A-Frame Tent

Ozark trail is Walmarts brand, you can find durable quality gear that can take care of your needs for well under your budget. Additionally Walmart has an excellent return policy, and offers cheap extended warranties that you can easily use. Ive used several different [Ozark trail 3 person come tents](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-3-Person-Clip-Camp-Dome-Tent-7-x-7-x-44-5-64-lbs/587622916) over the years, and think they work quite well as 2.5man tents. They're small enough you can backpack with them using traditional gear. I also recently tried a large [A-frame Ozark trail tent](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-7-x-7-3-Person-A-Frame-Tent-13-44-lbs/5023865539?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1600&from=/search) but returned it as I needed something a bit different, I might buy it again I like the style. If you want to splurge go for it, but buying the Walmart ones could allow you to put that budget towards other gear like sleeping bags and pads, or fund a road trip to a scenic park to camp at. Also for sleeping bags you can use comforters or bedding from home, this can double as your sleeping pad if you put a few extra blankets folded down. It's not really a workable option if your trying to hike to your campsite but is great for car camping at state parks. As you mentioned camping and backpacking are a bit different, these cheaper tents often have more space and durability than light weight backpacking tents which is beneficial for car camping. You can make them work for backpacking too, or upgrade to something else once you've gotten some experience and know what your looking for in your next tent.

I have that exact A frame Ozark Trails. It's great until the rains come. Still use it all the time on quick trips. It's fast to put up, so if you aren't planning on doing anything but sleeping in it, it's my first choice.

I have one of these and can confirm... super easy to set up. A single person can put the whole thing together in just a couple of minutes. Also surprisingly durable for the price. I've had mine for a couple of years now and it still looks new. Have him practice setting it up in your yard before going on the trip.

Walmart / ozark trail 3 person tent. 2 poles, easy to set up - $29 so if he breaks it ... no biggi https://preview.redd.it/b2m3wnmh9jef1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64bc882d179e51d2aaef765ae43b900e768de0b5

I had an older version I used for 4 or 5 years, was eventually vandalized (slashed when left on an island too long). I also had kids one for over a decade. Purchased for a girlfriends kid one year. After that i used it for storing wood and other gear I wanted to keep out of the weather.

See if you have a Sierra store nearby. They are ran by the same folks that do TJ Maxx. They are basically an outdoor centric version of a TJ Maxx, with some incredible deals in the camping department. That being said, no need to go fully kitted straight out of the gate. Buy what you can, and upgrade/replace as you can or need to. I grew up camping, my wife did not. She wanted to try it, so I went out and bought a 3 person tent, a couple sleeping bags, and two chairs, all ozark trail brand, from walmart. I got a used coleman stove off of craigslist, and a few small pots and pans from a thrift store. With that, we camped for two seasons before we started replacing it with better kit.

I'll start by saying that we camp in the Catskills in a remote area with zero amenities or other campers around. My son started staying in his own tent around age 5 or 6, my aunt had given him an Ozark Trail, probably 2-3 person. His tent was reasonably close to ours, and the dogs slept with him, and I would give him the key fob to my truck, if he were scared or needed us in some way he knew how to use the "panic" button on the remote. He used that tent till the wheels fell off, until I bought him a small Kelty when he was like 17 I think. My daughter started sleeping on her own a little later, probably 7-8, but would switch between our tent and her big brother's for a couple years before that. But same for her, she got the dogs and the key fob and an inexpensive, well reviewed Amazon tent that got replaced in a year or two with a Kelty since since her first tent had gotten damaged, not by her.