The advertised setup time is a blistering 60 seconds, and we found that this was not an exaggeration—even if you start the clock with the tent still inside its travel bag. The tent is freestanding, so any additional pegging can be accomplished at your leisure (unless wind is a factor). You’ll also want to set aside some extra time to strap on the secondary rainfly should you opt to purchase this along with the tent, but we’ll talk more about that later on. It’s also worth noting that this tent can easily be set up by only one person, something that cannot be said for several of the two-person tents in our review. We don’t expect the springy fiberglass poles to last more than a few seasons, but considering this tent costs about as much as taking the family out to dinner, it’s just a great buy overall. Our main issue with the integrated rainfly is that we lose all ventilation (and views of the outside) when there’s risk of rain, but there is a slight solution to this.
The first is Coleman’s weather-resistant polyester fabric, which uses anti-wicking fibers and webbing as a first line of defense. Again, assuming you’re shopping for a car camping tent here, weight and packed size aren’t a major concern when buying a Coleman tent. It’s well known that Coleman’s shelters aren’t the lightest or most compact by any stretch, so we recommend just leaning into it and getting the largest tent you can transport and carry. Drawbacks here are few and far between, but our biggest gripe with the Skydome is that it doesn’t deliver the level of wind resistance advertised. Coleman claims the Skydome is tested to withstand 35 mph winds, but several owners have reported poles snapping under milder conditions. We’ll also point out that although the Skydome is available in 2, 4, and even 6-person sizes, all models of the tent stick to a single door/single vestibule construction.
They will also have a rainfly, which helps when you experience unexpected bouts of rain. She also suggests looking for a family tent that offers good internal storage, like pockets and ceiling loops for water bottles, lanterns and the like. The ratings show that the quality and size the tent gives you were not in any way compromised to obtain coleman ice chest a price tag well below the normal price for similar tents. It is also worth thinking about the fact that it is discounted by 28% from the manufactures suggested retail price. It will make a fantastic choice for most campers searching for an adequate three-season cabin tent to go camping with, that should serve you well for years to come.
If you make this a two or more person job, you’ll speed things along, but it’s still not a long setup process. Window covers paired with weather protection double-thick fabric should also keep the rain at bay, and that’s all without the additional rainfly. Not much to say here — this is an instant setup tent, after all. Once out of the bag, simply lift each side of the tent until you hear a “click,” and you’re done.
If more than 2 tablespoons of water leaks in, a tent fails the test. But, the incorporation of “ripstop” fibers make the fabric much more resistant to tears. This small difference in fabric material can help prolong the life a tent. It’s a simple, yet efficient design which maximizes interior volume and minimizing overall weight. I cannot recomend this tent, the ease of putting the tent up stops as soon as these crucial parts break which happens almost instantly. I may just end up making my own parts out of aluminum or steel.
Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more. The Coleman Skylodge blew the competition away and offered not only a quick and easy one-person set up, it offered the most comfortable wilderness lodging of all the tents we tried. Inverted floor seams boost weather-proofing by concealing needle holes inside the 8. The quick set-up of this 8-person tent does not compromise your comfort factor. There are also 3 star gazer panels/windows on the top you can see through when you remove the rain cover.
We’d love to see a back door added (especialy if it comes with a second vestibule in the future), but for now we’re more than happy to live with a single door at this price. After testing and analyzing a multitude of Coleman tents (there are SO MANY), we finally decided that the Coleman Skydome 4 is the best option currently available. The steep walls make cabin tents great for campers who want a tall ceiling to prevent them from hitting their heads off the roof. The packed size of the Coleman six-person tent is about 48″ x 9″. The expandable carry bag comes with a rip strip that helps reduce the packed size and make it easier to store away. You still have to stake the tent, then equip the rain fly over the top of the tent.