Fiberglass is best used for casual summer camping trips and smaller, personal tents. However, aluminum tent poles are almost always an upgrade in terms of strength, weight, and durability. Like almost all of the tent companies we asked, Eureka recommends that campers use a tarp or ground cloth for added protection. We’ve noticed that people who use hard-toed furniture, such as rigid cots or a Pack ’n Play, inside the tent also often use a Mexican blanket or a thin rug over the floor for added protection and warmth; we think this is a great idea.
All seams are taped, and the floor is a bathtub style so you are safe from splashes. The tent has windows on the front and on the back and they are partly protected with the fly. You have a protected space of 100 ft² (9.3 m²) under its simple dome supported by only two fiberglass poles and a short ridge pole. The tent can be described as suitable for a 3-season camping, its waterproof rating is high. The shape is a mix of a tunnel and a cabin type, with very steep and high walls. The tent is also very tall, the peak height is 80 inches (203 cm).
And you can manipulate the vestibule flaps to act as wind shields or capture air for increased ventilation. In the 2022 redesign of the Marmot Tungsten 4, however, we did notice a weakness in the tent’s pole design. Like the Mineral King 3, the Tungsten 4 has poles that are pre-bent. The purpose of this is to pull out the tent fabric and give the dome greater volume; generally speaking, we view it as a plus as it gives dome tents a more open feel. But the bend on the Tungsten 4’s poles is overly acute and occurs lower to the ground than the Mineral King’s, which, we discovered, makes the poles vulnerable to rotation and collapse under pressure in some situations.
So this is a fully protected room, and and it doubles also as a screen room. This area is of around 40 square feet (3.7 m²) and its floor is fully sealed. The picture shows that it allows for an awning configuration with included poles. This is an incredibly popular tent, and this is partly because of its great price. It is nicely ventilated, the fabric is with a huge waterproof rating, and the windows are solid. The Coleman Oak Canyon 6 Tunnel Tent is one of the tents they built for the EU market.
As for drawbacks, the size and weight are the main contributors, but we’ll note a few other things here. For one, because this is essentially a “wedge” shaped tent, the walls are fairly steep, so there’s not much extra shoulder room inside the shelter. Still, the Hooligan is one of the best-made tents in the Coleman lineup, and also one of the least expensive. Try it out, and if you love it, consider building it up with better components.
We found that company representatives are reluctant to estimate the lifespan of their tents. When pushed, most of those we talked to estimated five to 10 years, though the actual lifespan will vary widely depending on care and frequency of use (for more advice, read REI’s excellent tips). In conducting research for this guide, we heard multiple tales of careful campers who had been using the same tent for 15 years or more.
Although we wanted to understand the pros and cons of various tent materials, we didn’t want to get stuck in a “best is always better” philosophy, especially with regard to our picks for family tents. Both Olsson and Howe emphasized that a great family tent is one that gets more kids outside—which means one that’s affordable for most families. A difference in floor quality, however, will become obvious quickly as you use and abuse the tent.
The Skydome delivers the essential Coleman experience of value for the money, but also adds in the benefit of elevated rain protection from a full-length fly and a sizeable front vestibule for storing bulky gear. Another of Coleman’s newer two room cabin tents is the Prairie Breeze 9″pictured below” It is also getting very good reviews. A lot cheaper and also larger than the Hampton 6 “above” it looks good for those wanting more space and headroom without the extra cost.
This line offers Dark Room technology, which blocks 98.4% of sunlight. This keeps your tent darker as you sleep, and reduces how much the tent heats up during the day. coleman bbq An e-port is a great feature if you have a need to run a cord inside your tent. It is a specialized flap that allows the cord to enter but not bugs and water.