Tent camping can be a blast, especially with a group of friends. If you enjoy tent camping any or all seasons, Barebones Living’s Lodge Tent appears to have what it takes to handle the elements for you and as many as 11 of your closest friends.
A literal behemoth of a structure, Lodge Tent’s newest line looks may be fairly tight with a capacity crowd of a dozen adults, though it is easy to see how eight people would have plenty of sleeping room — utilizing four sets of two layer bunks, of course. Furthermore, these eight people would still have enough living space in the middle of the tent to help avoid the feeling of constantly stepping over people.
The Lodge Tent’s dimensions are 15-feet long by 12-feet wide by 9-feet high. The walls are 6-feet high, so most people won’t need to bend their neck to avoid hitting the tent. The floor is a separate piece which attaches to the bottom of the tent walls and while the tent functions without the floor installed, it does minimize the invasion of creepy crawlies in the night.
According to Barebones Living, the Lodge Tent handles 1,000 pounds of snow on the roof and withstands 90mph winds with proper staking and a full house of 12 people in bunks.
The Lodge Tent has front and back doors with 10 zippered mesh windows and two zippered mesh ceiling vents. The tent includes Barebones Living’s Extended All Weather Cover made of heavy duty polypropylene vinyl treated for increased UV protection. Barebones Living also includes stove ports for use with a wood stove when proper floor protection is installed — unfortunately, a stove is not included.
While it is a great group camping option, do not expect to take the Lodge Tent backpacking. The total weight of three separate bags for the tent, poles, and pole joints adds up to 253 pounds. It is reasonable to think four people could portage the Lodge Tent to a site but even if they drove right to it, once it’s set up, they are not likely to be inclined to move it.
No tools are required to pitch the Lodge Tent, which is a blessing. According to Barebones Living, two people should take little more than an hour to set up the tent the first time. The company also claims that with practice and familiarity, someone could get the time down to about 40 minutes.
The capacious Lodge Tent costs $3,790 so, for most people, it’s not a casual purchase. If you’re a seasonal camper, looking for a movable equivalent to a small cabin — or planning a group expedition — this tent could be a contender.
