4-person and 6-person tents for car camping canoeing

[Glenn MacGrady]

At my age and health situation, virtually all of my canoe camping is now multi-day base camping out of my car. I have a three-person REI tent that I like a lot just for myself, but it gets cramped with gear and literally must be crawled in and out of on hands and knees. That was okay when I was young and spry. No longer. I'd like more living space and the ability to stand up in the tent at my 5-9 height and to enter and exit both the rain fly/vestibule and main tent door with just a minimal crouch.

That has led me to consider 4- and 6-person so-called "camping" tents just for myself. Do any of you use these large tents (solo or otherwise), and if so, what models and what do you like or dislike about your model.

Thanks.

Oh, by the way, I am most actively considering the REI Base Camp, the new REI Westward (replacing the Wonderland), and the Nemo Aurora Highrise—each having a 4-person and 6-person version.

 

[Jmharrick]

Glenn,

I have used the REI Basecamp 6 tent for almost a decade. It’s my go to car camping or motorized boat camping tent. I have fit 3 large cots in it on fishing trips with my brothers or 5 sleeping pads and a dog on trips with my kids. I can easily stand up in the center of the tent (at 6’2”). I’ve also eaten dinner sitting on a chair with my brothers in the larger vestibule during a thunderstorm, and we had plenty of room and stayed dry.

Set up and tear down isn’t too difficult and the storage bag has held up over the years.

 

[Will Derness]

At my age and health situation, virtually all of my canoe camping is now multi-day base camping out of my car. I have a three-person REI tent that I like a lot just for myself, but it gets cramped with gear and literally must be crawled in and out of on hands and knees. That was okay when I was young and spry. No longer. I'd like more living space and the ability to stand up in the tent at my 5-9 height and to enter and exit both the rain fly/vestibule and main tent door with just a minimal crouch.

That has led me to consider 4- and 6-person so-called "camping" tents just for myself. Do any of you use these large tents (solo or otherwise), and if so, what models and what do you like or dislike about your


Thanks.

Oh, by the way, I am most actively considering the REI Base Camp, the new REI Westward (replacing the Wonderland), and the Nemo Aurora Highrise—each having a 4-person and 6-person version.

I’ve been using the 4 person Big Agnes Bunk House tent for about 5 years. Tall enough to walk in. It has 2 vestibules, one of which is quite large. I’ve been very happy with it. It is nice to be able to stand in the tent and change clothes.

https://www.backcountry.com/big-agnes-bunk-house-tent-4-person-3-season

 

[ABT]

Our family tent is the Big Agnes bunk house 6, and I have used it several times solo base camping. It is extremely spacious, and very comfortable. When solo I have plenty of room for a cot with an oversized Exped mat, room to stand and change, put a chair, organize all my stuff, etc. The vestibule is very large and entry/exit very easy with almost no crouching at all, just a slight head dip (I’m your height).

 

[MJones]

I bought a Naturehike Dune 4 person tent for my wife and I to use as a car camping tent because my wife was tired of crawling out of tent in the front country.

I like that it has a detachable inner bug net tent. I also like how one half can be a living area and that it has a bit front screened door (it has screened side doors as well) There is a lot of living space in this tent. We also use it as a hot tent from fall to spring.

We also bought a couple cots to use with this tent. Wow, sleeping on a cot is a great upgrade from sleeping on the ground.

Naturehike Dune 4 person

https://www.naturehike.com/products/dune-10-9-4-person-hot-tent?srsltid=AfmBOoqMhGYDdK4-KolfIrX4Brq3gCu05IVvJQcYz3hXUtaJauweuluJ

 

[kahel]

Basecamp ... out of the car ... Step height ... no need to crawl on the floor
this sounds to a Tipi.

Helsport Pasvik 4-6





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[Cookannapurna]

if weight is no concern, I have two different Kodiak Canvas tents. A 10x10 and one that’s larger. Easy to set up, super durable. I do a bunch of fly fishing and spend a week or more at a time frequently.

 

[snapper]

@kahel beat me to it. I was going to recommend you check out the shelters sold by Seek Outside; or another tipi or pyramid shelter. They have some very nice shelters that you can walk right into without having to bend over. You do lose some interior space with the way the walls come down but you can purchase a size that's right for you and your needs. While the shelters are floorless, you can purchase interior bug nets that will keep the flying critters away so you can sleep and/or relax in comfort.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[GeoBoy]

The Big Agnes and Nemo look pretty easy to setup and take down.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

After a lot of research, watching of YouTube videos, conversing with AI LLMs, and ultimately visiting an REI store, I returned my REI Halfdome 3 tent three days before my one-year return period expired and bought an REI Base Camp 6 for myself. They honored the 20% discount coupon with which I had bought the Halfdome 3 last year. The coupon was only good for an REI brand product.

Of all the six person tents I researched, the REI Base Camp 6 impressed me the most with its multitude of storage pockets and hang loops, its interior colors, it's full rain fly, it's voluminous and covered front vestibule, and its 3+ season structural strength against wind and rain. Other brands are a bit easier to set up, a bit lighter, have more mesh for ventilation, or have a bit more vertical space—so every choice is a tradeoff.

I'll take some pictures when I set it up and when I first use it in camp.

I subsequently researched adjustable height tables and cots, and have made up my mind as to which of those I want for my greatly expanded campground digs. I'll probably start new threads on those subjects or add to existing ones that may be here.

Meanwhile, here are some other people's pictures, including a recliner chair just like the one I bring base camping.

 

[Chip]

Base camping, I sure like a tent that is tall enough for standing. That requirement nudges one toward the bigger tents. My requirements were: standing height, external guy lines for wind, and a no-drip entry. No-drip means you can get in and out during rain without getting rain in the tent. My solution was the REI Kingdom 6, which is a lot of tent since I am usually solo in it. The vestibule at one end is big enough to stand inside and take off your wet gear before even opening the tent.

The Base Camp tent looks like it has stronger pole system that probably withstands wind well.

A luxury of a big tent is when the weather goes foul I can move in, setup chair and roll top table and make myself at home.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

My solution was the REI Kingdom 6, which is a lot of tent since I am usually solo in it. The vestibule at one end is big enough to stand inside and take off your wet gear before even opening the tent.

The REI six-person tents have evolved over the years. The Kingdom 6 was introduced in 2011 and was a very popular tent. It was replaced in 2022 by the Wonderland 6, which I sense was less popular. The Wonderland 6 was just replaced in the spring of 2026 by the Westward 6 tent. Overall, I like the features of the Base Camp 6 better than the Westward 6. The Base Camp 6 was introduced by REI in 2001 and has had many version improvement tweaks over the past 25 years.

At my age (81), I'm pretty much limited to day paddling out of base camps in watery places if I want to get away from my local paddles at home. Long before my current age, I should have transitioned into larger and more comfortable tents, rather than living on my back and knees in the backpacking tents I used to take when canoe tripping.

Many paddlers over retirement age, especially couples, base camp canoe out of towed trailers. It's too late and too expensive for me to go that route. No longer having a full-size van to travel and live in, I hope that a big tent with my 4" mattress on a cot, and with a table and chair, and room to stand and move around without stumbling and crawling over my gear, will help prolong my ability to be somewhat comfortable in a base camp when not on the water.

It's a not-too-expensive experiment, though difficult to cram everything into a sedan, my only remaining vehicle, and I'll see how it goes. Thank goodness I've reconnected with a group of open canoeists who also participate in base camp canoeing. Quite a few are more or less active members on this site.

 

[paddler123]

The Eureka Timberline 4 is the classic tent for many canoe trip camps. If fits two with lots of room to spare, three with ease, and four if you like each other.

 

[Pseudonym]

I have the REI Base Camp 4 Tent and like it a great deal. I'll be using it with my three boys next week.

@paddler123, I cut my teeth on canoe trips in the Eureka Timberline 4. It's a classic.

 

[Neophyte]

Glen can you share what features made you pick the Base Camp over the Westward? I like the specs of both of them and would not mind a tent I can stand it. (Or at least get close, I’m 6’ tall.)

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Glen can you share what features made you pick the Base Camp over the Westward? I like the specs of both of them and would not mind a tent I can stand it. (Or at least get close, I’m 6’ tall.)

A good question.

The Westward tent is brand new, the store didn't have one, they seemed to be on some sort of back order, and there weren't any particularly informative reviews yet of the Westward about two months ago. Now there are a couple on YouTube. So, I couldn't really get any first hand info about the Westward as I could about the long-time stalwart Base Camp.

Now that I have more info, I would still make the same choice.

The Westward 6 vs. the Base Camp 6 has less square footage (81 vs. 84), a rectangular floor plan vs. a square floor plan (120" x 97" vs. 110" x 110"), is a bit taller in center (77" vs. 74"), and has somewhat more vertical sidewalls.

At 5-9, the extra center height was not important to me, and for just myself I prefer the square floor plan. A family with two or three small kids may prefer the rectangular floor plan for sleeping pad layout.

The Base Camp has far more storage pockets and hang loops, and many of the pockets are along the base of the walls rather than most being high up as in the Westward. This is important to me.

The Base Camp has a very large, sheltered vestibule on one end, a smaller vestibule on the other end, and two doors of equal size. It doesn't matter which way you put on the rain fly. The Westward has one very, very large vestibule by the larger front door and no vestibule on the smaller back door. The fly must go on only one way.

The Base Camp has a full rain fly; the Westward saves a pound by having only a partial rain fly on the rear. The Base Camp has more stake loops (12) and rain fly tie-out points (6). There is no doubt in the mind of reviewers so far that the Base Camp is hence the structurally stronger tent in wind and rain. It is called a 3+ season tent, while the Westward is more of a fair weather tent. Since I camp on the shoulder seasons and there are cold nights even in summer in the northern Adirondacks, the full rain fly and structural strength were important to me.

There is ambiguity in the reviews so far about ventilation. The Base Camp does not have a lot of ceiling mesh like a summer tent, or as much as the Westward. However, it does have four openable/closeable vents in the rain fly and a triangular zipper vent on each side of the inner tent near the floor—which altogether supposedly promote "chimney ventilation." The Base Camp is likely warmer in a hot climate than a tent with a lot more mesh. The Westward has no rain fly vents or floor vents, but its partial rain fly and greater amount of ceiling mesh may allow it to ventilate better in hot weather, but it will be colder in cold weather. Again, I was more interested in a shoulder season tent than a hot summer climate tent.

The Westward does have a better storage sack, a zippered duffel bag. The Base Camp has a big stuff sack type of bag with a shoulder strap.

Finally, from pictures and inspection of the Base Camp in the REI store, I liked the gold, yellow and white colors of Base Camp more than the light blue all over of the Westward.

I'm sure they are both fine tents.

The Westward may be preferable for a person who: has a family that would fit better in a rectangular floor plan rather than a square one; or is taller than 6-1 and wants more standing room; or will be camping only in warm and fair seasons; or believes a pound lighter weight is very important; or wants one gigantic vestibule and no second vestibule; or if lots of low and high internal pockets and lots of hang loops are not particularly important; or dislikes yellow-gold/white color and loves light blue.

Since none of those criteria apply to me, the Base Camp 6 was an easy decision for my situation.

 

[Neophyte]

Thanks for the thorough review. That makes me lean towards your choice. Just my wife and I, no kids, and a strong preference for camping when it isn't hot out are all points in favor of the Base Camp. But I'm not buying a tent this season, so I've got time to figure it out.