Yes, Wawona 6. It got us through very high winds, and thunderstorms and hail. The vestibule design is great, able to put in two regular camp chairs and a camp table, can cook in there in the rain, only thing I'd change is making the length of the side and front vestibule 2-3" longer towards the ground so it isn't so drafty in the cold wind. Strongly recommend the separate footprint, and always buy serious stakes, that's likely what kept our tent solid in the high winds and hail, it was flopping around some, although guyed taut, and there were a few worrisome moments, but it held up. Large enough for 2 of us and the dog on a queen air mattress or double cot, and room to store stuff on both sides. There is a $199 vestibule addition for the Wawona 4, fyi.
I love the design of the new Wawona 6 but would prefer that the large vestibule be removable. Also, the Wawona 4 is better size for just me. I haven't found any info on the vestibule addition, if you can pass anything on that would be great (I'm between Wawona and Gazelle, buying in the next week). Thanks!
2 years ago,I bought the wawona 6 (before watching this video) and has been a great tent. I've used it one to twice a month (we're with the boy scouts) and it is great even with the summer heat in Mexico or Texas.
This is a great video. My wife and I bought the 2020 version of the Northface Wawona 6 back in 2020. It's amazing except for the set up time. I hate seeing it up so much. But it's never leaked and on us and has stood up to extremely high winds and rains. Extremely solid.
Thanks for review! I was stuck between the REI and Wawona. I did a lot of research before buying and went with The North Face Wawona 6. It's a very tough tent with stronger poles, fully seamed so won't get water inside when ground is fully soaked, way better vestibule, better ventilation when needed, it has more guy lines so can handle higher winds than the REI tents. I recommend buying a Wawona 6 footprint when buying The North Face tent.
Excellent review on these. Saying that...I am not paying 600+ dollars for any REI Tent, knowing that they are still made with Chinese garbage parts, just with a little better quality control. Just bring an extra light tarp to throw over the tent if it rains. You can also buy better quality stakes for a decent price, and if you are worried about your tent blowing over, use paracord to tie down extra points on the tent. If you are worried about the poles, you can buy your own aluminum poles and STILL save money.
just get the 10x14 Kodiak Canvas and be done with it forever.... , I got one 10 years ago and it outlasted every other tent I've owned... the thing that sold me on it was a video showing it in someones backyard in an EF2 tornado and it didn't budge....I've had ours in many storms and no leaks and very stable...plus the cotton cavas breathes so much better than synthetic fabrics and totally waterproof...it is heavy and expensive but it's worth the weight and cost.
Very nice! It is the wawona 6 for me. I’ve researched tents many times myself, and this hit on all marks. The availability of the vestibule for a rainy day, north face quality, really sealed the deal. You should also look at the MSR offerings (Habtitude 6) as well as big Agnes and marmot, also the Nemo Wagontop is the cats meow. The Coleman’s (and I had 2), really suffer in the pole department. The fiberglass poles would last 3 seasons at most. And it’s a shame. You build memories in these nylon bags and it’s a shame to throw them away. The cost of pole replacement outweighs the cost of the tent.
Hey - thanks! And good suggestions: you’re the 2nd person to suggest the Nemo Wagontop, so I may have to test that one out. I’ve also seen the MSR one, but haven’t dug into that or the Big Agnes options in much detail. And agreed on the Coleman poles. It’s a shame they aren’t more durable, but to be fair, they have such low prices compared to the Wawona (and others) they’ve got to cut costs somewhere. Great points - thanks for hanging out on my channel!
Do you have the Wawona? Can you set it up without the huge vestibule while keeping rain protection if you're just going for a quick night or two and don't want it?
Thank you! I have been trying to compare several of these by reading reviews, and this was extremely helpful! If you make a part two, please consider reviewing the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P. It is another tent I haven't been able to find any decent information on, but looks interesting.
I recently bought the Nemo High-rise and returned it shortly after setting it up. It was pretty easy to assemble and had a lot of space and standing room, but the center clip to the lantern in the middle of the ceiling immediately broke when I unclipped it. I also worried about the long term durability of the pole sleeves. If you're willing to spend the kind of money on the Highrise, then you might consider the Kodiak Canvas tent. It's bomb proof, breathable, and will last for decades. I also recently got the REI Basecamp tent, and I really liked it.
We bought the Nemo and set it up in our yard to test it. It slumped horribly over the windows to the point that it looked like rain would gather there, and I have since read reviews that confirm that. We thought maybe we had set it up wrong, but 3 other attempts yielded the same results. I then called the company and the person on the phone was no help at all...we returned the Highrise 6 for full refund from REI.
I saw a review of the Gazelle T3 tent. I own the T4. I have used that tent in three seasons. But to tell you the truth, I’ve used it and winter also. Add an electric heater and it works just fine. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve never used it in snowy conditions. The Gazelle line of Tents are considered pop-up, and you just unfold them and pull the four sides out and then pop the top up, then add the fly. It steaks out with 12 steak points. The Doors there are two of them, kitty corner from each other. It has a removable Velcro bottom tub design that is removable. I am not big on that. That is because at each corner it is very difficult to get a perfect seal with the Velcro going around the carbon fiber structural members. I’ve had it in Highwind 55 mile an hour plus and yes, it shakes and is quite noisy, but I believe all Tents do the same. I did have one failure with the top collapsing down in high wind, which caused the rain fly to depart the tent on three sides.! it turns out the top hub, which is in two pieces and held together with a long 3/16 screw with 2 nuts had loosened up and allowed the carbon fiber rods to slip out of their gimbal no real damage was done, and I was able to reinsert the top rods into the hub and tighten the plate with the nuts that hold it all together. However, I did replace the rain fly. because of damage to three elastic straps that got ripped off the moment the dome dropped inside and the fly was ripped off the tent. If I wanted to repair the rain fly, it would be very easy as no other damage was done. My T4 has been through a lot. I’ve thunderstorms in Highwind. And I just never thought of checking out all of the hubs which there are five to make sure the screws and nuts were tight so if you buy a T4 or T3 or any of the other Gazelle pop-ups do yourself a favor and add a bit of Loctite on the threads to make sure the nuts do not back off and give you a frightening scare in the middle of a windstorm. PS I love my Gazelle T4😊
I can personally recommend the Wawona tent. Our family has the Wawona 4, and have used it camping while roadtripping several times. We camped at Badlands National Park, and there was a terrible windstorm around 3 AM. Several other people had their tents completely leveled. Ours was fine, no bent poles, etc. Great tent!
I can also attest to the Wawona 4. I went camping last fall and it started to rain pretty hard at the campground. I was bone dry while my neighbors had to quickly pack their campsite and leave because their tent was wet inside.
@@rayrenz3599Does the Wamona 4 or 6 come with the vestibule? The REI website makes it seem like only the 6 maybe(?) does, but not disclosing a $200 attachment in this video seems like it must be wrong?
The Nemo Aurora High Rise 6 person would have been a top contender. That tent is amazing. It held up in 70 mph winds when I camped in KY this past spring. My 1 complaint is the smaller vestibule.
This was so great! Would love to see you do something like this that focuses on tall popup tents. I’m drawn to the ease of setup but it’s hard to evaluate the sturdiness and waterproofing, plus as you said in this review roundup the setup is often not quite what’s advertised 😂
Perhaps you could evaluate Kelty, SpringBar, Big Agnes, and Gazelle? Low end tents are junk. I think leaks, crappy zippers, and poor ventilation end up discouraging people from enjoying the camping experience. Buy good quality. I love my Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 person tent. Great for backpacking and bike packing. But I’m looking for a more roomy stand up tent. Thanks for the reviews. Well done!
Great comparison video.. I actually have the REI Kingdom 6 which is the previous model before the wonderland.. kind of one of those situations where there are improvements they could have made to the kingdom line but for some reason chose to rename the tent and makes changes that just absolutely didn't seem necessary. One big thing is the previous model of this tent which is pretty much 90% if not 95% the same is they took away the massive front vestibule on this new wonderland.. That was the best part about the kingdom. The wonderland as did the kingdom comes with a mudroom which is a big huge attachment similar to the North face for an extra $100. I think it was also important to remember that with REI tents you can buy the separate ground cloth which perfectly fits the tent and even attaches to the tent spikes. You also pointed out that the pockets were high along the sides which is different than the kingdom and I think they did that because they've got those V's in there now. Don't know what purpose of serves but I just feel like companies especially REI makes changes to products that are not always great. In my opinion as a fan of REI I would not buy that new wonderland tent mainly because of the loss of the massive vestibule which allows you to literally store chairs coolers shoes and so much more right outside the tent door without fear of getting wet or condensation. The new wonderland six unlike my kingdom 6 is a no-go for me.. also you didn't mention it and I'm not sure if it's changed but the kingdom 6 comes with a storage that is pretty great and has backpack straps. And as a side note today July 1st 2023 through July 4th the wonderland 6 teny is on sale for $349 which is a fantastic price if you're not bothered about the vestibule.
The eureka is a 50, easy. No need to rate it 45. As an appraiser, I think it's silly to be 5 points of off such a score that marks the middle. Just call it a 50.
Great video. I've found myself binge watching your tent vids. Excellent reviews and many thanks! Alps Mountaineering, Camp Creek Two Room. 10'x13', that is a tent I would like to find out more about, whether or not it can match up to Eureka's LX Series. Keep On Keeping On...
One of the things I'd expect at the mid-to-premium level is a great warranty. The REI tents only have a 1-year warranty which leaves me looking elsewhere.
I've seen that the Wonderland actually struggles more with rain than the Wawona does, specifically around the side vents / windows, since the rain fly doesn't cover them. Also, the pole quality between the Wonderland and the Wawona is apparently an issue. The Wonderland footprint and height looks amazing tho, which is making my decision harder with this current REI sale.
You should try out the Marmot Limestone 6p. We just got it and it is perfection. It’s on sale for $370 many places right now. I watched a ton of your reviews before choosing it. Even though you haven’t tested the Marmot Limestone, your videos were super helpful in helping me know what to look for and figure out what we wanted. I’ve been camping for a long time but learned a lot of new things through your channel!
@@kevinberntson4239 That is probably the one weakness of the tent. I do wish it had more vents. We did some camping last summer in Kentucky where it is pretty warm at night… and the tent was warm, which to be honest wasn’t bad when camping with little kids who aren’t the best at staying in their sleeping bags. We also camped in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior where summers are much cooler and the temperature in the tent was perfect.
I've had my Coleman instant tent with a rain fly for over 10 years, even had it in a heavy wind/rain storm in North Dakota, it held up nicely, and handled Yellowstone's large temperature changes. I did buy a new one this year, because the ceiling fabric was looking thin, as a retirement gift to myself so I know there won't be any issues as I want to travel around the country
Thinking the same. When the video mentioned less ventilation, then REI base camp tent is for 3-4 season, it's for late fall or early spring; but not mentioned when evaluate Coleman instant tent, that is exactly what I intend to use. Also, the door of the Coleman instant tent has a leveled doorsill, I cannot tell how many times I was tripped on the doorsill on other tent with rounded door corner. Seems in this evaluation , the ranking is based on the price.
I am thrilled with my tipi style tent. Please review a few of those. Holds up to winds and doesn't have the tripping hazards if the rope tie downs. Covers the unique aspect too, we get comments and questions about it. Easy set up.
For future reviews, you gotta check out Gazelle tents. I'll never buy another brand of tent. They are the best. Thanks for the in depth review. That was a lot of work.
Yeah, I want to try a Gazelle. I’ve just finished testing 7 budget tents for an upcoming video, and Gazelle was out of the price range for that. But for the next batch I’d love to do Gazelle and/or some Nemo options. Cheers.
@@littlecampfires They are not budget tents, but they take abuse and last. Also, they're not a one-off design so getting parts is easy, which most tents can't claim. I have at T4 plus Hub Tent, and it's huge. My family and I have used and abused it and it keeps going. Takes Colorado summer storms like a champ and the Arizona heat with ease. They're worth the cost.
I have the Coleman Instant Cabin. I think it's a crying shame that the rain fly is sold separately and just a big black eye on Coleman. With that said, once you put the rain fly on it this tent is a beast. I have stayed in some really harsh conditions with no issues. I mean not one drop of water getting in. Being Coleman, your results may very lol.
Good to know. We have two of those tents (we are a family of 8). We have been camping halfway across the country (it didn’t rain). And next summer are camping six weeks across the country. We have waterproofed them, but if it rains hard, they still leak. We are trying to figure out a tarp or rain fly situation. Some of the Amazon reviews for the rain fly sold separately said it didn’t fit. Do you have an Amazon link? Otherwise, we absolutely love that tent and one I was able to get on sale for $100.
We can also set up our whole campsite including mattresses blown up with a car air pump in 22 minutes. We’ve timed it. It can be super fast once you get used to it.
We have had the Coleman Instant 6 for close to 10 years (with rainfly) and have been through a lot including some decent storms. It can stay pretty dry as long as you don't touch the sides. Ours is starting to fail which is why I came here.
GREAT video, thanks! I've been researching 4 man tents, because it's just me, an air mattress and some gear. REI had the 4 man base camp on sale, but now it's sold out. I should have jumped on it. Arrggh, now it's back to more research.
You could consider the 4P REI Skyrise. I haven’t tested it before, but REI has it steeply discounted this week. It looks similar in shape to the Eureka Copper Canyon.
After 14 years we are looking to replace our Kelty Green River… we camp for 2-3 months every summer and throughout the year. I am hoping I can find something comparable. It is still going strong no use some issues with the poles and a few wear and tear holes. Trying to decided Marmot Torreya or REI or North face or if Kelty is still the best brand
Great video Unless the Coleman or core tents start lasting more than a month I would leave them out. It because of them that I’m considering the north face tents. I live in Hawaii where rain, wind and heat are always available. If the base camp had better ventilation I’d already have it. My friend has the wanona and it is a chore to set up. as I’m usually solo (kids aren’t there yet) I’d love to hear of another option Thank you.
I've tried many tents over the years for my family holidays but as soon as i started using a large (8 person) Rio Grande tunnel tent, I've never looked back. They are so versatile with huge mesh 2x double sleeping compartments at either end and living space in the centre area. If a sleeping compartment is not hung up, then one end can be used as a massive vestibule for bicycles, tables & chairs, sporting gear etc. It stood up to a week of rainstorms and high winds without any trouble and I have had no issues with material quality. I've erected it on my own in the dark before but it's better with a helper in daylight!!
Imagine setting up a tent in the middle of an airfield (Oshkosh) where the winds don’t get broken up by anything and occasionally an airplane taxis by. Then add a thunderstorm as the late July weather blows through. This summer I ended up in a 50 gallon tent! It was the first time it has ever failed me but it is time for a replacement. And did I say I stand 5’8” and don’t relish getting dressed horizontally? And it needs to pack into the back of a private plane so 50# is not cool. And I need to be able to set up alone.
Great range of tents and I enjoyed your reviews of each one. I was looking for a better quality tent and was choosing between the Wawona 6 (which looks like a great tent) and the Marmot Torreya 6. I chose the latter but have not tried it out yet as we still have lots of snow in Canada. It was also hard to find that particular tent so it might be out of production... Again great job (I can't believe you had to purchase all the tents...)
Thanks for your review, these tents, seem particularly primitive. It’s a shame you didn’t include Outwell or Vango. They are great tent manufacturers, particularly Outwell.
Travel camper converted to tent camper here. Thank you for your channel. You have been the most informative thus far. I’m looking at a LLbean king pine dome tent. Any thoughts on those. I was looking at buying used on local market place. I want to make sure I like this style of camping before spending $300-400. Thanks
I have the T3, impressive. Just got back camping in monsoon weather, about 3” of rain in 2 days, not a drop of water in my tent. Left one widow under rainfly barely open and we didn’t even get condensation. 2 big dogs and myself.
Dude. Where have you been, your standardized tent score is great. Been watching a couple of yours a night. You should definitely do some of cores tents to compare with colemans and Magellans. Looking into getting either the 6 person dome tent or the 9 person isntant.
Hey Robert - did you see this weeks new tent video? If not, go check it out. It’s a new batch of 7 tents and if you like the systematic scoring you’re gonna love it!
Thx. I need something good for hot weather... but I also want to do some winter camping too. Not sure if I can get all in one... or if I'll need 2 tents.
Thanks for such a thorough and helpful comparison! I would love to see a review of the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6. It's on my list of contenders as I look to purchase a larger tent for car camping with friends, but I'm worried about weather-proofing
I recently bought the Highrise and wouldn't recommend it. I can't speak toward it being water proof, but I've had quality issues with five past Nemo tent purchases. A plastic clip broke on the Highrise just after assembling it. It's awkward to enter and exit the tent based on the rain fly. But it is a nice looking tent. I'd recommend looking into the Kodiak Canvas, REI Basecamp, or one of Kelty's larger tents (Kelty has the best warranty and repair on tents in the whole industry). I own the Kodiak and REI Basecamp, and they're terrific. Coleman is nice if (and only if) you will only use it for summer weather conditions and need something to last just a few years. Fiberglass poles havea short shelf life and are quite fragile. Aluminum poles are better, and steel poles are bombproof.
@@davidbrooksby3976 thanks for this! I'm looking for something higher quality than a Coleman for sure. I've been out with friends who have a Coleman and it did NOT hold up in the roughly 12hrs of rain we had. The REI Basecamp has been on my radar, I'll definitely look into it further. Thanks!
@@davidbrooksby3976 that’s a blow to hear. Do you happen to have any recommendations for something similarly sized that doesn’t have fire retardants? I’m unfortunately chemically sensitive and non toxic I can find but I’m a bit at a loss for reliability 😩
If you know the answer to this please share. I saw a review, comments turned off so I couldn't ask them, about a 12 person lit tent. The reviewer said you could walk around in the tent at night with the lights on and you could not be seen, for example changing to night wear, is this even possible? Why wouldn't a person or persons be seen from the outside if any light is turned on. I know this may be out of your base info as it is not a tent you are reviewing but as a woman it is a fantastic thing while camping alone if it were true. PS...if this is a Snipe hunt please let me know that too 😊 Thank you Sir
Your opinion of the Ayamaya 6-person pop-up tent? I'm a 77-year-old and going on a cross-country car trip ...will be staying at campgrounds all the way and back...so a fast set up and take down are high on my list of wants/needs
There's only one tent in my opinion worth owning and that's a Springbar tent. The first and only tent you will ever buy. None of the tents you tested can come close to quality,longevity and simplicity of pitching the tent like a Springbar!
Seems like REI Basecamp will be my new tent...up grade from REI halfdome, :D How high were the winds you were testing under? OEM Stakes? would you suggest MSR stakes for the Basecamp? Thank you for this video. Very useful.
15-25 mph winds. OEM stakes are solid in my opinion. And no worries- glad you enjoyed the video. Just hit the like button for me if you don’t mind :) Thanks!
Great comparisons! Thank you! But I'm curious - what do you with all these tents? Seems like a lot of money to invest in a few videos. Is it worth it? Or do you return them or sell them after you've made your videos?
The North face Wywona 6 is just awesome!!!! After years of Coleman I finally took the leap. The quality is just amazing.
Great breakdown! Love how you walked through each tent individually and showed how many people you can ACTUALLY sleep in them. Awesome.
Yes, Wawona 6. It got us through very high winds, and thunderstorms and hail. The vestibule design is great, able to put in two regular camp chairs and a camp table, can cook in there in the rain, only thing I'd change is making the length of the side and front vestibule 2-3" longer towards the ground so it isn't so drafty in the cold wind. Strongly recommend the separate footprint, and always buy serious stakes, that's likely what kept our tent solid in the high winds and hail, it was flopping around some, although guyed taut, and there were a few worrisome moments, but it held up. Large enough for 2 of us and the dog on a queen air mattress or double cot, and room to store stuff on both sides. There is a $199 vestibule addition for the Wawona 4, fyi.
I love the design of the new Wawona 6 but would prefer that the large vestibule be removable. Also, the Wawona 4 is better size for just me. I haven't found any info on the vestibule addition, if you can pass anything on that would be great (I'm between Wawona and Gazelle, buying in the next week). Thanks!
Best 6 person tent review, someone gets it. More than i can say for other channels.
Big Agnes Mad House 6 and Big Agnes Bunk House 6 would be great ones to review in the premium category. Great video, thanks!
Completely agree
2 years ago,I bought the wawona 6 (before watching this video) and has been a great tent. I've used it one to twice a month (we're with the boy scouts) and it is great even with the summer heat in Mexico or Texas.
This is a great video. My wife and I bought the 2020 version of the Northface Wawona 6 back in 2020. It's amazing except for the set up time. I hate seeing it up so much. But it's never leaked and on us and has stood up to extremely high winds and rains. Extremely solid.
Thanks for review! I was stuck between the REI and Wawona. I did a lot of research before buying and went with The North Face Wawona 6. It's a very tough tent with stronger poles, fully seamed so won't get water inside when ground is fully soaked, way better vestibule, better ventilation when needed, it has more guy lines so can handle higher winds than the REI tents. I recommend buying a Wawona 6 footprint when buying The North Face tent.
Excellent review on these. Saying that...I am not paying 600+ dollars for any REI Tent, knowing that they are still made with Chinese garbage parts, just with a little better quality control. Just bring an extra light tarp to throw over the tent if it rains. You can also buy better quality stakes for a decent price, and if you are worried about your tent blowing over, use paracord to tie down extra points on the tent. If you are worried about the poles, you can buy your own aluminum poles and STILL save money.
Great video, we've been using an REI Kingdom 6 for years now and it has been a great tent.
Yeah - the Kingdom 6 has actually been phased out by REI now. They’ve essentially replaced it with the new REI Wonderland tent.
I don't really care about uniqueness or looks. I'm looking for a functional tent that keeps you warm and dry at night.
I wish we had watched this video earlier, thankfully we bought the right one, so far haha. Thank you for the video!
just get the 10x14 Kodiak Canvas and be done with it forever.... , I got one 10 years ago and it outlasted every other tent I've owned... the thing that sold me on it was a video showing it in someones backyard in an EF2 tornado and it didn't budge....I've had ours in many storms and no leaks and very stable...plus the cotton cavas breathes so much better than synthetic fabrics and totally waterproof...it is heavy and expensive but it's worth the weight and cost.
Very nice! It is the wawona 6 for me. I’ve researched tents many times myself, and this hit on all marks. The availability of the vestibule for a rainy day, north face quality, really sealed the deal. You should also look at the MSR offerings (Habtitude 6) as well as big Agnes and marmot, also the Nemo Wagontop is the cats meow. The Coleman’s (and I had 2), really suffer in the pole department. The fiberglass poles would last 3 seasons at most. And it’s a shame. You build memories in these nylon bags and it’s a shame to throw them away. The cost of pole replacement outweighs the cost of the tent.
Hey - thanks! And good suggestions: you’re the 2nd person to suggest the Nemo Wagontop, so I may have to test that one out. I’ve also seen the MSR one, but haven’t dug into that or the Big Agnes options in much detail.
And agreed on the Coleman poles. It’s a shame they aren’t more durable, but to be fair, they have such low prices compared to the Wawona (and others) they’ve got to cut costs somewhere.
Great points - thanks for hanging out on my channel!
You are an absolute legend, and the best in the game
Do you have the Wawona? Can you set it up without the huge vestibule while keeping rain protection if you're just going for a quick night or two and don't want it?
honestly, this is deserves more reviews. The #6 coleman was absolutely spot on
Great video. Clear, concise, & articulate just like your others. Much appreciated.
You a natural at this
very helpful an concise. Thanks!
Great video! Thank you! We have Eureka Copper Canyon 8 and we loooove it. Absolutely incredible in heavy rain.
Thank you! I have been trying to compare several of these by reading reviews, and this was extremely helpful! If you make a part two, please consider reviewing the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P. It is another tent I haven't been able to find any decent information on, but looks interesting.
I recently bought the Nemo High-rise and returned it shortly after setting it up. It was pretty easy to assemble and had a lot of space and standing room, but the center clip to the lantern in the middle of the ceiling immediately broke when I unclipped it. I also worried about the long term durability of the pole sleeves. If you're willing to spend the kind of money on the Highrise, then you might consider the Kodiak Canvas tent. It's bomb proof, breathable, and will last for decades. I also recently got the REI Basecamp tent, and I really liked it.
We bought the Nemo and set it up in our yard to test it. It slumped horribly over the windows to the point that it looked like rain would gather there, and I have since read reviews that confirm that. We thought maybe we had set it up wrong, but 3 other attempts yielded the same results. I then called the company and the person on the phone was no help at all...we returned the Highrise 6 for full refund from REI.
I saw a review of the Gazelle T3 tent. I own the T4. I have used that tent in three seasons. But to tell you the truth, I’ve used it and winter also. Add an electric heater and it works just fine. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve never used it in snowy conditions. The Gazelle line of Tents are considered pop-up, and you just unfold them and pull the four sides out and then pop the top up, then add the fly. It steaks out with 12 steak points. The Doors there are two of them, kitty corner from each other. It has a removable Velcro bottom tub design that is removable. I am not big on that. That is because at each corner it is very difficult to get a perfect seal with the Velcro going around the carbon fiber structural members. I’ve had it in Highwind 55 mile an hour plus and yes, it shakes and is quite noisy, but I believe all Tents do the same. I did have one failure with the top collapsing down in high wind, which caused the rain fly to depart the tent on three sides.! it turns out the top hub, which is in two pieces and held together with a long 3/16 screw with 2 nuts had loosened up and allowed the carbon fiber rods to slip out of their gimbal no real damage was done, and I was able to reinsert the top rods into the hub and tighten the plate with the nuts that hold it all together. However, I did replace the rain fly. because of damage to three elastic straps that got ripped off the moment the dome dropped inside and the fly was ripped off the tent. If I wanted to repair the rain fly, it would be very easy as no other damage was done.
My T4 has been through a lot. I’ve thunderstorms in Highwind. And I just never thought of checking out all of the hubs which there are five to make sure the screws and nuts were tight so if you buy a T4 or T3 or any of the other Gazelle pop-ups do yourself a favor and add a bit of Loctite on the threads to make sure the nuts do not back off and give you a frightening scare in the middle of a windstorm.
PS I love my Gazelle T4😊
I can personally recommend the Wawona tent. Our family has the Wawona 4, and have used it camping while roadtripping several times. We camped at Badlands National Park, and there was a terrible windstorm around 3 AM. Several other people had their tents completely leveled. Ours was fine, no bent poles, etc. Great tent!
Can you suggest the website where I can buy
I am from India
I can also attest to the Wawona 4. I went camping last fall and it started to rain pretty hard at the campground. I was bone dry while my neighbors had to quickly pack their campsite and leave because their tent was wet inside.
@@rayrenz3599Does the Wamona 4 or 6 come with the vestibule? The REI website makes it seem like only the 6 maybe(?) does, but not disclosing a $200 attachment in this video seems like it must be wrong?
@@bhattizia6910 Amazon sells them.
Great detailed review. Got the base camp 6 and I agree with all your points.
Fantastic video! New cub scouts mom here and needed this!
Ditto on the Nemo 6 person tent review. Thank you for your detailed review on all the included tents.
The Nemo Aurora High Rise 6 person would have been a top contender. That tent is amazing. It held up in 70 mph winds when I camped in KY this past spring. My 1 complaint is the smaller vestibule.
This was so great! Would love to see you do something like this that focuses on tall popup tents. I’m drawn to the ease of setup but it’s hard to evaluate the sturdiness and waterproofing, plus as you said in this review roundup the setup is often not quite what’s advertised 😂
I watched a couple of other videos and finally get to here! I love the information you put it out there for us to reference~~great content~~
Perhaps you could evaluate Kelty, SpringBar, Big Agnes, and Gazelle?
Low end tents are junk. I think leaks, crappy zippers, and poor ventilation end up discouraging people from enjoying the camping experience.
Buy good quality.
I love my Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 person tent. Great for backpacking and bike packing. But I’m looking for a more roomy stand up tent.
Thanks for the reviews. Well done!
Great comparison video.. I actually have the REI Kingdom 6 which is the previous model before the wonderland.. kind of one of those situations where there are improvements they could have made to the kingdom line but for some reason chose to rename the tent and makes changes that just absolutely didn't seem necessary. One big thing is the previous model of this tent which is pretty much 90% if not 95% the same is they took away the massive front vestibule on this new wonderland.. That was the best part about the kingdom. The wonderland as did the kingdom comes with a mudroom which is a big huge attachment similar to the North face for an extra $100. I think it was also important to remember that with REI tents you can buy the separate ground cloth which perfectly fits the tent and even attaches to the tent spikes. You also pointed out that the pockets were high along the sides which is different than the kingdom and I think they did that because they've got those V's in there now. Don't know what purpose of serves but I just feel like companies especially REI makes changes to products that are not always great. In my opinion as a fan of REI I would not buy that new wonderland tent mainly because of the loss of the massive vestibule which allows you to literally store chairs coolers shoes and so much more right outside the tent door without fear of getting wet or condensation. The new wonderland six unlike my kingdom 6 is a no-go for me.. also you didn't mention it and I'm not sure if it's changed but the kingdom 6 comes with a storage that is pretty great and has backpack straps.
And as a side note today July 1st 2023 through July 4th the wonderland 6 teny is on sale for $349 which is a fantastic price if you're not bothered about the vestibule.
I know this video is 1+ years old, but I’d really like to see your thoughts on the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P Tent. And, maybe a Highrise vs Wawona?
I'm in the market for a smaller 4p, but this is still Really useful information - thanks.
The eureka is a 50, easy. No need to rate it 45. As an appraiser, I think it's silly to be 5 points of off such a score that marks the middle. Just call it a 50.
Great video. I've found myself binge watching your tent vids. Excellent reviews and many thanks! Alps Mountaineering, Camp Creek Two Room. 10'x13', that is a tent I would like to find out more about, whether or not it can match up to Eureka's LX Series. Keep On Keeping On...
I love the coleman tent
One of the things I'd expect at the mid-to-premium level is a great warranty. The REI tents only have a 1-year warranty which leaves me looking elsewhere.
Try Marmot.
I can’t believe they still sell tents that are not seam sealed.
I've seen that the Wonderland actually struggles more with rain than the Wawona does, specifically around the side vents / windows, since the rain fly doesn't cover them. Also, the pole quality between the Wonderland and the Wawona is apparently an issue. The Wonderland footprint and height looks amazing tho, which is making my decision harder with this current REI sale.
You should try out the Marmot Limestone 6p. We just got it and it is perfection. It’s on sale for $370 many places right now. I watched a ton of your reviews before choosing it. Even though you haven’t tested the Marmot Limestone, your videos were super helpful in helping me know what to look for and figure out what we wanted. I’ve been camping for a long time but learned a lot of new things through your channel!
Good tip - thanks for weighing in!
I’m out of tent cash currently, but I’ll keep that one in mind!
How is the ventilation in the Marmot Limestone 6pm? Thanks in advance! Looking at it and it looks good.
@@kevinberntson4239 That is probably the one weakness of the tent. I do wish it had more vents. We did some camping last summer in Kentucky where it is pretty warm at night… and the tent was warm, which to be honest wasn’t bad when camping with little kids who aren’t the best at staying in their sleeping bags. We also camped in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior where summers are much cooler and the temperature in the tent was perfect.
You should’ve had the rain fly for the Coleman instant tent. It is rain proof with the rain fly. It works very well in cooler temps.
Thinking the same, had mine 4 years,, not 1 issue and have camped in all weather...this guy is favoring
I've had my Coleman instant tent with a rain fly for over 10 years, even had it in a heavy wind/rain storm in North Dakota, it held up nicely, and handled Yellowstone's large temperature changes. I did buy a new one this year, because the ceiling fabric was looking thin, as a retirement gift to myself so I know there won't be any issues as I want to travel around the country
Thinking the same. When the video mentioned less ventilation, then REI base camp tent is for 3-4 season, it's for late fall or early spring; but not mentioned when evaluate Coleman instant tent, that is exactly what I intend to use. Also, the door of the Coleman instant tent has a leveled doorsill, I cannot tell how many times I was tripped on the doorsill on other tent with rounded door corner. Seems in this evaluation , the ranking is based on the price.
@@RockyPatrol the rain fly is an additional purchase though. He tested what came in the bag.
Very informative video. Three of which I have been researching and now considering the REÍ. Thanks
Excellent and informative video. Would love to see a follow up video with more interior information.
porch on the northface would be nice for parents to hang out after kids are down
I am thrilled with my tipi style tent. Please review a few of those. Holds up to winds and doesn't have the tripping hazards if the rope tie downs. Covers the unique aspect too, we get comments and questions about it. Easy set up.
Hey Julie - that’s cool. Which one do you have?
Love the proprietary algorithm 😆
It’s very sophisticated
For future reviews, you gotta check out Gazelle tents. I'll never buy another brand of tent. They are the best. Thanks for the in depth review. That was a lot of work.
Yeah, I want to try a Gazelle. I’ve just finished testing 7 budget tents for an upcoming video, and Gazelle was out of the price range for that. But for the next batch I’d love to do Gazelle and/or some Nemo options. Cheers.
@@littlecampfires They are not budget tents, but they take abuse and last. Also, they're not a one-off design so getting parts is easy, which most tents can't claim. I have at T4 plus Hub Tent, and it's huge. My family and I have used and abused it and it keeps going. Takes Colorado summer storms like a champ and the Arizona heat with ease. They're worth the cost.
I have the Coleman Instant Cabin. I think it's a crying shame that the rain fly is sold separately and just a big black eye on Coleman. With that said, once you put the rain fly on it this tent is a beast. I have stayed in some really harsh conditions with no issues. I mean not one drop of water getting in. Being Coleman, your results may very lol.
Good to know. We have two of those tents (we are a family of 8). We have been camping halfway across the country (it didn’t rain). And next summer are camping six weeks across the country. We have waterproofed them, but if it rains hard, they still leak. We are trying to figure out a tarp or rain fly situation. Some of the Amazon reviews for the rain fly sold separately said it didn’t fit. Do you have an Amazon link? Otherwise, we absolutely love that tent and one I was able to get on sale for $100.
We can also set up our whole campsite including mattresses blown up with a car air pump in 22 minutes. We’ve timed it. It can be super fast once you get used to it.
We have had the Coleman Instant 6 for close to 10 years (with rainfly) and have been through a lot including some decent storms. It can stay pretty dry as long as you don't touch the sides. Ours is starting to fail which is why I came here.
Thank u for the review! I’m buying my first tent and found your videos super helpful 🙏🏼
Have considered investigating SUV tents like the Napier Backroadz SUV Tent
Outstanding review! I appreciate it!!!
Excellent reviews! I just subscribed to your channel and am looking forward to seeing more of your content!
Great review, stumbled upon your channel while finding for some
Camping gear
GREAT video, thanks! I've been researching 4 man tents, because it's just me, an air mattress and some gear. REI had the 4 man base camp on sale, but now it's sold out. I should have jumped on it. Arrggh, now it's back to more research.
You could consider the 4P REI Skyrise. I haven’t tested it before, but REI has it steeply discounted this week. It looks similar in shape to the Eureka Copper Canyon.
I only mention it because I was considering one myself, or possibly the 6P size, given how good the discount is.
@@littlecampfires I have been looking at it. It is a good discount!
Great review! Very informative and useful! I appreciate your work!
WELL DONE THANK YOU
Shiftpod makes some cool tents.
After 14 years we are looking to replace our Kelty Green River… we camp for 2-3 months every summer and throughout the year. I am hoping I can find something comparable. It is still going strong no use some issues with the poles and a few wear and tear holes. Trying to decided Marmot Torreya or REI or North face or if Kelty is still the best brand
Any progress? 😊
I am just trying to use your years of experience to my own benefit (sorry)
Very well done 👏 thanks
Great review including essential elements.😊
Wooow!! You did an amazing video! Thank you for that!!😊
You needed the rainfly on the coleman tent to make it similar to the others.
In future reviews and in inside dimensions, 9x9 10x10.... this would be helpful to me.
Thanks!
Great video
Unless the Coleman or core tents start lasting more than a month I would leave them out.
It because of them that I’m considering the north face tents. I live in Hawaii where rain, wind and heat are always available. If the base camp had better ventilation I’d already have it.
My friend has the wanona and it is a chore to set up. as I’m usually solo (kids aren’t there yet) I’d love to hear of another option
Thank you.
Coleman PEAK1 6-Person Tent?
I've tried many tents over the years for my family holidays but as soon as i started using a large (8 person) Rio Grande tunnel tent, I've never looked back.
They are so versatile with huge mesh 2x double sleeping compartments at either end and living space in the centre area. If a sleeping compartment is not hung up, then one end can be used as a massive vestibule for bicycles, tables & chairs, sporting gear etc.
It stood up to a week of rainstorms and high winds without any trouble and I have had no issues with material quality. I've erected it on my own in the dark before but it's better with a helper in daylight!!
Very cool - I’ve not tried one of those myself, but sounds like a great setup.
Imagine setting up a tent in the middle of an airfield (Oshkosh) where the winds don’t get broken up by anything and occasionally an airplane taxis by. Then add a thunderstorm as the late July weather blows through. This summer I ended up in a 50 gallon tent! It was the first time it has ever failed me but it is time for a replacement. And did I say I stand 5’8” and don’t relish getting dressed horizontally? And it needs to pack into the back of a private plane so 50# is not cool. And I need to be able to set up alone.
Great range of tents and I enjoyed your reviews of each one. I was looking for a better quality tent and was choosing between the Wawona 6 (which looks like a great tent) and the Marmot Torreya 6. I chose the latter but have not tried it out yet as we still have lots of snow in Canada. It was also hard to find that particular tent so it might be out of production... Again great job (I can't believe you had to purchase all the tents...)
Thanks for your review, these tents, seem particularly primitive. It’s a shame you didn’t include Outwell or Vango. They are great tent manufacturers, particularly Outwell.
Well, I'm sold on the REI Wonderland 6, but unfortunately I can't buy one here.
Travel camper converted to tent camper here. Thank you for your channel. You have been the most informative thus far. I’m looking at a LLbean king pine dome tent. Any thoughts on those. I was looking at buying used on local market place. I want to make sure I like this style of camping before spending $300-400. Thanks
would love to see a review of MHW Breaker 4 :)
Great Information! Thank you
Excellent video! Please add the Nemo Wagontop 6 to your next video!!!
Nice suggestion, Brian. I’ve seen that tent online and it looks really cool. I’ll make a note of it!
@@littlecampfires Perfect timing, as a new 6-person tent is my next purchase!
@@littlecampfires Just remember to guy line it out properly!!
I checked out all of these and then purchased a Gazelle T4
I have the T3, impressive. Just got back camping in monsoon weather, about 3” of rain in 2 days, not a drop of water in my tent. Left one widow under rainfly barely open and we didn’t even get condensation. 2 big dogs and myself.
Dude. Where have you been, your standardized tent score is great. Been watching a couple of yours a night. You should definitely do some of cores tents to compare with colemans and Magellans. Looking into getting either the 6 person dome tent or the 9 person isntant.
Hey Robert - did you see this weeks new tent video? If not, go check it out. It’s a new batch of 7 tents and if you like the systematic scoring you’re gonna love it!
great video. thanks
Love your detailed reviews man! Very helpful. :)
Incredible vid valuable knowledge thank you!!
Thx. I need something good for hot weather... but I also want to do some winter camping too. Not sure if I can get all in one... or if I'll need 2 tents.
Cool video thanks.
Great review. Liked and subbed.
Thanks for such a thorough and helpful comparison! I would love to see a review of the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6. It's on my list of contenders as I look to purchase a larger tent for car camping with friends, but I'm worried about weather-proofing
I recently bought the Highrise and wouldn't recommend it. I can't speak toward it being water proof, but I've had quality issues with five past Nemo tent purchases. A plastic clip broke on the Highrise just after assembling it. It's awkward to enter and exit the tent based on the rain fly. But it is a nice looking tent. I'd recommend looking into the Kodiak Canvas, REI Basecamp, or one of Kelty's larger tents (Kelty has the best warranty and repair on tents in the whole industry). I own the Kodiak and REI Basecamp, and they're terrific. Coleman is nice if (and only if) you will only use it for summer weather conditions and need something to last just a few years. Fiberglass poles havea short shelf life and are quite fragile. Aluminum poles are better, and steel poles are bombproof.
@@davidbrooksby3976 thanks for this!
I'm looking for something higher quality than a Coleman for sure. I've been out with friends who have a Coleman and it did NOT hold up in the roughly 12hrs of rain we had. The REI Basecamp has been on my radar, I'll definitely look into it further. Thanks!
@@davidbrooksby3976 thank you I’ve been considering the aurora high rise 4p. Bummed to hear it’s lacking
@@davidbrooksby3976 that’s a blow to hear. Do you happen to have any recommendations for something similarly sized that doesn’t have fire retardants? I’m unfortunately chemically sensitive and non toxic I can find but I’m a bit at a loss for reliability 😩
Have you reviewed any of the NTK brand of tents? I’ve been looking at those.
Good job just subscribed do you have any reviews of truck tents
Thanks man👍
If you know the answer to this please share. I saw a review, comments turned off so I couldn't ask them, about a 12 person lit tent.
The reviewer said you could walk around in the tent at night with the lights on and you could not be seen, for example changing to night wear, is this even possible? Why wouldn't a person or persons be seen from the outside if any light is turned on. I know this may be out of your base info as it is not a tent you are reviewing but as a woman it is a fantastic thing while camping alone if it were true.
PS...if this is a Snipe hunt please let me know that too 😊 Thank you Sir
thanks for the video bro
Your opinion of the Ayamaya 6-person pop-up tent? I'm a 77-year-old and going on a cross-country car trip ...will be staying at campgrounds all the way and back...so a fast set up and take down are high on my list of wants/needs
Have you reviewed them Nemo Wagontop or Big Agnes Big House or Bunk House?
I’d be really interested in your take on those!
There's only one tent in my opinion worth owning and that's a Springbar tent. The first and only tent you will ever buy. None of the tents you tested can come close to quality,longevity and simplicity of pitching the tent like a Springbar!
Wow! Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know these existed!
Seems like REI Basecamp will be my new tent...up grade from REI halfdome, :D How high were the winds you were testing under? OEM Stakes? would you suggest MSR stakes for the Basecamp? Thank you for this video. Very useful.
15-25 mph winds. OEM stakes are solid in my opinion. And no worries- glad you enjoyed the video. Just hit the like button for me if you don’t mind :) Thanks!
Where is the big Agnes and the Marmot 6 person tents?
Just picked up the Wawona for $230 @ Sierra.
Nice - that’s a sweet deal
What about an insulated tent for colder or winter camping?
Mine has lots of storage and a cover for the top. It's as if we have different models.
Great comparisons! Thank you! But I'm curious - what do you with all these tents? Seems like a lot of money to invest in a few videos. Is it worth it? Or do you return them or sell them after you've made your videos?
It took this guy 10 minutes to setup the Coleman???? Damn
Curious about your thoughts on the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6. I would have thought that would have been a contender.
Yeah - I’ve been asked about that one a couple of times. I’d love to test it, just haven’t gotten to it yet :)
Try a slingfin tent.