Big House 6

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.

What I did when I wanted to test out TV sizes was to make a paper template the size of the screen to see what fit best in the room, You could make a template with kraft paper the size of the tents that you are considering so that you will have an actual visual of how large a tent you will feel comfortable in. You may find that a 6 or 8 person tent is sufficient for your needs and easier to set up and transport. My husband and I have always camped in at least a 8 person tent, our current go to is an eight person Big Agnes Big House tent. It is perfect for us for car camping. We take a smaller Big Agnes Big House 6 person tent for trips that include airline travel but we took a smaller 4 person tent for international travel and camping in France. The different tents and campsite setups is a constant learning process. Walk around the campground and see what others do and you'll find that there are tents of all shapes and sizes. Do whatever makes the camping experience enjoyable for you. I'd suggest the 6 person Agnes as one that you can stand up in and be comfortable with plenty of space for your gear, and a large enough to not feel closed in if you are stuck in on a stormy day. See if there is a place to look at tents fully set up so that you can see how large/small they are.

I can’t speak for anything other than the big house 6. I’ve owned it for several years and it’s the best tent I’ve ever had. I added the vestibule and footprint to go with it. It’s been an excellent tent. I’ve never had any issues with it. It’s a solid tent.

My fave subject! lol Big camper/backpacker before kids, transitioned to car camping with my family. 5 years in, with multi week trips each summer in eastern Canada. Shelter: We have a Big Agnes Big house 6 with a vestibule. 6 man is cozy with 2 adults and 2 kids (or in our case 1 kid one 70 lb dog, lol). But you will be good. A vestibule may be worth considering. We love it for having a dry place to help kids take off/put on shoes/do a quick change without getting in the tent, and take quick cover in rain. Also ideal for storing chairs and gear in the evening before bed without having to pack in/out stuff out of the car (we still store food in the car tho). We deal with things like high dew point so everything gets damp if left out over night, at 40F i would assume the same. If your younger one is potty training it can be a great spot for a potty seat as well. Ok. Now for the MOST important thing I have ever done for camping with kids. lol The sleeping arrangements: When she was little we used a flocked airbed -very cheap at walmart, like $20. We found she would slide off the flat thermarest, so just a word of warning there. The combo of sleeping pad and sleeping bag material can be very slippery for the littles. We would find her wedged between the wall of the tent and the edge of the mat, all damp etc. it was a total fail so we had to regroup on that one....Good call on the big mo bag as opposed to a sleeping bag, just maybe test if the material is slippery against the mat...We used a Woolino sleep sack as a possible alternative. I like that one because wool allows for temp regulation both cold and hot. And here is the magic: a bed tent...not available at camp stores and looks a little insane but it was the best thing I ever got for her for camping, hands down. This creates a separate sleeping space for the kiddos which minimizes night time disturbances (which we found a huge issue from 2y+ when sharing rooms). You can also get them used to it before you go, let them have it on their regular bed a couple nights or do a test drive of the sleep set up, so the transition isn't as big if they are at all anxious or get overly excited in new places. ALSO, if your little one still naps, taking a blackout curtain, if you have one at home, is a game changer bcs you can drape it over the bed tent in the daytime and make a dark place for daytime naps. Little set of battery operated ferry lights from the dollar store if they like a night light, and you have made the tent into a MAGICAL camp palace! lol. My kid is 6 now and we still set up like this and everyone sleeps soundly. Seating: When we started taking my then 2yo camping the picnic tables at the campsites were too big for her, so something to consider. There were a LOT of spills on our first trip at dinner time. We brought a small plastic folding side table and she ate at that in her little camp chair after that and it worked much better. Also nice to have for campfire time etc. so they have a place to put down a drink or snack before bed. :) Also re:evening campfire time: having a poncho for cozy time around the fire pit was really nice, Just pay attention to material, some of the fuzzy blankets really attract dirt and twigs and stuff! But it is so nice to get them all jammed up before campfire time, put on a little poncho and do the last snack/special "late night" activity all cozy. Also doubles as a barrier to sticky/messiness right before bed. lol Those Magic Fire packs are also a great little thing to throw in there, after any cooking on the fire is done!! ;) Ok last thing, I don't know your ages, genders etc. but I will say as a women who gave birth, before kids I always slept on a regular Thermarest, for like 25 years no problem, but after kids my hips would get super sore after a night or 2. I started to worry about sleeping while camping and it really took a toll on me the first few years camping after giving birth. If you are investing in a new sleep pads, the thermarest mondoking is worth the investment if there is a postpartum women in your family!! If you can't tell, I truly believe good sleep is the foundation of every good camping trip! lol Ok, sorry that it turned long. Enjoy! Camping is the best gift to give children in my opinion. Watching children in nature is a beautiful thing!! :)

We weathered a decent tropical storm on the coast in a Big Agnes Big House 6, and have been through a few strong thunderstorms as well and it held up great. Did have everything properly staked and tied out, which certainly helped.