Outfitter Base Camp 4

I like kelty stuff, my bigger tent is the base camp 4 and it’s held up really well to a lot of water. It doesn’t have a vestibule, which I really wish it did but I can always throw a tarp up to make one. Super easy setup, good for the price. My new backpacking tent is likely to be a kelty, I just can’t beat the price and I’m not an ultralighter or a thru hiker so a 4 and a half pound tent is perfectly fine for me. It’s somewhere between Coleman and rei brand in quality. The only kelty thing I’ve had some trouble with (and really this isn’t a serious issue) is that my 20 degree down sleeping bag is only comfortable to about 40 and then I can really feel the cold. And I think some of that is due to not storing it properly for the first year I had it and not having a high enough r value pad.

Do you backpack? I have a kelty base camp 4 and it’s held up really really well. I like kelty gear a lot, it’s pretty mid range but good for the price imo

I have two tents (both kelty brand) a two person for solo backpacking/short trips where bad weather isn’t forecast and a 4 person for trips where I have another person in the tent with me or I plan on having to spend more time in the tent. Totally a reasonable move and the bigger tents really aren’t usually much harder to set up unless you have some huge 10 person multi room situation

Check out Kelty. Bought a basecamp model and it's great. Big enough to stand up in. Room for cots which gives you storage space underneath the cots...

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

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.

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.

Not sure. I have a 4 person Kelty. First time I set it up was in a brisk 10mph wind. I literally had one hand on the directions and one hand holding the tent. Worked out fine and I was and am really happy with this tent. Fwiw I am middle aged

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.