it gets warmer you can always unzip the bag to let it cool off.
As for the stove, a 2 burner coleman stove will perform perfectly. I suggested propane because it is a less expensive stove, but I personally use the dual fuel version which burns coleman fuel (camping gas, white gas, whatever you want to call it). It is a bit less convenient, but I like the fuel better and it is less expensive fuel.
I like to have a 5 gallon jug of water at the campsite. It makes it much more convenient for cleaning and cooking to have it there, and the jugs are cheap.
We usually eat off of the cheap paper plates, then throw them in the fire. Dishes are done!
Take bug spray and sun screen! Always take a knife (sturdy hunting type) or multi-tool. Preferably both.
Oh, and take a deck of cards. If it rains you will be stuck in the tent with nothing to do, and a deck of cards gives hours of entertainment. I taught my kids to play hearts when the youngest was 6, and we’ve passed several afternoons playing while the rain drums on the tent.
Lastly, pack a positive attitude and be ready to improvise. You will only be out there for a few days, so if you forget something, it’s not that bad. One time we forgot to take cookware. But we had silverware and some canned food. I opened the cans with my knife, cooked them in the fire, then cooked all weekend in the cans! It was individual meals, served straight from the fire! The kids thought it was pretty cool. I thought it stuck and made a lot of extra work for me, but I sold it to them as an adventure, so that’s the way it is remembered.
Have Fun!
I would avoid buying camping gear for your family if you don’t know anything about camping. I suggest you make this a family decision and involve everyone in the process.
Start by deciding exactly what sort of camping you intend to pursue, likely based on your childhood experiences and desire or lack thereof to recreate those experiences for yourself and your children, or perhaps to improve upon your parents mistakes by doing things how you always dreamed it could be. BTW, going high, where there’s majestic scenery is never a mistake.
Next you have to consider the conditions for which you must prepare by getting to know all you can about the areas where you intend to camp, high and low temps to expect at which elevations the camp grounds are and the facilities available. If they don’t have potable water, you have to bring water or a filter, if you aren’t permitted to bring firewood and cook over a fire then you must have a camp stove, etc. Are there showers? If not then you have to consider how you will keep clean. Do bears or raccoons frequent the campgrounds? If so you’ll have to prepare to keep things inside your vehicle or in the bear-proof lockers if provided.
As for gear, there’s no need to choose the most expensive and expect it to last a lifetime, tents and sleeping bags all break down in the sun and with use and have to be replaced every few years. The tent you buy now will possibly not suit you five years from now, possibly you’ll hate it by the end of your first trip.
My advice is to avoid the family tent and buy two dome style free-standing tents, one for you and your husband and one for the kids. A large screen tent is a better place to spend the day than the same place you sleep.
Our family of 5 has been enjoying the ease and space of the REI Hobitat 6 tent. The hobitat is very tall so most people can stand up in it to change clothes – a nice benefit. http://www.rei.com/product/745759
The problem with getting muli room tent is that you start to increase the number of poles and complexity of setting them up. The more poles the bigger pain and higher likelyhood that one will break or bend. I have learned this from experience.
I would get a coleman type of stove that closes into a suitcase type of setup and runs off of the small propane tanks.
Cots are ok, but they take up a ton of room in the tent and the car. We just use some good padding under the sleeping bags like a big foam piece or egg crate foam padding that you can get at any camping store.
A lantern. They make some decent battery powered ones that are much safer to have in your tent. But the traditional propane ones are great for the picnic table for a late nite card game.
Cook ware – since it sounds like you’re car camping and not hiking, I would suggest getting a cast iron pot (dutch oven type) and cast iron frying pan. That way they can be used to cook right on the fire if you have the opportunity and they are indestructable and easy to clean.
Another essential is a classic camping coffe pot (cowboy style) to heat water for drinks or to pour on a wash cloth to wash up.
Get one big rubbermaid style box to keep all your stuff in. So all you’ll have to do to go is grab the tent, sleeping bags, stove, cooler, and camping box and you’re set to go.
We also keep a "camp hygene bag" stocked and ready to go. It includes hand sanitizer, travel tooth brushes, soap, shampoo (just incase), and any other bare necessities needed to not smell too bad by the end of the trip.
Stay organized and you’ll have a great time!
Dome tents have kind of taken over the camping industry and at first I thought the convenience was great. Later, after not being able to stand up and having to go outside to cook and eat I got tired of the dome and went with the cabin tent. The good old fashioned, square, front screen room and closed in sleeping area type.
I like having a screened in front room(you can drop the flaps and close it up if necessaryy) for cooking and storage of non-sleeping items. We set up a camping table and cook breakfast and dinner inside if the bugs are bad or if we’re not grilling over a camp fire. It also makes a nice airy space to sit in the morning or evening and have a cup of coffee if the weather turns bad.
The cabin tent is tall enough to stand in and the it does not get shorter as you move from side to side. They make them in many sizes and styles(as well as price ranges.)
While the dome has it’s place, I don’t recommend it for family outings. Now, we do use one for clothes storage and place gear that we don’t need.
Coleman two burner propane stoves work perfectly and the propane just screws on. I bought a "T-adapter" that allows me to use my 30 lb. tank attached to the stove and then has a post that sticks up about five feet above with a propane lantern adapter. I use that one mostly outside and use the one pounders inside.
I prefer a cot, only because I have bad knees and it makes it easier to get out of bed, but I have spent my share of nights on the ground. For kiddos the little space mats work fine. For adults you may wake up with a sore hip or rump so an inflatable mattress or something a little thicker than a ground mat might make camping more enjoyable.
Take bungee cords for your cooler. There is a certain park in Texas that has a sign that reads "Coleman has yet to invent the cooler a raccoon cannot open." We learned that the hard way one night. Also, leave your food outside and if in bear country take the proper steps to bear proof your food.
Have fun.
It’s not the type of tent you’re looking for, but we have a Big Agnes Big House 6 (http://www.rei.com/search?query=big+house) and LOVE it. We heavily considered getting the REI Hobitat, but my husband really wanted more of a dome shape. I just wanted to be able to stand up.
Another reason we spent the money to get a nice tent was the materials that they used. We compared a lot of materials and we wanted something that would really hold up. Now, I don’t expect the tent to last for a decade or anything, but I also didn’t want to be replacing it next year. Growing up we bought a new one almost every year due to multiple holes, broken fiberglass poles, etc., but that was probably because I have three rough brothers that helped to destroy everything we own. 
We sleep in plain old sleeping bags. We bought Kelty ones because they seemed pretty durable, had the materials we were looking for, and weren’t overly expensive. A friend of mine swears by them so we took her word. We don’t use any cots or mattresses right now, but we’ll be getting something soon because my husband is a big baby and whined about how hard the ground was on our recent trip.
Definitely pick up a few flashlights and lanterns. Although the old fashioned oil ones really work the best we opted not to get one right now. Our kids are young, and they’re always getting into things. The youngest in particular likes to climb. We opted for battery operated LED lanterns for now and couldn’t be happier.
A stove is a must, but we’re actually not using one right now. We’re trying to get the kids used to camping so we’re only taking quick trips to the campgrounds very close to our home. They have fire pits with grates over them so we use that for now. Of course it is a good idea to invest in one, in case it rains, and you’ll have some versatility.