Overall, this is a fun beach accessory that is great for guarding gear and valuables and offering periodic shelter from the sun. As its name suggests, the Eureka Tagalong Shelter is ideal for tagging along on any adventure where shade is needed. The Sundome’s tarp is clearly a budget material, but for what it was, we found it user-friendly. It’s easy to mop up after wet paws and spills, and it doesn’t hold moisture. It’s unlikely to be as durable, though, as the softer, stronger polyester found in our other picks. Measuring 10 by 10 feet, the Sundome covers an area larger than that of our family-tent top pick though its lower roof leaves it with less headroom.
Also, I’m not tall enough to attach it without some help, but if you’re slightly taller you should be able to attach it no problem. This Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent has only 2 pockets in the entire tent, and both measure about 13 inches in length and 6 inches in width, which is very tiny for such a huge tent. Every single time I open this door, the zipper will snag at least once, ozark trail instant cabin sometimes twice, which can be annoying. The holes are quite large, so I’m pretty sure that this is not no-see-um mesh. The entire Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent takes about 10 minutes to set up, when my brother and I were setting it up together (2 people). For ease of use, I looked at how easily I could set up this Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent on my own, and with 2 people as well.
On sunny days and clear nights, take off the fly and enjoy the sky through the tent’s clear mesh canopy. Some testers, though, thought the tent was stuffy when the fly was fully closed and the sun was out. Also, instant tents have a much bigger packed size than regular tents of the same size. However, I wouldn’t say that Coleman has the best instant tent mechanism, at least for this tent.
Like our couples’ tent pick, the Wireless 6 is a dome-shaped tent with a tried and true two-pole design. It has an interior footprint of 87 square feet, which sleeps four adults on single pads, or two adults and two or three children, and can accommodate a crib. That wasn’t the tallest we encountered—the Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 and ozark trail canopy tent the Alps Mountaineering Camp Creek 6 each topped out at 7 feet—but it’s enough space for most adults to maneuver standing up. The tent comes with a full rain fly that adds two vestibules for storage (each 14 square feet), totaling 115 square feet of livable space—which is fairly generous yet still practical for most campsites.
The Tungsten 4 shares many of the Mineral King 3’s best features, and provides 10 square feet of additional living space as well as excellent weather protection—as long as you set it up properly. Like our top pick, the Tungsten 4 is a sturdy, two-door dome-style tent that can be deployed in about 5 minutes. It uses high-quality materials such as aluminum poles, breathable mesh, and water-resistant polyester fabric, and it comes with a full fly and a footprint. The Tungsten 4’s larger size accounts for the higher price tag (about $40 more), but campers who would like that extra room may find the expense worthwhile. Its fly extends into a huge front vestibule that can store large items like bikes, or even accommodate a table and chairs. Adults over 6 feet tall will be able to walk upright inside this tent—which has almost-vertical walls that can easily accommodate beds, cribs, and cots—as well as in the vestibule.
And this tent is easy to set up and pack down, especially considering its size. (It comes with a carrying bag equipped with duffle-style handles.) You’re unlikely to find a similar-sized tent that matches the Wawona’s quality and features for less money—most comparable tents we tested cost much more. As with most six-person tents, the Wawona 6’s footprint is sold separately. A full rain fly with easy-attach color-coded clips covers the tent body and adds two large vestibules. Like the Mineral King 3, the Tungsten has aluminum poles that are connected at the top (for lightning-quick pitching) and pre-bent, which increases the dome tent’s headroom. You can also set up the tent without the fly while retaining some privacy, since the tent body has a high polyester wall on one side.