You're getting into a new hobby. Don't drop thousands of dollars up front. Buy a Coleman 3 season tent to start. Same goes for the sleeping bag, just get one with temperature rating 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit less than what the daily low is said to be. If your not hiking into the campsite get regular camping chair and cooler. Same goes for a sleeping pad. Get a heavily well reviewed sleeping pad.
If I was in your shoes and your okay spending a little bit of money. I'd just go to Walmart or Academy sports and buy a tent, bag, pad, and chair there, if car camping. If you wind up enjoying yourself, use the tent and chair until they quit and then upgrade.
Buy a better sleeping bag and pad once you know you're enjoying camping. Waking up well rested helps you enjoy the experience more.
Honestly, people recommending $300+ tents for simple car camping are nuts with money to burn.
Used a 12 year old, $60 coleman this year in the rain, was fine
A lot of people in these subs are either unlucky or spoiled. I just gave my 3-person, $60 Coleman tent I bought roughly 12 years ago to my sister to use, as I needed to upgrade to a 4-person now that I've got a toddler.
It rained when we went out this year, and it didn't didn't leak.
I waterproof sprayed it about 10 years ago, so I doubt that even did anything other than permanently stain it a bit as I can still where I went over the seams with the spray lol
People preaching "you get what you pay for" have to say that to justify spending $800 on a tent when their doing the same kinda camping I'm doing (car camping) with less space than me lol
If you are car camping get a 2 or 3 person tent. That way when they start to get older than can camp with a friend. I got a cheap 3 person Coleman as a kid. Then used with with a friend. Plenty of room for 2 people and gear spread out.
We used a 3 person Coleman tent for almost a decade of car camping and a few years of back country winter camping. It held up through tornado warnings, snow and rain. We finally upgraded this year because the zipper and the poles were starting to go.
It was well worth the $70? we spent on it.
I feel like location may be a big factor. My troop mostly car camp. Very infrequent backpacking.
I’m in Missouri and a $40 Coleman 2 or 3 person is a great starting point. If they stick with it upgrade from there.
So you've kind of answered your own question. It doesn't make sense to you so don't buy one. I've been camping for going on 30 years and we bought one and it's fabulous. I don't find that it adds any extra bulk or weight, it wasn't really more expensive, and we enjoy the extra sleep in. Don't buy one if you don't want one but leave everybody else alone about it if they do.
halfblindguy
