Coleman Dome

This tent has been to 1/2 barrel parties, bands, pig roasts, and many, many weekends camping on the Wisconsin rivers.

I paid around $120 for the tent (Wal-Mart).

The tent held up great through wind storms, pouring rains, and a few flash floods (and an ocassional drunk guy tripping over guy lines...)

The tent survived days in the sun, I waterproofed it 3 times a year with Colman's waterproofing spray, and never had to seal the seams. It has stayed dry and comfortable many nights. If a tent could talk, this thing would have stories to tell. The only problems I had was with the fiberglass poles bending in high winds. There are no guy out points on the fly except for the 4 corners that buckle to the 2 main poles. The "no-seeum mesh" held up good (which is on the inner doors and top windows) but somwhere along the way, I suspect that bug spray got on some of the mesh, and ate it up in a few places. I can say I put this tent through hell, and it took every bit of it. Just last year I had one of the fibergass poles snap, and repaired it with electrical tape for now. Condensation was never a problem, but I used the tent in the summer only. It could have used a gear loft, since 2 small storage pockets are the only thing in it.

A full coverage rain fly would have helped too, the 1 front door is the "square" type with the zipper down the middle.

The bottom of the tent, the strip right under the door, would like to fold over, letting in everything from water to sand. But if the main reason for a tent is to keep bugs out and stay dry, the Coleman worked just fine and I definatley got my $120 out of it! One very good thing, is that the Coleman Co. will stand behind there products 100%. I wrote them about the snapped pole and they are sending me a new replacement for free. The size of the tent is 8'x 8', so people can crap out in any direction and still strech out.

The window on the back and the door have a zip-close flaps for the rain.

That is great because you can look at the stars or watch the fire or zip it all shut when the rain hits.(or the wife wants to go "fishing" at 1 a.m.)

The tent is about 6 ft. high in the center, so if it is pouring out, or you need to get out of the elements, the door can be tied back and two people can sit inside on chairs comfortabley, and watch the lightning hit the other guy's $400 easton aluminum poles and his titanium tent steaks and fry up his $1200 North Face.

Heh'heh'heh...............

CAMP ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!