Family tent

[devoidapop]

Is there anything comparable to the TT Hogback? Does anybody have experience with it as a family tent on trail or car camping?

It's me, my wife and two kids under 5. We will mostly use it for car camping right now, but my oldest daughter wants to go backpacking this summer so I would probably carry it for that rather than have her sleep in my hammock or just under a tarp with me.

[Ethesis]

Walmart. Car camping tents there are cheap and perfect.

Ive owned two for that purpose.

[Ethesis]

But I wouldn’t use one for backpacking.

You can always use a cheap Naturehike for that.

[devoidapop]

I should clarify that I'm hoping to do more family backpacking once both girls are a little bit older, so I don't want to purchase a heavy tent that will only work for car camping.

[Venchka]

Right tool for the job.
A real car camping tent will outlive a backpacking tent, cost considerably less and probably have standing headroom.
I’m always envious when I set up my 1 person TarpTent next to big tents with standing headroom.
Wayne

[devoidapop]

Right tool for the job.
A real car camping tent will outlive a backpacking tent, cost considerably less and probably have standing headroom.
I’m always envious when I set up my 1 person TarpTent next to big tents with standing headroom.
Wayne

You're probably right. Get the Ozark Trail tent for car camping. Make do with tarp for backpacking with the oldest. Buy expensive backpacking tent if and when the kids really want to go a lot.

[Elaikases]

You're probably right. Get the Ozark Trail tent for car camping. Make do with tarp for backpacking with the oldest. Buy expensive backpacking tent if and when the kids really want to go a lot.

Good call.

Though tents like this are less than a hundred dollars, if a tarp won't work for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Naturehike-Ou.../dp/B01MYO40PS

[blw2]

It might be better to split the family when backpacking into two tents. I've had three man tents that would be ok for occasional short to mid range sorta hikes.... but bigger gets heavy fast. Just another idea to consider.....maybe more versatility for you

It's hat my family and I recently did. My wife and two of the kids in my son's 3-man I bought him for boy scout car camping, and me and the other kid in my 2-man REi half dome. Neither are especially light, but they worked well for the 1-2 mile hike each way...

[HooKooDooKu]

Here's a tent I recently recommended to someone else asking about tents this week:
Kelty Gunnisson 2.2
The reason I recommend it is because it's "heavy" enough (i.e. thick and durable) for use with kids, but light enough for back packing.
It's also an older model at a time when this tent was being made larger than the current specs.
And finally... it's only $100... a steal for a quality Kelty Tent.

BTW: I own the 3 man version of this exact model and carry it for back packing when I take two of the kids with me.

[Elaikases]

It might be better to split the family when backpacking into two tents. I've had three man tents that would be ok for occasional short to mid range sorta hikes.... but bigger gets heavy fast. Just another idea to consider.....maybe more versatility for you

It's hat my family and I recently did. My wife and two of the kids in my son's 3-man I bought him for boy scout car camping, and me and the other kid in my 2-man REi half dome. Neither are especially light, but they worked well for the 1-2 mile hike each way...

Not a bad idea, you could use two of the hundred dollar Naturehike tents and handle four people, but use only one when you had just two backpacking.

[Starchild]

We use a Coleman popup tent, well 2 of them. A 4 person one and a 2 person one for our car camping needs, though we have others. Main benefit is each one takes bout 5 seconds to set up (without staking), and about 30 seconds to collapse (once you find out the trick needed to refold them). Holds up to rain and wind well. It is wonderful at getting to the campsite late at night. Downside is you can't stand up in them.

For backpacking we used a Lunar Duo + a Zpack Heximed and have positioned them so it acts like 3 rooms, including the connected vestibules. The connection is for the child's sense of comfort, not real usable space, though some gear can be put there.

[nsherry61]

I grew up in a backpacking family with four kids. My dad always pitched tarps for sleeping and cooking under as needed. It worked great. Lots of covered space. I was a teenager in boy scouts before I slept in a tent for the first time. It sucked, mostly because of the cheap tent and bad leadership.

I really like tarps!!

With my own family, including two children and a wife that prefers tents with walls and bug netting for privacy and bug protection, we used my four person mountain tent until the kids were old enough to sleep in a tent by themselves. Then, the kids got their own tent so my wife and I didn't have to sleep with them.

If you choose to go the tent route (more money, less room) DEFINITELY, put the kids in their own tent as soon as possible!

[Feral Bill]

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If you choose to go the tent route (more money, less room) DEFINITELY, put the kids in their own tent as soon as possible!

Absolutely! Consider a good car camping tent as well, if you are doing much of that. Eureka has several models available.