I'm looking at upgrading my 1/4 dome 2 person tent to a 3 person tent. We have a dog and are looking at our family growing by 1 in the next year or two. So some more elbow room will be needed. Things I know I want are:

Full coverage fly
Under 6lbs
Doesn't need to be babied
Price under 800ish I want quality and am willing to pay for it.
I don't want to get wet, I have had mesh tents that get splashed from the ground in heavy down pours.

I have always had REI tents so I've looked at the 1/4 dome 3 man and it looks good just want to see if there are better options. Easy set up more durable for the weight ect.

I'm really considering a hiliburg but Im a little hesitant on a non free standing.

I have been very happy with my Big Agnes tents. I have a BA Emerald Mountain SL3 and a Copper Spur UL3. The Emerald Mtn is no longer made but they do make a similar tent called the Rattlesnake. Floor sizes on the Emerald and Copper are true to dimensions. They are the size of a Queen size mattress. The side entry doors and vestibules are great.

I would check out the Marmot Limelight series. Either a 3 or 4 person. They have some of the industry's highest water proof coating on the floor and rain fly - more than Big A or REI.
Limelight 3 p

Look at the MSR Hubba series ??

BA Copper Spur
MSR Mutha Hubba
Nemo Losi

All around $500, all under 6 pounds. I own the Copper Spur and Losi, and I like them both. The Losi has more room and feels sturdier, but it is also heavier by almost 2 pounds. The Copper spur is the lightest of the three, and it is a really solid tent as well.

If you go Copper Spur consider opting for the four man. The Nemo Losi is a great 3-man tent- heavier than the Copper Spur 3 (and 4 actually) but also a touch larger than the 3. Both are really well designed and perform in tough weather.

When you say 3-person and describe 2+dog or 2+1, are you really shopping for a 4-person tent, or you can squeeze down into a 3P?

I do like the space in my Losi 3P, but condensation was an issue once (collecting inside fly and dripping into tent in BWCA in August), and I prefer to be able to see the weather somehow... quarter dome has that zipped vent now and I think I'd like that for both ventilation and checking the sky.

Not sure if you count the Losi as "full fly coverage" as on the ends it relies on single wall of tent and design of fly. This has made me nervous, but to be honest I don't think it's failed. I just feel like I cannot touch those sides of tent when it's raining.

+1 on the Marmot Limelight 3... It has dual vestibules which helps with gear space. And I've never been wet even in downpour rain with others with me have had pools in their tents.

I'm not sure if you want a tent that will fit 3 people, or a 3 person tent that will just fit two or 1 in comfort.

I'm looking for a 3 person tent. My wife and I do just fine with ourselves and even our two ten pound jack russels in our current 2 person tent. However we are planning on have our first child in the next year or two. I would like to have a larger tent to accommodate the new bigger family. I don't plan on three adults in the tent.

I like the size of BA copper spur I'm just worried from reading reviews that I will really have to baby the fabric.

Has any one owned a hilleberg? What have you thoughts?

3 persons and under 6lbs will be TOUGH, if you ask me.

I have a Big Agnes Parkview, and the Limelight 4, both of which I LOVE.

Personally, I take my Limelight 4 on almost all my trips now. Yea, it is bigger, and a little heavier, but Man oh Man, I love the extra space.

Later,

Geo

Take a look at the Shifter 3 from Mountain Hardwear

I agree that a 3P is the right choice for you at this point given your current satisfaction with a 2P. The great thing about a 3P is that you gain quite a bit more space and height over a 2P in exchange for a minimal increase in weight. With a 4P you jump up to a higher weight category.

I think when you try to push a 3P below 6 lbs you do run into problems with durability. There are quite a few rugged tents in the 6.5 to 7.5 lb range. If the extra pound or pound and a half really makes a difference, I would rather remove that weight somewhere else and go with a more rugged tent.

It's really not necessary to spend $800 on a good 3P. If you have that much cash, I would move a large chunk of it to lighter down sleeping bags if you don't already have those or upgrade some other items to save weight.

One of the larger 3Ps is the Kelty Trail Ridge 3. I have the previous model and love it. It's one of the taller 3Ps. Lots of mesh, yes but the bathtub floor and low fly prevent rain from splashing into the tent.I've never had that happen. Avoiding camping on bare soil can reduce splashing wherever that's an option.

The REI Quarter Dome 3 is lighter that the Kelty Trail Ridge, but the floor and fly are 30D and 15D respectively, compared to 68D on the Kelty TR. Big Agnes doesn't even publish the fabric weights for the Copper Spur---I guess they figure you would be shocked. Outdoor Gear Lab lists the fabric weight of the Copper Spur as 20D and the coating is 1200 mm, which is the minimum acceptable. REI doesn't publish their fabric coatings so it's hard to compare REI tents to others. I guess you could call them and ask about this. You pay a premium price for that lightweight fabric, which might not work well with dogs and a child.

Personally I would always choose free standing. It has real advantages---ease of setup, ability to move it to a more desirable place.

In my experience, tents are a case where cheaper and more rugged makes more sense than very expensive and fragile and there are many 3P tents in the $150 to $250 range that I would much prefer over more expensive ones because they're better: stronger materials and simple, sensible, spacious designs. I spend more money when it's warranted because there is nothing of great quality at moderate prices. Helinox chairs and cots and Exped mattresses are good examples. Tents are a different ball game. With tents you really CAN find good quality for less money. If I had $800 I'd put $200 on a tent, $200 on a sleeping bag, and $400 on a carbon kayak paddle.

As several have mentioned above, I would seriously consider going with a 4 person tent--3 is ok for 2, but I also have a big dog and love her dearly, but dogs are tough to contain in one spot and baby adds huge spacial needs.

I just bought a Alps Mountaineering Lynx 4 tent. . .double vestibule, full fly, 3 gear pockets. Very light for a 4 (read 3) men tent.

Thanks for the suggestions. Honestly I only want a 3 man tent, there will only be two adults in. Now I'm looking at the 3 mans that are 68-70 inches wide. Those that are 64 just seem small, my 2 man is already 50.

The Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL3 is high on my list. Rattlesnake SL3

i have several sleeping bags for all weights and seasons/conditions, so I'm looking at a high quality tent. I understand what you saying about spending less and getting a tent made with stronger fabric. However I have been very disappointed in the fit and finish of cheap tents in the past. I would like to find a tent that has strong materials and has been put together in a way that will last.

I guess I will probably have to sacrific on some of my criteria. In that case I will go a heavier tent that will hold up and last longer. A pound or two is not worth a tent ripped up in a wind storm, or a tent that's waterproofing fails in a storm the second season of use.

Double post oops

My wife and I faced a similar situation after our little guy joined our camping party 5 years ago - the need to replace my beloved Walrus Warp 2 with a larger but lighter tent that could accommodate 3. We already had a monstrous Sierra Designs Nomad 6 for car camping, which would take the bulk of our camping abuse, so we too wanted a high-end tent for the BWCA and backpacking trips. We got the Copper Spur UL4, after returning the UL3, which just seemed tight when we put it up at home and tucked 3 sleeping pads inside. I highly recommend it. The tent has enough room for the kiddo to be able to bounce around a bit. We took him on his first BWCA trip last summer, and the UL4 was perfect for the three of us to comfortably have a little downtime in the tent. And for being such a gossamer thing, the UL4 weathers the weather beautifully. The downside is that the fabric does need some TLC. My son hasn't bruised it, but I took a newbie to the BWCA two years ago, and he caught the flap covering the tent fly zipper in the zipper, which left a few pinprick holes. I was delighted when Big Agnes said they would repair it for free - but less delighted when it came back with a smear of some sort of rubber cement covering the holes. I was hoping (greedily) they would have sewn in a new flap.

quote photoguy190: "Thanks for the suggestions. Honestly I only want a 3 man tent, there will only be two adults in. Now I'm looking at the 3 mans that are 68-70 inches wide. Those that are 64 just seem small, my 2 man is already 50.


The Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL3 is high on my list. Rattlesnake SL3


i have several sleeping bags for all weights and seasons/conditions, so I'm looking at a high quality tent. I understand what you saying about spending less and getting a tent made with stronger fabric. However I have been very disappointed in the fit and finish of cheap tents in the past. I would like to find a tent that has strong materials and has been put together in a way that will last.


I guess I will probably have to sacrific on some of my criteria. In that case I will go a heavier tent that will hold up and last longer. A pound or two is not worth a tent ripped up in a wind storm, or a tent that's waterproofing fails in a storm the second season of use. "

I think you should consider setting up and sitting in a Nemo Losi LS3. It is now under 6 pounds - 5# 13oz (my older model Losi 3P was 6.5 pounds). Space galore compared to what you're quoting above (78x90 for 48sf + 24sf of vestys).

No problem with quality from Nemo typically. Have had a velcro attachment come undone from the fly - but I bought mine used already so who knows what care was given before me.

OK, I looked closer at Rattlesnake and compared to Losi. Here's some things to consider:

Rattlesnake
- full fly coverage
- mtnglo lights
- 9 oz lighter than Nemo
- two vents in fly
- asymmetrical, not sure how that impacts headroom
- minimal reviews so far, but small door, zipper issues reported from a couple users


Losi
- symmetrical setup (might be easier, might be more headroom)
- 5 more sf floor space, 6 more square feet vestibule space
- minimal reviews so far, but one complaint of leaking (eek!!)
- I don't see vents in fly?


OK - I think I just proved your point - Rattlesnake has some big advantages (full fly, 2 vents) and weighs less. If you can live without the extra space and headroom, GO FOR IT!

quote photoguy190: " I have been very disappointed in the fit and finish of cheap tents in the past. I would like to find a tent that has strong materials and has been put together in a way that will last. "

There are some brands that have established a reputation for strong materials, strong construction, and low prices. Alps Mountaineering is one of them. I've owned several of their tents and have been impressed with the materials and construction. Reviews agree on the durability. Some Alps tents have a 3000mm coating. The Alps Extreme 3 has a lot of fans, although I'm not one of them. Read the Amazon review and you'll understand what I mean about the durability: https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Extreme-Tent-3-Person/dp/B01EOLSVAG

Strong materials and construction and reasonable price are not mutually exclusive. And the high price and fancy marketing of other brands isn't a guarantee of durability. ***The reason why Alps Mountaineering has such low prices isn't low quality, it's their low-cost distribution and marketing model.***

Mountain Hardwear is a step up in price but still moderate and all of my MH tents have been very rugged. I've had four Keltys and never a failure with any of them.

Personally I look specifically at the fabric weight and type and the thickness of the coating. That tells me more than the price or the brand.

I just purchased the North Face Talus 3 for my boy scout and the first camping report back from him was very favorable. It withstood a huge thunderstorm when other tents in the camp were dropping like flies.
Very easy to set up and comes with a ground cloth.
Got it on a Memorial Day sale for under $200.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/camping/tents-shelters/backpacking-expedition-tents%7C/pc/104795280/c/104779080/sc/104303880/the-north-face-174-talus-3-person-tent/1708518.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fbackpacking-expedition-tents%2Fthe-north-face%2F_%2FN-1100670%2B1000004895%2FNe-1000004895%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104303880%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU

Coleman Evanston 4 tent

I really like this tent...I also got the Evanston 6 for car camping. Not light but we really like it.... My son has the Evanston 8 for his family....which is HUGE and but works way nice for his family with a pac n play crib inside.

good luck in your search.

dr bob

quote LilyPond: "

quote photoguy190: " I have been very disappointed in the fit and finish of cheap tents in the past. I would like to find a tent that has strong materials and has been put together in a way that will last. "

There are some brands that have established a reputation for strong materials, strong construction, and low prices. Alps Mountaineering is one of them. I've owned several of their tents and have been impressed with the materials and construction. Reviews agree on the durability. Some Alps tents have a 3000mm coating. The Alps Extreme 3 has a lot of fans, although I'm not one of them. Read the Amazon review and you'll understand what I mean about the durability: https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Extreme-Tent-3-Person/dp/B01EOLSVAG


Strong materials and construction and reasonable price are not mutually exclusive. And the high price and fancy marketing of other brands isn't a guarantee of durability. ***The reason why Alps Mountaineering has such low prices isn't low quality, it's their low-cost distribution and marketing model.***


Mountain Hardwear is a step up in price but still moderate and all of my MH tents have been very rugged. I've had four Keltys and never a failure with any of them.


Personally I look specifically at the fabric weight and type and the thickness of the coating. That tells me more than the price or the brand."

My experience with Alps was the total opposite. Leaks Galore and poor quality stitching. I returned two of them and I'm hesitant to ever try that brand again.

My friends Alps mountaineering leaked like it had holes and just felt cheap and poorly designed. My first tent was a Kelty gunnison and it literally ripped apart in a storm, it wasn't even a strong storm however the stiching on the fly just failed. In my experience just because the materials are tough doesn't mean it's been put together well.

I use a 3 person BA emerald mountain with the vestibule. There's plenty of room for me and 85 pound chessie dog. The vestibule is nearly as big as the tent and is great place to change after paddling all day in rain and sleet without messing up the tent. It's my go to Bdub tent.

I have the hilleberg Nallo 3 GT, but wouldn't recommend it in warm temps 45f and above. It's bomber for winter snowshoeing though. The BA emerald mtn shows no sign of wear after many seasons and is free standing which is a plus.