I bought and tested the 6 most popular family camping / car camping tents on the market, including the REI Wonderland, The North Face Wawona, and more.
finally someone puts some effort into it. unlike other just putting commercial videos of the companies, thank you for your effort sir. much appreciate!
Hey folks - I've just updated my tent categories to a new and improved scoring system, thanks to some useful feedback from viewers. Here's what the updated scores looks like: 1. REI Base Camp 6 (7.57 out of 10) 2. REI Wonderland 6 (7.21 out of 10) 3. The North Face Wawona 6 (6.57 out of 10) 4. Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 (4.57 out of 10) 5. Coleman Instant Cabin 6 (4.57 out of 10) 6. Coleman Skydome 6 (3.79 out of 10) The new list of categories are as follows: 1. Setup 2. Living Space 3. Waterproofing 4. Wind Resistance 5. Ventilation 6. Build Quality 7. Features I think this will result in a more balanced scoring, and this is the scoring method I'll be using going forward. Thanks to those who suggested some of these revisions!
Yes, Wawona 6. It got us through very high winds, and thunderstorms and hail. The vestibule design is great, able to put in two regular camp chairs and a camp table, can cook in there in the rain, only thing I'd change is making the length of the side and front vestibule 2-3" longer towards the ground so it isn't so drafty in the cold wind. Strongly recommend the separate footprint, and always buy serious stakes, that's likely what kept our tent solid in the high winds and hail, it was flopping around some, although guyed taut, and there were a few worrisome moments, but it held up. Large enough for 2 of us and the dog on a queen air mattress or double cot, and room to store stuff on both sides. There is a $199 vestibule addition for the Wawona 4, fyi.
I love the design of the new Wawona 6 but would prefer that the large vestibule be removable. Also, the Wawona 4 is better size for just me. I haven't found any info on the vestibule addition, if you can pass anything on that would be great (I'm between Wawona and Gazelle, buying in the next week). Thanks!
I can personally recommend the Wawona tent. Our family has the Wawona 4, and have used it camping while roadtripping several times. We camped at Badlands National Park, and there was a terrible windstorm around 3 AM. Several other people had their tents completely leveled. Ours was fine, no bent poles, etc. Great tent!
I can also attest to the Wawona 4. I went camping last fall and it started to rain pretty hard at the campground. I was bone dry while my neighbors had to quickly pack their campsite and leave because their tent was wet inside.
@@rayrenz3599Does the Wamona 4 or 6 come with the vestibule? The REI website makes it seem like only the 6 maybe(?) does, but not disclosing a $200 attachment in this video seems like it must be wrong?
Great video man! I've actually been looking at couple of these myself and it was very interesting to see how they perform. Also it's great to see you back!
Great video. I've found myself binge watching your tent vids. Excellent reviews and many thanks! Alps Mountaineering, Camp Creek Two Room. 10'x13', that is a tent I would like to find out more about, whether or not it can match up to Eureka's LX Series. Keep On Keeping On...
This is a great video. My wife and I bought the 2020 version of the Northface Wawona 6 back in 2020. It's amazing except for the set up time. I hate seeing it up so much. But it's never leaked and on us and has stood up to extremely high winds and rains. Extremely solid.
This was so great! Would love to see you do something like this that focuses on tall popup tents. I’m drawn to the ease of setup but it’s hard to evaluate the sturdiness and waterproofing, plus as you said in this review roundup the setup is often not quite what’s advertised 😂
Thanks for review! I was stuck between the REI and Wawona. I did a lot of research before buying and went with The North Face Wawona 6. It's a very tough tent with stronger poles, fully seamed so won't get water inside when ground is fully soaked, way better vestibule, better ventilation when needed, it has more guy lines so can handle higher winds than the REI tents. I recommend buying a Wawona 6 footprint when buying The North Face tent.
2 years ago,I bought the wawona 6 (before watching this video) and has been a great tent. I've used it one to twice a month (we're with the boy scouts) and it is great even with the summer heat in Mexico or Texas.
Great comparison video.. I actually have the REI Kingdom 6 which is the previous model before the wonderland.. kind of one of those situations where there are improvements they could have made to the kingdom line but for some reason chose to rename the tent and makes changes that just absolutely didn't seem necessary. One big thing is the previous model of this tent which is pretty much 90% if not 95% the same is they took away the massive front vestibule on this new wonderland.. That was the best part about the kingdom. The wonderland as did the kingdom comes with a mudroom which is a big huge attachment similar to the North face for an extra $100. I think it was also important to remember that with REI tents you can buy the separate ground cloth which perfectly fits the tent and even attaches to the tent spikes. You also pointed out that the pockets were high along the sides which is different than the kingdom and I think they did that because they've got those V's in there now. Don't know what purpose of serves but I just feel like companies especially REI makes changes to products that are not always great. In my opinion as a fan of REI I would not buy that new wonderland tent mainly because of the loss of the massive vestibule which allows you to literally store chairs coolers shoes and so much more right outside the tent door without fear of getting wet or condensation. The new wonderland six unlike my kingdom 6 is a no-go for me.. also you didn't mention it and I'm not sure if it's changed but the kingdom 6 comes with a storage that is pretty great and has backpack straps. And as a side note today July 1st 2023 through July 4th the wonderland 6 teny is on sale for $349 which is a fantastic price if you're not bothered about the vestibule.
I’d love to see the Nemo Aurora High rise reviewed. I’m between it and the Northface tent you feature here. I love your videos and they are making purchasing a replacement tent less intimidating since we are getting something more premium this time around.
Travel camper converted to tent camper here. Thank you for your channel. You have been the most informative thus far. I’m looking at a LLbean king pine dome tent. Any thoughts on those. I was looking at buying used on local market place. I want to make sure I like this style of camping before spending $300-400. Thanks
Great range of tents and I enjoyed your reviews of each one. I was looking for a better quality tent and was choosing between the Wawona 6 (which looks like a great tent) and the Marmot Torreya 6. I chose the latter but have not tried it out yet as we still have lots of snow in Canada. It was also hard to find that particular tent so it might be out of production... Again great job (I can't believe you had to purchase all the tents...)
Very helpful review! Thank you! Though I’m surprised number one lacks a vestibule. That’s pretty important for family camping, especially in bad weather.
Thank you! I have been trying to compare several of these by reading reviews, and this was extremely helpful! If you make a part two, please consider reviewing the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6P. It is another tent I haven't been able to find any decent information on, but looks interesting.
I recently bought the Nemo High-rise and returned it shortly after setting it up. It was pretty easy to assemble and had a lot of space and standing room, but the center clip to the lantern in the middle of the ceiling immediately broke when I unclipped it. I also worried about the long term durability of the pole sleeves. If you're willing to spend the kind of money on the Highrise, then you might consider the Kodiak Canvas tent. It's bomb proof, breathable, and will last for decades. I also recently got the REI Basecamp tent, and I really liked it.
We bought the Nemo and set it up in our yard to test it. It slumped horribly over the windows to the point that it looked like rain would gather there, and I have since read reviews that confirm that. We thought maybe we had set it up wrong, but 3 other attempts yielded the same results. I then called the company and the person on the phone was no help at all...we returned the Highrise 6 for full refund from REI.
Hi Erin, you are reading my mind…yes, please review the Aurora 6 person tent. Wonderful video comparison. Thank you! Thank you 😊 I”m looking at 6 person tents for taking my daughter’s dogs camping. Could you do a video on dog camping…maybe including, great paddle boards for taking your dogs on too. 🙏🏻🌈❤️
Very nice! It is the wawona 6 for me. I’ve researched tents many times myself, and this hit on all marks. The availability of the vestibule for a rainy day, north face quality, really sealed the deal. You should also look at the MSR offerings (Habtitude 6) as well as big Agnes and marmot, also the Nemo Wagontop is the cats meow. The Coleman’s (and I had 2), really suffer in the pole department. The fiberglass poles would last 3 seasons at most. And it’s a shame. You build memories in these nylon bags and it’s a shame to throw them away. The cost of pole replacement outweighs the cost of the tent.
Hey - thanks! And good suggestions: you’re the 2nd person to suggest the Nemo Wagontop, so I may have to test that one out. I’ve also seen the MSR one, but haven’t dug into that or the Big Agnes options in much detail. And agreed on the Coleman poles. It’s a shame they aren’t more durable, but to be fair, they have such low prices compared to the Wawona (and others) they’ve got to cut costs somewhere. Great points - thanks for hanging out on my channel!
Do you have the Wawona? Can you set it up without the huge vestibule while keeping rain protection if you're just going for a quick night or two and don't want it?
Thx. I need something good for hot weather... but I also want to do some winter camping too. Not sure if I can get all in one... or if I'll need 2 tents.
I am thrilled with my tipi style tent. Please review a few of those. Holds up to winds and doesn't have the tripping hazards if the rope tie downs. Covers the unique aspect too, we get comments and questions about it. Easy set up.
Excellent review on these. Saying that...I am not paying 600+ dollars for any REI Tent, knowing that they are still made with Chinese garbage parts, just with a little better quality control. Just bring an extra light tarp to throw over the tent if it rains. You can also buy better quality stakes for a decent price, and if you are worried about your tent blowing over, use paracord to tie down extra points on the tent. If you are worried about the poles, you can buy your own aluminum poles and STILL save money.
Your opinion of the Ayamaya 6-person pop-up tent? I'm a 77-year-old and going on a cross-country car trip ...will be staying at campgrounds all the way and back...so a fast set up and take down are high on my list of wants/needs
GREAT video, thanks! I've been researching 4 man tents, because it's just me, an air mattress and some gear. REI had the 4 man base camp on sale, but now it's sold out. I should have jumped on it. Arrggh, now it's back to more research.
You could consider the 4P REI Skyrise. I haven’t tested it before, but REI has it steeply discounted this week. It looks similar in shape to the Eureka Copper Canyon.
The Nemo Aurora High Rise 6 person would have been a top contender. That tent is amazing. It held up in 70 mph winds when I camped in KY this past spring. My 1 complaint is the smaller vestibule.
Great comparisons! Thank you! But I'm curious - what do you with all these tents? Seems like a lot of money to invest in a few videos. Is it worth it? Or do you return them or sell them after you've made your videos?
I’ve been considering the Gazelle T4+ for its roominess, ventilation & ease of set-up. Have some concerns over how it will hold up in heavy rain & wind. The other tent I am looking at are the Teton Mesa tents but airflow looks like it could be a problem. Thank you for the review
We had the gazelle T4. I loved that tent. My son and I spent 2 cold rainy days in it. I extended the ground tarp too far and still we were completely dry the whole time. It rained so hard that i ran to get takeout for our meals and kept warm w/ a little buddy heater. Nearly everyone around us went home. Since we were dry, we stayed until someone could drive up to help us take it down. I loved that tent. The only reason I sold it was because it didn’t fit in my car and was too heavy for me to carry. (My son is unable to help me because of his limitations and its cumbersome size.) a family friend bought it and has a pickup truck. He loves it and camps often. Hope this helps a little. (Our camp experiences differ from the “norm.” I’m older and he’s had more Neuro-surgeries than you’d need to know. I just love to make memories by traveling to places we couldn’t normally afford and camping with my other son/daughter-in-law and grandchildren)
Dude. Where have you been, your standardized tent score is great. Been watching a couple of yours a night. You should definitely do some of cores tents to compare with colemans and Magellans. Looking into getting either the 6 person dome tent or the 9 person isntant.
Hey Robert - did you see this weeks new tent video? If not, go check it out. It’s a new batch of 7 tents and if you like the systematic scoring you’re gonna love it!
After 14 years we are looking to replace our Kelty Green River… we camp for 2-3 months every summer and throughout the year. I am hoping I can find something comparable. It is still going strong no use some issues with the poles and a few wear and tear holes. Trying to decided Marmot Torreya or REI or North face or if Kelty is still the best brand
I've seen that the Wonderland actually struggles more with rain than the Wawona does, specifically around the side vents / windows, since the rain fly doesn't cover them. Also, the pole quality between the Wonderland and the Wawona is apparently an issue. The Wonderland footprint and height looks amazing tho, which is making my decision harder with this current REI sale.
Great video Unless the Coleman or core tents start lasting more than a month I would leave them out. It because of them that I’m considering the north face tents. I live in Hawaii where rain, wind and heat are always available. If the base camp had better ventilation I’d already have it. My friend has the wanona and it is a chore to set up. as I’m usually solo (kids aren’t there yet) I’d love to hear of another option Thank you.
I bought the Gazelle T-4 Hub, it really is the best tent I have found, yes you can pop it up in about a minute with one person. Give it a look and pair it up to those you listed.
just get the 10x14 Kodiak Canvas and be done with it forever.... , I got one 10 years ago and it outlasted every other tent I've owned... the thing that sold me on it was a video showing it in someones backyard in an EF2 tornado and it didn't budge....I've had ours in many storms and no leaks and very stable...plus the cotton cavas breathes so much better than synthetic fabrics and totally waterproof...it is heavy and expensive but it's worth the weight and cost.
Seems like REI Basecamp will be my new tent...up grade from REI halfdome, :D How high were the winds you were testing under? OEM Stakes? would you suggest MSR stakes for the Basecamp? Thank you for this video. Very useful.
15-25 mph winds. OEM stakes are solid in my opinion. And no worries- glad you enjoyed the video. Just hit the like button for me if you don’t mind :) Thanks!
I’d like to see the eureka space camp. I like the size and 2 vestibules and attributes but I’d like to get input on set up/take down. Wind and rain conditions and the zippers
Great video thank you. I’ve been considering the North Face Wanona and The REI wonderland or the Nemo Aurora High rise but you mentioning the set up ease or not has helped narrow down my decision.
Fantastic reviews!! Thanks for this! Have you ever used an NTK tent (specifically the NTK Arizona GT 11/12)? We are looking for something that will be really large and really weatherproof. We are willing to invest in something high quality that will last us years. We don't plan on ever getting a camper because that just isn't a good investment for the money. Thanks again for all your work on these reviews!!
Thanks for such a thorough and helpful comparison! I would love to see a review of the Nemo Aurora Highrise 6. It's on my list of contenders as I look to purchase a larger tent for car camping with friends, but I'm worried about weather-proofing
I recently bought the Highrise and wouldn't recommend it. I can't speak toward it being water proof, but I've had quality issues with five past Nemo tent purchases. A plastic clip broke on the Highrise just after assembling it. It's awkward to enter and exit the tent based on the rain fly. But it is a nice looking tent. I'd recommend looking into the Kodiak Canvas, REI Basecamp, or one of Kelty's larger tents (Kelty has the best warranty and repair on tents in the whole industry). I own the Kodiak and REI Basecamp, and they're terrific. Coleman is nice if (and only if) you will only use it for summer weather conditions and need something to last just a few years. Fiberglass poles havea short shelf life and are quite fragile. Aluminum poles are better, and steel poles are bombproof.
@@davidbrooksby3976 thanks for this! I'm looking for something higher quality than a Coleman for sure. I've been out with friends who have a Coleman and it did NOT hold up in the roughly 12hrs of rain we had. The REI Basecamp has been on my radar, I'll definitely look into it further. Thanks!
@@davidbrooksby3976 that’s a blow to hear. Do you happen to have any recommendations for something similarly sized that doesn’t have fire retardants? I’m unfortunately chemically sensitive and non toxic I can find but I’m a bit at a loss for reliability 😩
You should try out the Marmot Limestone 6p. We just got it and it is perfection. It’s on sale for $370 many places right now. I watched a ton of your reviews before choosing it. Even though you haven’t tested the Marmot Limestone, your videos were super helpful in helping me know what to look for and figure out what we wanted. I’ve been camping for a long time but learned a lot of new things through your channel!
@@kevinberntson4239 That is probably the one weakness of the tent. I do wish it had more vents. We did some camping last summer in Kentucky where it is pretty warm at night… and the tent was warm, which to be honest wasn’t bad when camping with little kids who aren’t the best at staying in their sleeping bags. We also camped in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior where summers are much cooler and the temperature in the tent was perfect.
