Coleman - Dark Room™ Skydome™ 6-Person Camping Tent

I have one of these from Big 5. The tarp is short on mine and light leaks in below the tarp line (where I'm asleep on a mat). So I'd suggest gluing an extra foot of tarp onto each side. But overall, it works.

I’ve been very happy with my Coleman Dark Room Skydome 6 person tent. I camp all over. Last summer I spent 23 days in New Mexico. Sunshine everyday and bright almost 20 hours. Having the Skydome with the dark room allowed me to sleep even when it was light out. This summer I will be in Alaska for 2 months living in a tent and looking forward to having a dark room for 24 hours of daylight. I’ve sold Coleman tents for years and been extremely impressed with their quality and durability for a average priced tent. There are better tents on the market but they are not cheap and often don’t hold up. Plus having a dark room is not offered by most tent manufacturers. Happy camping 🌲🌲⛺️🔥🌲🌲

We bought a Coleman Dark room 6 person tent from Costco about 5-6 years ago and it is still going strong. It’s super easy to put up. My man and I can assemble it in under 5 minutes without any bickering. A single person could probably assemble it if they practiced and weren’t in a rush. I love that we can stand up in the center, it’s dark so we’re not woken up super early in the morning by the sun. It has screens on 2 panels that don’t zip up but when you put the rain cover over it covers the windows so privacy and retaining inside tent temperature isn’t an issue. We’ve camped in the rain with it (put an extra tarp over top) but it didn’t have any leaking on the sides or bottom. It’s was fairly cheap in price as well. Most likely under $100. I’m sure there’s a newer version now but we would definitely look into this same model again once our current one screw the pooch. As for our set up, my man and I like to sleep on 2 separate twin pads against the walls with room in the middle for standing and moving around. We each put our bags at our feet with plenty of spare room. We’re very comfortable in it. But for 3-4 people you’d be nice and cozy. For 3-4 people I’d actually look for an 8+ person tent to make sure there’s enough room.

My partner and I have been using our 6 person Coleman dark room tent from Costco for about 5-6 years now and we love it. It’s easy to pop up and take down. Takes about 7 minutes total to put up and even less to take down. It works for spring to early fall months.

Got our Coleman Darkroom 6 person tent from Costco about 5-6 years ago. Still going strong and we camp 5-10 times a year. It holds up through rain too. I think it was about $65. Really cheap. We use it for just the 2 of us but 3 people could sleep cozy but comfortable.

I second this one! Our family of 3 uses this and it’s held up through tropical rain and wind really well. The extra space also makes it less stuffy so everyone sleeps better

I have the darkroom version. It’s fantastic as long as it’s not set up in direct sun in the summer. First use we had a horrible rainstorm and it went below freezing overnight. My fam (including two kids, one less than 3 months at the time) were just fine and my ~50# dog slept in the porch in his bed overnight also just fine. The screened in porch is a must imo. When the rain started we hid in the porch watching my husband batten down camp for an hour or so. We got the 6 person so that he could mostly stand up inside the tent at a little over 6’ Fantastic for car camping with kids and dog imo.

I just finished my first cub scouts campout in a Coleman Skydome tent, the kind with the "Dark Room Technology" which I \*highly\* recommend if your child is on the younger side (mine is 7) because it really does stay nice and dark in there, great for kids being able to sleep even with late sunsets and early sunrises. We were not the only Coleman "Dark Room" tents in our pack. We have a 4-person and we fit two cots in there with some room in the middle, but if you go with [the 6-person version](https://www.coleman.com/camp-sports/tents-by-size/skydome-6-person-screen-room-camping-tent-with-dark-room-technology/SAP_2206907.html) you'd absolutely have plenty of room - it'll be downright spacious if you get the screen room. Setup is a breeze. I've only ever set this thing up by myself or with the help of my 7-year-old, which probably makes it take a few minutes longer but it's good for him to help. ;) I do have the one with the screen room, which is great for extra storage and keeping the sleeping area clean (our system is shoes don't go past the screen room), and the Skydome model has zip-up panels so the screen room stays dry even if it rains (which it did this past trip). The Coleman Carlsbad Dark Room has a fully mesh screen room which I'd imagine would basically trap water along the floor when it rained. Honestly the WeatherMaster pictured in your post looks like it would also let rain inside the screen room area, I'd make sure it has panels to zip up behind the mesh. I \*love\* having that extra screened in area though so I do recommend that.

Coleman Sundome 4person. I use a 6 person blackout and it is enough for 2 adults on cots.

I’ve used a 6P Darkroom year round, including in/on snow, including an 8” overnight drop. I do use a cot and either alone or with 1 other person, also on a cot.

HikerDirect member? I generally use a Coleman Sundome 6P Darkroom. It is what my cot fits in and I can stand up. I joke with the other leaders that I camp like a Cub Scout leader. A few times I’ve gotten much better rest due to the Darkroom and ear plugs. Occasionally another adult will share with me, but depends on the location and which troop I’m with that weekend.

Coleman Sundome 6 Dark Room

I mean, it isn’t anything super fancy, but I’ve had it since 2018. First few years were family campouts/Cub scouts 1-2x a year. The last 3 have been an average of 1 weekend a month. I have replaced 4 pole sections after they cracked and have 1 more remaining, then I have a newer one to start using. The current one has also been set up and played in by Cub Scouts a good dozen or so time. The skin is greeting worn, but still waterproof. My daughter’s scout troop has been using 4 person ones exclusively for a few years. A bunch got flattened in a wind storm, but it was like 80mph gusts. Coleman replaced most of them and we repaired the rest. They are not ALPS or REI, but for low cost simple tents, they will last a long time if you treat them properly.

I recommend a 6 man (or 8 man) Coleman blackout Sundome or Skydome. Check out Ollie’s if you have one for deals on Coleman

Our Troop has been using 4-person and 6-person Coleman Skydome tents for the last several years. The boys are rough on tents, so priorities are cost and ease of repair. Positives: - The tents themselves are quick to set up and pack away. - They are well ventilated. - Inexpensive and reasonably durable. Negatives: - They are not especially light, weighting between 8 and 13 lbs. - Poles are attached to the tent, which makes them easy to pack but could be a problem if a pole needs to be replaced. - Can handle rain when set up correctly, but may allow in water in a severe storm. On that last point, it's hard for me to provide a completely objective assessment because we have had Skydome tents become soggy in very bad weather, but this may be because of boys leaving the vent on the door open rather than issues with the tent itself.

All of these are car camping tents. The Wanona and Homestead are 13 lbs, and they're absolutely massive when packed. The skydome 6p is enormous and weighs 19 lbs. You wouldn't ever want to hike with these tents. The North Face tents suffer from outdated design philosophies. There are no clips. You have to feed all of the poles through sleeves. The fabric can bunch up, so you have to be mindful while feeding the poles through. Slow to set up, slow to take down. The Wanona 4P performs well in the rain. It's lovely in the rain, but not so terrific to set up or break down in the rain. These taller tents don't do well in high winds. They're like giant sails, and the poles tend to bend. Questions to ask yourself: What type of camping do you envision for yourself? How many people will you be camping with? Do you plan on thru-hiking? Your ideas about camping will evolve as you gain experience with equipment.

6 person Coleman skydome. Really nice tent with a full tub style floor. Easy to set up. Then get a second one when the kids grow out of it. 6 person tents are comfortable for 2 adults with either a cot or an air mattress each. If you drop to a 4 person tent adults can't stand in the middle and it's a little tight for 2 adults of they use cots/air mattresses.

I have 1 10-person Coleman dark room instant tent and 2 6-person Coleman dark room sundome tent and I highly recommend just buying 2 6p tents. The 10 P tent is great if you want space to play games at night, but need to make sure you have enough space to carry it around in a truck as its pretty huge and more space at campsite to setup. 6p tent seems perfect for sturdiness and space to move a bit, as the 10p tent seems more flimsy in the wind as the poles seem smaller and all connect to one center being it is instant which takes around 15 min or less to setup but 6p tents are also easy as its still only two crossbars.

Coleman Skydome 6 with full rain fly might be worth looking at. I hate my Gazelle screen tent. Constantly leaks, poor ventilation, and a pain to deal with due to large folded size.

We’ve had our darkroom 6p for 4 years and it’s still going strong!

I think I had the Aussie version - looks like the same tent but it’s called the coleman quickdome darkroom. See my other comment for why it’s the worst tent I’ve ever used.

I have owned one blackout tent in my life, a coleman quickdome darkroom. Worst tent I’ve ever had. Tore open on the 3rd day of a 2 week camp. The dark did not make it cooler. If anything it was hotter in there than a beige or grey tent. I hated needing a damn torch just to find something in the tent in the middle of the day. In 20km/h winds you could hear the fabric screaming as it slowly broke apart, and many small holes were visible in the fly by day 4. On day 7 the door zip separated from the main tent, meaning the tent could not be zipped fully. I’d already used all my patches and hand sewn several running tears in the tent walls where stray threads had just unravelled. At this point we went into town to a different outlet of the store we purchased from, with a timeline of photos of the clusterfuck, and asked for a refund. Unfortunately to do that, we had to hand the tent over before they could give us the store credit to buy something else. So we had to go back to camp, pack it all down, go get the refund and new tent, and then setup again midway through the trip. Really soured my opinion of coleman tents.

Yes! Especially with my kids, who are used to having blackout shades. Love my Coleman 6-person darkroom tent for car camping with 4 people.

I second this but say go for the "skydome" version which has extra headroom that's clutch for changing and mid-night bathroom trips.

The Coleman 6-person Dark Room tent would be a great option for you. Easy to set up, handles weather well (we had a nasty storm blow through the Peach a few years ago and it did great), has enough room for a queen inflatable mattress plus stuff. The link is directly from coleman but I believe we got it cheaper elsewhere [https://www.coleman.com/camp-sports/tents-by-size/6-person-dark-room-skydome-camping-tent/SAP_2207025.html](https://www.coleman.com/camp-sports/tents-by-size/6-person-dark-room-skydome-camping-tent/SAP_2207025.html)

I have the 4p and 6p and they definitely block out the light

Love my coleman dark room tents!

I actually have the Coleman Skydome Dark Room model. I'm not sure if it's comparable but I'm conflicted on it as the performance in the rain was fine, but it retained heat and a section of the fly tore on the first hour. I cannot rule out if it was human error or if my expectations of remaining cool should not be placed on the tent but rather on my equipment to keep me cool (fans, portable ac units, water).

I don’t know what’s available in UAE, but I like the Coleman 6-person dome tents. There are a few variations on a theme, but they’re what I use for my family and for my Girl Scout Troop. The interior is 10x10 so it fits 4 cots or 2 queen size blow ups. I can stand up in them (5’7”). The dome tents are easy to pitch. They fold down into a reasonable size and are easy to transport.

The nice thing about dome tents is that they all pitch the same. I have a little kid one that I use to teach the process even as young as 5, and then when they’re taller and can physically manage a larger tent, they already know what they’re doing,

I love the Coleman 6 person dome tents. I use them for my Girl Scout troop. If you want to use them in colder temps, I recommend the Darkroom over the Sundome. The rainfly goes lower and provides more insulation.

I love the Coleman 6 person dome tents. I use them for my Girl Scout troop. If you want to use them in colder temps, I recommend the Darkroom over the Sundome. The rainfly goes lower and provides more insulation.

My first 2 tents were 6 person Coleman dome tents and I really miss having that huge tarp like bottom because they always kept us dry. I agree with the other comments to get 2 four person tents because 6 people in one tent sounds a little cramped. Pair those tents with a good tarp above and it will keep the water away no problem.

We have a Coleman tent and love it! It’s not a cabin tent though, it’s the 6 person dome tent (I think). It’s spacious enough for the two of us and our belongings (we keep our kiddos bags with us too) and it keeps us dry. Our kiddos had a Kazoo tent and it leaked from the bottom. We didn’t have that issue with the Coleman so we bought another Coleman for the kids.

I got one of the Coleman tents with dark room technology 2 years ago and when I tell you it’s so worth the investment! Stays cool/dark enough to sleep in once the sun comes up if you want to.

You’ll definitely want a canopy, I’ve always had my dark room tent partially under one to help protect from the sun even more. You can probably place a pickup order for a canopy at a Walmart in Indio.

Buy Coleman with the Dark Room tech, or a brand with similar like Logos. Don’t buy the cheap shit people are telling about. They will get insanely hot and keeping out the sun is the only way they are useful.

I've never had a CORE tent, but Coleman and Kelty have both worked well in the past for car camping. The Coleman "instant cabin" would probably be an easier setup, but not much easier, and at cost of some sturdiness. Coleman Dark Room and Kelty Daydreamer are also neat; they're designed to black out sunlight, so the material is a bit heavier... and yeah, you can sleep in past dawn much more easily.

$400 is overkill. Id say get two 6 person Coleman dome tents instead of one really big one. It'll give you a lot more versatility and convenience at half the price Besides what other people have said, making sure your tent is properly setup is the #1 most important thing to make it waterproof. Making sure all parts are taut and there's nowhere for water to pool. I've used everything from $40 Walmart tents to expensive backpacking tents in some pretty terrible storms (including every forest since 2017) and I've never had a tent leak. I've never used waterproof spray but I suppose it couldn't hurt

Meh, I usually get at least a few years out of my Coleman's, and that's with not taking super good care of them either. Realistically, OP asking this question here means they're not super experienced and are relatively new to camping. They probably don't know how much of a PITA setting up a large tent can be, especially when you don't have that many people. A Coleman is a great entry level tent where you can decide from there if you want to make a bigger investment (I promise I don't work for coleman)

This is a great idea.  Coleman is stupid easy to set up and huge and the blowup beds are key. If you already have a vehicle and don’t have to hike in too far, this is so easy and takes a lot of stress away.  I have a big family and actually sunk money into a very fancy 6 person tent. That we never use (as a family) ever. We use the stupid Coleman at least twice a month in the summer and fall. It’s easy. It’s big. You don’t have to think about it. Also the kids like to set it up for at-home “camping” because they can put it up themselves. 

Love my Coleman Darkroom for car camping. I need to use a lantern to see during daylight hours with the rain fly on. I've had it for about 5 years with no major issues.

Get the cabin tent!!! I work stage crew for festivals, so I live out of my tent in the summer. My issue with the other tents is the flimsy poles that split and break with use. I got caught in heavy storms in a field with a Coleman darkroom tent last year, it completely flattened and the poles split on two sides. I sprung for a cabin tent and have lived through at least a dozen storms (did you see what happened at Secret Dreams last month?) with no issues at all. That tent cannot be bothered!

My Coleman sky dome is tall enough i can stand, and I'm 6'1"

I have the Coleman sky dome. It has lasted me over 6 years. No problems at all. Would highly recommend. Keeps me dry and there is plenty of space. However, six people would definitely be super tight in there. Would not recommend going over four people

Got the Coleman sky dome used, it was awesome! Very roomy. No rain fly for the porch though.

I have the green and gray Coleman Skydome. Very nice tent with very bad design flaw. When you put the rain cover on top it blocks all of the openings leaving very little air flow. When it is hot at night it’s pretty miserable in there. The only thing you can unzip is the front door to the porch and if it rains that night congrats you are hot AND wet. I’d go another direction.

As a single adult scout leader I run a 4 person instant Coleman tent. I sleep on my own 95% of the time. In a pinch I could provide room for another leader. I have a 6-person but it’s way too big for me by myself. Before the Coleman I had a 4 person malamoo mega that I really liked.

I own a 6-person tent for me and one kid. That fits two air mattresses and gives us space to stand, change clothes, keep our bags, etc. I have a Coleman and it works just fine.

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.

Good buy! Man I had a dark rest tent for a while and freaking loved that thing

Are you saying there's no point in camping if you don't want to be up with the sun?

So you've kind of answered your own question. It doesn't make sense to you so don't buy one. I've been camping for going on 30 years and we bought one and it's fabulous. I don't find that it adds any extra bulk or weight, it wasn't really more expensive, and we enjoy the extra sleep in. Don't buy one if you don't want one but leave everybody else alone about it if they do.

Then it isn't a good one. My dark rest tent does not let any light in whatsoever except a few specks where the zippers are.

Everyone here is saying don't buy this tent - however, I owned this tent and loved it. I spent $80 on a six person and it went through multiple rainstorms a year. It started leaking after 6 years. Up until then, it kept us dry as a bone. Coleman is GREAT entry level and will keep you dry. If you camp a LOT though, I'd go a step up and buy a Kelty tent.   I'd get a warmer sleeping bag. For Joshua Tree in December get something rated for at least 30. It gets cold in the desert at night. If you use an air mattress, put a fleece blanket or yoga mat between yourself and your mattress. It will keep you soooo much warmer by keeping you off plastic filled with cold air. 

These are backpacking tents made with material that is lighter and more expensive than typical tents. If you're car camping, a $200 Coleman 6p+ tent will be more than fine for a while. MyLifeOutdoors did a video on YT about a month ago talking about it a little.

I’m in the U.S. and Coleman is a solid go to for a first tent. I have a couple of their six person tents and they’ve served me well.

I have the Coleman Dome 6 (two of them) and a Core 9P, both have been great. Just left Bennett Springs in Missouri in our Coleman 6P and stayed dry the whole weekend.

Used to be an avid backpacker before having my son.  I use a Marmot Limelight 2P for our scouting trips.  It’s been all over and continues to hold strong, great water resistance.  Surprisingly after 15+ years of use it’s still going strong and has survived a few years of Cub Scout camping weekends.  All my Marmot gear has really held up through the years and adventures.   I have a Coleman 6P with a porch area and it’s nice for car camping but not something I would want to take to Scout weekends.  It’s huge and heavy, and would take up more space than me and my son need, blocking others who have bigger families.

Wow, lots of comments for you to sort through, OP! We have a 2p trekking tent and a 6p Coleman that we got on mega sale the morning we woke up to a collapsed, flooded, tarped (under and over) and waterproofed 4p Walmart tent. When my oldest was younger, we went camping with extended family. The cousins wanted their own tent so we packed them up (4 boys and 2 girls 6 to 10yo) in the 6p Coleman, and we squeezed the toddler between us in the trekking tent. Well, we ended up moving to the Coleman with all of them in the middle of the night because they got scared of the wind, the voices, and the coyotes. I'd venture out to say that 6-10yos should probably not camp in their own tent. He's 12 now, and gets the (very expensive) trekking tent to himself. He does just fine, too. We happen to have it so we use it, but if we didn't, we'd buy something that won't collapse or flood, probably between 50-100$ new, absolutely on sale. We've had both tents for over 10 years, use them every summer multiple times, and treat them every summer as well, well worth the investment. Our kid doesn't mind the hand me down, loves to have his own space, and is grateful.

For car camping I like Coleman 6p tents. They’re heavy but durable. I use mine for 2 adults on a queen sized deep air mattress. Have two dogs, a Shepard and a beagle each with their own beds. Plenty of room for us

I’d go with the Coleman 6p because you can extend the awning. But whatever you buy, make sure you get some waterproofing or a very large heavy duty waterproof tarp.

Wouldn’t go to big. Honestly 6p is a great mid range the Coleman is wicked. I just upgraded to a 10p Blackwolf 450 and honestly I prefer the 6p and I have a family of 4. We put two double mattresses in the 6p with a bit of room left for clothes. The Coleman also has a small vestibule we had a mat and shelves for medicine books sunblock etc. Takes me about 45mins to setup the 10p with a bit of mucking around the 6p about 20minutes.

This is the way, I did the same thing and regretted it. I guess you really have to experience it before you know. We have family of 4 and 6p was great.

6person Coleman tent. They are inexpensive, and they will last long enough to get your money’s worth while you get the experience to know what you really need.

I have the Coleman 6 and it's great. You had the 4 so you know it goes up in about 90 seconds, not counting staking. It's hard to beat for the money.

6 person tent will be too small for 2 adults and 2 kids. Get an 8 I use a 30 year old Coleman 6 person. I probably average 20 nights a year with it.

I've had a Coleman 6 for years. I'm 73. I have no issues setting up or taking down. So far it seems boat proof

My Coleman 6 person is still going strong after 30 years. I think they're about 200 now

I have a Coleman 6 person tent for family trips. Absolutely fantastic, especially given the price! It has a main room, small “entry”, and then another covered smaller area outside. Makes for taking shoes off real easy and contains the mess to one area.

That tent is a coleman montana 8 person. I have had 2 of them,.they are very sturdy when all the guy lines are used. It does well in the rain... the fly covers the 2 side windows very well. my only complaint would be the windows are high so there is not much air flow low down. I always bring a small fan so not an issue. The coleman 6 person is what I used last. It was fine after I my dog passed and it was just me. I like to have enough room to stand, and bring a chair and small table inside incase it rains. This one is 10x10' and 6' tall. https://preview.redd.it/vna1vl7a5krf1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c7cb984cda2696f6a6e11b307ce64be9bd89425

we are about to replace our coleman 6 person because we've used it SO much. had it since 2016. we bought it for a festival, and it's become our car camping tent ever since. we have kelty, alps mountaineering, and rei smaller tents, and love this coleman for everything, not back country.

It's not a two person but we have a 6 person Coleman tent my 6 ft husband can stand up in. Let me know if you want me to post the link

After finishing up a trip this past weekend up in Maine I found out that my new 6 person Coleman tent is not water resistant to rain. I’m now looking for a tent that has a separate screened in room to utilize it as a mud room as well as a lounge room when the bugs are unbearable. Looking for quality suggestions preferably under $500. I found these tents below to be a desirable design but am not familiar with the quality or reputation of these tents. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-8-person-hybrid-tunnel-tent-with-screen-porch https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/wenzel-klondike-8-person-tent https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-8-person-hub-tent

Sometimes you can find 2 good flat spots at a campsite easier than one very large one. For certain ages you would want the kids with you. We have a 6 person Coleman that is comfortable for 4. If you use cots, you can store bags under the cots so that helps with space. Bigger tents tend to be taller too which allows you to stand.

Mine had her uncle's ancient 1 person tent when she was like 6. She's a giant so when she got too tall for it a couple years later, we got her a 6 person Coleman tent (free from a work rewards thing, she'd have a smaller cheaper one otherwise) so she can stand up to change in it, and so her bestie who comes with us a lot doesn't have to sleep in a tent with adults 

If you’re looking for an affordable tent, get one of the coleman dome tents.  Keep in mind that a 6 person tent will be very tight for 6 full grown people. If the boys are 15+ get at least a 8 person tent.