Tarptent - StratoSpire 2

Look at tarptent Stratospire 1 or 2  and buy some Durston poles for it if you dont use trekking poles. You can get a "sidecar" mesh that fits in the vestibule, so your dog has room in the huge vestibule, even in the 1P.

I got the ProTrail Li, only used for one trip that was 6 days but I love it. Getting used to single wall however. Next time I'm bringing a sweedish dish cloth to dry, hoping that helps. I also have Stratospire 2 Sil. I'm debating the Li as my tent is from when the SS2 first came out (like 10-15 years?) and has like 500 nights on it, just starting to see some failures here and there. I'm a slim 6'1" and can easily use either of these tents happily.

Vancouver based, my stratospire 2 has 10 years and, 6 countries on it. Including months in Patagonia. Fly first setup for the win.

Durston X-Mid 2 ticks most boxes, dual vestibules, fly to ground, strong in wind/rain, light. Tarptent Stratospire 2 is weather proof with real vestibules but heavier. Terra Nova Pioneer 2 is solid and lighter than your current tent. Naturehike or 3F are okay if you accept durability tradeoffs. For wet and wind, structure beats ultralight every time.

I've owned and used this tent multiple times. I have zero complaints. After practicing setting it up in the backyard a couple of times, I had no issue with the tent. It kept us warm and dry.

Stratospire 2 have huge side vestibules that they have little tent inner that can sell to fit inside. The vestibules are very big on my older version Stratospire 2, not sure what the current version is like. Also the sides drop down so if you have a few short kids in there you can fit more lying sideways. Though our situation was different as we were looking at a trip with one parent two kids and no dog.  Agree w other comments to look at getting two tents vs one huge one.  Editing to add, I just reread your post and see you want one big tent. Keep in mind for when they are a bit older multiple smaller tents will work well. By the time we’re kids were teens they each want their own small tent. 

I have a Stratospire 2 and my hiking buddy has the Durston 2P, and we've used both. The Stratospire is a palace, especially when you consider the huge vestibules. It is excellent if you have a dog, for instance, or plan to be inside the tent for longer periods of time. When my 2 boys were young, I fit my 25 inch pad and both of their 20-inch pads in the Stratospire no problem. Setup is fine. The Durston is the one we carry now on our trips. It's lighter and roomy enough for us since we don't stay in it very long.

Tarptent stratospire 2 Relatively light and enormous, with dual doors and dual large vestibules. We've had it for 10+ years and just replaced the zippers (free!) as our first repair. It slept me 5"5" f + 15yo & 8yo on oregon PCT; currently sleeps me, husband, dog, no problem. Have never used footprint and setup with hiking poles.

My concern is that a) You've selected a relatively low volume (50 L ) pack for a beginner. and then you're looking at some budget options for tents, thinking you'll have enough room to fit everything in that 50L pack. 1) You should have bought all your other gear first and THEN decided on a pack with a volume and max weight carrying capacity that fits your other gear. 2) You admit this is your first backpacking trip ever, and based on your budget comments, I have a suspicion your other gear items like your sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cook system, etc are very middle of the road or even low tier systems. (i.e. not ultralight. Perhaps average when it comes to weight as well as packed volume.) Refer back to point number 1. By the time you fit all the aforementioned gear plus clothing, food, water, filter, and miscellanous stuff, is that 50L pack going to be enough, or are you going to be uncomfortable with a pack that maybe isn't designed to carry all the other gear you have? 50L is definitely doable. In this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZGG1IvuLDs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZGG1IvuLDs), Justin carried a Durston Wapta 30 pack with all his gear for 4 days in the Canadian Rockies. But Justin had his gear DIALED. It's worth a watch. Both Justin and Erik go through every item they've brought along for the trip and neither of them has brought anything extraneous. There's[ a separate video](https://youtu.be/krnIT2xVmWw) that documents the trip itself and honestly it looked like a fantastic 4 days. I help with a beginner backpacking workshop in the spring every year thru my local outdoors club. Our participants struggle to fit 2 nights worth of food and gear into a 60-70L pack, which is why I'm expressing some concern. I like and agree with many of the other comments on here. The Bryce 2 isn't bad until you have to climb in and out of it while it's raining. And I'm not a fan of front entry tents. I feel like I'm crawling into a dog house, and I MUCH prefer a side entry tent. The Tungsten 2P is a decent tent but it's heavy and it's gonna be pretty bulky for a 50L pack. I've had a Durston Xmid 1P for years and love it for solo trips. I have a TarpTent Stratospire 2 which has a very similar design to the XMid 2, and it's my favorite tent when my wife and I go backpacking together. If you already have all your other gear, have you made a full packing list on [lighterpack.com](http://lighterpack.com) ? Have you tried putting all your gear, minus the tent into your backpack, including a decently large stuff sack to represent your food bag? How has that worked out for you?

I'd recommend looking at getting a used , or stretching out and getting a new StratoSpire 2 from Tarptent, or others in there 2 person line up. There's also the durston x mid 2. Of course it is lucky and a faff to try and find one used and initial cost new is more, but great tents.

Xmid 2 (or Tarptent Stratospire2 if got at a good price). We've used both extensively in the Pyrenees. They do well and you get a little more ground space and sitting up height than a heavier tent like the Hubba Hubba, though a little less volume at the ends. Lanshan 2 is a good lightweight cheaper option, but not as quick to erect or as protective from wind . My friend has one, and I've had to help her erect it in windy conditions recently, and it's definitely more faff to set up than Xmid or Strat.