The official capacity is only 6 people, but you have seen the numbers, so if necessary, this tent can accommodate twice more. In this Coleman Aspen 6L Tent you have a very typical tunnel type construction supported with 5 long coleman bbq fiberglass loops. You also have a porch visible in the picture with 57 ft² (5.3 m²). Under the shell you have two inner tents with 3 bedrooms, and this is what they call the BlackOut design that blocks 99% of the daylight.
This is because sleep capacity is usually a maximum with no gear, and the occupants sleeping with their heads in opposite directions from one another. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain. It has two main cross supports that thread through sleeves, stretching between the four corners of the tent.
The doors are double-layer structures so they have windows on them as well. The Instant Up hub frame design features an integrated steel frame which is pre-attached to the inner. All you do is unroll it, lift and lock, then set up the waterproof fly, and you’re all set to camp! Available in a range of sizes and variations, there’s an Instant Up for every kind of camper. Large families require a lot more space when it comes to sleeping.
Furthermore, we like that the Meramac features two doors as opposed to the Sundome’s one, making entry and exit easier should you need to get up in the middle of the night. And finally, the materials used throughout the Alps Mountaineering Meramac 6 are noticeably better. For us, the combination of increased weather protection and nicer materials make the more expensive Meramac 6 well worth considering. It’s a coleman bbq step up in price from the Discovery above at $230, but you do get a number of upgrades, including a lighter weight (14 lbs. 1 oz.), taller peak height (72 in.), and smaller packed size. However, the Tallboy boasts considerably less floor area at 86 square feet, and its rainfly only offers partial coverage (like the Coleman, it leaves most of the door and some of the lower tent body exposed to the elements).
This design also ensures that all sand, grit, and dirt falls to the ground below. The WeatherTec System has many features that ensure campers stay dry, like their patented welded corners, tub-like floor, inverted seams, and zipper cuffs that all work together to keep water out during a drizzle or downpour. Unfortunately, Coleman does not post hydrostatic ratings for their tents on their website, so you will need to speak with their sales department to find out the true waterproof rating of a Coleman tent you’re interested in purchasing. The higher the waterproof rating, the better a tent can resist water penetration. A higher waterproof rating will make you less likely to experience cold and wet camping evenings. Some Coleman tents even offer a small screened-in porch area where you can sit in your camp chair and be protected from insects and rain.
Although not the same as an Instant tent, the fast pitch design came together very quickly. For larger, family-sized camping trips, Coleman offers both Skylodge™ and “Instant” tent designs. Personally, my first camping tent coleman tents was a two-person Coleman dome tent that I bought at a local hardware store (Canadian Tire). As a teenager with a very low budget, this tent was exactly what I could afford and lasted perfectly well for its intended use.
But Coleman is far more present on the market with many of its tents in various shapes. They make everything for outdoors, from shelters, sleeping equipment, furniture, to lanterns, stoves, etc. In fact, I do not think there is a brand that could compete with Coleman regarding versatility of products they have. So in the US area, both brands are incredibly popular and some of the best-selling tents belong to these two brands. But Core has a smaller number of tents on the market, yet they tend to remain popular for many years.