Coleman uses very good quality materials in their products, and Coleman 4 person instant tent is no exception. While this tent is designed with an integrated rain fly, it needs a traditional fly to keep you dry when storms hit. Coleman offers a separately purchased rainfly for under $20, and is a must for anyone that intends to use this tent in weather that isn’t limited to sunny days. Tents come in a wide range of sizes and quality, with Coleman usually nearing the top of the heap. This 4-person cabin tent excels in its construction and functionality, housing anywhere from 1-4 people in a 56 square foot interior. On the other hand, CORE tents are a little bit better when it comes to instant tents, spacious cabin tents, or instant cabin tents, thanks to the slightly better-quality instant set up mechanism.
If the tent you buy doesn’t come with a footprint (two of our recommended tents, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 and the Marmot Tungsten 4, do), we recommend purchasing a companion footprint, if one is available. A footprint doesn’t take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears. This lightweight option by Marmot is a 2-person backpacking tent, complete with an interior mesh wall for a bug-free and well-ventilated enclosure. It comes with a durable polyester rainfly, which is an outermost layer of fabric that protects the tent from rain and condensation, and includes vents for a breathable living space.
This is actually slightly taller than my height (I’m 5’3″/160cm tall), so I could stand up everywhere inside the Core Tent. The other extreme is my 10-Person Instant Tent, which has no windows that can be opened, and no vents at all. Not all the seams come taped for both brands, which is a pity, because the most vulnerable seam at the bottom of the tent is usually only just inverted, and not seam taped, which is why there’s leaking. Ventilation and ease of setup were two key things we tested for. The Core Instant Tent comes in sizes all the way from 4-person to 12-person. Families of all sizes are using it to comfortably camp — even with their little ones in tow.
The door only opens halfway, a disappointing feature found in other Coleman tents. Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time. If we had to spend a day in the tent during a storm, would it be comfortable? After first removing the models that failed the structural tests, we slept, watched the stars, and ate our meals in all of the tents, as well as planned hikes from them.
The best family camping tents aren’t only spacious, they are super-sturdy and they have kid-friendly features like easy ventilation and smart storage pockets—plus they should be easy to pop up in minutes. No parent has the time to wrangle with unruly kids and complicated tent poles. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain. It has two main that thread through sleeves, stretching between the four corners of the tent.
She points out that, when shopping for tents, you will absolutely get what you pay for. Higher-quality tents will have seams already sealed to protect from rain. They will also have a rainfly, which helps when you experience unexpected bouts of rain. She also suggests looking for a family tent that offers good internal storage, like pockets and ceiling loops for water bottles, lanterns and the like.
Here at optimumtents.com all our reports are produced with the aid of our individual database of over 1,000 shelters, that are for sale in the United States. Our goal is to provide you an objective report and our own unique rating based on the data, along with the lowest price and best value we could find. We independently evaluate all coleman tents recommended products and services. Delivery cutoff times and shipping fees vary based on delivery postal code. Customers will be notified when the order has shipped, and provided an estimated delivery time & date. Shipping Fees are calculated based on your shipping address, and the size and weight of the item or items being shipped.
It’s easy to mop up after wet paws and spills, and it doesn’t hold moisture. It’s unlikely to be as durable, though, as the softer, stronger polyester found in our other picks. That mesh also keeps the tent feeling airy and cool in hot climates. The Wireless 6 goes up easily, using the same kind of intuitive pole and clip method as our couples’ pick. The fly is equally simple to attach and orient with color-coded clips. This type of pole tends to be less flexible and bulkier than pricier aluminum, and it can be a pain to handle.
This is not all, there is yet another great detail here and this is its hinged door shown below. So if you are not familiar with this design, there are poles that run around the door’s perimeter and this is a rigid structure similar to the door at home. There are also Velcro tabs that keep it closed so you do not have to wrestle with the zipper all the time. This is added to drain the rainwater and this is of importance for the tent without the porch. The picture below shows how deep the screen room is under the porch, and it is fully protected from the rain.
It also costs more, though, and is less forgiving of a careless set-up. The best family camping tents are a breeze to set up and break down, but that’s not the only thing you should consider when purchasing one. All of the tents were either taken on a car camping trip with a dozen kids that ran and out of it, or we set them up in our yard for four days and two sprinkler cycles (again, with kids running in and out of them). What’s more, five of the eight tents made it through an unexpected rain and a hailstorm! The remaining three tents were doused with a garden hose on full blast.