They are known for manufacturing some of the most used and essential travel items- camping tents. My one complaint in this area is the flimsy fiberglass tent poles. I’m not a fiberglass hater, but these are a little on the thin side. I can see it being easy to form cracks and break, although in over a year of use I haven’t done either as of yet. I still carry materials to make a repair though, just in case.
This did not raise any alarms since these sections of the coleman screen tent shouldn’t be taking much abuse. What did give us cause for concern was the fiberglass tent poles. Although we cannot cite any breakages with these poles, we are always hesitant when they are utilized since fiberglass is much less forgiving than aluminum. Whereas aluminum can be bent back into place when sustaining too much pressure, fiberglass will simply snap and be rendered unusable. A few features on the tent had somewhat questionable build quality, such as plastic clips and less than elegant zippers. Even with the added privacy vent, I find ventilation for this tent to be a little less than impressive.
Though not ideal, it is fairly easy to get used to doing. Packing the tent back up into the bag isn’t very hard either. There is a removable extension on the bottom that we assume helps keep the bag small for shipping but, once removed, allows a little more breathing room. Featuring high-quality materials and a traditional dome shape, REI Co-op’s Base Camp has been a long-time staple in their tent lineup. Offered in four- and six-person capacities, the car camping-focused model is a top choice among those looking to… The Coleman Sundome is super easy to set up including the rainfly.
We tested the six-person version of the Coleman Sundome, which offers a healthy 10 feet x 10 feet of floor area. To gauge livability, we brought along two adults, a portable crib, and a dog, and found that the Sundome 6 provided more than enough room for summertime adventures. We were able to move around comfortably, the sleeping space easily accommodated the aforementioned crib and a double-wide, 52-inch mat, and the generous amount of mesh made for an airy feel overall. In practice, we almost always recommend sizing up your tent, and we think the Sundome 6 work bests with groups of three to four people. Coleman also offers the Sundome 4, which we think is ideal for two campers and a dog.
Although there is only one way on the Sundome, it is quite large and should allow for easy entry and exit for one person at a time. There’s no room divider for the Sundome, nor is there a vestibule. We can certainly live without the former, but the lack of a vestibule means that there’s no mudroom to store your dirty stuff, which can come in particularly handy when the weather gets wet. The pole that holds up the rainfly offers very little protection from the rain outside the tent, really only enough to keep it from getting inside the door. Despite its inexpensive price tag and overall lack of features, the Coleman Sundome is a highly durable camping tent that should have no problem standing up to years of use.
5) This style does have the sleeves which you must walk back and slowly feed the dome poles through during set up. Coleman is a trustworthy name in camping that has been around for many years. Their products are generally reliable and usable by anyone. Or for something a little different, check out the Coleman 4 person instant cabin tent review. The E-port makes it easy to bring your electronics with you by allowing space for an extension cord to enter the tent. But most users who had used one found that fitting anyone else in the tent – even without an air mattress of their own – was very tight.