Choosing the right 10-person tent can be daunting, with numerous brands and features to consider. This comprehensive review evaluates six popular models – Coleman, Core, Ozark Trail, Outdoor Products, Columbia, and WeatherMaster – across key criteria to help you make an informed decision. We put these tents through rigorous testing, assessing setup and takedown times (both solo and with a partner), spaciousness, comfort features, ventilation, weather resistance, and overall quality. Our goal is to provide a clear and detailed comparison, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each tent.This review delves into the nuances of each tent, examining everything from peak height and floor space to the quality of zippers and seams. We also explore the impact of design choices on setup difficulty, particularly for solo campers. Our findings will empower you to choose a tent that best suits your needs, whether you prioritize ease of setup, weather protection, spaciousness, or budget considerations. Discover which tent reigns supreme in each category and find your perfect fit for unforgettable group adventures.
Pros And Cons
- Affordable (under $100)
- Spacious
- Poor quality (sticky walls, loose threads, mesh runs, door snagging)
- Least rain protection (leaked after 15 minutes)
- Only one door
- Highest peak height (90 inches)
- Most vertical space
- Good in light rain (no leaks after one hour)
- Nice color
- Zipper on one door leaked during rain test
- A few loose threads found
- Fast setup and takedown
- Hinged D-door
- Most ventilation when it's not raining
- Excellent darkroom feature
- Lowest peak height
- Least vertical sidewalls (less livable space)
- One black elbow joint sometimes jammed
- Single center hub results in droopy walls
- Untaped seam leaked slightly during rain test
- Small holes found in the mesh
- Very user-friendly
- Fast setup and takedown
- Three hubs create less droop in the walls
- Large storage pockets
- Good quality (no seam leaks)
- Untaped seam leaked slightly during rain test
- More expensive than Coleman Instant Cabin Tent
Read more: 5 Best Family Camping Tents for Your Next Adventure
Setup and Takedown Ease
Setting up and taking down a 10-person tent can be a significant undertaking. This review assessed six popular tents for ease of use by both one and two people. The instant tents, generally, proved significantly quicker to set up.
The Outdoor Products Instant Tent and Coleman Instant Cabin Tent emerged as the quickest options. However, the Coleman required an extra step for the hinged door. Among the non-instant tents, the WeatherMaster stood out for its simple three-pole roof design.
The Ozark Trail and Core tents also used a three-pole roof, but the longer sleeves and lack of color-coding on the Ozark Trail added time. The Columbia Mammoth Creek tent, with six roof poles, proved the most complex to assemble.
Solo Setup Challenges
Attempting to set up these tents solo presented additional challenges. Setup times roughly doubled compared to two-person efforts. The high peak heights of many models made it difficult to attach the rainfly alone.
The elbow connectors on the Ozark Trail, Core, and Columbia tents proved particularly problematic for solo setup, making it difficult to correctly arch the poles. An inverted roof is easily created if the poles aren't correctly positioned.
Therefore, having a helper is recommended for most of the models to properly set up the poles and prevent potential damage.
Takedown and Pack-up
Takedown and packing were also timed. The Outdoor Products Instant Tent was notably easy to pack. The Coleman Instant Cabin Tent was estimated (packing not timed due to a manufacturing defect).
The WeatherMaster tent required more time due to a tight fit in the carry bag. All takedown times reflect multiple practice runs for accuracy and efficiency.
A key takeaway here is that while instant tents are quick to set up, the pack-up can be surprisingly tricky due to the bag size for some of these tents.
Spaciousness and Dimensions
Spaciousness was evaluated based on peak height, wall slope, and base area. Peak heights varied significantly, impacting accessibility for shorter individuals. The Coleman Instant Cabin Tent had the lowest peak height, while the Core tent had the highest.
Most tents were cabin-style with near-vertical walls, except the WeatherMaster, which featured triangular spaces. Base area measurements revealed slight discrepancies between marketed dimensions and actual measurements.
Queen-sized mattress capacity varied. The rectangular base tents (all except WeatherMaster) fit four mattresses, leaving limited space for gear. The WeatherMaster accommodated only three, due to the shape.
Comfort and Features
Comfort and features included door configurations, room dividers, storage, and dark room technology. Door counts and heights varied widely; the Coleman Instant Tent's hinged door was notably shorter.
Room dividers were assessed for quality and usability. The Columbia's pre-attached divider was favored, while others had significant gaps. Storage options varied, with the Outdoor Products tent having the largest pockets.
Only the Coleman Instant Cabin Tent featured a dark room technology, offering significantly reduced light penetration.
Ventilation
Ventilation was evaluated by considering ceiling mesh, windows, and vents. All tents had ample ceiling mesh; removing the rainfly enhanced ventilation. Ground vents varied widely in size and quantity.
Window ventilation was calculated in square inches, showing Coleman Instant Tent had the most when not raining. Columbia's had superior rain ventilation options.
Rainfly coverage was only partial on all tents. The Columbia and WeatherMaster provided better ventilation during rain, due to angled windows. The Coleman Instant and Ozark Trail had poor rain ventilation.
Weather Protection
Rain and wind protection were tested. The Columbia performed best in the rain test, with only minor corner leaks after prolonged exposure. The Outdoor Products tent leaked at an untaped seam.
The Core tent leaked at a zip and an untaped seam. The WeatherMaster leaked at an inverted seam. The Coleman Instant and Ozark Trail tents showed significant leaks at seams and zippers.
Wind resistance was influenced by tent shape and staking. Cabin-style tents are more vulnerable without adequate staking. Tents with more guy lines fared slightly better in windy conditions.
Quality and Portability
Tent quality was assessed based on flooring, tent body, stitching, zippers, and seams. The Columbia scored highest, with high-quality materials, taped seams, and smooth zippers. The Outdoor Products had polyethylene flooring and snagging zippers.
The WeatherMaster used polyethylene flooring and 68d polyester, but had good zippers with occasional snags. The Core tent's polyethylene flooring showed some loose threads and snagging zippers, with a leaking zip.
The Coleman Instant Tent exhibited seam tape issues, mesh holes, and a defective pole. The Ozark Trail tent had sticky walls, loose threads, mesh runs, and a snagging door zipper; lowest quality overall.
Portability and Overall Scores
Portability considered weight and pack size. Instant tents had larger pack sizes than traditional tents. Overall scores were weighted and color-coded (green: good, yellow: fair, red: poor).
The Coleman WeatherMaster received the highest overall score, offering excellent value for its price. The Columbia Mammoth Creek tent was the top premium choice, offering superior quality and weather protection.
The Outdoor Products and Coleman Instant tents were the top instant options; the Outdoor Products offering superior quality and space. The Ozark Trail tent was the budget option but lacked in quality.
