Wenzel Pinyon 10 Person Modified Dome Tent

This Wenzel Pinyon 10 Person Modified Dome Tent is a 2-room and 2-door structure with interesting fly configurations for stargazing and ventilation, and very affordable.

Key features & benefits

What this Pinyon 10 person tent is about

So here you have a new tent from Wenzel, and this is an extended dome type structure as you realize from the picture below that shows the tent without the fly. The central dome area is quite tall for a dome tent, you have a stand-up height of 76 inches (193 cm).

Because of the extensions on the sides, the tent is not freestanding. So you have to stake it down properly to have its extensions functional. Each of the extensions is supported by its own loop pole.

The tent is with a removable divider so this is formally a 2-room structure. With the divider in place, each room has its own door as you realize from the picture below. This makes it similar to this UNP Camping Tent 10-Person that is built in the same style.

Note that the doors are with mesh and panels in the upper part, so you have windows that are partially protected under its small front brim. There are two additional windows also on its narrow sides, so this makes it 4 in total. The fly is minimal and it covers only the ceiling, but here you have some nice features:

• You can roll it up on the sides and fix with toggles, and enjoy sleeping under the stars. The picture below shows how this configuration looks:

• But there is yet another detail on the back, the zipper that allows for opening the fly so you get extra airflow and stargazing. This creates a huge back window and you can keep the fly that way as long as the sky is clear:

As you realize, this together with the windows on the narrow sides of the tent gives views on all the sides of the tent. This fly design sets the tent apart from many structures of this type and it makes the tent quite unique.

Ventilation

The ceiling is all mesh and you have already seen the windows, so all looks great regarding ventilation. But there will be occasions when the windows must be closed due to the rain and this is why I miss seeing some floor vents here. 

Other features

• This tent has many storage elements, in total 12 wall pouches and pockets, some are shown in the pictures below.

• It comes with a gear loft & lantern loop shown below.
• There is also an e-cable port, see the picture.
• A doormat is included.

Who is it for

Capacity-wise, the tent is officially for 10 people, and for this you have 155 ft² (14.4 m²). This means 15.5 ft² (1.4 m²) per person. So this is a modest space for so many users and they determine capacity by the number of sleeping pads that can fit on the floor. You might compare it with this EchoSmile Camping Tent 10 Person built in a similar style as an extended dome but it offers 3.5 square meters more.

So for realistic camping, I see it as best suited for parents with up to 3 kids. In view of the two doors and two rooms, it is also great for two couples, or you can have the rooms used separately for boys and girls if this is about a group of friends as in the picture below.

Seasons-wise & climate-wise, in view of its structure I see it best suited for summer camping or for 2 seasons maximum. The windows have panels so you can close them, but all in all, this is not a tent for a cooler climate.

With such a fly and its front brim, it is best to use this tent in quiet weather conditions and avoid strong winds.

Weight-wise, with its 23.1 lb (10.5 kg) the tent is surprisingly light for its size and it packs nicely so you can transport it in various ways.

Materials

The poles

The poles are fiberglass, and this material is commonly used in budget tents. You have them 4 built in pairs so there is not much to guess when you set the tent up. One extra pole is used for the brim. This is all shock-corded and the poles connect to the tent’s base with the usual pin and ring system (see the picture), and the canopy attaches through the sleeves and clips.

The fabric

Both the body and the fly are built from the same 68D polyester taffeta with a 600 mm waterproof rating. So this is a minimal rating you have here but it is quite enough if seams are reliable and properly sealed, and this is indeed so in this case. The picture above shows the hook from the fly attached to the tent’s base.

The floor is a plastic, polyethylene, this material is commonly used in family camping tents, it is highly waterproof and with welded corners so you are safe from the ground.

Specifications

• Declared capacity: 10 people.
• Weight: 23.1 lb (10.5 kg).
• Dimensions: 18 x 10 ft (549 x 305 cm).
• Area: 155 ft² (14.4 m²).
• Area per person: 15.5 ft² (1.4 m²).
• Peak height: 76 in (193 cm).

Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons

Please see how I rate this tent against my standard set of criteria so you can easily compare with the other tents presented here in the site:

Wenzel Pinyon 10 Person Modified Dome

8.3

Area per person

7.7/10

Weight

8.8/10

Packed size

8.4/10

Protection

7.8/10

Ease of use

8.0/10

Features

8.8/10

Pros

• Lightweight.
• Unique fly features.
• Many storage pouches.
• Very good price.

Cons

• Small for the declared capacity.
• No floor vents.
• Fiberglass poles.

Check on Amazon

Check at Walmart

If you want to see some more options, just look around, this site is all about family camping tents and you will find them in hundreds. For this capacity range check under the category Tents for 9/10 people, and for this shape check under Dome tents. Check their Wenzel Bristlecone 8 Person Modified Dome Tent released together with this tent. But if you would rather have something in a different style, check this Outbound Instant Pop up Tent for Camping 10 Person Cabin.

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