Longs Peak 4-Person Fast Pitch Dome Tent

I’ve had Coleman’s all my life and don’t have issues with them. My current is a Weather Storm (I think) from 2017 and we camp 4-5 times a year with the dog and it’s holding up good. If you’re car camping with the family Coleman is a great choice.

Like others have said getting a 2-3 person tent is good enough for a solo but… I like the Colman’s Easy Up 4-person tent. It’s a cabin tent so its bigger than your normal dome tent. I got one for my mom because she is getting older and needs something that she can set up easily by herself and can stand up in. it is a bit heavy but if you can handle the extra weight its worth it. I will always recommend Colman for beginning/casual campers because they are fairly inexpensive and the quality it pretty good for the price. Though they may not be that good in harsh weather conditions. If you don’t need the head space a simple dome tent will do you and will be less headache to put up and down. Also recommend buying a cheap tarp for rain cover. Helps shade your tent and keeps it bone dry.

I've had a couple of the instant set-up cabin tents throughout the years, I will keep buying this type until I make the jump to travel trailer. However, I cannot recommend the 10p Core with the built in screened porch. The porch is basically useless in the rain, it doesn't detach & holds the front part of the rainfly. If you decide to keep the screen open it just collects bugs that quickly make it into the tent when you unzip the doors to get in. This is my first Core & probably my last, will probably go back to the Coleman in the same size for my very last tent. Choose Wisely.

My wife and I faced the exact same problem this year and bought a Coleman 4-person for about $100. FWIW, the only time we've used it we got caught in a rainstorm and came out fine. It's not a totally stupid tent, and going with their reputation as making solid non-glamorous gear seems to have worked out. It makes no pretense at all at being light, which for car camping doesn't matter.

A few of our scouts use Coleman tents; one has a two-person, and one has a 4-person. They lack a vestibule for storing gear to keep it out of the rain, but they are quick to set up and they aren't horrible quality. Our scouts have been using theirs for a couple years now. You probably already know, but a 2-person tent will only sleep two tiny people, and 4-person MIGHT fit three.

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

Both of my kids have them and use them often. I have borrowed them a couple of times and really loved the fact that they block that unwelcome morning sun. They don't seem heavy, they are just coated with a different material that maybe adds ounces. I am speaking of the Coleman 4 man tents however.

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.

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.