Coleman SunDome Three to Four-Person 9 by 7-Foot Dome Tent

The Coleman 9180-907 SunDome Three-to-four-person Tent is a convenient, moderate sized tent for the whole family to enjoy. This nine-feet by seven-feet one-room tent can sleep three to four people in complete comfort. The Coleman exclusive Weather-Tec system is guaranteed to keep you dry and includes: a waterproof floor, leak-free and protected seams, weather resistant fabric, a strong frame design, and the zipper guard system. With 59-inches of vertical space in the center there is plenty of head room.

The Coleman SunDome tent comes with a rainfly that covers the door and windows for protection from the elements, as well as separate storage bags for the tent-poles and stakes and easy-to-follow set up instructions sewn into the carry bag. Features include a mesh vent to keep your tent fresh, a heavy-duty welcome mat, and a CoolAir port to further adjust ventilation or access your gear. Shock-corded steel poles will keep this tent a sturdy haven from the weather for years to come.

What's in the Box?
Coleman SunDome tent, rainfly, poles, stakes, storage bags, carry bag

Manufacturer Warranty
Five-year warranty

Amazon.com Tent Guide
Selecting a Tent
Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Expect the Worst
In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.

Three- and Four-Season Tents
For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.

For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.

Domes, Tunnels and Sacks
Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.

Size Matters
Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.

Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.

Customer Review: My Second Coleman Tent
I use this tent for short stays (weekends). My 12 and 10 year old have set it up. We have used it in the rain and wind. I was always dry and comfortable for 3 adults plus their bags. You can put 4 people in it. A 6ft young man also found he had enough room. It is well made with good instructions.

Many people think of tents as something you use to go camping. Well, that is true, but these days, they have other uses as well. A truly large tent can also be used for a wedding, a reception, party, a commercial or corporate function, and festivals and fairs. These commercial tents are as small as ten feet by ten feet, all the way up to ones that are one hundred feet wide! And, they can be either clear span (with no poles), the fancy tension tents, or the traditional pole variety.

In addition, many commercial tents come with flooring, lighting, heat and a stage. Best of all, you do even need to pay the cost of a purchase for a commercial tent if you prefer not; there are a number of firms that rent them. Not only do they rent them, the companies will come out to your site, set the tent up and then return to take it down when your event has completed - a true beginning-to-end service.

Conventional Tents for Your Camping Needs

Then there are the standard tents of commercial grade: the ones for a family camping trip. You can buy or rent small standard tents that simply lay out on the ground and have poles for support, or you can step up a bit on the scale of fanciness. There are tents that literally set themselves up when you pop them out of the box! Some commercial tents even come with miniature air conditioners.

Next, there are larger tents for families with a couple of kids. These tents have multiple rooms connected by "tunnels" - allowing Mom and Dad a retreat from the kids - and a large common room where everyone can gather. A tent of this size not only provides outdoor convenience, but is also much more fun for the kids.

Of course, you can't just spend all your time inside, but there is the pesky issue of flies, mosquitoes and other flying, biting, and generally nasty insects. These are not a problem if you have the right tents. Several models are designed with what can be called a "screened in porch." Some are free-standing, but many attach to the front of the tent. This allows the family to come out of their tent, sit and eat, chat, play games, etc. all without being eaten alive. In addition, you can also buy collapsible furniture to go in this "porch" area so that your camping time is as comfortable as possible.

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