Go with a 4-person for two people (you + a 4 year old). A 6-person is overkill for your setup and harder to set up solo. The extra floor space sounds nice in theory but you'll just end up with a bigger tent that's heavier, takes longer to pitch, and catches more wind.
The Marmot Tungsten 4P is solid at your budget. Good rain fly, freestanding, and one person can set it up in about 10 minutes. It handles northeast rain well. The vestibule gives you somewhere to stash muddy boots and gear without bringing it inside.
The Mountainsmith Conifer 5 is decent but it's a cabin-style tent, which means vertical walls that act like sails in wind. For spring/fall in NY/PA/New England where you'll get storms rolling through, a dome or semi-dome design is going to be more stable.
At $300 also look at the Kelty Wireless 4. Easy color-coded setup, good ventilation, and the stargazing fly is fun for a kid.
Skip Coleman. You're not wrong there. The build quality just isn't comparable at any price point.
Yes, very much agree. Go bigger, a wet dog jammed on top of you is not fun. Kelty wireless 4 fits this budget, and I would recommend. Very easy to set up. Packs decently small for a car camping tent. Ceiling panels are mostly mesh, I don’t mind that- good circulation, but something I didn’t realize when ordering. Fly is good quality. Have stayed dry in rain. I use it with 1-3 people, it’s nice to have a little head room and spread gear around.
Most of those tents you listed are actually 2-person, not 3. For 2 adults + a dog, you'd want a true 3-person tent like Kelty Wireless 4 or REI Co-op Groundbreaker 3.
If you’re going non canvas, I like tents with a full rain fly and the main body has a good amount of mesh.
I camp solo with a Kelty Wireless 4 person tent. (I do wish it had aluminum poles)
And I camp with two people in a REI basecamp 6, older model.
Both of these tents I can set up by myself easily.
Kelty Wireless 6. Very easy to set up and break down with a helper and still doable solo, roomy with a high ceiling. 2 cots and plenty of extra space. its a little tight with 2 cots + 1 bedroll but still works fine. I love mine for our family trips and even end up taking it out solo once in awhile.
[https://kelty.com/products/wireless-6p-tent](https://kelty.com/products/wireless-6p-tent)
Well, Kelty make some pretty decent gear for the money. the Wireless 2 isn't huge but it does have 2 doors, high bathtub, easy set up, great price. Roomy for 1. There's a 4p version as well. [https://www.steepandcheap.com/kelty-wireless-2-tent-2-person-3-season](https://www.steepandcheap.com/kelty-wireless-2-tent-2-person-3-season)
Also the 1 door Tallboy but I haven't looked at reviews of that. [https://www.steepandcheap.com/kelty-tallboy-4-tent-4-person-3-season](https://www.steepandcheap.com/kelty-tallboy-4-tent-4-person-3-season)
I also just personally got this VERY affordable stove (I have a great backpacking stove but the ex got the car camping stove) nand I love it. 14k BTU burners with really awesome simmer control. Case isn't very heavyweight steel and clasp isn't great, but the grate is heavy duty and could hold cast iron. Nice brass propane arm etc. [https://www.steepandcheap.com/yakima-cookout-2-burner-stove](https://www.steepandcheap.com/yakima-cookout-2-burner-stove)
And maybe if you saved money on the tent you could even consider a propane fire pit - often permitted when there is a fire ban and also, it's so nice not to have to find local wood and be able to just turn it off and go to bed vs thoroughly putting out a fire.
Lastly, for car camping, I also really like this chair - Sherpa fleece downside would be it would absorb some moisture if it were raining/you leave it out overnight, upside you probably won't be sitting outside in the rain and with camping chairs you're always just chilly from your backside where it touches the chair. [https://www.sierra.com/s\~coleman-high-back-sherpa/](https://www.sierra.com/s~coleman-high-back-sherpa/)
Based on what you've written, it sounds like your disability doesn't require a tall tent. I REALLY like this option for you: The Kelty Wireless 2. Kelty makes excellent budget gear that is well thought out. The wireless 2 has a lot of nice features for what you want to do - a super high bathtub (think very little mesh) which will help mitigate wind in winter and is an all around better choice for winter - still a three season tent though, and the small amount of mesh on top will still naturally help with condensation. It's under $100. It has a 68denier fabric floor which will be pretty good for dog nails (you may wanna lay down a blanket anyways) but this is not an ultralight tent. It has two doors. It's a good size for you, your dog and your gear inside. And, lastly, there is a cross bar across the top which gives you more headroom and makes it nicer inside the tent. It's well reviewed but this will not be a good backpacking option due to its weight, FYI. Aside from that, you should be golden. It's $90 at Steep and Cheap or $97 at [Backcountry.com](http://Backcountry.com) (same company actually) and Campsaver for holiday deals right now. Normally $120ish. A Kelty tent should last and I would expect them to have good customer service. [https://www.steepandcheap.com/b/kelty-wireless-2-tent-2-person-3-season?skid=KELO08Q-MALGOLOAK-ONESIZ&utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=pla&utm\_campaign=20484172314\_\_p:G%7Cs:SAC%7Cct:Shopping%7Cct2:pMax%7Cg:xx%7Cc1:LifestyleEquipment%7Cc2:xx%7Cb:xx%7Cmt:xx&utm\_content=&utm\_id=go\_cmp-20484172314\_adg-\_ad-\_\_dev-c\_ext-\_prd-KELO08Q-MALGOLOAK-ONESIZ\_mca-115422057\_sig-EAIaIQobChMIgJjMwb-QkQMVCCCtBh1u9wPLEAQYAiABEgI8evD\_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad\_source=1&gad\_campaignid=20489295350&gbraid=0AAAAAD\_Jw0b8VXkYcc0KPgMMb4suE99wI&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgJjMwb-QkQMVCCCtBh1u9wPLEAQYAiABEgI8evD\_BwE](https://www.steepandcheap.com/b/kelty-wireless-2-tent-2-person-3-season?skid=KELO08Q-MALGOLOAK-ONESIZ&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=20484172314__p:G%7Cs:SAC%7Cct:Shopping%7Cct2:pMax%7Cg:xx%7Cc1:LifestyleEquipment%7Cc2:xx%7Cb:xx%7Cmt:xx&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-20484172314_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-KELO08Q-MALGOLOAK-ONESIZ_mca-115422057_sig-EAIaIQobChMIgJjMwb-QkQMVCCCtBh1u9wPLEAQYAiABEgI8evD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20489295350&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Jw0b8VXkYcc0KPgMMb4suE99wI&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgJjMwb-QkQMVCCCtBh1u9wPLEAQYAiABEgI8evD_BwE)
Top Camping Tents on Reddit
1
The North Face
Wawona 6
84% positive of 134 users
Spacious vestibule, strong in storms, but rainfly tricky solo.
AmericanMisogi
