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Not sure if you mean 2-3 person in tent numbers or in real life numbers, but I have used an 8-person Coleman Skylodge for 3 adults in high winds and had no issues. It actually rained a couple of times on trips along with the wind with no issues as long as I staked it down with good stakes. Only has doors in front, but has windows on all sides.
I got the coleman skylodge 8-person on ebay for about $160 shipped. It's listed about $400 on the Coleman site. It is a quick set up tent, and has been good for me. It's a little heavy, but I will trade that for the ease of set up every time.
I would go with a Coleman Skylodge Instant Tent, at minimum 8-person. I have the 8 person and the 4 person and they both are solid. The 8-person should allow for a queen size air mattress and plenty of room for "stuff". If you can swing it, the 10-person may be better because your family can grow with it as you need more space. I wouldn't get it directly from Coleman, they are cheaper elsewhere.
Yes, they make a 10-person Skylodge. I have only used the 8, and it wasn't hard to put up alone. I had it staked and up in about 4 minutes. The 10 shouldn't be much different. Instant tents are very convenient for set up.
I would stick with Coleman or Ozark Trail. I think they are in your budget range. Ozark Trail probably is best for your size/budget requirements. A Coleman that size is going to be a bit more. I have an 8 person Coleman that probably would get the job done, but with that many people, a 10-12 person might be better for you. An Ozark Trail model would run about $200, a similar Coleman would be at least $150 more.
I have used my Coleman 4 person for solo trips for about 3 years now and have had no issues at all. This includes a storm with 50 mph gusts. Besides the money, I think Ozark Trail offers more variety in design than Coleman, so that may fit your needs better. I cannot speak to it's durability as I haven't had any personal experience, but everyone I know who has one is a fan.
I have the Coleman Skylodge 8 person we mean to get the four. It is such a breeze especially when moving camp sites too. Only caveat is its size when being packed. I just throw it on the roof rack.
We have the Coleman 8 person Skylodge. It has plenty of ventilation to limit condensation. It’s easy to set up and price fits your budget. I can’t speak to the fit when using cots, we camp with a queen and a twin air mattress and it has room to spare with 10 days worth of gear.
Try Coleman Skylodge Instant tent. Extremely easy to use. Only downside is occasional leakage.
I've got a similar issue. I've got 2-3 tents that I've narrowed down to but haven't pulled the trigger. For size, it really depends on if you want lounging space inside. A 3-4 person tent is good for two adults with gear inside. If you want to set up chairs inside then a 6 person would be better. With a 4yr old you might even be able to get away with a 4 person but a 6 person would allow for growth. Coleman and Kelty have a lot of nice tents that would be fine for what you want. A Skydome with the screen room has the vestibule for a reasonable price. Not to mention being a darkroom tent so you're not having to wake up at first light. Something like the Coleman Skylodge would allow you to walk around inside. If you want to use cots then bigger might be better. I went solo camping with a 4per dome and my cot took up most of the space. There's no chance to fit a second one in there for sure.
I have a 4,6 and 8 person Coleman Insta-tent. I take the 8 person when my wife goes with me. Plenty of room, actually has a divider to section it off into two rooms. Get the biggest tent you can afford. You'll never regret extra space,
I've used 4,6,8 man Coleman Instant Tents for years. Goes up in about 3 minutes, comes down in about 8 minutes (you have to roll it and smash it back in the carrying bag.
30 of my 32 years i spend camping weeks at a time in a Coleman 8 person tent from Walmart. My parents couldnt afford anything else when we were kids and the tent worked great. When I turned 20 my parents got me my own coleman 8 person from Walmart and it rocks. I use it any time im campground camping. Its huge. We call it the tent condo. One time we had 2 queen air mattresses, a play pen, and 3 suitcases in it for an entire week in total comfort. And once my mom cut a hole in the side of her tent, sewed a sleeve on the tent and put a window air-conditioner in it. Talking about lap of luxury. Lol mom said she wasnt that worried about messing up because the tent wasnt that expensive.
We have had the coleman cabin tent for ~5 years or so. It is reliable and comfortable, we have slept in it in torrential rain, high heat, ~34 degree nights with frost developing on it; all of that has left it with no damage and solid water repelling still after all of that happening on multiple trips. The front porch feature with the rain fly overhang has been rly cool when we wanna avoid rain/bugs but still wanna chill at the campsite. I will say that it goes on sale sometimes and I think Dunham’s has it for a bit cheaper sometimes. But it is honestly one of the best tents I’ve ever used. We let friends use it in trips now because we got a gazelle pop up tent after going camping consistently for a few years. But we still love that Coleman, you can’t miss with it really.
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