I’ve set up and taken it down at least 100 times since I bought it and there’s been no failure in the pop up pole system and all the seams are still watertight. Luckily the outer door flap closes just fine and if you want to make closing the inner flap easier all you have to do is leave each end of the tent staked a few inches off the ground. We experienced some very high winds when camping in southern Utah and although it was very noisy (like all tents in the wind) I never felt like the whole thing was going to blow away.
The hinged door is another notable detail that we think works great for a larger tent. With more people using a smaller space, it’s normal to experience higher traffic with people wanting to enter and exit at different times. Sleep in past sunrise with the ingenious technology that creates a black-out dark space for resting. In comparison to other tents with dark rooms, this model blocks 90% of sunlight for a truly dark and restful experience. It also protects you from potentially harmful UV rays, which is also a big benefit when camping with kids. When you’re ready to leave, it packs down effortlessly into the carry bag.
It instantly springs open and is ready to be loaded up with bedding. The mesh is woven tight enough to keep bugs out and loose enough to see through coleman sundome very easily. The shape also makes it very wind resistant but I do suggest tying down the wind cover on the sides as well as each end.
Still, it makes for a roomy tent for a family of three or four. If there is an easier family camping tent out there, we haven’t seen it. No tent was simpler to set up and take down than the Moon Lence. You have only two very small mesh pockets for small items, so this is quite disappointing.
Of course, if you’re using this tent without the rain fly in dry weather, it’s even easier to setup. Pitching this tent is quick and easy, which leaves you plenty of time to rest and enjoy your holiday with your family. That makes this an excellent choice for family camping trips during fair-weather months. It has a very wide D-shape and allows hassle-free access for entry and exit by one or even two people at a time. We like that you can leave it open without worrying about constant zipping like regular tent doors.
It is enough space for two pillows and there’s room to store your stuff in the leftover space on each end, but it’s a little cramped if you are two adults camping for longer than just a weekend. When you have limited time to spend out in the wilderness you don’t want to use half a day setting up your tent. When we determine the valuation of a single tent, we examine tons of stuff, finding things where the tent could perform well against other similar tents and where it is lacking. The improved design features have reduced the set-up time from, what used to be around 30 minutes, to a possible one minute, with practice. Inverted floor seams boost weather-proofing by concealing needle holes inside the Coleman Instant tent 8. The quick set-up of this 8-person tent does not compromise your comfort factor.
Coleman isn’t mincing words when they call this an instant tent. 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).