Eureka Tetragon 1210 Family 12- by 10-Foot Eight-Person Tent

A great choice for car camping or use as a base camp, the Eureka Tetragon 1210 rectangular dome tent comfortably sleeps eight people and includes a divider to create two separate rooms. The double-coated StormShield polyester fly and the polyester bathtub floor combine to provide excellent weather protection. This free-standing, two-pole tent is quick and easy to set up with its durable shockcorded fiberglass frame, ring and pin attachments, combination sleeve and clip assembly, and color coded webbing.

It's well ventilated, thanks to large no-see-um mesh ceiling panels, six windows, and two doors. The hooded fly provides enough coverage over the front and rear door windows to enable you to leave the window partially open for even more ventilation even in rain. Other features include:

• Twin track zippers for separate operation of the window in the door
• External guy points on the fly help secure your tent in high winds
• Natural green color scheme blends into any campground
• Attached hinged gear loft and two detachable interior storage pockets
• Clothes line loop, flashlight loop
• Mesh panels allow for clip-in accessories
• Tent, pole, and stake bags included

Specifications:

• Area: 120 square feet
• Floor size: 12 feet by 10 feet
• Center height: 6 feet, 5 inches
• Wall fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D polyester taffeta with 800mm coating
• Floor fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D polyester taffeta with 800mm coating
• Fly fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D StormShield polyester
• Pack size: 8 by 28 inches
• Weight: 17 pounds, 11 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.

Customer Review: Eureka 10x12 tent
This is out 3rd tent and we are extremely happy with it. We have been in driving rains and high winds. We love the fact you can open all 4 sides for super ventilation. Easy setup but does require 2 people or you will crack the fiberglass poles ( I know that from experience).
Customer Review: To Kenya and back with no problems
I have yet to use this tent, but I loaned it to friends traveling to Kenya. It survived the international flights both ways and proved to be a roomy and sturdy home for them during their stay there. Pretty good endorsement, I'd say.

Water slides, magic shows, pizza parties, scavenger hunts, karaoke, kids-only shore excursions, and disco parties. Who said parents get to have all the fun on a cruise? Well-trained staff, extensive facilities, and coordinated activities, mean cruising with kids can be smooth sailing for the whole family.

Most cruise lines offer private and group babysitting options from around 9am until the wee hours of the morning. They also provide age-specific, organized programs run by trained professionals. Although there are slight variations by cruise line, age categories for organized programs are generally geared to 3-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-17 year olds.

100,000 kids were kept entertained last year on Carnival Cruise Lines with 114-foot water slides, video tournaments, talent and puppet shows, ping-pong, and scavenger hunts.

Celebrity Cruises features a full children's program during the summer and on holidays. All other times of the year, they offer a reduced program.

The Princess kids' program on Princess Cruises offers young cruisers their own deck space complete with the whale tail splash pool. Teens get their very own jacuzzi and sunning area. There's also the video arcade, computer games, and other activities such as bingo, name that Disney tune, ring toss, and mini-Olympics.

Club HAL on the Holland America Line provides fun and games for cruisers ages 5-17 and serves up movies, putt-putt golf, late-night pizza, and disco parties.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure Youth program offers its unique brand of Edu-tainment where participants enjoy educational and culture-based activities blended with the daily itineraries, ports of call, games, and team sports.

With Norwegian Cruise Lines, your kids can be circus trained and present a show for the proud parents. Other activities range from magic shows and poolside, root beer float parties to wacky cooking classes, pajama parties, line dancing, and volleyball.

Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line also offer supervised shore excursions ranging from an afternoon on the beach to gold panning to canoe trips in Alaska.

Whether you are cruising with your toddler, tween, or teens, your Cruise Consultant can help you select the perfect family vacation. Best of all, you'll never hear the phrase "I'm bored" while you're away!

Carnival
Carnival Cruise Lines' award-winning children's program is called Camp Carnival. Available year-round, the program provides elaborate facilities, age-specific programs/activities, youth playrooms with computers, children's water slides and wading pools, as well as special dining menus. The counselor-guided programs are divided into four categories, Toddlers (2-5), Juniors (6-8), Intermediate (9-11), and Teens (12-15). There is also a playroom for children under three.

The Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise house is a 2,500 square-foot children's world giving them the largest children's facilities in the Carnival fleet. Divided into three sections, the facilities offer educational computer labs and computer games, an arts and crafts section, and an indoor play area complete with a climbing maze and video wall where kids can watch movies, music videos, and cartoons. An outdoor play area has a schooner-shaped playhouse and wading pool for toddlers. The Carnival Spirit, Pride, Legend, and Miracle also offer Real Virtuality - a high-tech, game room housing video and arcade games.

Age-Specific Programs

Toddlers (2-5)
Fun Ship Bingo
Sega and Nintendo
Cartoon Time
Sponge Painting
Sing-Alongs
Face Painting
Arts and Crafts
Drawing Contests

Juniors (6-8)
Puppet Shows
Cookie Decorating
Beach Party
Disney Trivia
T-Shirt Painting
Sega and Nintendo
Outdoor Games
Sea Animals

Intermediate (9-11)
Ping-Pong, Foosball, Basketball, Air Hockey
Dance Class
Jewelry Making
Scavenger Hunts
Backstage Tours
Photography Workshops
Talent Shows Teens (12-15)
Pool Parties
Volleyball
Pizza Pig-Out
Hairdressing
Talent Shows
Slide and Sun
Ping-Pong Tournaments, Ping-Pong, Foosball, Basketball, Air Hockey
Photography Workshops

Babysitting
Babysitting is also available on Carnival's ships for children of any age for around $6/hour for the first child and $4/hour for each additional child.

Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises features a full children's program during the summer and on holidays. All other times of the year they offer a reduced program. The full program is offered for four age-specific groups: Ship Mates (3-6), Cadets (7-9), Ensigns (10-12), and Admiral Ts (13 - 15 and 16-17). Children under three years of age are not allowed in counselor-guided programs. They are, however, welcome in the playroom if accompanied and supervised by a parent at all times. All of the program's counselors are specially-trained in fields of child psychology, child development, education, or recreation.

Programs are offered 9am-noon, 2-5pm, and 7-10pm. There is also an optional slumber party from 10pm-1am. On port days, there is an afternoon party from 12-2pm. On formal evenings, the program offers a complimentary slumber party and counselors take the children to a pizza party for dinner.

Age-Specific Activities

Ship Mates and Cadets
Painting
Drawing
Songs
Dances
Movies
Other Age-Appropriate Activities.
Ensigns and Admiral Ts
Theatrical Shows with Dances and Costumes (during the summer season)
Water Volleyball
Basketball
Golf Putting
Ping-Pong

All children have an opportunity to meet the captain and learn how to navigate a ship by the stars. At meals, kids can get together for the Celebrity Breakfast club, or eat dinner with the family and order off a special kids menu. Finally, all kids can participate in a masquerade parade.

Babysitting
In-stateroom babysitting is available on all Celebrity ships on a request basis. Requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance and the charge is $8/hour for two children. Children must be at least six months old.

Disney
Disney Cruise Line has some of the most extensive children's facilities sea. Both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder offer an elaborate Walt Disney Theater that resembles a plush, Broadway house. Buena Vista Cinema features Disney flicks. Studio Sea is styled like a television sound stage and offers a forum for G-rated floor shows. These ships also offer a children's program called Oceaneer Adventure for children aged 3-17 and a nursery facility, Flounder's Reef, for children age three and under. All onboard programs are organized and run by caring youth counselors and have both scheduled and surprise visits by Disney characters every day.

Age-Specific Programs
Oceaneer Adventure is divided into three age-specific categories: Oceaneer Club (3-7), Lab (8-12), and Teen (13-17). The Club program is further divided into ages 3-4 and 5-7, while the Lab program is divided into 8-10 and 11-12. Oceaneer Club facilities resemble Captain Hook's pirate ship with plenty of places for activity. Oceaneer Lab allows participants to experience high-tech interactive programs, hands-on science experiments, and ship-wide treasure hunts. Kids 11-12 can compete in a marine biology, knowledge-quest game show and send digital post cards to friends. Teens (13-17) have their own private club, occupying a large portion of deck nine, called Common Grounds - a New York-style coffee house complete with game arcade and Internet Cafe.

In Port Activities
Every cruise with Disney stops at the 1,000-acre private island, Castaway Cay. Here, parents can relax under a palm tree on a white sand beach while their children play in a supervised area or wade in a protected lagoon. The adventuresome can go snorkeling on a course littered with tropical fish, treasure chests and faux shipwrecks (one with Mickey Mouse riding on the bow). Children are automatically enrolled in the island's activities of volleyball, biking, nature hikes, etc. once signed in on the ship.

Babysitting
Children's facilities are open from 9am to 1am. Flounder's Reef nursery has afternoon and nightly hours available on a first-come, first-served basis according to babysitter availability. Rates are $6/hour for the first child and $5/hour for additional children.

Holland America
Holland America offers families a year-round program called Club HAL with counselors and age-specific activities for three age groups (5-8, 9-12, 13-17). Holland America also administers Just for Kids adventure and learning shore excursions while in port. While the largest facilities can be found on Maasdam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam, kids will be fully-entertained on all ships in Holland America's fleet.

Age-Specific Programs
All children are treated to pizza and cocktail parties, ship tours, special menus, activities rooms with video games, and wading pools. Children aged 5-8 years can participate in storytelling, candy bar bingo games, arts and crafts, charades, and ice cream parties. The 9-12 year age group is entertained with golf putting lessons, dance lessons, deck sports, scavenger hunts, ping-pong, and karaoke. Teenagers have a teen disco, dance lessons, arcade games, sports, card games, and trivia contests.

In Port Activities
Just For Kids offers supervised shore excursions for kids while in port. While in port on Holland America's private island Half Moon Cay, kids can join a real island treasure hunt while teens participate in their own beach party and volleyball game.

Babysitting
In-stateroom babysitting is available on a request basis. Requests must be made 24 hours in advance and the charge is $7/hour for the first child and $5/hour for additional children from the same family.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Along with providing an unlimited Kids Soda Package and various activity rooms for children, Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a program called Kid's Crew that is divided into four, age-specific categories: Junior Sailors (2-5), First Mates (6-8), Navigators (9-12), and Teens (13-17). The programs and facilities vary from ship to ship, with the broadest programs found on the Star, Sun, and Dawn. Every cruise treats children to a Coke-tail party with the Captain. Norwegian also publishes Kids' Cruise News and Teen Cruise News daily, outlining the activities available to them on the ship. All of NCL's kid counselors attend a training course prior to coming on board that features team and confidence building, safety, communication skills, and working with children who have special needs.

Age-Specific Program
All Kids Crew kids get to meet the ship's captain at a special Coke-tail party, participate in treasure hunts and sand castle building competitions while docked in Great Stirrup Cay, and enjoy the ice-cream bar, chocolate buffet, and children's menu. There are a host of other activities arranged for kids based on their age. Below is a list of some of those activities:

Junior Sailors (ages 2-5)
Activities include: storytelling, t-shirt painting, arts and crafts, face painting, magic shows, Circus at Sea, and numerous other indoor and outdoor activities.

First Mates (ages 6-8)
Activities include: wacky cooking classes, decorative t-shirt painting, sing-alongs, and poolside, root beer float parties.

Navigators (ages 9-12)
Activities include: Sega and other video games, treasure and scavenger hunts, pajama parties, movies, and camp-outs with flashlights and tents.

Teens (ages 13-17)
Activities include: pool parties, volleyball and basketball, The Newlymet Game, and trivia contests, line dancing, teen disco, and special theme parties.

Every ship also publishes Kid's Cruise News and Teen Cruise News daily, so parents, kids, and teens know the activities planned for each day.

In Port Activities
While docked at Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay, children are entertained with supervised activities ranging from water sports to volleyball matches to treasure hunts.

Babysitting
Group babysitting is offered for kids ages 2-12 years in the evenings from 10pm-1am and in port from 9am-5pm. Cost is $5/hour for the first child and $3/hour for each additional child. Private babysitting is not available.

Other
Norwegian Cruises also sells Kids Crew souvenir packages including a cup, soda pass, t-shirt, luggage tags, baseball cap, and sunglasses. For teenagers, the package is Teen Passport and includes 20 non-alcoholic specialty drinks, dance and pizza parties, and a farewell bash!

Princess
Princess Kids, Princess Cruise's fleetwide, youth program provides age-specific activities for children aged 3-17 years. The program is divided into three categories: Princess Pelicans (3-7), Princess Pirateers (8-12), and Off Limits (13-17). Princess partners with the California Science Center and uses National Wildlife Federation educational materials on wildlife and conservation with the children. Their Mexican Riviera program includes studies of the stars, ocean, and coral reef as well as building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies, and squid dissection. In Alaska, the Save our Seas environmental program teaches participants about endangered species like white pelicans, manatees, and sea turtles.

Princess offers extensive children's facilities on all vessels except the Royal, Tahitian, and Pacific. The Sun, Dawn, Grand, Golden, Coral, Island, Diamond, and Star Princess offer a toddler's play area. And Princess Kids programs on the Royal, Tahitian, and Pacific only operate when 20 or more children ages 3-17 are on board.

Age-Specific Activities

Princess Pelicans and Pirateers (3-12)
Arts and Crafts
Movies and Cartoons
Video Games
Scavenger Hunts
Afternoon Ice Cream Parties
Backstage and Galley Tours
Hall of Fame Tournaments
Discos
Exclusive Kids-Only Dining
Edu-tainment Programs
Karaoke and Lip-Sync Shows
Pizza Parties
Shipboard Olympics
Pajama Parties
T-Shirt Coloring Off Limits (13-17)
Nintendo
Movies on a Giant Screen TV
Karaoke and Lip-Sync Shows
Casino Night
Card and Board games
Shipboard Olympics
Ping-Pong Tables
Jukeboxes
Pizza Parties
Separate Jacuzzi and Sun Deck (on Grand and Golden Princess)

Babysitting
Group babysitting is available 10pm-1am for children ages 3-12 years old on all vessels except the Royal, Tahitian, and Pacific Princess. The cost is around $5/hour.

Other
Youth and Teen Centers on the Grand, Golden, Star, Sea, Ocean, Dawn, Sun, Coral, Island, Diamond, and Regal Princess offer complimentary scheduled activities to youth passengers ages 3-17 from 8am-5pm while in port. A special, supervised, complimentary lunch service is also available with parental consent.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean's kids' program, offers activities in-port, at sea, and in the evening. There are five categories to Adventure Ocean: Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9-11), Navigators (12-14), and Guests (15-17). Using edu-tainment, Royal Caribbean blends educational activities, daily itineraries, ports of call, games, individual and team sports, art, performance, and a general good time into a unique, onboard experience for children, teens, and parents. There are kids-only activities as well as those for the whole family. And Royal Caribbean also offers kids a special menu of hamburgers, pizzas, and other kid-friendly meals.

Age-Specific Activities

Aquanauts: Ages 3-5
Science Experiments
Art Classes and Projects
Un-Birthday Parties
Cookie Creations
Ice Cream and Rock-N-Roll Parties
Talent Show
Pajama and Carnival Parties

Explorers: Ages 6-8
Science Experiments
Art classes and Projects
Wacky Olympics
Name That Tune
Pirate and County Western Night
Movie Mania
Voyagers: Ages 9-11
Science Experiments
Art Classes and Projects
X-Games
Rockin' Through the Decades
Reggae Beach Party
Scavenger Hunts
Backstage Tour
Sports Tournaments Navigators (12-14) and Guests (15-17)
Pool Party, Toga Party
Mix and Mingle
Sports Tournament
Scavenger Hunts
Prom and College Night
Battle of the Sexes
Dancing Under the Stars
Tae Bo
Talent Show

In Port Activities
Aquanauts, Explorers and Voyagers can participate in sandcastle building, family water-balloon toss, relays, parachute games, and tug of war.

Babysitting
Group babysitting is offered at a cost is $5/hour. In-cabin sitting can be booked through Guest Relations and fees start at $8/hour and children must be at least six months old. Children must be potty trained (no diapers, no pull-ups).

Other
On a Royal Caribbean Cruise, cruisers 18 years and younger can have as many fountain soft drinks as they like for a fixed price with an Ocean Potion Card. This card is available for purchase in the ship's lounges and beverage service counters. Kids-only dinners hosted by expert youth staff give children the opportunity to meet and mingle while parents enjoy a quiet dinner alone.

John Hanson, CruiseShipCenters,
Email: jhanson@cruiseshipcenters.com,
Website: http://www.cruiseshipcenters.ca/johnhanson