Contents
Why Look for a Tent with a Screen Room?
Experienced campers always know what they want from a camping trip. They know where they can enjoy the most striking view and the freshest air in the neighborhood. They have all their gear waiting at the door and are ready to start off any time.
They go out on trips on a bright summer day, hot or rainy, and in freezing winter cold. What is good about any camping trip is that you can enjoy fresh air without actually getting outside your shelter. Besides, you can marvel a scenic view while staying inside, hiding from rain and insects and still enjoying the breeze.
Tents come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and some of them feature advanced design solutions. For example, instead of seeking a separate porch or terrace, you can look for a shelter with a built-in screen section. Like with any product, you are going to have to do some research and browsing before you find the best affordable canopy with a screen and a decent sleeping space. There are some important factors which you should take into account when choosing an item.
Size and height
Size is a number-one factor. Now that you know you need a camping shelter, you must make sure it is going to fit your family or team. For example, if you are a family of two adults and maybe one child, you will be okay with an around 100 foot two-room tent with a divider. You will be able to remove the divider and have just one room. Or you can create a separate section for your child to have some privacy or store your gear in it. You will not have difficulty finding sleeping space.
If you are considering a possibility of traveling with a large group, you can opt for a cabin tent with a screen. They come with screen areas that vary in size from a small vestibule to a full-scale room or terrace. You can dine or have fun with your friends or family here. Large camping tents come with two or three sewn-in or detachable dividers. These provide extra sleeping space for those who turn in earlier or later than average or need a little more privacy.
Some of your team members may be tall or prefer to spend a lot of time inside. In this case, you should provide an at least a 6.5-foot-tall canopy allowing one to stand up without bending. Most likely, you want your shelter to be tall enough too.
Please note that large shelters are more likely to catch wind. If you realize it is getting windy, you’d better put up under a lee and be sure that the frame and the poles are strong and installed properly.
Weight and transportability
The size of a canopy directly correlates with its weight. You may be confronting a dilemma if you are a backpacker yet want more space to accommodate a large group. Many large cabin tents come with sturdy and good-sized frames and poles. These are more suited for car camping because carrying one on your back during a long trip would be quite a challenge. The problem is still there if you park far away from your camp site.
Some manufacturers try to address the dilemma. They produce spacious yet lightweight items. However, large canopies with lightweight frames are more likely to catch wind and be blown off. If you want more space and a good-sized screen room, you should be ready to sacrifice.
User-friendliness
Most likely, you want a tent that poses little or no difficulty setting up and taking down. There is a good choice of products featuring screen rooms, awnings, dividers, detachable floors, etc. If you are used to traveling in a large group, you can always use someone else’s help. However, if you appreciate traveling alone and still want to set up the canopy quickly, you can buy an item with a preassembled frame, telescopic poles, or those attached to the frame. However, these products are more heavyweight.
With this information at hand, you can check specific items and find one with a screen room or porch that would meet your individual needs. Here are a few available options.
All-Season premium Outfitter Tent with Stove Jack – Cuboid 4.40
Cuboid 4.40 accommodates 1 to 6 persons (up to 7 in sleeping bags and without a stove). Besides, it can house 6 bunk beds without stoves and 4 bunk beds with 2 stoves. It has a 104.44 square foot area and features a removable divider. Campers who have experience with this item say it provides the basic comforts of a little home.
Although it does not feature a screen room or porch, it has a wall that opens up and forms a good-size awning. The canopy is tall enough for a medium-tall man to stand upright. The ceiling height is evenly distributed across the space. The detachable floor has impressive insulating properties and is good for winter fishing.
The product comes with a sturdy metal umbrella-type fast-installation frame with poles and bars made of B95T1 aviation alloy. The double-layer canopy is made of Oxford 300 PU 4000 (the outer layer) and Oxford 210 PU 2000 (the inner layer), a water-proof polyurethane-coated material.
It features windows and doors with mosquito nets and reinforced zippers that withstand extreme weather. The sturdy frame withstands a strong gale and will not bend or snap during transportation.
Gazelle: Pop Up Portable Camping Hub Tent
It comes with a pop-up frame that features a metal hub and fiberglass poles. It is a great option for those who appreciate easy and quick setup. The rainfly features poles that are inserted into the corners. You do not want to use the rainfly on a sunny day, so you can remove it and let sunlight in through the roof. All seams are taped and hence leak-proof.
The Gazelle has a removable floor, which you can take out and clean. It has a bathtub shape that helps keep rainwater out. It accommodates up to 8 people and is divided into 2 sections, one of which is a convertible screen room. The latter can serve as a sleeping or living area. This 110 square foot shelter can accommodate a 6.5-foot-tall man. It ventilates well with the help of 5 windows and 2 doors.
There are 2 gear lofts, 2 storage nets, and 3 wall pockets. These can house a good amount of gear, so you will hardly need to make a separate area for your stuff.
It is quite so easy to set up. However, like most pop-up frames, it is quite so heavy (47 lbs) and therefore not good for backpacking.
Core – Lighted 10 Person Tent with Screen Room
This is another quick-setup item. You pitch it in four simple steps:
- Unpack
- Unfold
- Install and fix the frame
The item features a mesh roof, which you can cover with a rain fly when it gets wet. It is made of a waterproof material and can be removed easily. There is an air-intake vent, which, combined with the door, windows, and mesh ceiling, ensures effective ventilation: cool air flows in from below, and warm air escapes through the ceiling.
The most exciting thing about the Core is its LED lighting system. There are three brightness options, and lights can be directed either inside or outside. The switch is well lit and therefore visible in the dark.
The runtime ranges from 50 hours to 250 hours depending on the mode and length of use. The system includes a diffusion panel that evenly distributes light across the space. There is a battery compartment.
The Core has a 140 square foot area, 7-foot height, and a sleeping capacity of 10 persons. It comes with a divider, so you can make two rooms. The detachable floor is made of high-quality waterproof fabric
Coleman 6-Person Dome Tent
Like all Coleman items, this one uses the effective WeatherTec system. It includes a welded bathtub floor, inverted seams, and a highly waterproof rainfly. The canopy is made of water-repellent polyester. The system creates an impenetrable barrier for rainwater both from on the top and at the bottom.
The Coleman is very easy to set up and take down: it takes all but 8 to 10 minutes for even one person. It is quite high at the center and gives enough room for even tall people. A 6-foot-tall man will feel all right in it standing up. It has an awning, which is not very big though, and a large sleeping area.
The Coleman has large windows and a ventilation vent. It is quite lightweight for its size. However, some campers have difficulty packing it back.
NEMO Wagontop Camping Tent
It is spacious yet lightweight and, therefore, good for both hiking and car camping. It has a screen porch with huge windows at the sides. These provide a lot of light and fresh air. Here you can relax, have dinner, and enjoy scenic views. On a rainy day, you can put a rainfly over the top and cover the windows as well. The floor will remain dry and won’t let in a drop.
The frame consists of a hub with poles locking to it. They are arranged in such a way as to stand rock-solid even in very windy weather. A door leads from the porch to a sleeping area, which has large windows too. There are wall pockets, so you do not need to clutter the area with your stuff. The NEMO Wagontop has a 97 square foot area and a 27 square foot porch.
Comments
Elliot Flores said:
A lightweight tent has its own drawbacks for sure. For instance, it easily gets blown away with wind
Cairo Lynch said:
Camping with friends is so much more fun!!
Kailan Bradford said:
I have recently purchased Cuboid 4.40 and I am more than satisfied
Callum Lacey said:
Very useful article!
Divine Weaver said:
I love how easy Cuboid 4.40 is to set up