Kelty Rio Grande 8 Tent

We are former minimalist backpackers experienced in setting up small tents who bought this tent for car camping with our kids. The tent is spacious but was very tough to set up. The directions were virtually useless and it took the assistance of a fellow camper with the same tent model who had worked through the same frustrating set up to assist us in setting up the tent. Once you've been through the set up things are o.k. but beware the first time out.

bottom is completely waterproof. Fly is ingenious and effective. setup is simple and quick. Zippers work well. top breathes well. etc etc etc. This tent is a best buy.

We just purchased and used this for the first time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. What a great tent. Our last night we had torrential rains-could not have been any worse-and we awoke dry! Yeah :)

I bought this tent so that my sons and I would have a bit more room for gear and changing clothes during our cub scout camping trips. The tent would be pretty heavy for backpacking, but it's great for truck camping. Set us is very easy after you've done it once, and take down is even easier. I do wish it had a larger fly that would cover more of the front door area.

I love this tent. We have had it for about 18 months and used it on several recreational trips and in the backyard. It sets up so quickly once you have done it one time; the design is ingenious. It's sturdy enough that when we are packing down, we don't sweep it, we lift it up (it doesn't collapse on itself or us) and shake debris out - time saver! It is weighty, but that is due to its size (sleeps 6 very comfortably on cots or 8 on the ground), and the weight and durability of the 5 poles. It's great to have a tent that you can actually stand up in, that goes up in just a few moments, even with a small child as your only helper. The cons, are that its heavy, and the zipper cover flaps on the outside easily get caught in the zipper, which is annoying (especially when its dark), but the flaps are a necessity. We just taught the kids how to zip to prevent that from happening. Overall, I think this is a great, great piece of car camping equipment - its reliable, great in weather and designed very well.