This type of pole tends to be less flexible and bulkier than pricier aluminum, and it can be a pain to handle. Despite having the smallest capacity of the tents we tested—42.5 square feet—the Mineral ozark trail canopy tent King 3 easily fits two people with a full-size mattress, or two sleeping pads, and gear. Two large vestibules add nearly 40 square feet combined—that is, 18.75 square feet on either side.
The Base Camp tents include a low side vent and multiple stuff pockets on the walls and ceiling, which are made of 75D polyester treated with 1500mm of polyurethane waterproofing. Note that these tents are strictly meant for car camping; the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 weigh 16 and 21 pounds, respectively, so you won’t want to carry either one very far. The biggest material difference between the Sundome and our other picks is its crunchy, tarp-like polyethylene floor. The other tents in this guide all have bathtub-style tape-seamed polyester floors, which is the standard among high-quality tents.
Many of our picks use grommet attachments, which are more secure and simple to repair than key attachments if anything should break. A senior staff writer at Wirecutter, Kit Dillon has written about everything from backpacks and cooking gear to luggage and road-tripping. Extreme Canopy is America’s premier supplier of custom canopies, custom tents & outdoor shade products. The Extreme team has been in the industry for over 20 years and has an emphasis on producing only the highest quality products. Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces.
Crafted from robust 18/8 stainless steel with a sleek powder coating finish, this tumbler stands the test of time, resisting scratches, rust, and the mingling of flavors. Its ergonomic handle promises a comfortable grip, making it an ideal companion for any journey. Engineered to fit most car cup holders, it’s the quintessential accessory for the home, office, gym, or while traveling. Experience unparalleled temperature retention, keeping beverages ice-cold for up to 12 hours or piping hot for up to 6, thanks to our cutting-edge vacuum insulation technology.
The Mineral King 3 has a full rain fly, which you can roll up halfway or completely remove for epic stargazing. It also comes with a groundsheet (aka footprint) to protect the tent floor. At $500, this modified dome-style tent isn’t cheap, but it represents substantial value. Many tents with similar ozark trail instant cabin profiles—such as the Big Agnes Dog House 6—either cost more or require you buy the tent body and attachable vestibule separately. The Wawona doesn’t come with a footprint—few tents this size do—but it’s otherwise all-inclusive, and it is compact considering how much livable space you get.
We reached the next exit point, where Diego could call his family (everything worked out fine). I reflected later that perhaps I should have felt more worried about the endeavor — but it was fun as hell. In one case, a group of five tubers were beached on a rock in the middle of a strong current and yelled for help. I tossed them a rope and hauled all five of them to the next access point a mile downriver.
It has an interior footprint of 87 square feet, which sleeps four adults on single pads, or two adults and two or three children, and can accommodate a crib. That wasn’t the tallest we encountered—the Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 and the Alps Mountaineering Camp Creek 6 each topped out at 7 feet—but it’s enough space for most adults to maneuver standing up. The tent comes with a full rain fly that adds two vestibules for storage (each 14 square feet), totaling 115 square feet of livable space—which is fairly generous yet still practical for most campsites. A classic polyester dome tent, the Mineral King 3 uses two high-quality pre-bent aluminum poles, which maximize head and shoulder space, making this tent feel less cramped than other dome tents we tested. Two large doors provide easy entry and exit, and a vestibule—that’s camping speak for “mudroom”—outside each door adds significant sheltered storage.