Coleman - Sundome Dark Room

A Sundome or Skydome is still easier to set up and a lot more waterproof. The fact that they added an extra sold separately rainfly to the Instant shows it’s bad.

Blackout and waterproof. I rock a Coleman 8 man Skydome or a 4 man Sundome

Coleman Sundome and Skydome are both super easy

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

Coleman Sundome or Skydome. Check out an Ollie’s if you have one. The other Coleman tents will probably be just fine too. But I would avoid the instant up - sets up fast but leaks so badly they made an additional rainfly for it.

Try a Coleman Sundome or Skydome from Ollie’s, blackout if you can get it. I’ve bought both to festivals with multiple severe thunderstorms and was much dryer than people who brought much more expensive tents. The bathtub floor will be much better in bad weather than this tent. Sometimes you can get a dud Coleman that leaks in one spot, but that’s only happened to me once. Just set it up and test it in rain before your event. I will say avoid the instant tent, that thing is so bad they sell an aftermarket rainfly to fix it.

If you check out the Sundome on Amazon, I think it’s the most reviewed tent they sell

And IMO, the difficulty of putting it away offsets the ease of setting it up. Gimme a basic Coleman any day.

Coleman tents are generally VERY waterproof. I’ve used one many times in severe thunderstorms. Check out the Amazon reviews for the Sundome.

I didn’t bother to buy it after testing the instant tent in the rain. But my Sundome and Skydome are great in bad weather

I had a stoic madrone 4 and water came in through the floor. On the other hand, my 8 man darkroom Sundome keeps me totally dry in severe thunderstorms even though the rainfly doesn’t reach the ground. The tent body is also waterproof.

The Sundome is a classic for a reason. Get a darkroom version if you can

They work the same as the non darkroom versions

Poor design. The Sundome and Skydome don’t leak like that

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.

Several of our other adult scout leaders have them. I’m not a fan. Rainfly is a separate purchase. It is fast to set up, but weird. And awkward to take down and dry out. It isn’t worth saving 5 minutes of set up to cause more hassle later, Door is only on one side, which makes it hard to use 2 cots (6 person). I would rather do a Sundome for similar size/ease with more utility.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Coleman Sun Dome. Be aware that an N-Person tent fit's N people uncomfortably. You should get a 6 person tent to fit 4 people

When I take my two kids camping we use to use a Coleman Sundome for a couple years but I got so tired of having to set it up and tear it down that I got a Gazelle T4 tent and I've been very happy with the ease of setting it up alone in under 90 seconds

I've had that Sundome and it's fine for a budget car camping temp. Real nice for two people and a dog. Will fit a queen air mattress and still have room at the foot for a dog bed.

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.

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!

I've had a coleman sundome for a few years now and it's been a great tent for me. I have had it in some pretty heavy rain and it's always been dry inside. However, the last year or so I have been tieing a large tarp over my tent area to help a bit with some of the condensation / water that tracks through. It's a very small tent and I always end up touching *a* side and that causes water to come through. With a tarp over top it does a better job of keeping dry.

I went through heavy downpours with a Coleman sundome including inches of standing water, never had a leak. The bottom of the tent is especially well-designed for water I think since it goes up the sides and doesn’t have seams on the bottom. I have camped in this tent in cooler fall weather in the Midwest down to around 30F and was pretty okay when layered up in my sleeping bag with hand warmers inside. I totally trust this tent in rain though. ETA: I just looked closer at the picture you posted and this tent is different from the one I have, though it has the same design on the bottom. The 4-person sundome tent has a different rain fly/window design, though it still isn’t a full rain fly.

The coleman sundome was my go-to for 2 decades of car camping. Great ventilation and it’s waterproof for at least the first few years, after that either spray it or replace it.

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.

Same here. I have this exact tent and it most definitely is a three-seasons tent. I've been poured on for days in the PNW with no leaks.

Several recommendations for the Coleman tents. Of the two models mentioned, Sundome and Skydome, the Skydome is the far better tent in my opinion. The Skydome has an all clip suspension, while the Sundome has partial pole sleeves. An all clip suspension tent is much easier to pitch solo than a tent that uses sleeves. Stake the corners, assemble the poles, insert poles in the corners. Unzip the door, take off your shoes, step into middle of tent, clip the top clip over both poles. Attach the rest of the clips and add the fly. The Sundome, you'll have to raise the tent body as you insert the poles in the corners. That adds weight and resistance. Lastly, the Skydome has a full coverage rainfly, while the Sundome only comes down halfway. Spend a little more and get the superior tent.

The Coleman will probably do the trick as they don’t fret about the weight but also look at some European brands, they’re better at the bathtubs imo  The BA having a 1500mm floor is yikes to me, 3000mm+ baby! (Checking- the lowest I have is 4500) 

The tent looks exactly like a Coleman Sundome tent. To the point where I'm pretty sure they just stole a picture of one and slapped their logo on it. An actual Coleman tent is pretty affordable and will last a good amount of time for the casual camper.

It depends, you know? I have three tents that were each $400+, one is a two person backpacking tent that weighs like 2.5lbs, one is a 3 person backpacking tent for canoe trips, and one is a 4 person snow tent for the winter. I **also** have a $60 Coleman sundown that I got on Amazon like 8 years ago and it's my favorite "Im going car camping this weekend" beater tent. "Oh shit that tree branch is kinda rubbing on the tent, do you think it'll tear?" "Dude this thing was $60 and built like a tank who gives a shit" You're probably buying the perfect tent for what it's made for.

They often get flak for being on the cheaper side or being a "dad tent", but Coleman makes great, sturdy tents for the average car camper. If you're not camping in extreme weather they will suit your needs very well. I just retired my 5+ year old Coleman Sundome after 60+ nights due to a tear and will be replacing it with... a Coleman Skydome.

The coleman sundome is about as good as you can get in the "cheap but good" category. Mine is starting to show wear in the corners, but I've had it two years and it has lived through some TORRENTIAL thunder and windstorms.

Cheap and great for the price: a Coleman Sundome. Get a 3-person for every 2 people. We've had far fancier and more expensive tents, and the sundome just keeps going and going. It's not what you need for camping in a blizzard, but for family camping it's really amazing bang for the buck.

Your friend should replace it? Coleman sundomes are great bang for the buck as long as you're car camping/not counting on them for extreme/survival situations.

This tent is going to be a pain the the butt. Get a large Coleman sundome.

Could be, probably depends on what is important to you. A higher quality tent has higher end fabrics and poles and probably less weight for the size. If that is important, you will probably pay more. Does that mean the 35.00 Coleman Sundome is junk, not really, it just means it is probably less rugged (fiberglass pole set) and definitely heavier. Will it work in a rainstorm, in my experience, mostly. Will it stand up to wind like a BA Copper Spur, nope. Horses for courses. Light, durable, cheaper: pick two. Look at REI brand tents for a decent balance of price and quality, but, they will be heavier than a similar tent for a more premium brand. My backpacking buddy has used his ALPs Mountaineering tent everywhere I have used my more expensive Big Agnes tent and has been perfectly happy with it.

Most under $100 are trash. Some can be gems though. The Coleman Sundome is a decent tent if you can deal with lack of mesh and fiberglass poles. The best budget tents out there are from Featherstone, Naturehike, Teton Sports and 3F UL Gear. Look for aluminum poles, mesh bodies (for summer tents) and silpoly or silnylon construction.

My kids were probably 8-ish when they got my 22-year-old Coleman Sundome.

We got the coleman sundome on rollback for $70ish Super easy setup and fast.

We've been seeing it everywhere in national parks. Great little tent value for the cost.

Coleman Sundome provides good bang for your bucks. They go on sale often too. Definitely get a bigger tent than for the people listed. That number is for the people right next to each other and no space for anything else. Do you like what you borrow from family? If so use that tent style, size and brand as your starting point.

Got my 2-person Coleman Sundome for $40 on sale, it literally survived a tornado while set up. I just had to stake it back down.

You’re overthinking it. Just go pick up a six person tent at Dick’s or Walmart and you’ll be fine. I’ve been using the same Coleman Sundome for car camping for two decades, it cost 60 bucks.

This (Coleman Sundome) was my first tent, as well. It was a great tent and the only reason I upgraded was because I wanted something bigger.

Sierra trading post often has good deals on last year's models: https://www.sierra.com/s~tent/priceor~$0-$60/ the Sierra Designs (different company but on sale there) for $50 and the Coleman sundome for $60 are great deals on easy to set up 2-4 person tents. I think these are both better quality tents than the budget Ozark Trail models from Wal-Mart. 

Sure, I get where you are coming from, not really an advantage but better experience, at least for me. My personal experience is with one of my older tent coleman sundome, where the fly kind of goes just below where the screen material is. In windy conditions, the, due to the gap, the wind finds its way in and make the fly very flap around a lot and hence its very loud. My experience with a full fly tent, I have a marmot limestone, I can pull the fly tight and low to the ground which minimizes the wind going under the fly and therefore the wind noise due to the material flapping around. YMMV

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.

I have a gazelle - great tent - super easy setup and it’s tall enough to stand in. Downside it’s heavy and big. Like the size of a small person in the bag. And I think it weighs maybe 30 some pounds. Like any tent you have to make sure it’s dry before putting it away etc. I also don’t like the fact that the floor is velcro-ed on. I haven’t had any issues but it seems strange. I’ve also had a sundome - it’s light packs small mine was a 3 person so it’s short and tight inside. Takes time to set up as with the poles etc. Some of the taller domes a shorter person would struggle to get the fly on. I’m 5’4 and have to keep that in mind if I plan to put them up alone. I have a tensleep I love - but it’s essentially a dome and a super large fly — hard to set up in the wind.

I have a sundome without the porch and love it. Got it for like $70 and it has served me well

We took a Sundome to Black Rock Campground. It was there that I learned the value of upgrading tent stakes. I've never been in such a windy campgound. Our tent blew over and it's probably only by sheer luck that it didn't blow away. I would recommend beefier stakes.

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.