Wasn’t even able to get the tent set up in a mild wind before one of the corner plastic parts broke. I contacted Wal-Mart (1-800-WALMART) to see where I could get a replacement pole for the tent. They are idiots and seemed like they didn’t want to help me by supplying me with the manufacturer’s phone number. I purchased Model #WT98010R and I’ve had it for 2 years and have put it up probably 6 times. This summer I had it up in the backyard after a birthday party for several days and one of the poles broke during a bad storm while I was at work.
It occurred to me that if I insist on inviting people into a blazing Mojave inferno in the height of the summer it would be polite to provide some shade. Shade can be a matter of survival there if you’re outside at midday. Then I started having other wild fantasies, like effectively ozark trail chairs adding a room to the desert shack where I live by erecting the shadehouse in the backyard. A gust of wind probably around 50 MPH took it down. Broke all four corner hubs and bent all 1b poles beyond repair. Now unable to get all the parts I need to make it worth repairing.
Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with only six stakes. (Our runner-up pick comes with eight.) Six is enough to secure the tent and fly but not to fully secure the tent’s extra lines in very windy conditions. This shouldn’t be an issue in most situations, but if you’re headed into a particularly windy place or simply want some backup, we suggest picking up four extra tent stakes at your local outdoor shop or online. These inexpensive stakes are comparable to the ones that accompany the Mineral King 3; these slightly more expensive stakes will serve you well in any car-camping terrain.
Like the Mineral King 3, this tent comes with a footprint. Like our couples’ tent pick, the Wireless 6 is a dome-shaped tent with a tried and true two-pole design. It has an interior footprint of 87 square feet, which sleeps four adults on single pads, or two adults and two or three children, and can accommodate a crib. It has two large doors, and a peak height of 6-foot-3.
In terms of flaws, there aren’t much to speak of with the Wawona 6, apart from the price. The North Face offers a limited lifetime warranty ozark trail canopy on the tent, and will repair most flaws and damage at its discretion. Like our top pick, the Tungsten 4 comes with a footprint.
This dome-style tent has nearly vertical walls, high ceilings, and a single vestibule the size of an actual mudroom. It’s also straightforward to set up, and it is made with sturdy, light materials. It’s expensive, but you get value for your money. I have found it takes ozark trail screen house two people to put this screenhouse together. I have two of them and the only complaint I have is that when they are up and you sip the doors shut the bottom is two foot off the ground. But for the most part we like it and take both of them camping with every time we go.
Weighing just 7 pounds, the tent is light enough to double for backpacking trips, especially if you divide the pieces among hikers. Next day delivery isn’t available on certain items during sales or promotions. Check the items delivery info at point of purchase. Please allow business days of processing and production time for your order to ship out.
The best-selling Coleman Sundome 6-Person Tent has a footprint larger (100 square feet) than that of our top-pick tent for families, but it felt smaller because it has a lower ceiling, no vestibule, and only one door. Nevertheless, it still comfortably accommodates four people, and it’s a roomy choice for two. This no-nonsense tent is intuitive to set up, has mesh on the top halves of two walls, includes a partial rain fly that’s easy to put on and stake out, and feels cheery inside and out. (We don’t recommend the smaller version of this tent for couples who might actually take it on the road; it was just too flimsy in our tests.) Also note that this tent does not come with its own groundsheet.
The Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 Tent is the best car-camping tent choice for couples. It has everything you need for three-season camping, with the bonus of being light enough to double as an occasional backpacking tent. Although it’s designed to accommodate three people—hence the “3” in its name—we found that at 42.5 square feet, the tent is more comfortable for two, plus gear and maybe a medium-size dog. A classic polyester dome tent, the Mineral King 3 uses two high-quality pre-bent aluminum poles, which maximize head and shoulder space, making this tent feel less cramped than other dome tents we tested. Two large doors provide easy entry and exit, and a vestibule—that’s camping speak for “mudroom”—outside each door adds significant sheltered storage. The Mineral King 3 has a full rain fly, which you can roll up halfway or completely remove for epic stargazing.