Meet the Sundome® tents designed to make your next camping trip even better than before. We made sure the Sundome 2-Person Camping Tent’s WeatherTec™ system helps protect against rain and wind whether you’re at the campground with family or in the backcountry with friends. Get to the epic hikes or epic camp meals faster—the tent sets up quickly thanks to the snag-free, continuous sleeves.
Because of the no-frills approach to this tent build, pitching the Sundome only took 5 minutes and 43 seconds. Coleman chose not to use grommets like the rest of the tent world and instead attached a pin on every corner that slides inside the pole. Packing the tent back up into the bag isn’t very hard either.
And although it has a rather durable floor and a decent choice in materials for the canopy and rainfly, the vulnerable fiberglass poles give cause for concern. In addition, coleman screen tent Coleman’s somewhat infamous build quality gives the Sundome a questionable lifespan. However, for occasional use this tent should serve its intended purpose.
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. For this review, we tested the six-person Sundome, which we think is just about ideal for families of three to four people. For smaller groups or those confined by small campsites, Coleman offers three other size options. For groups in the two to three-person range, we think the Sundome four-person should be just about right. If you are camping solo or with a furry friend, we’d recommend opting for the three-person or two-person models.
However, coming in at 9.8 lbs with 63 sq ft of tent space, a family of four can certainly make due. The easy and simplicity of set up also makes the a smart choice for family camping trips. Not only does it cut down set up time and leave more time for enjoying your trip, teaching kids to set this tent up is made easy thanks to the design. Although this simple dome-style tent comes with a convenient carry bag which makes it easy for car camping, it’s a little too heavy to be used for backpacking. At almost 10 pounds, it would be too heavy for carrying over long distances.
The power port is pretty convenient and the vent window located near the ground allows for air circulation. Sundome 2 has a good sized carry bag and it holds the tent with room to spare. In the bag, you’ll find the tent body, two long poles for the tent body, one short pole for the rain fly, a small “welcome mat” and (9) stakes. Setup instructions are sewn inside the carry bag, though I was able to figure out how to set it up without reading them. When deciding which tent to buy between Coleman Sundome and Skydome, comfort is an essential factor that must be considered. The Coleman Sundome offers more room which is excellent for tall campers, making it the winner in terms of space and comfort.
Once the tent was pitched, I did a walk around and noted any prior damage from the previous user. 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.
Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. There are plenty of other options to consider if the Coleman sundome doesn’t feel like the right tent for you. But most users who had used one found that fitting anyone else in the tent – even without an air mattress of their own – was very tight.