Summary
- Use case: Vehicle-accessible camp site, comfy camping, ~3 seasons (sans very hot or very cold).
- Use time: Three setups over the course of 6 months.
- Price point: $500. [Link]
- Users: 2 persons, 1 dog.
- Recommend: Yes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Moderate setup difficulty | Rain fly blocks ventilation |
| Durable material | Higher price point |
| Large vestibule | No netting on vestibule |
| Huge interior space | Vestibule closure too far above ground |
| Effective rain cover | |
| Storage pockets |
Details
One thing I really struggled with when putting together my camping gear is a tent. There are so many conflicting schools of thoughts that it quickly became overwhelming. After months of research, I settled on the North Face Wawona 6 tent in “Agave Green/Asphalt Grey”. This tent is easy to set up relative to its size. There are numerous stake points and guylines that make the whole structure rather steady. It has a bag-type carrying case where, in essence, you just stuff the tent and rain fly into. A footprint is not included with the tent; I just bought a large camping tarp to put down. I found that 118"x142" fits the entire footprint of the tent and extends half way into the vestibule.
The rain fly is one of the best I’ve seen. It creates an entire vestibule with zippers on both sides that allow for easy entry and exit. My only gripe is that these flaps do not extend all the way to the ground, nor is there a mesh allowing for airflow. Inside is quite spacious, allowing for two lawn chairs, a cooking table, and a collapsible trashcan.
Without rain fly:
With rain fly:
Inside of the tent, we fit a queen-sized air mattress with plenty of room to walk around. Our dog prefers to sleep on a blanket, so a folded blanket was put at the foot of the bed. At the head of the tent–facing away from the vestibule–is a door with a mesh screen that has numerous pockets for easy storage. An interior loop at the top of the living space exists to hook a carabiner for lamps.
My absolute favorite video breaking down setup:
Viewing this video should provide you with pretty much all of the information you need! The most annoying part of setup is dragging the rain fly over the tent. If you’re not tall, it can get pretty frustrating and requires a few times to get the hang of it. Without the rain fly, there is no vestibule, so it’s certainly a necessary part to fully enjoy the capabilities of Wawona.
I need to update these photos but otherwise this is totally a recommended tent for anyone who needs a bit of extra room and has their vehicle on-site.