Avalon Bell Tent

Although I got mine specifically so I could heat it in the snow, I also wanted summer features, so I ended up with a white duck avalon. I would imagine you could save a decent chunk of money if you don't want a removable floor and windows all around it, though.

I have the 20' white duck avalon. Seasoning just means you set it up and spray it with a hose. I would expect to do it to all canvas tents. What it does is make the threads expand and center themselves against each other. I like to camp in rain and snow, and I can comfortably move my entire camp into my tent. I can also set it up alone, which is more often than not. The only real downside with the bell tent is the setup. It's a lot of stakes and guylines. I've also been in situations where I had to use my cordless impact drill. Guy lines are not really optional with this style. I went with the avalon primarily for the windows and tub style floor. The ventilation is great for summer. Random tip: Measure out and draw a target on the floor to help position the center pole. A bell tent was a requirement for me to have a "one tent to rule them all" kinda thing; Something I can take alone into any weather and never need to replace if I properly maintain it. If I were only camping in the summer with some rain, I'd get a springbar style canvas.

I'd recommend a 20', which White Duck calls an 8 person tent (I've had the Avalon in high winds). I can keep my entire camp inside mine. You can also set it up in the wind if that area never stops blowing, which may be something you didn't think about. Setting up a wall tent in high winds is likely extremely difficult at best.

Since you mentioned Kodiak Canvas, I’ll throw another canvas option out there. We’re a canvas tent and camping gear brand called White Duck Outdoors. Something like our Avalon or Regatta bell tents are nice for longer trips because you get way more living space and bell shaped tents handle wind and weather really well. We actually have people who refer to our tents as a second home since they can stay up for months (or years) without needing to be taken down so just what you're looking for with the "home" idea. With the budget you mentioned our two person Prota Springbar tent or our two person Rover Wall Cabin style tent would also be perfect and easy to set up and take down for a two person cross country journey! Some of our tents are at REI stores, however if you're strict with your budget, we do occasionally sell our Prota tents used exclusively on our website (usually from a photoshoot so only set up for pictures) for under $500. They’re not "instant" tents, but once you set them up two times, it gets pretty quick, especially if you’re mostly car camping. I would love to try and help with any questions, set-up ideas, or recommendations!

If you're a Costco member, you can buy white duck tents through Costco. I got the 13' bell tent for like 20% off msrp.

I would consider a 6 person to give them plenty of room. Since they're older, I would look for tents with 1) room to stand up inside and 2) no need to step up over the bottom of the door -or- to duck under the edge of the door to go inside. My husband and I like our 6 person Nemo Aurora Highrise BUT it doesn't follow rule 2. We have to step over the bottom of the door frame and duck when entering. It gives my husband a lot of grief. Our new White Duck 13' canvas bell tent lets us just walk in which is awesome. However, canvas takes some extra care and it was pricey so I wouldn't recommend that for their new boat target. :-D

I saw an inflatable in person recently; it seemed sturdy enough. Owner said he liked it. It stood up to some wind and rain. I'd personally consider one if I needed a really big tent and knew I would have a big enough flat spot to put it up AND stake it out. No idea on longevity, though, or the ability to patch it. With my luck I'd find a cactus the first time I took it out. Note that for the bigger the tent, the harder it is to find a flat spot with sufficient non-rocky ground to stake it out when dispersed. You'll be blocked from a lot of campgrounds, too. I have a couple of different White Duck canvas tents -- a bell tent and a Scout tent. I got the Scout tent (8x13) because the 13-foot round bell tent was just too wide for some spots. The Scout tent is five feet narrower and it makes a huge difference in where I can set up. Pounding in the stakes is a real pain but otherwise, either is fine. Once I have the stakes in it, it takes 5 minutes or so to erect either one. If you're camping in summer, get a tent with good ventilation. (I like that I can roll the sides up on the White Duck Scout tent. It stays cool even in the sun.)

i'm really happy with the two White Duck tents I own. No frills, but sturdy and well built.

White duck has some amazing hot tents! Pretty easy to set up by yourself. Personally im torn between the regatta and an air tent! For water proof gear, theres several options, price depending. You could wrap your gear in garbage bags and zip locks, although durability isn't really there. You could use dry bags ( Personally I do this). You could get 1 big dry bag, although they can be pricey, and if you get a hole in it, it could pooched, or a patch kit would be a while away. You could also use a 60L food barrel as a gear bag, I used to do this, worked well, sadly I was dumb and didn't have a comfortable saddle for it, but it hads a huge layer of water proofing and durability to your gear, it also doubles as a chair! I had to give that idea up due to canoe camping and wanting to be as light weight as possible. Water proofing also isn't everything, sometimes getting wet and being able to dry out / off fast works just as well! Hope that helps!

Mine is from white duck outdoors. They aren't cheap but quality usually isn't