When my spouse and I had children, one of many first issues we did was get a much bigger tent. Fifteen years in the past, the nicest automotive tenting tent I might discover was REI’s Kingdom 6. All these years later, that tent continues to be going robust (a good friend is off tenting in it proper now), nevertheless it turned out that we by no means actually wanted all that room. I would fortunately commerce that room for little extra energy in stormy climate, which at all times appear to search out me once I’m tenting, and a smaller footprint that can match in additional spots.
That is precisely what REI’s Base Camp 6 tent provides. It is smaller in general livable house than the Kingdom 6, however in my testing it has held up a lot better within the wind whereas nonetheless being large enough to comfortably sleep 5.
Household-Pleasant
{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson
Earlier than I dive into the Base Camp, I ought to word that whereas REI not makes the Kingdom 6, it makes one thing shut within the Wonderland 6, which is an possibility I am going to talk about on the finish. I made a decision to swap the house for the stronger design of the Base Camp. I additionally like that the squarer form of the Base Camp suits higher on smaller tenting websites.
The REI Co-op Base Camp tent is on the market in four-person and six-person sizes. I examined the Base Camp 6, which I’d say comfortably sleeps 5 adults and is nearly good for 2 adults, two youngsters and one 10-year-old. REI’s specs declare 84.3 sq. toes of inside ground house, which, in comparison with the remainder of the household tenting tents in our information, is nearly precisely common for a six-person tent. You’ll be able to technically match six sleeping pads, however it will be tight, which is just about par for the course with tents. If you need a greater day-to-day dwelling expertise, dimension as much as no less than one individual bigger than your precise group dimension.
One factor that the Base Camp has that makes really feel extra livable is a plethora of pockets and ceiling hooks for storing garments and equipment out of the best way. There are 14 mesh packets across the tent (kind of the entire decrease portion of the tent is mesh pockets). Conserving issues tidy and arranged at all times makes life in a tent higher.
{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson
There are two big doorways with full zippers, so you’ll be able to fully open it up whenever you’re loading stuff into it. The highest of the tent is mesh, and there are two triangular mesh vents on both aspect of the tent, together with mesh panels on the doorways. All of those might be closed up with zippers apart from the roof, which is simply mesh. All of the venting choices mix to make this a terrific tent for hotter nights as there’s a method to get the air transferring irrespective of which manner the wind is blowing. Even when it is lifeless nonetheless, it is good to know that some warmth is escaping out the highest of the tent. There are vents within the rainfly as effectively, which might be propped open to permit a breeze by even throughout a storm.
