Marmot - Limestone 4-Person Tent

Getting the rainfly onto the wawona 6 by yourself can be a pain in the ass but I’ve done it plenty of times camping with my son. He’s too young to be of any help with a task like that. Attaching the fly to the back of the tent first and then throwing it up and over is how I’ve always done it. That tent is a castle. I love the space you have in the vestibule but it can be a pain setting up something with such a large footprint in some sites so make sure you book one where it will fit. I actually just ordered a marmot limestone 4p so I can have something smaller for when I won’t have the luxury of using the wawona and its massive vestibule.

I am extremely happy with my REI Wonderland 8 and want to get the 4 for shorter camping trips. I still have a Marmot Limestone 4 but since it’s red I don’t really like waking up in red light. It bothers me. So going with the Wonderland was also about the color scheme and it was a real pleasure to wake up in a neutral color tent. My other gripe with the Marmot Limestone was specifically about beach camping and the wind would blow sand between the fly and tent, then it would rain down through the mesh onto my face. I figure this would be an issue with any tent, not just a Marmot.

I was always a hard core backpacker…then hit 45 and started to get comfy car camping gear—a bigger tent (REI Kingdom 4, then Marmot Limestone 4), Exped 2-person camp mattress, 2-person sleeping bag with silk liner, Coleman 2-burner stove, solar string lights, camp chairs… totally luxurious setup. The upshot is that we go camping more, in a wider range of conditions and seasons, and are less beat up at the end of our weekends. Totally worth it.

Look at Northface Wawona and Marmot Limestone. Both are solid, seam taped and built like bomb shelters. The Wawona is taller, 6'2 in the middle, so slightly taller than Limestone. But if you want standing room being 6'4, you might have some tough time finding one for 4 person.

Keep in mind that a tent will keep you dry. Your sleep system will keep you warm. Look at REI, North face, marmot or MSR brand 3-4 person tents. A 3-4 person tent will sleep both of you comfortably with your gear inside. To manage winds, look for full fly tent and make sure you have enough points to tie guylines. Here are 2 recommendations https://www.thenorthface.com/en-us/p/bags-and-gear/camp-shop-829877/stormbreak-3-tent-NF0A8BDN?color=Y10 https://www.marmot.com/equipment/tents/4-person/limestone-4-person-tent/AFS_195115133436.html Both these tents go on sale multiple times a year for 30-40% off.

Sure, I get where you are coming from, not really an advantage but better experience, at least for me. My personal experience is with one of my older tent coleman sundome, where the fly kind of goes just below where the screen material is. In windy conditions, the, due to the gap, the wind finds its way in and make the fly very flap around a lot and hence its very loud. My experience with a full fly tent, I have a marmot limestone, I can pull the fly tight and low to the ground which minimizes the wind going under the fly and therefore the wind noise due to the material flapping around. YMMV

I have the older generation 4P Limestone It is a bomb proof shelter against any rain that nature can throw your way. Little known fact … Noah had one of these on the top deck of the Ark. Heavy. Durable. Strong! Thick poles. Ventilation - not great. You would need to open doors in warm weather. Conversely, Wind protection is pretty darned good for a 3 season tent. Heavy. Car camping ONLY. Big. Feels like a house, not a tent. My son and I are big people, both over 6 ft and this is a good model for us. Even better if yours has two doors - my old one has only one so we always slept feet to the door in the 4P - a little shorter than at right angles. Two doors would have been better for me. Assuming you want to car camp with it - the price is fantastic. DEW IT!! … says emperor Palpatine.

I have the Halo 6p and used to own the Limestone. Both are exceptional.

As tempting as it is, I would recommend to not go for one of the super tall (tall enough to stand up in), roomy 4-6 person tents (Marmot Limestone or REI Wonderland for example). They seem nice and luxurious (as can be for camping), you can change inside comfortably, etc, but wind is a real consideration because they’re so tall, and since they’re not cheap, you’re at risk of tent breaking and losing $200-300+.