ALPS Mountaineering - Taurus

I am a trainer for Boy Scouts and I teach adults how to take youth camping and NOT die. 😂 Tent: You will want a 6-8 person rated tent for 3-4 people to sleep in comfortably. If you add full size cots, you will want 8 person tent for 3 people. For kids, look for a heavy duty (poly tarp) floor with a “bathtub” that goes up 6 inches or more. This keeps the floor from getting holes and helps prevent water intrusion. You will also want a ground cloth that is slightly smaller than the footprint of the tent. If you expect significant rain, look for a tent with a full rain fly that goes all the way to the ground. I live in the Pacific Northwest and it rains quite often over here. If you plan to camp in potentially poor weather, look for a tent with a strong construction and extra tie down spots for stability. Some good examples might be NTK Arizona, Alps Mountaineering Taurus. Sleeping bag: Most reputable sleeping bags will have a temperature rating. Each brand is a little different on what they mean by their specific rating. Better brands will have a temperature range of comfort, borderline cold and cold. When in doubt, assume the a single temperature rating is the lowest temperature that the sleeping bag will keep you from getting hypothermia, NOT that it will keep you warm and comfortable! In 40 degree lows at night, I use a 0° rated bag and usually have on extra layers of clothes to stay warm. Your experience might vary depending on how your body sleeps (hot vs cold) Sleeping pad: Big air mattresses can suck all the warmth from you. If you use a big air mattress, you need to put a layer of insulation between the mattress and your sleeping bag. I learned this the hard way and froze my butt off in a 0° bag on top of a queen size mattress in 45° temps. Better to get a smaller mattress (4” thick max) that has built in insulation so it won’t drain your warmth. Military wool blankets make an excellent extra layer! Hope that helps answer some questions!

If you're a member of Hiker Direct, the ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 4 with aluminum poles is $149+shipping If not, it's $219 on Amazon. Solid basic 4P dome tent with two doors. Worth considering.

My Taurus 6 person has survived several windy rain storms and remained perfectly dry inside. Multiple guy ties as well. I 2nd this tent. Alps also made 4 person versions of this tent for Browning which I was able to snag on the cheap from camofire.

Alps 6 person with vestibule. Holds up to wind and rain.

any of the alps mountaineering 4 person tents. they're awesome for the money

Have one and it's awesome. Heavy for backpacking but split between members it's not bad.

I set up my Alps Mountaineering 4p tent (not a popup) by myself in <10 mins, and I’m old >60. You got this.

It's heavier due to the material being 68 denier, which is going to make it more durable. At 4lbs I would look at Alps Mountaineering for a 2 person tent at roughly the same weight, price point, and with a footprint tossed in.

I kind of have a soft spot for and like this style of tent (I had an alps brand 2p version that i used for myself and my dog, it was reasonably priced), but I gave mine to a friend in favor of switching to an "ultralight" freestanding tent instead. If i was only planning to camp in places where i knew i would be able to stake into the ground I might have kept it.

I have never used an Ozark Trail tent, but I have used other store brand tents. My experience is the difference between a cheap tent and a half decent tent is waking up with a puddle in your tent. I recommend an Alps Mountaineering tent, but they will run you 100-150.

No. Just get an Alps Mountaneering and save yourself a lot of aggravation.

We used alps and have no real problems