Coleman - 4-Person Dome Tent

Family of 3 and we won tickets to the Kerrville Folkmusic Festival. We had a Big Agnes Copper Spur and a Coleman 4 person dome, but we wanted to be able to stand and get dressed, as well as have room for an air mattress and a cot, though we ditched the air mattress for 2 more cots, so we got a Coleman Evanston 6. Since then we bought a Coleman Weathermaster 8 as it has two rooms, but honestly it’s just about the perfect size to have plenty of room to even bring in the folding chairs if we need, which then makes it a little crowded. For the two of you I’d think a 6 person should be just enough to stand as long as nobody’s over maybe 6’ or so. If it’s raining or too windy and cold you should be able to squeeze in a couple of chairs and be happier. The Evanston has a screened porch which has been handy a few times.

If you're trying to tiptoe into camping, I wouldn't necessarily recommend high end gear, although if you do get into it, higher end gear is better in the long run. For now, if you have nothing, start simple. I'd recommend something like a 4 man Colman tent. Coleman make great car camping gear that isn't going to break the bank, and if you really get into it, you can splurge for the higher end tent later. Get a tarp that is about the same dimensions of the floor of your tent and put it under it for protection. Also, the stakes that come with tents usually aren't all that great, so you may want to get something heavier duty, and get sand stakes if you plan to camp on the beach. For cooking equipment you can find some great deals on Marketplace, but a simple two burner propane stove is cheap and easy. Some folks really like the Blackstones, and so do I, but I find them heavy and find a two burner to be a little more versatile. It's really a personal preference. For cooking equipment, if you want to save money, just grab stuff from your kitchen and put it in a storage container to take with you. GSI makes good cooking gear and I personally like stainless steel stuff from Stanley, as it compacts for storage and I can be rough with it. Go with compostable paper plates to save yourself some cleanup. Start making a list of the small stuff as it pops into your [head.Med](http://head.Med) kit, flashlight, headlamps, towels, etc.

I agree that the Coleman is a great value. I have a 8p one and use it for troop outings. When it’s just my son and I, I opt for my smaller 4p one as it is easier to set up and tear down.

We went from a Coleman 4 person tent to a Coleman 12 tent. We also have a queen blow up mattress & having the extra room is amazing. Since I'm not carrying it, I don't care how much it weighs

I bought a 2 person backpacking tent and it worked fine for just me, it was tight with my husband since he’s over 6’ tall. He couldn’t even stretch out laying down let alone standing. I put a 4 person Coleman on our wedding registry and it’s been clutch for car camping. Now we have a baby and a dog, I’m going to try to convince him to upgrade to an 8 person for next summer.

Yeah the kingdom 6 with garage extension is really nice if you are planning long camping adventures where you’ll potentially be stuck inside during the day for hours at a time like if it rains. If you’re just going to use it for quick overnights then something like a Coleman 4-person is a lot faster and easier to setup and takedown. I switch between the two depending on my outing.

Dude, my first two tents were coleman. Shit man, I still got them and they still work great. Oldest one close to 15 years. I went from a 4P Coleman to 6P Coleman when I had kids. So if you can get one in good condition or buy it.. go for it. I got my coleman sundome for like a 100 bucks. If you don't want a coleman, you can sang one of these from costco for a 100 bucks - https://www.costco.com/core-6-person-lighted-dome-tent.product.100892929.html Now a days I have a Marmot 6P, recognize that this is 500$ tent. Don't spend this kind of money for your first tent unless you have money to spare or plan on going a lot of camping. The difference between a 100$ tent vs a $500 tent are: - More indoor pockets - High quality tent poles - No snag YKK zippers - Easy to pack bag - better ventilation But from a core tent/sleeping POV, its the same. IF and WHEN you are ready to go backpacking, it would be good to invest in lighter smaller gear. A decent backpacking tent is pretty expensive.