Tent poles are constructed of fiberglass, which is heavier than their lightweight aluminum counterparts. The coleman ice chest 2’s tent body and fly material seemed fairly durable. The bathtub floor is thicker and more rigid than floors of other tents I own. While I didn’t take a sharp stick and try to recreate a Houston mosquito trying to get inside, the bug mesh felt pretty sturdy.
None of the materials feel fragile and most purchasers haven’t noticed defects in the stitching, zippers, or fabric. As long as you take care of it, it should last a while. 6-Person Skydome™ Camping Tent – BlackberryWith a quick setup in under 5 minutes, the Skydome™ Camping Tent lets you enjoy more time with friends and family on the next camping trip. The standard Sundome has previously been available for years in orange over gray colors.
Also for six people, one competitor to look at is the OT QUOMOTOP. It has instant set up , comes with a top rainfly, weighs 19 pounds, and has a 10 x 9 feet interior. The center height is 5”6’, with room enough for one queen airbed. It’s generally recommended for 3 adults and 3 children. The OT QOMOTOP also comes with an electrical cord port, has a ventilation system, and is waterproof.
It’s a step up in price from the Discovery above at $230, but you do get a number of upgrades, including a lighter weight (14 lbs. 1 oz.), taller peak height (72 in.), and smaller packed size. However, the Tallboy boasts considerably less floor area at 86 square feet, and its rainfly only offers partial coverage . The Kelty uses slightly higher-quality materials than the Sundome, but we find it hard to justify spending more for less space and similar overall performance. If there is one area where the Coleman Sundome 6 let us down the most, it certainly would be weather protection . The rainfly only extends about halfway down on all sides, leaving the lower portion of the tent body exposed, and you won’t find any sealed seams to help keep water out.
Many of these behemoths offer enough room to set up cots or even chairs and a table for card games on a rainy day. The one other thing that surprised us about the size was the tear-down of the tent and long-term storage. Typically once you pull a tent out of it’s storage for the first time it is difficult to get back in the duffel once you finish camping. In this case it was actually quite easy to wrap the tent back up into the storage duffel that is 2 feet long and 6 inches square. It weighs about 8 pounds so it’s relatively light for a 4 person tent as well. Although the Coleman 6 person tent comes with Weathertec, it really is not mean for super harsh conditions, or cold weather.