The Kelty Mantra Tent: Family or Basecamp, Backcountry Tents for Either 5 or 7 Campers

            The Kelty Mantra tent series provides two tents that are great for basecamp or family camping. These tents are designed to sleep five or seven campers, depending on the model, with room in the vestibule for gear storage. These tents share many features, while each also has its own specialties. 

            Each of these 3-season tents is constructed of polyester taffeta throughout, but the floor also has polyurethane coating. The rain fly is polyester ripstop which doesn’t stretch when wet, so the fly stays nice and taut even in heavy rain. A combination of clip and sleeve construction makes it easy to set up the color-coded aluminum poles and get your tent standing in no time, and side-release buckles make quick work of attaching the fly. Mesh panels and fly vents keep air circulating inside the tent and minimize condensation. Finally inside gear pockets and loops for a gear loft in each Kelty Mantra tent help keep clutter under control.

            The larger of the two tents, the Mantra 7 features a whopping 116 square feet of sleeping space that measures approximately 12.6x10.3 feet. The vestibule sits out front and can be accessed by either of the tent’s two doors. With 39 square feet—about 4.5 feet deep by 12.6 feet wide at the tent by four feet at the door—there’s room to store a lot of muddy boots. Inside headroom peaks at six feet and a removable privacy wall can be attached to separate the interior into two rooms, each with its own door. Three poles support the tent, while a fourth pole holds up the fly to form the vestibule.

            This Kelty Mantra tent is smaller and features a different layout. The floor’s dimensions are 10x8.75 feet, for a total area of 87.5 square feet. Each of the two vestibules—one on each side—is triangular in shape, measures 40 inches deep at the tip, and provides 16.7 square feet of storage; each also has direct access into the tent. Inside height is only five feet and this tent needs only three poles to support it.