Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I was somewhat wary of buying a budget tent, but it turns out that this tent is pretty functional and a good value. The quality definitely beats a no-name tent from a big box store, but it doesn't quite rise to the level of a mid range brand such as Eureka. Bright spots include a floor that's made of robust polyethylene. The fiberglass poles feel substantial and the rainfly is made of surprisingly high quality material. One place where quality does not particularly shine is the mesh walls, which use a fairly cheap netting, not the fine "no see um" mesh you'll find on better tents. The small, low quality zippers also leave something to be desired. The basic design is not bad. There are continuous pole sleeves, which makes for easy threading of the poles. Setup is easy enough that I can set up the tent by myself. Inside you'll find two small pockets for storage, a loop on the ceiling for hanging lights, and a small pass thru for bringing an extension cord inside. The tent is nicely sized for 2 adults with gear, or perhaps 3-4 adults without gear. I wouldn't attempt six adults, though six small kids might be doable. The interior rises to 6 feet tall, allowing most people to stand up inside, a real luxury when camping. For car camping where weight is not a concern, it's difficult to go wrong with a large tent like this. The Sundome is a well ventilated tent, whether you want ventilation or not. Two of the 4 walls are made from mostly mesh, not fabric. Because of all that mesh, this tent will not seal up tight. It excels in warm and hot weather, but is a poor choice for cold temperatures or dusty conditions. As for rain, I had initial concerns about the rain fly design. (The fly barely extends far enough down to cover the open mesh walls, leaving little overlap for rain). Nevertheless, I have now spent several nights in the Sundome in light to moderate rain, and was impressed that no water made it inside, even with water puddled under the tent. Still, with only one layer of fabric overhead, you'll do well to seam seal the rain fly, keep it in good condition, and stake it down. In researching this tent, I found that Coleman sells a lot of similar 6 person tents at big box stores like Wal-mart and Dick's. These tents have varying names and are rarely pictured without the rain fly, so it's hard to compare them. I believe those tents are basically inferior variations of the Sundome. For example, the Coleman Picton Dome tent from Walmart contains less fabric, more mesh, and the accessory poles are noticeably thinner. It also uses far fewer attachment clips, making the design less robust. I would skip these variations and stick with the Sundome, or a more expensive model from a major manufacturer. Overall, this is a reasonably well made tent that's aimed squarely at fair weather family campers. For that purpose, it works pretty well. If I expected to camp in cold weather or had a family who was tough on gear, I might pass on this tent and spend a bit more. 3.5 stars.