The Coleman Skydome Camping Tent with Dark Room Technology is a 10 person extended dome type ventilated 3-season camping tent with two doors and a high waterproof rating.
Key features & benefits
- Extended-dome tent.
- Dark rest design.
- 2 Doors.
- E-cable port.
- Floor vents.
Overview
The Skydome group of tents from Coleman includes several very different series and it is easy to get confused. So make sure that you focus on the Dark Room feature if you search for this tent. They have a separate series with the same features but without the dark rest design.
On the other hand, this series of Coleman Skydome Camping Tents with Dark Room Technology includes several tents with the dark rest design, you can see also the 8-person version from the same series presented here in the site. This 10-person version presented here is currently the largest in the series.
So this is an extended dome type tent with a central dome part plus two extensions on the sides. The picture below shows the tent without the fly so you can better see its structure.
There are two identical doors on the opposite sides, and this is all under a partial coverage fly that can be described as a 3/4 type.
Dark rest design
The fabric and the design are such that the tent blocks up to 90% of the daylight. You get some idea from the picture above. This is the best feature of this tent. Coleman is the best-known brand for such dark rest tents, and it has them in all shapes and sizes.
This is convenient if you camp with kids that need to take a nap during the day, and also for you if you want to sleep longer in the morning. I have included this tent in my list of best dark rest tents.
Materials
The poles & stakes: You have fiberglass poles here, and the set includes two main X-crossed poles for the central dome, plus two loops for the side extensions, and also short poles used to create those small brims above the doors.
The poles are with some balls on the ends, you can see them in the picture above. This design is here because they have made small pockets/sleeves at the tent’s base, where you place the ends of poles, see the picture below. This is instead of the usual pin and ring system.
Note also that the fly attaches to the tent’s base with the hooks that are pre-attached on the fly, some of them are shown above. The package includes a full set of stakes to secure the tent properly, all the elements are shown in the picture below.
They write about 5-minutes setup time, but I would say you will need at least two or three times more time, but the setup is indeed intuitive and easy. Everything is color coded.
The fabric: You have already seen about its dark rest design. The fabric is quite typical for Coleman, so you have a polyester but they claim the waterproof rating is 3000 mm and this is quite impressive for the tents of this brand built for the US market. As you may know, the story is different with their EU tents where such a rating is quite normal.
They use their standard WeatherTec system with a tub-like floor, welded corners, and inverted seams. The seams are taped.
Note also that you have an E-port and a few gear pockets and loft to keep small items stored away. The tent comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Ventilation
The tent has plenty of mesh on the canopy, you can see this in the picture above that shows the tent without the fly. Both doors are with mesh in their upper sections.
But they have also added two large floor vents on the narrow sides of the tent, you can see them in the pictures above. On the other hand, the fly is such that it allows for vapor to escape in the areas above the doors, so this works instead of fly vents that are not needed here. This all improves vertical air circulation, so there is not much to object here.
Who is it for
Regarding the area, they do not provide exact numbers, so my guess is that you have around 144.2 ft² (13.4 m²). The official capacity is 10 people and this would mean 14.4 ft² (1.34 m²) per person. Clearly, this is far too small for such a number of users, so it is best to downgrade this tent to maximum 5-6 people.
Regarding seasons & climate, the tent is described as a 3-season shelter. It is nicely ventilated, and they claim it can withstand up to 35 mph winds. Frankly, I am a bit skeptical about such claims; with such brims and its partial coverage fly I would rather avoid very windy places.
Regarding the weight, the tent weighs 27.7 lb (12.56 kg) so it is moderately light. The packed size is 25.5 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches (65 x 27 x 27 cm) so this is far from bad. But in any case, this is a car camping tent.
Regarding the price, it is a bit high for Coleman, but this is still reasonable when you compare it with its competitors.
Specifications
- Weight: 27.7 lb (12.56 kg).
- Official capacity: 10 people.
- Dimensions: 16 x 9 ft (488 x 274 cm).
- Inner area: 144.2 ft² (13.4 m²).
- Inner area per person: 14.4 ft² (1.34 m²).
- Peak height: 78 in (198 cm).
- Packed size: 25.5 x 10.5 x 10.5 in (65 x 27 x 27 cm).
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In summary, this Coleman Skydome Camping Tent with Dark Room Technology 10 Person is well built, nicely ventilated, and its dark rest design is its best feature. It is compact, moderately light, and easy to use. But it is best to ignore its officially declared capacity.
Below you can see how this tent stands against my standard rating criteria that I apply consistently to all of them here in the site so that you can easily compare:
Coleman Skydome Camping Tent with Dark Room Technology 10 Person
Pros
- Dark rest design.
- Compact.
- Dry entry points.
- 2 Doors.
Cons
- Small for the declared capacity.
BEST PLACEs TO BUY:
For more tents of this shape please check in the category Dome Tents, but see also my list of Coleman 10 person tents where this tent is also included.
Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below. Bookmark this site and come again, this will keep you informed, as you realize I add texts here on a regular basis. Thank you for reading.
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