Valerie Root
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There are many Coleman tents combinations made exclusively for different retail and wholesale sellers that can make it challenging to determine which tent is best for you. 

To better understand which Coleman tent will work best for you, we will simplify the decision by breaking down the Coleman tent sizes and types.


Coleman Tents By Type


Coleman 2 Person Tent


Coleman Sundome 2 Person Tent

The Coleman Sundome 2 Person Tent is a great warm weather tent is quite roomy with a 5’ x 7’ footprint that is big enough to hold a queen air mattress.

The Coleman 2-person Sundome Tent patented WeatherTec™ system includes a rainfly and a sturdy frame rated to withstand winds up to 35 miles per hour.

Of course, if your Coleman Sundome 2 person dome tent isn’t staked down or full of heavy stuff, it might still ‘sturdily’ fly away!

The Sundome is Coleman’s most popular tent for camping during the summer months or warm weather.

These Coleman 2 person tents have big windows and a ground vent to help with airflow along with an e-port to make it easy to bring power to the tent. 


Coleman 3 Person Tent


Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tent

The Coleman Sundome Tent 3 Person is much more spacious than it’s little sister, the two-person. With a footprint of 7’ x 7,’ there is enough room for a queen size air mattress and room for a couple of bags, too.

The Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tent has large windows and a floor vent for extra airflow.

The Sundome comes with Coleman’s patented WeatherTec™ System with Insta-Clip™ Pole Attachments for stability against the wind.

It is an easy tent to put together and maybe a better choice, even for two people. 


Coleman Go 3 Person Dome Tent

The Coleman Go 3 Person Dome Tent is a better weather alternative to the Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tent.

They both share the same 7’ x 7’ footprint, but the Coleman Go 3-Person Dome Tent is a 3-season tent with a bigger rainfly.

The floor, tent, and rainfly are made with polyurethane and polyester, making it a very durable three-person tent.

If you are looking for a camping tent that can be used in the Spring and Fall along with the warm months, the Coleman Go 3 Person Dome Tent is a good choice. 


Coleman Tents By Size


Coleman 4 Person Tent


Coleman Sundome 4 Person Tent

The Coleman Sundome 4 person tent is a large four-person dome tent with a 9’ x 7’ footprint.

This is a great summer and warm weather tent with their patented WeatherTec™ system that includes a rainfly and is rated to withstand up to 35 mph winds.

The Coleman Sundome 4-person tent has two large doors that zip down into windows and include a floor vent for maximum airflow.

You can almost stand upright in the Coleman Sundome 4 person dome tent with a center height of 4’ 11”. 


Coleman Highline 4-Person Dome Tent

The Coleman Highline 4-person dome tent has the same footprint as the Sundome, 9’ x 7’.

While Coleman includes their WEatherTec system beware that the Coleman Highline gets bad reviews due to a fly that does not keep the weather out.

The problem is not with the WeatherTec system, which keeps rain from coming through your tent.

The real issue here is that the rain fly does not come far enough down the tent, which allows high winds and rain to get into your tent.

If you are considering a Coleman Highline 4 person dome tent, we would suggest you choose something different. 


Coleman 4 person instant tent

One of the easiest tents to ever assemble is the Coleman 4 person instant tent, which can be put up in under 60 seconds.

The most popular is their Coleman 4-person instant cabin tent with pre-attached poles that makes assembly simple.

The Coleman 4 person instant cabin has an 8’ x 7’ footprint, 7 square feet smaller than the Sundome or the Highline.

One nice feature is that the rainfly is integrated into the design, so you don’t have to put it on or take it off.

Reviews of this tent are really good, and the tent is surprisingly light at 10 pounds compared to other under 60-second setup competitors.

If you like the Instant Cabin, you may want to consider upgrading to the Juniper Lake™ 4-Person Instant Dome Tent with Annex.

They took the cabin model and added an annex that measures an additional 7’ x 2’ 4”.

The annex can be used for a whole other person, or you can push the sleeping bag ends into creating an additional 2+ of available floor space. 


Coleman 4-person pop-up tent

The Coleman 4-person pop-up tent may be the fastest pitched tent on the market with preassembled poles; this tent can be fully functional in 10 seconds.

Yes, not a typo, not 10 minutes, 10 seconds…

Basically, you just open it up, and it automatically just pops up.

Very cool, but the Coleman 4 person pop up tent does come with some limitations.

For instance, Coleman suggests it be used for festivals and beach trips without saying it; they assume you won’t attempt to sleep in it overnight.

The rainfly is integrated partially and won’t provide you with sustained protection from heavy winds or rain.

It also is doesn’t offer a lot of headroom with only a 3’ 11” clearance at the HIGHEST POINT.

But if you are looking for an easy to put up a tent for a day out in the sun, the Coleman 4-personal pop-up tent is a great option. 


Coleman 6 person tent

Coleman offers multiple 6 person tent options for whatever your camping needs.

When choosing a Coleman 6 person tent, you can select ones with such features that allow quick setup, are tall enough to stand in, or dark inside during the day.

Many of their tents include multiple features combined, making Coleman tents six-person a great choice. 

Coleman 6 person instant tent

The Coleman 6 person instant tent comes standard on all of their high walled cabin tents.

The Coleman 6 person instant cabin tent boasts center heights of 6’ 4” and has multiple add-on options, such as cabinets, a screened porch, or the elite system.

Most people who choose a Coleman 6-person instant cabin tent are looking for additional comforts from their tent and are willing to spend a bit more money.

The Coleman instant cabin tent includes their patented Weathertec system, and the customer reviews confirm it works well in rainy weather. 

Coleman sundome 6 person tent

The Coleman Sundome 6 person tent maybe the most purchased six-person tent on the market today.

The Sundome is Coleman’s take on the traditional dome tent with two poles thread through sleaves in an X formation with their ends placed into cleats in the four corners.

They do offer some options you may consider adding to your tent with their Coleman 6 person dark room fast pitch dome tent.

The Coleman 6-person dark room fast pitch dome tent includes pre-attached poles that are conveniently color-coded to help with a much quicker pitch.

Their dark room technology blocks out 90% of the sun, which can be nice if you want to put younger children to bed for naps or before the sunsets.

Another great use of darkroom technology is for people who wish to sleep later in the morning or nap during the day. 


Coleman 8 Person Tent


Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent

The Coleman Montana 8 person tent is their basic starter level tent and is the only one that does not include instant setup.

It includes a huge 16’ x 18’ floor footprint and is easily pitched by inserting the poles into the tent sleeves and secured by using their patented pin and ring system.

The Coleman Montana 8-person tent includes their industry-leading WeatherTec system to keep the wind and rain out.

This tent is suitable for summer camping, but this tent does not have a very big rain fly and, consequently, does not protect against wind and rain as well as other Coleman tents.

If you are looking for a bit of an upgrade, consider the Coleman Elite Montana 8 person tent.

The Elite Montana tent includes LED lighting technology in the ceiling and an actual light switch.

You can choose from high, low, and multiple nightlight settings, depending on your needs.

Another great feature is wider tent doors that are hinged and easier to open and close.

Finally, Elite Montana includes automatic roll-up windows to help you get that perfect ventilation. 


Coleman Cimmaron 8-person Modified Dome Tent

The Coleman Cimmaron 8 person dome tent is as basic as it gets.

Pitching this tent involves running six poles through their sleeves and inserting each end into the patented ring and pin system.

The center height is 6’ 2” so you can walk around inside and with a footprint of 14’ x 8 ‘ two queen beds fit inside.

The Cimmaron comes with the patented WeatherTec system to help keep the rain out, but the rain fly is a bit short, and this tent should only be used for summer camping. 


Coleman Tenaya Lake 8 Person Tent

Coleman 8 Person Tenaya Lake fast pitch cabin tent with closet

The Coleman Tenaya Lake 8 person tent is one of the smallest Coleman 8 person tent options with a footprint of 13’ x 9’.

It can still hold two queen beds, and they all come with a closet that can hold quite a bit of stuff.

They are nice because they include their fast pitch technology with the cabin style, which makes it easy to walk around in with a center height of 6’ 8”.

The fastpitch technology makes the Tenaya Lake much easier to pitch than the Cimmaron or the Montana 8 person tents. 


Coleman 8-person Red Canyon Tent

The Coleman 8 person Red Canyon tent, is your standard four-pole dome tent.

This is a weekend camper that includes room dividers to give privacy for up to three queen beds.

It is pretty big with a footprint of 17’ x 10,’ but after those features, this is a basic tent.

If you are looking for something big and simple, the Red Canyon is a good choice. 


Coleman 10 person tent

You have three options if you are considering the Coleman 10 person tent.

If you are willing to put two queen mattresses wedged in next to one another, these Coleman tents 10 person can amazingly hold up to four queen air mattresses.

We will review the differences between the Coleman 10-person dark room tent, WeatherMaster, and Signature. 


Coleman 10 Person Dark Room Instant Cabin Tent With Rainfly

The Coleman 10 person dark room instant cabin tent has the same footprint as the Signature tent, at 14’ x 10’.

You can get four queen mattresses in this tent if you put two queen mattresses on each end of the tent.

With a center height of 6’ 7”, you definitely get the headroom one has come to expect with a Coleman cabin style tent.

The Dark Room technology keeps 90% of the sun out allow you to put kids to bed early, take afternoon naps, or sleep in.

All of these ten-person tents include privacy screens to help split them up and give you a place to change.

This tent also includes the instant setup technology, which allows one person to pitch this tent in under 60 seconds by simply extending and securing the pre-attached poles. 


Coleman Signature 10 Person Instant Cabin Tent

The only difference between the above darkroom tent and the signature tent is that the dark room technology is not included.

Everything else is the same. See above. 

Coleman WeatherMaster 10 Person Tent

The Coleman WeatherMaster 10 person tent is the most difficult of all of the Coleman tents to pitch.

This tent is massive, with a footprint of 17’ x 9’ it takes quite a bit of effort to get it raised.

Due to its size, it can easily house four queen air mattresses and a bevy of bags or even some additional floor sleepers.

This tent is durable and built to last season after season with 2x rugged polyguard tent fabric. 

coleman tent

Coleman Tents FAQ's

This review will include the differences between the different tent lines, such as the popular Sundome and Weathermaster.

We will also review the differences between a dome tent, pop-up tent, instant tent, and fast pitch tent.

Once you understand the fundamental differences, you won’t be as confused when Coleman throws the third twist at you by then adding an annex, patio, screen room, or sauna to your tent.

Also, keep in mind that a two-person tent will barely fit two people.

Unless you are worried about the weight, I’d recommend that you buy the next size up for comfort and more space.

My husband and I regularly camp with a 4 Person Coleman Tent, and we backpack with a three-person tent because it is nice to have just a little extra space.

We have family property in the mountain a few hours from us, and when we go camping there for a few days we use a six-person tent, don’t hesitate to buy a bigger tent, you probably won’t regret it…


Coleman Dome Tents

Is There A Difference Between The Coleman Dome Or Sundome Tents?

The Coleman Dome, also known as the most popular Coleman Sundome, is your classic two-pole dome tent.

A Coleman dome tent is set up by pushing each pole through a sleeve attached to the outside of the tent from corner to corner.

The pole ends are then placed in a metal cleat located at each corner, which holds them in place and pushes the tent up into a dome shape.

Coleman says that their Sundome tents can be put up in 10 minutes fairly quickly, and with a little practice, they could probably be put up a bit quicker.

The dome tent is a traditional tent setup that you will see in less expensive and simpler designs.

coleman tent

Coleman Skydome Tent

The Coleman Skydome Tent is basically a Coleman Sundome tent with higher ceilings and wider doors.

What Coleman does to make a Skydome is extend the poles 20% longer than their traditional Sundome tents and add a bit more tent fabric to the top, which gives you a center height of over 6’.

The setup is the same as a Sundome, and it can be achieved in around 5 minutes, the Coleman Skydome Tent is an excellent upgrade to consider if you want to stand up in our tent.


What Is A Coleman Instant Tent?

If you are looking for an easy to set up a tent that can be put up by yourself in under 60 seconds, you should consider a Coleman Instant Tent.

Coleman offers its instant tent design with multiple features and options.

To pitch a Coleman instant tent, you only have to unfold the tent, extend the poles that are pre-attached to the top of the tent, and lock them in place.

You are done! 


Coleman Cabin Tent

The Coleman Cabin Tents are aptly named because they look like the shape of a cabin.

You will enjoy the opportunity to stand up inside the Coleman Cabin Tents and even have options to choose like adding cabinets.

All Coleman Cabin Tents come with their instant tent pole package so that they can be set up in under 60 seconds. 


Coleman Fast Pitch Tent

The Coleman Fast Pitch Tent is even simpler to put up than the traditional dome tents.

While the setup is still performed with two poles being attached corner to corner, the Fast Pitch method makes it simpler.

The Fast pitch system uses pre-attached poles that are color-coded to make pitching the tent faster with fast fit feet and snag-free insta-clip suspension.

Coleman claims that setup is 45% -55% faster with the fast-pitch system, which may save you a few minutes. 

coleman tent

What Is A Coleman Elite Tent?

The Coleman Elite tents are a special add-on you can purchase to some of their tent series that truly makes your tent luxury.

If you choose a Coleman Elite tent, your tent will include a built-in LED lighting system that will provide you with overhead light inside the tent.

To access this light, you will use an illuminated wall switch that includes multiple light modes, from high to low, and a few night light modes while you sleep.

Another cool feature all Coleman Elite tents include is auto-roll windows that make it quick to open and close for ventilation.

The last luxury included with an Elite Coleman is that you get a hinged door to make it so much easier to get in and out of your Elite Coleman tent. 


Coleman Darkroom Tent

The Coleman Darkroom tent uses a special fabric that blocks up to 90% of sunlight.

The dark room technology was invented and implemented across a wide variety of Coleman tents so parents can put their kids to bed early or for sleeping in late!

An added feature of the darkroom technology is that it helps to reduce temperatures in the tent.

The Coleman darkroom tents are favorite for festival-goers who want to party all night and sleep all day even in the heat.

We found many customer reviews that insist darkroom technology is a must when you are looking for the best tents for festivals.


You may be interested in our Definitive Guide to Tent Types article or our other tent reviews:

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