I was in the same position as you and went with the 12x16. I did not regret it. Way more spacious with room to spare. If you ever get the add-on, it’ll be even bigger.
You're right, everyone was on the ground and that many folks were specifically for the camping trip. For deer camp, we had 5 guys, 2 in cots, and 3 on the floor - we still had room. I've thought about those bunk cots which would open up a ton more floor space.
I originally went with the 12x12...
I'd really recommend using your phone with OnX and having a separate satellite messenger. I use a ZOLEO and have had to rely on it for SOS. Ended up saving my friend's life on an elk hunt so I won't use anything else.
I bought the 12x16 cabin tent back in October and used it twice, once for a family camping trip for 3 nights and for deer camp for 3 nights. It's a stellar tent and I've got it paired with a Camp Chef Alpine wood stove. The silicone ring on the stove pipe melted a little bit and started...
You can literally buy USB computer fans on amazon for $14 a pop and plug those into a battery bank. These are stupidly overpriced because they're marketed to hunters...