Ok, for car camping in southern region 3 season: Besides a high quality, rugged tent I'd look at these priorities:

#1 A Priority is Rain Protection: So you need a good coverage rain fly and a bathtub style floor. Buy the matching ground cloth!!!

#1 B Priority is Ventilation: You want air flow to decrease condensation on cool nights and not suffocate with heat during summer nights.

#2 Priority is Free standing design: You set it up and can drag and move it as you wish, then stake it down. If set up in bad spot, just unstake and then slide it over to better area and restake.

#3 Priority is size and space: Headroom is nice so you can actually stand up inside the tent. 2 adults and 2 kids: Minimum 6 person tent, but 8 person would be more enjoyable. I think they measure small Asian people who enjoy close contact when allocating their # of sleepers. We have a car camping 8 person tent for 2 adults and 2 kids. That way there is room for 4 nice cots or air mattresses, duffel bags, suitcases, backpacks, gear, box fan, etc...

#4 Priority is a Vestibule: When it rains it pours sometimes, so you want a nice big vestibule to take off shoes and put some items under cover or even cook on a small stove in the vestibule.


I've had extremely good experiences with Cabela's brand tents. We have two backpacking tents and have spent around 60 nights in them over 5 years on the trail. Still in great shape. I have friends with North Face and Marmot tents and they are equal in every way...but that is on backpacking style tents. Not sure about larger tents. Anything with a 4.5 rating on their website should be a really good choice for you.

Other considerations: 2 large doors is great! More screen the better in summer but more drafts in cool weather. Less screen is a little hotter in summer but more comfortable in cooler weather. More screen though equals less condensation if camping when cold. Water dripping on you when you sleep sucks. 4 people in a tent really give off a lot of water vapor. Kids are rough on tents, especially zippers and doorways...better quality tents just have better zippers and details at doors and windows. Cheaper tents, not so much.


Priority # 5: Never let Skinny sleep in your tent armed with a knife.

I'd check out these Cabela's models:

Cabela's West Wind Dome: 6 or 8 person
Cabela's Guardian Dome: 6 or 8