We watched as night fell and the first stars appeared. At the first sign of rain, it took only a few seconds—and a quick hand stuck outside the tent—to unfurl the fly and secure it for a dry night’s sleep. When we awoke, we could roll back one part of the vestibule, make coffee, and watch the sky lighten even though it was still raining. It is also important to consider the way in which the tent poles attach to the tent. Many of our picks use grommet attachments, which are more secure and simple to repair than key attachments if anything should break. Use this 56 sq ft. beach tent with or without its removable PE Floor.
But according to our experts, the durability of the floor of your tent is actually more important. If the tent you buy doesn’t come with a footprint (two of our recommended tents, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 and the Marmot Tungsten 4, do), we recommend purchasing a companion footprint, if one is available. A footprint doesn’t take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears. With nearly 60 square feet of floor space plus two large vestibules, the Tungsten 4 is roomier than our top-pick tent for couples. It also costs more, though, and is less forgiving of a careless set-up. Some campers might find the Wawona 6’s footprint unwieldy in smaller campsites, or they might simply prefer a tent with a more straightforward design.
When something says “waterproof” it does not mean it will not leak. It is made of nylon and nylon does not keep water out. It is simply a way to keep you from direct weather contact. And as with any experienced camper, we all know that tents are not waterproof, even if it says money back guaruntee. That’s why you buy a tarp to put over and a tarp for under. So next time you go camping instead of relying on a Walmart special, use your head.
Both of the doors zip open to the side that’s color-coded blue, as opposed to zipping open to opposite sides. This means the vestibules equally protect the doors, rather than providing opposite entries and exits—the latter creates a situation where, in stormy weather, one side of the tent is always more exposed to blustering wind or rain. In other words, one partner—or one partner’s gear—is always going to get a dose of weather when they head out. The Tungsten 4 design equalizes exposure and protection. To test the tents, we first opened them, splayed out their parts, and tried to put them together without consulting the instructions.
The Wireless 6’s drawbacks have mainly to do with material quality. These can be as strong, or even more so, than aluminum poles (especially cheap ones), but they’re always bulkier, heavier, and not as nice to handle. However, the Wireless 6’s poles were the best fiberglass ones we tested—they left no splinters, unlike those on the Camp Creek 6 or the Copper Canyon LX 6. One night during testing, for example, clouds loomed in the distance with clear skies overhead. After we pitched the tent, the Mineral King 3’s adaptable fly let us leave half the mesh dome uncovered.
The tent is open at the top with a weather rain fly that fits over the dome. The fly is so small it allows rain to blow up under and then runs into the tent. My Ozark tent was set up in my wooded acerage all summer long. I was so pleased with the quality that ozark trail canopy I upgraded and bought a bigger Ozark tent. I live in Canada and find these tents to be very good. If you a experienced camper like myself you would know that you have to use a tarp to cover your tent so that the water does not get inside when it rains.
Otherwise I like the tent but do not trust it to hold up in severe conditions. Spending more time with friends and family shouldn’t mean spending more money on the summertime essentials. That’s why, this summer and every season, Walmart is committed to helping customers save money so they can live better, from the big moments like Fourth of July, to every other day in between.