A "Tents" Situation

A four man tent was perfect for my husband, me and the dog.  A 4 man tent for a family of 4 is a different story.  Especially when the children are getting tall-my "little" girl is 5'8".  (Yes, she loves basketball.)

So we got an 8 man tent for 4 people.  Spacious, luxurious room for all-not.

A 8 man tent will fit 8 adults in sleeping bags side by side with no room left over.  But, with cots, air mattresses, gear, and room to move... an 8 man tent is good for 2 adults, 2 small kids and gear.  On a past trip we realized that we couldn't fit into one tent without literally stepping on each other to move around, so the kids got a 3 man tent for just them, sleeping bags, 2 air mattresses, and toys.  It worked for a while.  Then Rachel had another growth spurt and her head and feet touch both ends of the tent.  Looks like an upgrade is coming.  Maybe move them up to a 6 man tent.

Our 8 man tent with 2 cots.  Full.

In any case, we much prefer the "pop-up" style tents that have the fiberglass poles and shock cords over cabin style tents due to ease of use and set up.  They also seem to be sturdier in the wind and they are  usually smaller and lighter to pack and haul..  Make sure to get tents with at least 2 windows so that you can get some cross ventilation.  Don't be swayed by all the extra pockets for gear that they advertise.  They can't hold much weight without pulling down that part of the tent.  Look at floor area and height of the tent for one that will fit your needs.

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Will we switch to an RV?  No, it's tempting.  But, we are tent people.