3 person tent

Wayne, I assume you want one of the lightest 3 person tents, or you would have posed this question over at backpacking.org. So, I recommend one of the BlackDiamond Ultralight series. for three occupants, canine or otherwise, the Skylight is a good choice.

I bought the two person HiLight, but if I was camping for three, or 2 and a baby, or two and a large dog, I would have gone one larger with the Skylight. It is a sharp looking tent, high volume/weight ratio, free-standing for simple and quick setup, and a little more than 4 lbs. Add 6 light titanium stakes and you're set.

If you want to pay only half as much, and don't mind a little more weight, get the 5 lb REI Halfdome. Including the 18 ft^2 of vestibule space, it has much more room under cover than the -Light. Your dog will easily fit in one of the two huge vestibules. I used to own this tent, but returned it and kept the slightly smaller Quarterdome instead. Both are bombproof free-standing tents with REIs great return policy.

One tip, with three occupants, you will want big peak vents to limit condensation. the REI -domes have them, and the BD -light series all have big vents near the roof.

http://www.rei.com/product/728308

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/gear/skylight.php

Whi Wayne,

The Tarptent Rainshadow is another excellent choice. It is well sized for 3 large adults and weighs just about 2.5 pounds. That's 5 more square feet of area for 1/2 the weight. It's my family tent of choice.

While this floor is as tough as that BD floor, you might want to watch those dog claws on the floor. A benefit of the Skylight is a real vestibule, where the Tarptent has more of an extended beak. Big enough for a dog but not the protection of the Skylight.

Cheers,
Doug

Here's a second vote for the Tarptent Rainshadow. Ours is three years old and still going strong. It really sleeps three adults, and weighs 40 ounces using a trekking pole for the front.

Make that 3 votes in a row. I just got back from an overnighter, and liked carrying the Rainshadow. It's very light, airy, and I had virtually no condensation inside this morning, where most all others did, even with the small constant breeze. It weights about the same as many of the 'light weight 1 man tents".

Set up and tear down are easy, it airs out fast.

Henry was great to order from, helped me make a more informed decision, and delivered when he said he would.

The bathtub floor is tough, but I still pay the weight penalty to carry a tyvek ground cloth.

If you need a 3 man tent infrequently and do not mind a little more weight (yes, I know it's BPL.com) or you need a double wall, try the Big Agnes SL3. The all mesh top is cool in the summer.

I much prefer keeping dogs out of the tent and in a vestibule if possible. If you camp by a lake or river for example, and your dog goes swimming, do you really want them sleeping on top of you.

I haven't seen one in person, but the BA emerald mountain looks to have the best dog vestibule I have seen in a tent. You want a full vestibule that goes to the ground, to keep the dog in and away from porcupines and skunks. An expensive option, but for a dog, worth considering (either the 2 or 3 person model):

http://bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=em2&PHPSESSID=d55a98e4c06235802babf653fbf89381