Skip the Skydome honestly. It's decent for the price but the fiberglass poles and lightweight fabric don't handle wind or rain well, and with a 6 and 3 year old you're gonna want something that feels solid when you're wrestling gear in and out. The Wawona's a solid pick but the weight is brutal for what you're getting. At that price point the Big Agnes Wyoming has better materials and the extra headroom actually matters when you're chasing kids around getting them dressed. FWIW I have the Nemo Riff and it's been tank, but for family car camping something with a proper vestibule for muddy boots and gear makes a huge difference.
Senior woman, overweight and not in the best of shape, camps alone and I have the big Agnes Big House 6. I love this tent. I think it sets up easily, huge inside height, about 9x10 outside dimensions. The cabin type walls (not dome) give it that inside open space which I love. My cot, a chair, a bench for my personal stuff, even a portable sink with fresh and grey water. Been excellent in the storms and rain while I’ve camped this far. I do not use the vestibule and don’t intend to.
Is the tent the only item you want/need to buy? Do you have the rest of your camping kit dialed in?
What makes you interested in a Springbar tent? Are you considering their big canvas options?
Personally - I don't want a canvas tent. They are bulky to pack and hard to setup. Maybe if I was in 1 spot for a month long adventure, or I was camping long-term in the winter.
If I had a solid budget for a tent - I'd get something like this:
* [https://www.rei.com/product/202982/rei-co-op-wonderland-6-tent](https://www.rei.com/product/202982/rei-co-op-wonderland-6-tent)
* [https://www.bigagnes.com/collections/car-camping-tents/products/big-house-six](https://www.bigagnes.com/collections/car-camping-tents/products/big-house-six)
* [https://www.marmot.com/p/halo-6-person-tent/SP\_220055/AFS\_889169250958.html](https://www.marmot.com/p/halo-6-person-tent/SP_220055/AFS_889169250958.html)
* [https://www.thenorthface.com/en-us/p/bags-and-gear/camp-shop-829877/wawona-6-tent-NF0A8BDV](https://www.thenorthface.com/en-us/p/bags-and-gear/camp-shop-829877/wawona-6-tent-NF0A8BDV)
* [https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/tents/products/aurora-highrise](https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/tents/products/aurora-highrise)
* [https://www.snowpeak.com/collections/4-6-person/products/alpha-breeze](https://www.snowpeak.com/collections/4-6-person/products/alpha-breeze)
All under $1000, plenty of money to save for a new cooler, set of chairs, canopy, cook setup, or other important gear.
We use a Big Agnes Big House 6 with a vestibule. Five humans (two adults and three children late elementary through middle school age) and two medium-sized dogs sleep comfortably in the tent with our packs in the vestibule.
It is too heavy for backpacking, but it is a fantastic tent with good ventilation and simple setup.
I don’t remember exactly what we paid for ours but we bought it second hand from someone who no longer needed room for so many people.
Ha, I love my six person Big Agnes all to myself when I’m spending a leisurely week off one of the Great Lakes. Gives me plenty of room for hanging out, and even the 30 - 40 mile gusts sometimes coming off the lake during storms don’t seem to touch it. If I’m spending a little time there, I want a little space to stretch.
Yeah you’re on the right track going 6-person for a family of 4. The “4-person” tents always end up feeling way smaller than expected. Out of those, none are terrible honestly. Coleman Skydome is solid for the price, Wawona 6 is probably the nicest overall if you don’t mind spending more. Big Agnes is great but you’re paying for lighter weight which doesn’t matter as much for car camping. Only thing I’d really say is make sure the vestibule is actually usable, some of them look big online but feel cramped with gear and kids. Also worth thinking about headroom. Being able to stand up is huge with kids.
If you end up doing colder trips later on, something like a sauna tent like a Sweat Tent can make it way nicer. Not needed at all, just a bonus.
Otherwise you’re pretty much dialed already.
Top Camping Tents on Reddit
1
The North Face
Wawona 6
86% positive of 132 users
Spacious vestibule, strong in storms, but rainfly tricky solo.
Adorable_Swing_2150
