Setting up for camping

[Dmc]

I bought my Sarge Green Mojave last Saturday. So of coarse I’m now planning on some trips and will be doing a little camping also. Most likely the camping will be in state and national park campgrounds. The wife is not much on roughing it, years ago we had a 27’ airstream and she was good with that.

But i don’t really want to pull a trailer, so we will probably stay in motels along the way and tent camp when we get to a park. We are planning on going to Utah in the fall or spring. Probably some closer trips before then.

I ordered a diamond back cover, the SE model. I know the weight limit is 400 lbs, but I just can’t see putting that much up there, and I’m not doing the roof top tent. I’m 64 and I’m not climbing up and down a ladder.

Any suggestions for a tent? Also any way to cool it?

Any must haves?

folding cots or air mattresses?

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[joemussari]

I bought my Sarge Green Mojave last Saturday. So of coarse I’m now planning on some trips and will be doing a little camping also. Most likely the camping will be in state and national park campgrounds. The wife is not much on roughing it, years ago we had a 27’ airstream and she was good with that.

But i don’t really want to pull a trailer, so we will probably stay in motels along the way and tent camp when we get to a park. We are planning on going to Utah in the fall or spring. Probably some closer trips before then.

I ordered a diamond back cover, the SE model. I know the weight limit is 400 lbs, but I just can’t see putting that much up there, and I’m not doing the roof top tent. I’m 64 and I’m not climbing up and down a ladder.

Any suggestions for a tent? Also any way to cool it?

Any must haves?

folding cots or air mattresses?

I have to say that roof top tents are a game changer if you dont want to sleep on the ground.

 

[Happycoop]

Depending on your height you could do something like a softopper and a DAC tent (not sure how well it would work if you're tall...I'm only 5'4" so it's an easy option for me). I've heard great things about the easy setup/takedown of the Gazelle tents, with the primary drawback being they take up a lot of room when packed.

Our last trip to all the parks out in UT we used a JK with a RTT and it worked incredibly well. This time around we're doing the parks in CO, and I intend to either do the topper/tent or just ground tent. I don't mind climbing up to sleep, but honestly it wasn't worth the trade-off for me compared to ground camping in a tent.

DAC tent pictured as an example:

 

[unsocbl]

I also don't understand the roof top tent. Seems like a very large hassle with not much benefit (unless you're in Florida with alligators ).

I'm a long time grounder/tent camper. Get a new tent almost every year because it's just easy and cheap to do. You can also donate old tents at a homeless charity. A tent for me is a place to take shelter in rain and get maybe 4-5 hours of sleep at night. I'm not one to stay inside since I took the effort to be outside

This years model is a bit more pricey than I usually go, but have used it 3 times and love it. Easy setup, good air flow, and if the weather's nice great views from inside.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ma...ftrise-4-person-hub-tent?sku=gray-dark-orange

I use cots as I hate the bounciness of air matresses, but my wife and kid use an air matress if they come with me, so that one is personal preference.

Cooling a tent is very hard to do. The Magellan has A LOT of mesh and good air flow, but if it's 95 outside , it's 95 inside. My camping ceases around the middle of June-middle of Sept here for that reason.

I go to be outside, fish, hunt, and enjoy nature ,so my must haves are based around food and cooking. I have a small camp stove, a large RTIC cooler and a shoe box full of spices. If we're 'glamping' (site with electic/water) I'll take an electric smoker just to really set the atmosphere.

Required camping items are always in the truck (First aid kit, small hatchet, windproof lighter, knife, etc...)

Other than that, a good book, a reliable GPS and good company are all that's needed!

 

[MPMB]

Any suggestions for a tent? Also any way to cool it?

Any must haves?

folding cots or air mattresses?

The instant-up tents are nice and quick. I'd skip the generic air mattresses, as I find them noisy. They also lose firmness as the night gets colder.

If you can fit it, a full-size mattress topper (3" of foam) would be something nice to bring for comfort.

 

[gonzoy5]

Gazelle T4 if you need the size, T3 if you're a light camper. The tent goes up an down so easy and it's very tough. T3 will fit in the bed, but T4 you'll need to mount and secure on top of the bed. It's about 30lbs so you'll need to be able to handle that, but it's manageable. Good luck with the choice either way!

 

[Dmc]

I took a look at the gazelle tents. I wonder how the T-8 would work out. If we stayed at one camp for a few days I wonder if the extra room would come in handy.

if it were just me id go for a small tent, but the wife would like plenty of room.

 

[gonzoy5]

I took a look at the gazelle tents. I wonder how the T-8 would work out. If we stayed at one camp for a few days I wonder if the extra room would come in handy.

if it were just me id go for a small tent, but the wife would like plenty of room.

Good thing about the T8 is that the pack size is somehow not much bigger than the t4. After getting one yes i'm a total fanboy. Trying to get my brother in law to get one too lol

 

[Dmc]

I’ve got a diamondback cover ordered. I’m assuming that if I get the Gazelle T8 I’ll have to strap it to the top of the cover.

How long is the T4? Will it fit in the bed?

 

[Evilmunky]

My wife and I use an air mattress and I do NOT recommend it. One person moves the other gets bounced. We will get cots before the next trip. For cooling, that's hard but I actually got a battery powered fan that I clip to the top of the tent as a makeshift ceiling fan. Not perfect but at least it get the air moving.

 

[Forum Crawler]

Shiftpod.

 

[gonzoy5]

I’ve got a diamondback cover ordered. I’m assuming that if I get the Gazelle T8 I’ll have to strap it to the top of the cover.

How long is the T4? Will it fit in the bed?

That's the biggest downside of it, it's about 64" in the storage bag so just doesn't fit. Can squeeze in diagonal, but eats up all the bed space then. I have crossbars so I strap it on top.

 

[jeepnutt1983]

Are those Billiebars?

That's the biggest downside of it, it's about 64" in the storage bag so just doesn't fit. Can squeeze in diagonal, but eats up all the bed space then. I have crossbars so I strap it on top.

 

[gonzoy5]

Are those Billiebars?

No, KB Voodoo.

 

[Alans17]

Are those Billiebars?

They look like KB Voodoo.

Edit: gonzoy beat me to it

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