Kelty - 4-Person Camping Tents

I have had a normal kelty 4 man and the daydreamer 6. The 4 held up great for almost a decade of use (~6 trips a year with that tent) before we needed more space and upgraded. The day dreamer 6 is pitch black inside which is great for getting kids/dogs to sleep in later than sunrise. The thick fly to keep out light definitely adds a pound or two to the day dreamer vs a normal tent.

it fits my kelty 6 comfortably with space on the size. it was very tight with my kelty 4

My BF and I have 7 different tents and our favorite one is the 4-person Kelty tent that I bought for myself when I was 17-18 years old. That makes it 36-37 years old. It’s not the same shape as the one OP covets but it has the same basic options with a large back window screen and the zipper screen entrance with the additional layer of solid fabric. Unfortunately it’s so old and the fabric is becoming very brittle and fragile. Wish they still made tents like they used to.

Well if you want advice on a tent I could probably try to help you out! Just took a quick pass through the tent options and I’d recommend the core 4 person instant tent for $150 just because they’re already an established tent making brand with great reviews. I personally own a 4 person kelty tent and the quality is really good imo and they’re easy to setup. Some of the kelty tents have these sleeves that the bottom of the poles go into and it makes solo setup a breeze. My issue with instant tents like the one you mentioned, the gazelle t4, etc. is that they’re heavy and they don’t get very compact. But if you have both storage space and space in your vehicle go for it.

Are you backpacking or car camping? That makes a huge difference. I have a 4 person kelty for when I go car camping with my wife and dogs. For when I go backing with just one of my dogs I have a big Agnes copper spur 2p. When we go car camping, we have a foldable memory foam mattress, it’s quite large and takes up most of my roof box, it’s my trade off for comfort. There’s this company HEST, that makes these memory foam rolls for car camping. They look awesome, I just haven’t been to an REI lately to check them out. They are pricey but look to be really nice. I have my old ridge rest that I roll out to protect the tent floor from their paws. If your car camping and have the room, those floor mat puzzle pieces are also a great floor protector.

I like the Walmart brand Ozark Trail. We have had a smaller tent from them for quite a while (it does leak now but we set up a tarp over it). Our nicer Kelty tent tore and the zipper broke. They’ll fix them for you but I lose the receipt :(  Since you’re new I’d go on the less expensive side first. 

I've had my Kelty for about 12 years now and it has never failed to perform to my highest expectations. I highly recommend them.

We loved our Ozark Trail tent! Set out on a cross country camping trip with a brand new Kelty that we spent a pretty penny on. A week in, a pole broke in the wind and we got SOAKED through the thin floor. Went to a Walmart, picked up an Ozark Trail, and left the Kelty in a dumpster. Never looked back on that decision.

Go with the Kelty version of this same tent instead, better quality and price difference right now isn't much at all with the sales they are running

Where do you camp, what is the weather like? Generally Kelty or Alps Mountaineerimg tents are the budget tents that are a step up from Coleman. Two layer (separate body and rainfly) are most forgiving. Full rainfly (covers the whole body) is best. More mesh in the body for hot and humid. Less mesh for colder climates.

Yeah the marketing is so bad. There are 3 season tents that are better suited for colder climates but they aren't advertised like that. So weird. In the south, I recommend Kelty tents a lot because their 2 layer tents have almost-full mesh bodies. I notice that people in the northern US swear by Alps Mountaineering tents... their bodies happen to have a lot less mesh in the body. They're like 3.5 season tents, lol (but they'd be bad in the south).