Coleman - Flatwoods II™ Lightweight Dome Camping Tent

$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)

I do a lot of beach camping, and have a 4 person Coleman dome tent that has stood up to 35+mph winds on Cape Lookout. The only issue was that the wind was blowing the sand so hard it came up and into the vents in the top of the tent. It has gone through other thunderstorms too. One wiped out 3/4s the tents at Ocracoke and ours was standing strong. Probably not the best tent, but it has survived a lot of heavy weather. Ours has the little patio entrance thing, which is nice for sand. Just make sure you have good stakes.

Assuming car camping, a simple Coleman 4 person dome tent that they are capable of putting up/taking down with a friend. 

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.

coleman 6 person dome tent. 6' in the center. 4 poles. easy peazy https://preview.redd.it/cgsa2szz287g1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=942dd35996873b523a36c83c56faccb2eeb3d258

i THINK it was a sundome - was purchased in 2021

I have a 6 person coleman dome tent for myself. It would absolutely work for 2 people. I like my space, and if it rains I can fit my xl zero gravity chair in it and not disrupt my set up. I, personally, wouldn't go smaller than a 6 person for 2 people.

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.

My 4-man Coleman has weathered some beatings over the past 10 years. Solid tent.

By the way I’m a member of r/snowpeak and thought your question asking about the Alpha Breeze entertaining to a bunch of Snow Peak nut jobs. lol I’ve had various tents for various situations over the years. Earliest memory was using a Coleman four man tent with my family when I was a kid, an acceptable tent for a child, but I also didn’t know any better. I would say any sub $200 tent now probably falls in the same quality of cheaper tent fabric and lower quality poles. In my teens and throughout my 30s, I got big into backpacking so it was with brands like MSR and Big Agnes. In that time of lightweight backpacking tents, I really loved the original MSR Mutha Hubba (3p), it was lightweight and very packable and was spacious relative to its total weight. I’ve since gotten a newer MSR Hubba Hubba (2p) which I like, slight lowering in quality since the 2000s era of MSR quality. Which brings us full circle to the Alpha Breeze, it’s now my dedicated car camping tent, having also slept in and seen other tents that friends bring on car camping trips. It’s something I view as a long term investment that features thoughtful tent design along with the durability that comes with quality. Last thing, the price is high, but I’m seeing this as something that will last me +10 years, if not 20. Which over time breaks down to about $60/year if using 10 years.

We moved from a Coleman 4P to a 6P, and it was a game changer, WAY more space for cots, and you don’t feel like you’re rolling over someone to get out at night. I’ve heard great things about Gazelle tents, especially for their quick setup, but I also agree they run a bit tight if you’re factoring in cots rather than foam pads. If vertical space matters (standing up, changing clothes, or convincing the dog to not sleep on someone’s sleeping bag), I'd say go for the biggest tent you can justify lugging in your car. Comfort > convenience when you’re camping with the fam.