After setup, we assessed the size of each tent by inflating two camping pads that, when pushed together, create a queen-sized mattress. Most car campers want comfort, so if we couldn’t fit a queen-size mattress in the tent, it lost a point. If it wasn’t able to fit four sleeping bags side-by-side, it was docked further. While there are lots of excellent family tents on the market, instant camping tents have been gaining popularity, so we decided to focus our testing exclusively on tents that claimed to be set up in 5 minutes or less. These family-style instant tents will transform your family campouts.
Although some tents promise to hold up to 12 people, things can get a little cramped when you have all the sleeping bags fully rolled out. Measurements will matter more than how the tent is advertised, so use a measuring tape to coleman cabin tent map it out and decide on the size that will accommodate sleeping arrangements. This 6 person tent is more deluxe than the original product and its alternatives, but customers feel it’s a worthy investment for camping-lovers.
There is a vent at the bottom to allow airflow and prevent condensation. Coleman Hampton 6 Person Family Camping Cabin Tent is for families who don’t mind the hassle of setting up their tents. If you want more space, convenient entry/exit and the feeling of a hotel room in the outdoors, this would be a better choice than the 6 Person Instant Tent.
The tent body simply clips onto a set of aluminum poles that dock into grommets at four corners of the tent. These now-common clip-style setups are generally intuitive and can be accomplished in minutes—certainly this was coleman bbq true of the Mineral King 3, as under good conditions one person pitched the tent in under five minutes. In high winds, it took us a maximum of 10 minutes to pitch and fully secure the tent fly with extra lines and stakes.
Literally anyone can have this tent out of the bag and fully pitched in about 10 seconds. That’s because Coleman uses a flexible fiberglass frame that packs down flat for storage, but then “pops” up instantly into its fully pitched form the second you unfold it. You can literally just toss it into the air and watch it expand before your eyes (you won’t be the first or last camper to do so).
This is helpful if you are wondering at night trying to find your tent. Staking in the tent will make it even sturdier and you will feel safer when there is a storm. However, some users reported that the stakes are really cheap and flimsy so you might want to think of getting better stakes than bringing the ones that come with it. The manufacturer also thinks of the user at night as it adds reflective guylines so that the user won’t wander around in the forest trying to find his/her own tent.
We researched new models and redesigns, and we assembled a new batch of small tents for testing in March 2022, this time on Oahu. During this period, winds rose up to 35 to 40 knots, and we experienced passing showers as well as direct sunlight and 80-degree temperatures. To mimic heavier rain and to test the tent’s ability to withstand soggy ground conditions, we also soaked our tents with a garden hose. A few weeks later, we brought the front-runners to a platform in an area that had higher elevation, near the Waianae Mountain Range, and camped out overnight in intermittent but consistent rainfall. Whether you’re thinking of hitting the road or staying close to home for your next car-camping adventure, you and your loved ones will need a comfortable place to sleep.
Beyond that, it’s really just a budget tent that’s lacking in bells and whistles, along with less flashy inclusions—such as ventilation, better weatherproofing, and a second door—that would definitely boost its value. For those cloudless summer nights, this could make for an attractive option for families in search of low-cost camping, however there are still several competitive options out there at similar price points. Both Base Camp tents have two doors and lots of mesh in the main tent body. (The mesh on most of the family tents we tested started much closer to the ground.) This design is a big plus for people who regularly camp in crowded campgrounds and don’t like to get naked in front of strangers. And you can unzip the front door, remove it, and neatly stash it into one of the tent’s internal pockets—a useful feature if you’re feeling sociable.
Like the Night Cat, this tent can’t stand on its own without the integrated rainfly. The rainfly is attached to the telescoping fiberglass poles, and you can remove the internal tent for a sun tent or a minimal camping cover. The problem is that in tent mode, the Toogh doesn’t have nearly the same level of ventilation as the other tents we tried.
For retail purchases returned with a receipt, please return the unused and unopened item, with the
original sales receipt, for a full refund or exchange. All returns with a gift receipt will receive a store
credit for the amount of the item at the time of purchase. It was easy to disassemble and pack up, having us out of our campsite in no time. The Coleman Skylodge had all of the simplicity of an Instant tent with lots of great design features. No, the tent does not have any vestibules to keep your muddy boots and outdoor clothing, etc.