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With the ages I'm guessing cub scouts, which means car camping and durability, because there's small children running everywhere and being rough with stuff. Even if your kids are super chill in the tent, there's other kids playing tag and such everywhere. **I've got two suggestions:** **1) Costco's Core 6 person lighted dome tent.** There is enough space for a cot and two kids on the floor, no problem. Its cheap enough that if something gets broken you don't have to stress about it, and Costco has a great return policy so you could potentially just do a return if something breaks. Its easy to setup. There's space for the adult to stand up. **2) Canvas bell tent (3m or 4m).** Totally different vibe. I just got one for the exact same purposes (cub scout camping). Very durable and kid resistant. The Vevor ones are in your price range and they're fine. The biggest downside is that there's a ton of lines to stake out, but you have two little helpers for that. Its heavy so you may want a little wagon to pull it in, but if you're cub scouting you probably have a little wagon. 3m is big enough for three on the floor no problem; if you're on a cot it may or may not be a little tight depending on the size of your cot. If you want to be able to fit two adults and two kids then 4m is probably the way to go but that's a significant step up in weight/bulk. I really like that I don't have to stress about a bunch of elementary school kids accidentally putting their arm through thin mesh or breaking a pole.
CORE seems to be everywhere right now. I bought the dome tent they sell at COSTCO, I believe it's a six-person tent. I took it to a festival for a weekend that got rained out HARD. My friend and I stayed nice and dry the whole weekend in that tent. I did make sure the rain fly was set up properly, i.e. not touching the sides of the tent and directing water away from the sides. I don't know if I'd trust the shape of the one shown here for a rainy weekend.
Yes. Quality- I have a Magellan tent and a Core tent. Bought a couple years apart, and they are different sizes. The quality is much better on the Core, but if you are just buying for occasional use the Magellan is just fine. And in case you don’t know, you aren’t fitting 3 people comfortably in a 3 person tent. I have the Core 6 man dome I use regularly with my son on camping trips and it is perfect for our gear and us and I can stand up in the middle. It wouldn’t be good for backpacking though it’s too heavy…
I have two core 9 tents, neither of them are instant, though. One is the massive two room tent that can hold two queen air mattresses easily. The other is the 6 man dome. I love their tents, and have used them frequently.
That core dome is 8 pounds. My (way more expensive) Durston Xmid Pro is 1 pound. You pay more for the ultralight/more durable stuff. But if you are just car camping a few times a year that thing is fine!
i have a core 6. too small for a fam of 4 https://preview.redd.it/20cihxunowkf1.png?width=1951&format=png&auto=webp&s=b0b8cab1620d800f28722a212046896594ac2cc5
a 6 person is too small for two adults and 2 kids. i'd go for a 9 or 10 person. the size rating is based on people in sleeping bag sleeping right next to each other like sardines in a can. I have a core 6. Definately too small. 2 adult size cot and a single baby crib. only enough space for 1 person walking in and out. that's with belongings under the cot.
CORE 6 has an 11'x9' interior floor with mostly straight walls and over 6' height at the peak. Get the **full** fly. A standard 10'x8' tarp works as a footprint if you are so inclined, mine is 12mil.
I am not familiar with the brands. However, is it a tent that you will be comfortable putting up and taking down every day as you travel. BTW, I own a CORE 6 person tent.
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