The reason is that they build them separately for the EU market and for the US market. So the former are huge and they typically can accommodate far more than 6 people. The Mineral King 3 and the Tungsten 4 have similar tent-body profiles and are nearly identical in setup, except that the Tungsten 4 uses two brow poles instead of one to support its fly. Like the Mineral King 3, the Tungsten is a largely mesh dome tent with a tape-seamed polyester bathtub floor, which is highly water resistant. Neither tent experienced any ground leaks during testing, either under rainy conditions or when we soaked the tents and the ground underneath them with a garden hose. Beyond their general size, the tents in our test group were very different from one another, with a wide array of pole configurations and window, door, and roof designs.
To start, the Instant Cabin’s speedy set-up time (a claimed 60 seconds) is a standout feature and impossible for the Sundome to match. Second, the Instant Cabin doesn’t include a rainfly, although the tent body is said to be waterproof without one. And finally, the robust and quick-deploying frame of the Instant Cabin adds significant weight—it clocks in about 10 pounds heavier than the Sundome. While we love the idea of setting up a tent super fast, we’re not convinced the Instant Cabin is worth the extra cost and questionable rain protection. Despite its inexpensive price tag and overall lack of features, the Coleman Sundome is a highly durable camping tent that should have no problem standing up to years of use. The bathtub floor is made of a thick, tarp-like material, and the body and mesh don’t feel in the least bit fragile.
Once we Velcroed the poles to the fly via the tabs that run under the seams, the poles stabilized. And with some added staked lines, the tent was as sturdy as any we observed. But under windy conditions, you’ll want to reinforce the poles with all available mechanisms and not coleman tents cut any corners in setup. We talked through the Copper Canyon’s specs with Ryan Flynn, sales manager for Johnson Outdoors, Eureka’s parent company. Flynn told us that the advantage of the lighter aluminum poles found in the company’s Jade Canyon tent is purely about weight.
So, to keep the overall cost down, are usually supplied with these type of tent poles. If you expect a tent to be waterproof but doesn’t have taped seems, a high waterproof rating, or a full coverage rainfly, it’s going to leak. The massive tent was able to house our mountain bikes, riding gear, camping equipment, and sleeping area comfortably. Surprisingly, the tent was able to weather a bit of rain and wind gusts with zero issues.
That been said campers love this tent and the larger versions, and seem quite happy to pay extra for the convenience it offers. Both are sold without a rain fly, which you will need to purchase. To test the family-size tents, we planned a series of weekend camping trips with a total of 12 California families, all with kids between the ages of 9 months and 9 years.