Ventilation and ease of setup were two key things we tested for. We pitched each of the tents in our yard to test for durability, comfort, space, and water resistance. The plastic welding used here creates the best and the most durable seals which will not deteriorate or decay in time. The tent is also fully freestanding, so you can pitch it anywhere, regardless of the terrain. This is the smallest tent in the Coleman Instant Series of tents which includes several sizes, see for example this Coleman Instant Cabin tent 6.
This tent blocks out 90% of the sun’s rays, making it easy to take a midday nap or enjoy some shade when spending the day on the beach. Interlinked poles mean you just unfold this tent and maneuver it into its natural shape. During our testing, we found this tend to be super simple and quick to assemble.
If you are still undecided, please look around, this site is only about family tents, so you will find something for you. Imagine preparing the meal for kids when it is raining outside; you would need a vestibule. So this is a big issue will all tents of this type, and you will see several of them in the comparison table below. Now, compare this with the comfort of a tent like the Nemo Wagontop 6 with its huge vestibule.
Whether you’re a new camper or just looking to simplify things when taking your family on camping adventures, this tent is a total winner. So this design has its advantages, but there are also some downsides, this is all the matter of compromise and priorities. I have included it on my list of 10 best car camping tents for 2018 and also in the list of best cabin tents for 4 people.
I pretty much always use at least a tarp under the Coleman tent and when I don’t have a tarp or mat to set it on I make sure to remove any large or sharp rocks before I stake it down. I can only speak from my experience with this tent but so far it’s held up very well. It’s mostly because of how the tent is built and this isn’t a problem that’s specific to just Coleman, lots of pop up tent brands have this exact problem. It can be done but there’s a lot of strain on the zipper and the seams around it.
The coleman sundome 6 has average dimensions for a 6-person tent, at 10’x9’ (90sqft). The peak height is 6’2”, which will allow most hikers to stand up without needing to crouch. In addition, this cabin-style tent has excellent verticality of the walls, so you shouldn’t need to crouch if you’re anywhere but in the direct center of the tent.
For instant tents, this is just as important as any other tent. After setup, we assessed the size of each tent by inflating two camping pads that, when pushed together, create a queen-sized mattress. Most car campers want comfort, so if we couldn’t fit a queen-size mattress in the tent, it lost a point. If it wasn’t able to fit four sleeping bags side-by-side, it was docked further. Surprisingly, it took this article to push us to acquire our first instant tent, and now one will be a permanent part of our family camping gear arsenal.
The only big difference I found is that Coleman tents tend to be made in China, while both my CORE tents were made in Bangladesh. The mesh is also pretty good quality, and keeps out larger bugs like mosquitoes, but not no-see-ums. Another reason why I love the Coleman 10-Person Instant Tent is because it has this amazing hinged door. However, on the other hand, the Coleman 10-Person Instant Tent has 2 amazing features that the Core Tent does not. I feel that my Core tent’s instant mechanism is slightly better, for 2 reasons. I’ve got 2 CORE Equipment Cabin Tents, and also a whopping 14 Coleman tents, so based on my experiences with these tents, here are my thoughts on both brands.
I also looked at the quality of the instant tent mechanism for both my Coleman 10-Person Instant Tent, and my Core 9-Person Instant Tent. On the other hand, both my CORE tents have at least a few ground vents, which keep out rain much better than the Coleman’s mesh wall vents. However, for rainy day ventilation, I think CORE tents are slightly better. Instead, the fabric extends all the way to the ground, so I did my best to keep them away from the light flooding in my yard.
James has been escaping to the outdoors for as long as he can remember. This first started in family camping trips but soon turned into adventure camps and hiking through the Scottish Hebrides. Now he has turned towards trying to make camping more comfortable and accessible.