Which screen house/tent ??

roscoe

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Looking to buy a screen house/tent/screen canopy to use while camping, and for use at the WI iboaters gathering.<br /><br />Given my tight budget, I am looking at a few on the internet, and will be watching the local stores for the spring sales.<br /><br />Have narrowed it down to 3 choices, but willing to look at others if someone can suggest one.<br /><br />Given these 3, which would you choose?<br /><br />Coleman 16x14 web page <br />
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<br /><br /><br />Coleman 14x12 web page<br /><br />
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<br /><br /><br />Wenzel 14x12 web page<br /><br />
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<br /><br /><br />Personally, I'm thinking bigger is better.<br /> <br />Any other suggestions?<br /><br />Or do I need to spend more to get something decent?<br /><br />How about this one? <br /><br />Coleman 15x12.5 web page <br /><br /><br />
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<br /><br />Looks to have more useable space.
 

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

Hi roscoe, <br /><br />I prefer something on the square/rectangle design. It makes it easier to throw one of those poly tarps over it for when it rains.<br /><br />My first one that I bought in 92 was a cheapy. I still use it and it is still in good shape. 2 years ago I bought the 12x12 coleman. What is nice now is when I know there is going to be a large crowd at the camp, I put the two together making a 12x24. Each one sets up differently, but I prefer how the cheap one sets up over the newer one. <br /><br />When camping with SBN this past September, I got to see his very large patio tent. I think it was the largest Coleman they make. It was a real nice setup. <br /><br />Good luck! :)
 

neumanns

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I have one from sam's club that looks like the second one. The frame is on the inside and it uses a hub system.It is five sided and all the poles are color coded for easy assembly. I paid $100 dollers for it and love it, I can set it up myself and it is HUGE! I might take a peak latter and see who the manufactrer was, But it is one of those items I would recomend to friends.<br /><br />Edit...Well if that don't beat all, Mine is a Northern design 18x18 but after a brief look on google it would appear as if they must no longer be available. If I get a chance I will look more later but that won't be today.
 

tommays

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

i have the coleman geo-dome and its good but it really neeeds to be tied DOWN even in a slight wind<br /><br /><br />tommays
 

roscoe

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

neumanns, think I found one like yours on ebay.<br /> like this one? <br /><br /><br />Looks like there must be a lot of poles in there, somewhere.<br /><br />
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sangerwaker

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

roscoe, we have the Eddie Bauer one from Target very similar to the Wenzel in design. Easy to set up and good quality. Had a cheapo from Wally World and it only lasted 1 season and the zippers started tearing out.<br /><br />Here's the one we have now. I think they are 150 at Target, but they are large. 17' X 15' Hope you find a deal on one you like.<br /><br />
B000066QAD.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpg
<br /><br />EDIT:That last one appears to be a very good buy. 18X18 is huge. You could easily fit 2 picnic tables in there.
 

neumanns

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

Roscoe, that's it.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong it takes a bit of doing to put it up but it is HUGE and can be a one man operation. (unlike most larger tent's where two are a minimum)<br /><br />It comes in a real nice duffel with wheels and a mallet for the stakes included. You can also get the darn thing back in the bag when your done. Only downside is the critter is not a pack in model because it wheigh's near 70 +- lbs.
 

brother chris

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

The ones with the poles on the outside are much easier to assemble. Plus you can put a tarp over top of it, when it rains. It justs makes it easier to have the poles exposed. <br />That's my .02
 

roscoe

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I bought a Eureka tent about 20 years ago, has the external poles, hub, and the tent hooks to the frame. Really like the way it goes up, one person, even in the wind. So maybe that will be the deciding factor, and price of course.<br /><br />We'll see which one goes on sale. :)
 

Braxton

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

i like the coleman 15x12.5 looks roomy.
 

neumanns

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

Roscoe, The day we were discussing this I put a couple calls into there service center. It was around there lunch hour and I didn't get ahold of anybody or leave a message. I never called back after lunch either.<br /><br />About ten minutes ago my phone wrang, it was them following up on "abandoned phone calls" wondering if I got my issue resolved and if there was anything they could do...That was a shock.<br /><br />I ordered two replacment shock cord's that had given out, the unit was fine without them and what I would consider normal wear from quite a bit of use. The replacment's were $7 each...not bad.<br /><br />Then I told him after a brief search I could not find another like it had they discontinued it. He said no...Sam's will carry it again for the summer season.<br /><br />You make up your mind but that's what I call customer service!
 

Colorado04

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

For what it's worth, I like the last one. I found that with the 10x12 that I had bought a few years ago, the wall are on such an angle that you really can't use the space around the edges. So, it really isn't 10x12 of usable space, more like 8x10. The last one seems to have pretty verticle walls. Nice and roomy. I'm sure that Coleman gives a pretty good warrenty with it too.
 

KM2

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I have the one in Sanger post, I believe Wenzel makes them for Eddie bauer. Good quality and a picnic table fits in well. Mine didn't come with tie down string, the same Wenzel in the cabelas catelog does. Well a storm wrecked the tent pretty good. I had to have it sewn up and the poles replaced. Tie down strings are a must! A little tip put some lubrication on, WD 40 is ok, the poles when you put them together, they can be real hard to get back apart.
 

roscoe

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

Yeah the E Bauer and the Wenzel look almost identical.<br /><br />Whichever I get, it will be securely tied down for sure.<br /><br />I really like that big Coleman too.<br />But can't seem to find ANY retailer that handles it.<br />A few Etailers list it, as a special ordere item.<br />So that leaves the Coleman website as the only place to get it.
 

KilroyJC

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I don't know what your coutdoor sporting good store scene is like, but if you can find something along the lines of CampMor (which we have in NJ) that has a showroom with a bunch of tents set up on the showroom floor, check them out & see/touch the items before you buy.<br /><br />Don't just look at the LxW floor dimensions - look also at the slope of the sidewalls. The more "slopey", the less useable floor space. I have a 13x9 canvas wall tent that has more useable floor space than my friend's 12x16 Gander Mountain tent, because the walls on my tent are dead vertical, while the Gander Mountain tens sides are about 60 degrees on the short sides & 75 degrees on the long sides. <br /><br />Just something to consider...
 

sangerwaker

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I feel ya roscoe.<br /><br />I'm looking for a new tent, too, and can't find the one I want at a retailer. A lot of places I talked to don't even set up displays. No Campmor stores here either. Their catalog is good, but that's not any better than online.
 

roscoe

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Re: Which screen house/tent ??

I have a small 8x9' Eureka tent, paid $240 18 years ago. It is a great tent, but small.<br />And bought a large 11x18' Wenzel for $130 last year. It is ok, kind of cheap but it works, but you have to get BIG nowadays if you want enough room. Many of the new tents are divided up into rooms, which are a bit small, just incase you have to spend 3 days sitting inside because of rain. How do they expect you to roll out a 6' sleeping bag and not touch the sides of the tent?<br /><br />This one isn't bad.<br /> web page
 
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