Looking for a good 6-8 person car camping tent

Negotiator

New member
Hi all, after nearly a decade of camping in cheap Walmart tents, I have decided to spring for something a little more robust. I have a budget of around $550 and weight isn't of concern since I'll only be using it for car camping. I've been looking at the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6/8 and the Marmot Limestone 8P. All are around my budget with the 20% off coupon I received. I've heard a lot of good things about the Big Agnes tents and have been leaning towards the Flying Diamond 6 since the 8 is nearly 20ft long when setup. My only concern is I am 6ft tall and the tent has a peak height of 5'6". The Marmot has a peak height of 6'6" and is only slightly longer than the Diamond 6, but I can't find any reviews on it. In short, my questions are; Are these good tents, and if so, is one better than the other? And are there other tents around that price range that I should be looking at?
 

Overthetop

New member
I've been using the REI Kingdom 6 for a couple years now, and have been happy with it. The peak height is 6'3". One nice feature is the optional "garage" that can be added to one end. I know they make a Kingdom 8 that has a peak height of 6'5", but I haven't had any experience with that size. I like that the tent folds into a small-ish sized backpack that is really light and easy to toss in the car.
 

perkj

Explorer
Have a look at the Eureka Timberline outfitter SQ 6. Really awesome 6 man tent with plenty of height for you at 6' and is their outfitter edition which means it's over built for things like 210D nylon Oxford floor, #10 zippers, DAC poles and more....it's made to take the abuse of outfitters. Don't get spooked that it's a classic A frame style tent as the new spreader up on top makes it much more roomy like a dome. This tent will last a solid 20 years with proper care and will take on just about any weather condition when properly staked out. It normally sells in the $520-550 range, but if you check sunnysports.com at night (off hours), they always drop the price $409 with no tax and free shipping. Picked mine up from them. I added the two optional vestibules and the lite set footprint (best price from campmor.com)
 
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155mm

Adventurer
How many people are you trying to actually put in it? Cots or air matresses? With cots tents get smaller more quickly, since you lose floorspace because the cots are higher up on the slope of the tent wall.

I have an LL Bean King Pine 6-person tent. It has a covered screen room (which is half the tent) where you can set up chairs if it's buggy, and leave dirty shoes. In the sleeping area I can fit two Coleman cots in the sleeping portion along the sides, and still have a nice wide alleyway in the middle for standing up and changing. I'm 6' also, and still have a few inches over my head. You could fit 3 people easily, four would be a bit tighter, but no problem if two are kids. You could always put the kids in the cheap walmart tent anyway :ylsmoke:

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with the purchase, I like the comfort of the lifetime warranty too.
 

Honu

lost on the mainland
bought a marmot limestone forgot if it was the 6 or 8 now ? but was about 10x10 anyway was not impressed sadly not the marmot of the old ? returned it

the big agnes flying diamonds are quite nice and would be my vote out of those two setups

agree on cots taking up floor space look at the low ones like the alps makes think its 7 inches also nice since its 30 inches wide or for light the helinox :)
 

Negotiator

New member
How many people are you trying to actually put in it? Cots or air matresses? With cots tents get smaller more quickly, since you lose floorspace because the cots are higher up on the slope of the tent wall.

I have an LL Bean King Pine 6-person tent. It has a covered screen room (which is half the tent) where you can set up chairs if it's buggy, and leave dirty shoes. In the sleeping area I can fit two Coleman cots in the sleeping portion along the sides, and still have a nice wide alleyway in the middle for standing up and changing. I'm 6' also, and still have a few inches over my head. You could fit 3 people easily, four would be a bit tighter, but no problem if two are kids. You could always put the kids in the cheap walmart tent anyway :ylsmoke:

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with the purchase, I like the comfort of the lifetime warranty too.
2-3 adults with cots and/or air mattresses.

bought a marmot limestone forgot if it was the 6 or 8 now ? but was about 10x10 anyway was not impressed sadly not the marmot of the old ? returned it

the big agnes flying diamonds are quite nice and would be my vote out of those two setups

agree on cots taking up floor space look at the low ones like the alps makes think its 7 inches also nice since its 30 inches wide or for light the helinox :)
I think the Limestone 6 is a 10x10, the 8 has a second room that adds to the length. Was there something in particular that you didn't like about the Marmot or was it just underwhelming in general?

I just found out that there's a REI store ~2 hours away from me. I may plan a trip up there to see these tents in person.
 

Honu

lost on the mainland
my old synthetic tents were Sierra Designs and Moss and seem to remember I had Eureka back in the day ? but forgot if it was Eureka or something else :) ahhaahahh
also a cheap beach tent from Kelty

I think the pole function of the eyebrow and setup was nice but for the cost it was not that solid feeling I now have a cheap 10x10 Kelty that works great as a self standing and its like $250 and feels just as solid as the Marmot did same design really
did not find the marmot setup tough ? was nice and again the vertical door brow design is nice

also there was one spot on the top where the threads were muffed up looks like the bottom foot kinda thing got a small double up for a few pulls
also the zipper pull and the stability was not solid without being staked I could not always get the tent open one handed ? I usually always stake out tents but wanted a free standing option so tested as that

while not related the color when I got one was only that orange and was not so pleasant when the sun was out :) but that has only to do with what were they thinking ? which kinda means fashion over function these days

maybe I should say if you can get one for say %25 or more then its not a bad deal I don't think they are a $450 model but are OK for say $300 ? but I don't feel they are as nice as they could be is maybe a better thinking :) or maybe I just want to much these days again I did look at the 6 person then cause it was a 10x10 so it can fit on any pad easily :)


some brain dump thoughts :)
again I don't think they are bad tents I just think the Big Agnes are better I think the marmot are just not as nice anymore and not worth what they are asking when you can get basically the same thing from any china made tent these days for less from Kelty as example ? for $250 kinda tough to pay out $450 so if it was on sale for say $300 ? I might have said OK over the kelty but at $350 I would pass and buy the $250 Kelty having now seen the big agnes Flying Diamonds I would pick that if it was my main tent

its little things like the doors not being solid so when wife or daughter are changing have to close the fly cover ? not a big deal but one I notice also are the front and back doors all screen so you can open it up get some air through one of the models forgot which one the back door was mostly solid material ? and not two doors one solid one mesh so you could never really open it up sure you can pull the fly up but more hassle ? I guess those are the little things I looked for in a nicer tent and the big agnes do I think have solid parts you can pull up over the windows if you want except for just the top ?
I have no issues buying a nice tent our main tent is a SP Land Lock like $1700 but its insane nice and have had it in some heavy weather and it held up and acted more like a canvas than nylon/synthetic tent

I am down to 4 tents these days and have now gone to hammocks :) but if I was to have one main tent for camping and I wanted to keep it under say $750 I would be in the big agnes
over that mark I am in what we like but I would also look at tentipi and hilleberg

if weight size don't matter and pure comfort is your main goal nothing beats canvas ! for sure the Kodiak canvas or the african dome tents equipt1 sells
hope that helps some :)


I find it tough :) cause for sure all this stuff is personal and what we like :)
I have two coleman stoves and one partner steel well of course now I have it slap why not earlier !!!!! and have to some day sell my two coleman :) its that kinda thing
its like buying nice bags once you have them you understand what you like why you like and what you are willing to pay to be happy :) cause that is what its about being happy with the purchase so for sure I always try to buy what I am happy with even if it costs a bit more and someone else says its not worth it :) anyway take care keep us posted :)
 

Honu

lost on the mainland

Negotiator

New member
Thanks, it looks like I'll be crossing the Marmot off my list. The 6P is a bit small and the 8P is $40 more than the flying diamond 6 after the coupon. I've also started looking at Sierra Designs Mirage and Yahi Annex tents. I did take a look at Kodiak tents. While I don't mind a heavy tent, 80+lbs may be a bit too heavy. They certainly look nice though. And then there's the REI Kingdom tents. Certainly not as sexy as the flying diamond, but it is $40 cheaper (after the 20% off on the FD) and is tall enough for me to stand in.
 

Honu

lost on the mainland
not sure if you have kids ? mine are 5 and 10 but being able to stand is kinda nice when getting them ready :) the ten year old is on her own now but the little guy sometimes needs some coaxing :)

also changing for me is easier when standing for sure

the one thing for me is layout I don't like long and skinny as much as wider or if its long and skinny the door end on the wide side my reasons are I hate climbing over people and don't want people climbing over me so for night time potty breaks with the kids its nice to think about the bag layout on the floor and those kinda things
along with the head height is the tent big enough to have some spare room to stand in ? or would you need to flip a bag over on the other to then have a hole to stand in ?

as example if a tent was wide enough and long enough like the 8 person big agnes I could put wife and I in the bigger part head toward the smaller part and the kids in the smaller part head toward us so we would be head to head along the walls and our dogs could be at the kids feet and we would have kinda a alley in a sense so that would work if its long enough
otherwise again the climbing over at least for me gets old really quick !!!!

I looked at a few tents that have funky angles and they can break the straight lay of a bag though ?

aquaintence of mine has a kingdom its the largest one ? he has 4 kids he got the garage recently its a nice setup and he loves it for the pack size and room size they seem pretty nice and the garage gives you a place to stuff some stuff when heading out ? that out of site out of mind kinda thing the only downside I can think of with that is you do have to kinda duck if you are 6 foot to get in ? not a big deal but one of those things with the garage on so not a big deal since you can stand up once inside the tent


the one thing is what seasons will you be in ? I camp year round so the idea of a 4 season is more about wind proof to me tie a tent out though most will be OK the big agnes is a 3/4 tent so will handle the wind better than the other models just something to think about :)

sorry just kinda brain dumping thoughts I know for me it helps sometimes when people do that for me when I am looking at stuff :) so not trying to say stuff you might not have thought of already :) just how my mind works hahahahahah
 

Mad Matt

Adventurer
If head room is really a top priority I would seriously consider the canvas tent options (Kodiak or Springbar). I looked hard at the REI Kingdom tents and it seems like their only downside is they can get really battered by heavy winds. So if wind is not an issue they are really nice. I had to cross off the BA Flying Diamond from my list because their footprints are so big; its the same problem with the REI Kingdoms once you add the crazy garage vestibule thing too. In the end I went for two tents, a Marmot Limelight 4P (freaking awesome) and a smaller used REI Half Dome 2+. All told we are still in well under $500 for all of the tents and it works really well for us (me+wife+3 young boys).
 

AML

Adventurer
We have the kingdom 8 with the the garage. And when I saw we it is myself and my 2 young kids. All 3 of us are on cots. I really like it but have already bent one pole. REI replaced it but now with REI only having a one year return policy I am worried it will happen again next season and we will be out of luck.

If you do go this route wait for the sales if you can. It makes this $525 tent under $400.
 

Negotiator

New member
I do not have kids. My priorities in order of importance would be long term durability, wind/rain resistance, warranty/customer support, price, head room and weight being a distant last. I would prefer a lighter tent, but if a heavy canvas tent will serve my needs better then I'm all for it.

On the REI tents, is it just the return policy that was reduced to 1 year or was it the warranty? It looks like the Springbar tents are out of my budget. Kodiak had a few that were within my price range that I'll take a look at. I'm not sure how they hold up in poor weather, but the Yahi 6 has plenty of headroom while maintaining a relatively small footprint.
 

Honu

lost on the mainland
Mad Matt brought up the footprints important if you camp in camp grounds not as important if you camp wherever

But some camp grounds have pad areas for tents and won't let you setup elsewhere many are 10x10 or so
Good to be aware of

Kodiak or springbar are pretty darn bomb proof are cooler in hot weather warmer in cooler weather weatherproof and don't make flappy noises in the wind !
Downside weight and for some not freestanding
My old African canvas setup was insane awesome but part of our old trailer so it's gone but maybe the smaller kodiak models ? 10x10 not sure if they make a 8x8 ? Never looked :)
Just looked :) 9x8 $430 not to bad

If you have the room and don't mind a bit more weight kodiak springbar setups are awesome

One other tent is the black pine deluxe instant up tent a bit more money instant setup few folks here have them love them but bulky but you gain instant setup and the deluxe are canvas !
 

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