Need advice: Getting the wife and kids to go camping

[OLLIE]

A side seat driver/nagger can kill the fun of the great outdoors in a heartbeat...

[Blackx]

It's funny to hear some of the comments and similarities in recommendations. I had a really good REI tent in which I could stand upright in. A few months ago we had extremely high winds in Borrego and the tent got destroyed. I suggested to my wife to get a lower profile tent but she says she'll refuse to go camping if she can't stand up in the tent. I also do everything as far as loading the rig, cooking, cleaning, starting the fire, etc. I think it's just something we need to do do have our hobby and keep the wife happy.

She also hates going on runs where we are in the truck for 8-10 hours a day. We try to get out frequently and do little hikes along the way, but it doesn't always work out that way. We did a long day run up in Big Bear in December. It was in the 20's and she didn't even get out of the truck all day.

[Blackx]

As I posted on the blue forum:

My advice: Leave 'em home !!!

That too. Ha ha. My wife only comes on about half of the trips I go on. It keeps us both happy.

[gon2srf]

It's funny to hear some of the comments and similarities in recommendations. I had a really good REI tent in which I could stand upright in. A few months ago we had extremely high winds in Borrego and the tent got destroyed. I suggested to my wife to get a lower profile tent but she says she'll refuse to go camping if she can't stand up in the tent. I also do everything as far as loading the rig, cooking, cleaning, starting the fire, etc. I think it's just something we need to do do have our hobby and keep the wife happy.

She also hates going on runs where we are in the truck for 8-10 hours a day. We try to get out frequently and do little hikes along the way, but it doesn't always work out that way. We did a long day run up in Big Bear in December. It was in the 20's and she didn't even get out of the truck all day.

Curious waht REI tent you had? I have the REI base camp 4 and have had it in winds of about 40 -50 mph. I try to set it up nose to the wind and use the guy lines to keep the fly from flappingotherwise it's going to flog itself to pieces if it gets loose.

Did you try and return the tent, REI is pretty darn helpful when it comes to returns?

[Blackx]

I think I had the base camp tent too based on the pics posted earlier in the thread. IIRC it was a 6 or 8 person tent. The tent didn't collapse but the poles got so mangled that it just wouldn't work for future trips. The winds were the worst I had ever been in. I'd say at least 50 mph. We were camping at Fish Creek so we didn't really have any other shelter from the hills or canyons. Yes, I returned it to REI. Problem is it was actually a really good tent and i haven't purchase another one yet because I can't find anything as good in that price range. Oh, the other issue is I have a Great Dane. She takes up about as much room as four people in the tent so I have to get a large one.