Tent poles are constructed of fiberglass, which is heavier than their lightweight aluminum counterparts. The coleman sundome 2’s tent body and fly material seemed fairly durable. The bathtub floor is thicker and more rigid than floors of other tents I own. While I didn’t take a sharp stick and try to recreate a Houston mosquito trying to get inside, the bug mesh felt pretty sturdy. Recently, I got the chance to camp for a few days in various weather conditions in the Coleman Elite Sundome Tent.
For carrying, the included rectangular bag for the Sundome is simple in nature, but the full-length zipper and well-placed handles get the job done. We would have loved to see internal dividers like those found on the REI Kingdom bags, but those likely would have raised the price of the Coleman. However, like the Sundome the mesh windows in this tent mean that without the rain fly on, users lose all sense of privacy. The floor is also best used with a footprint or trap underneath to make sure it isn’t damaged. The fiberglass poles’ sleek design means they are less likely to catch on the sleeve during setup and breakdown, which makes this a frustration-free setup. Because of the basic setup, you also won’t have to struggle with poles or the rainfly in the hot sun for long stretches of time.
Our best guess is that the water ran down the rainfly, made contact with the tent body, and then proceeded to leak through the seam where the wall is sewn to the bathtub floor. All in all, we were pretty disappointed in its wet weather performance. If you think you’ll experience rain on your camping adventures, you get what you pay for here and it’s probably best to look elsewhere. We tested the six-person version of the , which offers a healthy 10 feet x 10 feet of floor area.
The use of weaker materials like cheap plastic clips, elastic connection points, fiberglass poles, and the tarp floor is where the Sundome could fail after harsh use. A classic dome structure, single door, and vented roof make pitching this tent relatively easy, though we had issues with the rainfly. The floor is also cheap polyethylene material — you will basically be sleeping on a tarp — and we had some pole malfunction right out of the gate. However, coming in at 9.8 lbs with 63 sq ft of tent space, a family of four can certainly make due. The Coleman Sundome is a basic dome tent, not intended for camping in extreme weather conditions.
The two main body poles are 8.5mm fiberglass the same size Coleman uses on their Sundome 2 and Sundome 3. On the Sundome 6 they use an 11mm fiberglass pole which is the right choice for that size tent. At the least with fiberglass poles on this Sundome 4 they should have used a 9.5mm pole for strength.
Atlantic Rigging Supply offers the highest quality marine hardware for both marine and non-marine end users. Our products are designed to withstand the harshest conditions, have the highest working loads in their field and are made from the best materials available. You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. You can return the 3P Hitch at any time during the first 60 days of use for a complete refund. 60 days begins when you receive the product unless otherwise arranged for a later date.
I also don’t use the supplied stakes; I have those good nail spikes with the orange top. Another con in my opinion would be the lack of structural guy outs. There is one guy out loop sewn into the bottom seam of the rainfly on each side for a total of two that are really used to hold the rainfly out over the mesh panel.
The can be set up by one camper – even one without any experience. As always though – we recommend you practice setting the tent up at home before you head out on your trip. It helps you feel more confident in your ability and will speed things up considerably. Even without gear, it’s going to be a fight for floor space. Groups of four or families would definitely be better off investing in a larger model – like the 6 person model. Also, I found that the rainfly pole doesn’t provide enough shading over the door of this Skydome Tent.
Do you have a similar tent and would you like to share your experience with us? But when you pick up the Sundome for ONE THIRD the price of the slightly larger Tetragon 9, you can put up with a lot of little bothers.
The dark fabric also helps keep the tent cooler, which is a nice plus in the hot summer months. Cost-wise, the Dark Room will set you back approximately $30 more (depending on current sale prices) compared with the regular Sundome. With a double-wall design and generous use of mesh on two sides and the ceiling, the Coleman Sundome 6 offers very good ventilation. Adding to the breezy feel is its partial rainfly, which when guyed out allows for a significant amount of airflow on warm summer nights. You also get a zippered mesh door and back wall along with a floor vent located at the back of the tent. We had mixed feelings about the overall durability of this tent.