NTK Colorado GT 8 to 9 Person Tent Review (2 Vestibules & Great Price)

This NTK Colorado GT 8 to 9 Person Tent review is about a full-coverage dome style 3-season tent with two vestibules, a high waterproof rating, and an incredible price.

Key features & benefits

Where to buy

• This tent is available on Amazon, so please follow the link and check the price and shipping conditions for your location. As you know they operate globally.
• You will find it also at Walmart.

What type of tent is this

This Colorado GT 8/9 is the largest in the Colorado series which also includes two smaller tents. So what you have here is a tent with a full-coverage fly, and two very useful vestibules on the opposite sides and lots of storage space. I have included it in my list of best tents with full fly.

The tent is a very simple and easy to use semi-freestanding construction. This means that the inner tent is supported with two poles which create a dome, so you can move it around and rotate as you wish. But when you add the fly, to have functional vestibules, you have to stake the fly to the ground.

The fly attaches to the tent’s frame with standard pin and ring system on the four corners, and for the vestibules you have steel stakes. The stakes you use also to secure the tent to the ground, and for the orange guylines.

The tent is with two doors. Both of them are with mesh and taffeta so you can regulate air circulation. When the sky is clear, you can have windows created with the mesh and with the vestibules rolled to the sides. The peak height is 72.8 inches (185 cm).

There is a divider which is removable, it attaches at some 6 points. So the tent is formally a 2-room construction but the space is not so great when you set the divider in it.

Who is it for

Capacity-wise, they describe it as a tent for 8-9 people, but the area is 120 ft² (11.16 m²). This is the same as in their NTK Philly GT 8/9 Tent and NTK Savannah GT 8 to 9 Person. In the case of 9 people, this would mean 13.3 ft² (1.24 m²) per person.

But see also its dimensions in the specifications below. From this you will realize that it is practically impossible to place more than 8 pads on the floor. So I have included this tent in my list of best 8-person tents.

The two symmetric vestibules are roughly 4 ft (120 cm) deep. So they add around 39 ft² (3.6 m²) of the covered space in total. This considerably improves the comfort and functionality of this tent.

Seasons-wise & climate-wise, I already mentioned the full fly which completely covers the tent. Its waterproof rating is very good, so you have full protection from elements. This is also a relatively low tent and very aerodynamic with its dome shape, and it will perform great anywhere in a 3-season use.

The inner tent is with lots of mesh and this will work great in a warm environment. But for a cold climate, it is better to consider something more enclosed and with PVC windows. You can see them many in my text with tents for cold weather camping.

Weight-wise, I would describe it as a reasonably lightweight tent in view of its 20.7 lb (9.4 kg) of weight. You will see below in the comparison table how this stands when compared with some of its competitors.

The packed size 26 x 10 x 10 inches (66 x 25 x 25 cm) is also very good for such a big tent with vestibules. So you can transport it even on a bicycle or on a motorbike.

Materials

The poles

There are 3 fiberglass poles, I already mentioned two main which create the dome, and there is one shorter ridge pole which supports the two vestibules and raises them a bit for easier access. This is not particularly strong material but this is a budget tent. Fiberglass is used in many tents on the market, including some rather expensive models. Metal connection parts are made of double gold plated steel.

The fabric

The manufacturer describes the tent as 100% waterproof, but the actual waterproof rating is 2500 mm. This is more than enough for any weather conditions in a 3-season use. This is a 190T polyester taffeta, partially aluminum coated for UV protection and heat reflection, with seams sealed. The mesh areas are polyester no-see-um mesh.

The floor is a heavy-duty anti-fungus seamless polyethylene with an inner silver coated layer, and this is a bathtub-style construction. The materials meet CPAI-84 flammability requirements.

Other features

• 2 Mesh pockets on the walls.
• Electric cable port in the corner.
• A lantern hook is on the ceiling.

Specifications

• Declared capacity: 8-9 people.
• Weight: 20.7 lb (9.4 kg).
• Dimensions: 12 x 10 ft (366 x 3.05 cm).
• Inner area: 120 ft² (11.16 m²).
• Inner area per person: 13.3 ft² (1.24 m²).
• Total vestibules area: around 39 ft² (3.6 m²).
• Total covered area: 159 ft² (14.8 m²).
• Total covered area per person (9 people): 17.7 ft² (1.6 m²).
• Height: 72.8 in (185 cm).
• Packed size: 26 x 10 x 10 in (66 x 25 x 25 cm).

Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons

This is a very affordable tent and very popular as well. There are many reports on Amazon and the average rating is very high. This is not surprising at all. Though, my own rating is lower, I use my standard set of criteria and apply them to all the tents here in the site, so it is easy to compare.

NTK Colorado GT 8 to 9 Person Tent

$184.99

8.8

Area per person

7.9/10

Weight

8.6/10

Packed size

8.8/10

Protection

9.4/10

Ease of use

9.2/10

Features

8.6/10

Pros

• Very easy setup.
• Simple structure.
• Excellent price.
• Full protection.
• Vestibules.

Cons

• Fiberglass poles.
• Too small for the declared capacity.

Check at Amazon

Check at Walmart

There are many family camping tents here in the site, so check in the various categories if you would like to see more options. 

Note that this is not a sponsored text, and I am not paid by the brand. Please use the comment box below in the case of questions or comments. Have a nice day.