I switched from a giant 8-person tent to a Coleman Sundome 6 last year for basically the same reasons, my back and my car space both thanked me. The center height is comfy enough to hunch over and dress, and I can set it up by myself in like 10-12 minutes tops. The ventilation’s decent too.
Only thing is it doesn’t have a screened porch, but I just throw a little mat under the rainfly at the door for shoes and it works fine.
INFO: are you driving in or hiking in? You mentioned a cot, so I'm assuming drive-in, but it's good to make sure.
The Coleman Sundome is super easy, even the 6 person. And I love my LostHorizon self inflating mattress.
Your experience with the Ozark Trail tent actually highlights the biggest factor here: in wind, size and shape matter more than brand. Tall, boxy 6-person tents act like sails, especially at this price point. Sustained \~35 mph wind is pushing any budget family tent, but lower-profile dome tents tend to handle it much better, which is exactly why your smaller backup tent performed better.
If bad weather is a real concern, I’d focus on a simple dome design with a full rainfly, fewer big mesh panels, and solid guy-out points. From your list, the Coleman Sundome is probably the most proven option in storms when it’s well staked. The larger Coleman models and the Sequoia are more comfortable, but their height makes them more vulnerable in strong wind unless you’re very sheltered. Personally, I’d take a slightly smaller, simpler tent that stays standing over extra space when the weather turns.
I was in your exact spot two years ago. 5'3" mom with a 4 year old. Got a 6 person tent and never regretted it. The extra space means you can stand up to change yourself and the kid, plus room for a potty at 3am. I found a Eureka Copper Canyon 6 on FB for $80. Keep hunting. Coleman Sundome 6 is also solid and like $120 new. Don't overthink it. Get the 6 person. You'll thank me.
AN0NY_MOU5E
