Core Equipment - Instant Cabin Tent with Dark Room

Be aware Ozark Trail tents are by their manufacturers own statements, not intended for use outside of backyard camping setups. I have used them, they need some TLC to make them work right with LOTS of waterproofer. I have a 10x14 Dark Rest quick setup tent. and it got hosed down with waterproofer and seam sealer before it ever left my lawn... Unless you are planning group adult activities that might still be felonies in some jurisdictions, there really is no good reason to have a single tent ecompass everyone. Try this instead... The larger the tent, the harder it is going to be to find a suitable flat and cleared space to set it up, and it will become exponentially more difficult to set it up. A couple, or several tents for your sleeping areas. The 10x14 Dark Rest works great for 4 people, or 6 if 4 of them are kids... Set up a large tarp shelter, or open sided tent as a common meeting area / mess tent. You can buy, or rig something up with conduit, connectors and a giant poly tarp. OR if you know what you are doing a tarp, stakes, rope and trees...

I’ve had Core instant tents and never had an issue. Easily over 100 nights before any leaking, and I wasn’t taking the best care of it so likely could have lasted longer.

Core has a darkroom tent. I’m a fan of core tents.

Coleman or core. I’ve used both regularly and in some bad weather without problems. I like core instant tents for the quick setup and breakdown. Coleman Skydome are also great for a mix of dome and cabin style. Will likely want a 8 person or more for the space and headroom.

Check out a core instant. I have a 10, maybe 12 person, I don’t remember, but it’s a 10x14 footprint and easily holds 3 cots. If you have a Costco nearby check there, that’s where I got mine, and it was $250 last year when I bought it

So I haven’t experienced much rain with that one, but my other core tent that I have has held up well in rain. As long as you stake out the guy lines. Don’t make the same mistake I did 😅😅. It’s a great tent though, I was hesitant about the instant part of it having not used one before, but I love it. I can put it up/take it down by myself, plus it’s lighted so can’t complain about that either haha

Love our 12 man core tent. We’ve had it since 2019 and it’s gone on a bunch of trips with kids and dogs. Simple and affordable without all the gimmicks. We do put down a tarp before setup to protect it though. Just fyi tents are like bike frames - most are made in the same factory with different logos slapped on them and then different distribution companies selling them… just make sure they have a good warranty policy.

IMO Buy a Big Box weekend warrior 10-12 person tent with the main feature being set up time with a close second being ventilation. Nothing worse than waking up to it raining inside your tent. lol Look at the CORE Equipment Instant 12 Person Cabin Tent. I have the 6 Person version for my wife and I. We fit two cots, the dog bed and cooler with room to stand and dress. I have owned dozens of tents and this one is on the short list of favorites for car camping. I have had it for two years and it takes us less than 5 mins to set up. The set up is the selling point for me when it comes to camping with the family. I used youtube review vids to see how tents worked before settling in on this one. Super helpful. My son is now 22 and its been my experience that Maximizing the living area for family car camping is the best bang for your buck. Especially on a rainy weekend. Doing it in a way that doesn’t take all weekend to set up is the best bang for your sanity and marriage. I love to car camp with friends and family,and have done so for decades. But I also I hunt and fish deep in the wilderness so I have little more hardcore knowledge and use a lot of different gear for those things. With that, the more expensive tents are not automatically better than the cheaper versions. IMO they are more specialized and usually those differences cost more to make due to the specialized materials etc. The super expensive small hiking tents are all about weight over everything else, including comfort and durability. As someone that sets up in a State Park 10ft from the SUV those extra dollars are mostly waisted. Big canvas tents are designed for all seasons durability and long term set up. They are heavy duty in every which way and their setup is more complicated because they can withstand a foot of snow, 60mph winds all while you stay cozy next to the woodstove. I feel, If you are a fair weather weekend car camping the extra money is not worth putting into a specialized tent. But it really depends on your personal preferences and means. Nothing wrong driving to your plane in a bentley if you can do it. For me comfort items like a solar generator to run fans, air pumps, lights etc added to the quality of our stay way more than features on a tent that don’t match your need. I also like using cots and self pumping sleeping mats. As far as sleeping bags go, they are just like tents. Money is for the specialization and buying a real expensive on can lead to disappointment cause some tear so easy. I just use walmart specials and thru some (prob too much) money at a weighted blanket. Wont trade it for anything. Also Nice comfortable camping chairs, high end coolers or even a fridge go along way. You can even think bigger and look at maybe a canoe of you want to up your game. Not sure what you drive but car topping a canoe for a car camping trip really opens up a lot of cool adventures including river and island camping. Anyway, $3k can go a long way. Take your time and figure out what will make things more comfortable so tour family will want to do it more/longer.

Do you already have the air mattresses? If not, consider getting cots instead! We have a CORE 12-person instant cabin tent, it’s got plenty of room and is super easy to setup! It’s not the nicest tent on the market, but we are casual car campers and it works great for our family.

I picked up the 12 person version and just used it this past weekend. It ended up raining one day and it was dry on the inside. Everyone loved how big and spacious it was. I bought this just for my wife, my son, and I lol.

We have the core 12 person for just my husband and me. Highly recommend for a family

I've got a Core 12 person tent. Holds four people, two dogs, and all of our stuff. It's been out probably 20 times, one zipper is a little wonky, but is perfect otherwise. You might not need the 12, but they make them in different sizes. Highly recommend, less than $300.

Pretty sure I have the same one and I think we have had it for 10 years. Use it 3+ times a year too. And some times we rotate to a Core 12 person that’s also instant up.