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(More customer reviews)My wife and I have four tents.For ultralight backpacking, we use the REI Half Dome, for a quick one or two night camp or early season iffy weather, we use the Sierra Designs Alpha 3.For multi-day car camping our standard tent is the Sunrise 11, and for really big campsites that don't have a lot of shade, we use the Copper Canyon 1512.I could fit 5 REI Half Dome tents in that Copper Canyon 1512, it's huge.Although that Copper Canyon 1512 is lux, unless you have a wide open meadow, it is really too big for most camp sites.Eureka also makes a Sunrise 8 and 9, but I think the Sunrise 11 is just about the perfect size for car camping in maximum comfort in most established campgrounds.We've had the Sunrise 11 for about 7 years and have spent over 30 nights in it.Overall, I really like the Sunrise 11.Sleeps 6?Maybe, but I prefer just my wife and I in a queen size air bed with plenty of room to move around and for our stuff.We can easily stand up in it. I don't like the room divider, but we just keep that rolled up.A few years ago we camped for 4 days near Taylor Reservoir, Colorado.It rained heavily non-stop, but at least there was no wind.The only water inside the tent was at one of the internal mesh storage pockets sewn into the tent wall. I thought I had seam sealed the tent pretty well, but must have missed this one spot. Luckily, my oversight only resulted in about a 3 tablespoon puddle each day.You must seam seal all tents, use a ground tarp and replace the cheap tent pegs while you're at it.This isn't a four season tent, but it has held up pretty good against some mean weather.My wife has so far stayed warm and dry, and that's what allows me to stay out there longer. I've since sealed all the seams once more and garden hose testing results were dry. Ready for another season. The Sunrise 11 is well ventilated even with the rainfly on.I'll choose less warm and airy over hefty-bag like condensation and suffocation any day.I think the primary selling point for me were the dimensions of this tent.Most developed campgrounds will have a 12 x 12 ft tent pad.I bought the Sunrise 11 because it will fit our big air bed and gear inside and still maximize the setup on a typical campground tent pad.Tent pads are square so I like square floor tents instead of hex.Setup is significantly easier with two people, but can be accomplished solo with minor swearing.Getting the rainfly on solo takes a little more ingenuity.Lay it out upwind, stake it down to keep it from flying away, insert poles, attach a rope and standing on the opposite side of the tent, pull it over.I'm not thrilled by pole sleeves because they hang up on the pole ferrules, but these aren't full sleeves, only at the very top.You clip the rest of it.Overall, I think this is a well made, stable, large, rain shedding tent and has served me well. UPDATE 06/09: We camped in high winds for 3 days at the Oasis near Great Sand Dunes National Park.I tied everything down and we had no problems.Same tent is still going strong. The tent barely fit between the trees.You never really know if a big tent will fit, but so far I've been able to squeeze this Sunrise 11 in. Its been really close a few times.(If I'm unsure, that Alpha 3 is light enough to bring as a backup).If you go a little smaller in size, like a 9x9, then it will easily fit any place I've ever car camped.For a 9x9, I might go with the Eureka Grand Manan 9 over the Sunrise 9. It looks like the rainfly offers a little more coverage and it is a more subtle color. (nothing against blue.) I'd like to give that one a try.This is why I have so many tents.UPDATE 7/6/09: We camped for 3 days at Lone Rock (#7) near Deckers, CO.I wanted to set up the Copper Canyon 1512, but it wouldn't fit.I also brought the Sunrise and Alpha because there was room in the truck.I probably should have just set up the Alpha, but went with the Sunrise.We had heavy rain, high winds, and even a little hail.The railroad tie and gravel tent pad only prohibited the rain from draining off. At one point we had about 2 inches of water under this tent.The floor felt like a water bed.Only about a 1/4 cup of water water blew through a pin hole in one corner.No big deal.Impressive considering the amount of water under the tent.This Sunrise is a great tent.
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Eureka Sunrise 11 Family 11-Foot by 11-Foot Six-Person TentProduct Description: Spacious enough to comfortably sleep up to six campers, the Eureka Sunrise 11 dome-style family tent is easy to set up and very well ventilated with four large hooded windows and no-see-um mesh panels in the ceiling. It has triple-coated fabrics and a heavy-duty bathtub floor made of 4 ounce 210D oxford polyester that repels water.
The fly is made of Stormshield polyester, which won't stretch when wet and resists UV breakdown. It has a shockcorded fiberglass frame (two poles) that features a pin and ring as well as combination clip and sleeve system for quick assembly. Other features include:
Twin track D door with window for easy exit/entry
High/Low door vents top and bottom to aid air circulation
External guy points help secure the tent in high winds
Hanging gear loft/organizer
Two water bottle holders
Corner organizer and wall organizer with mirror
Tent, pole, and stake bags included
Specifications:
Area: 121 square feet
Floor size: 11 feet by 11 feet
Center height: 7 feet
Wall fabrics: 1.9 ounce Polyester Taffeta 1200mm coating/1.9 ounce breathable polyester
Floor fabrics: 4 ounce 210D Oxford Polyester with 1200mm coating
Fly fabrics: 1.9 ounce 75D StormShield polyester with 1200mm coating
Pack size: 8 by 33 inches
Weight: 23 pounds, 15 ounces
About Eureka Though the exact year is unknown, Eureka's long history begins prior to 1895 in Binghamton, New York, where the company still resides today. Then known as the Eureka Tent & Awning Company, its first wares were canvas products--most notably, Conestoga wagon covers and horse blankets for nineteenth century American frontiersmen--as well as American flags, store awnings, and camping tents.
The company increased production of its custom canvas products locally throughout the 1930s and during the 1940 and even fabricated and erected the IBM "tent cities" just outside Binghamton. The seven acres of tents housed thousands of IBM salesmen during the company's annual stockholders meeting, which had since outgrown its previous locale. In the 1940s, with the advent of World War II and the increased demand for hospital ward tents, Eureka expanded operations and began shipping tents worldwide. Ultimately, upon the post-war return of the GIs and the resultant housing shortage, Eureka turned its attention to the home front during the 1950s by supplying awnings for the multitude of mobile homes that were purchased.
In 1960, Eureka's new and innovative Draw-Tite tent, with its practical, free standing external frame, was used in a Himalayan Expedition to Nepal by world renowned Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person documented to summit Mt. Everest only six years earlier. In 1963, Eureka made history during its own Mt. Everest ascent, with more than 60 of its tents sheltering participants from fierce 60+ mph winds and temperatures reaching below -20°F during the first all American Mt. Everest Expedition.
For backpackers and families, Eureka introduced its legendary Timberline tent in the 1970s. Truly the first StormShield design, this completely self-supporting and lightweight backpacking tent became one of the most popular tents the entire industry with sales reaching over 1 million by its ten year anniversary.
Eureka tents have also traveled as part of several historic expeditions, including the American Women's Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I in 1978 and the first Mt. Everest ascents by a Canadian and American woman in 1986 and 1988. In recent history, tents specially designed and donated by Eureka sheltered Eric Simonson and his team on two historic research expeditions to Mount Everest, this time in a quest for truth regarding the 1924 attempted summit of early English explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. During the 1999 expedition, the team made history finding the remains of George Mallory, but the complete mystery remained unsolved. Returning in 2001 to search for more clues, the team found amazing historical artifacts which are now on display at the Smithsonian.
Amazon.com Tent Guide Selecting a Tent Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Expect the Worst In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.
Three- and Four-Season Tents For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.
For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.
Domes and Tunnels Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.
Size Matters Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.
Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.
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