I've been camping--alone, in small groups, and with my family--ever since I was 11 years old. Over the years, I've used and owned a lot of tents. Most of the tents I recommend are from companies like Eureka and ALPS Mountaineering. I don't believe I've ever recommended a Coleman branded tent in the solo-, 2-, 3-, or 4-person sizes, but when it comes to tents for larger groups, these Coleman tents are hard to beat! I bought this to replace our old Red Canyon Tent when it got damaged (not due to workmanship or materials). It was old when we bought it second-hand, and we got many more years of use out of it. I looked around at other large capacity tents, but this one had the best set of features for the price. Its rain fly coverage is better than most of the high-capacity tents I considered. Ideally, I'd want a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground, but having owned an earlier version of this model previously, I knew we'd never had problems with water entering--even in some crazy bad weather. The heavier, tarp-like bottom is very durable. That said, I still typically set up with another tarp (or "footprint") under the main body of the tent, just to limit wear-and-tear and to keep the bottom cleaner for a quicker tear-down. What else can I say? We're a large family, and we put a strain on tents I love that this one give you options. Set it up as one big room, or put up the dividers and you have up to three rooms (they make one on each end {left and right of the door} and one in the middle). There's room to stand in the middle for most people (I'm 5'8" and I still had plenty of head space). When our kids were very little, we'd have a portable playpen set up inside. Now we typically have an inflatable queen mattress on one end, with plenty of room for sleeping pads and sleeping bags in the rest of the tent. The attachable gear loft is useful, as are the additional mesh pockets on the sides. We don't use the little pet door at the rear, but I can see how those of you with little dogs would find it useful. One improvement made with this most recent model is that they made the front welcome mat/mud tarp detachable (our previous one had it permanently affixed). Now, if it gets really dirty, you can pick it up and wash it away from the tent, rather than trying to clean it while people still may need to come in and out. To get the best protection and performance in stormy weather, be sure to use every stake point, and use all possible guy-lines. Also, to keep your tent in top shape as long as possible, remember these tips: - Don't let people climb in and out with the door unzipped only part way on the long vertical side. Open it all the way to the top. The area around where the side panels change color puts the hardest lateral pull on the zipper. Opening it only that far, and then having people move the door flap out of the way adds to that stress and increases the chance you might damage the zipper. - When you break camp, if the tent isn't going to be set up again very soon, let your tent dry before you roll it up. If you roll (or stuff it) while wet, and then forget to dry it out when you get home, you'll have problems with mildew. It can lead to a musty smell, unsightly spots, and (in the most extreme cases) holes in your tent. If you must pack up a wet tent, be sure to air it out when you get home. You can set it up in a sunny space, or hang it (we hang it from our deck, but you could hang it from a tree or clothes line). - Bring a broom and sweep out your tent before you pack it away. If you pack it up with dirt and sand inside, it will act like little bits of sandpaper and wear away at the materials. - Avoid eating in your tent, or keeping food in your tent, especially if you'll be in bear country. Smells from dripped or spilled foods can stick around a long time, and animals' noses are often far more sensitive than ours. - If you're not too concerned about privacy, its warm enough, and you know that rain isn't likely, consider leaving the rain fly off. It makes set up and tear down quicker, and it will let you watch the sky while protected from the bugs. Just keep the fly and stakes in the bag near the door, in case you need to put up the fly quickly due to unexpected changes in the weather. - Check the ground where you plan to set up your tent before you do it: remove any noticeable rocks, sticks, or anything that might damage the tent floor or make your sleep uncomfortable. - If setting up in or adjacent to a wooded area, look around for dead trees that could blow over or fall onto your tent, and be sure to look up for any live trees with dead branches hanging above you. You don't need a lot of wind for dead wood to come down! My wife and I were sitting in camp on a quiet summer afternoon when we suddenly heard a couple of cracks before a large limb dropped not far from where we were sitting. It makes sense to look up before you place a tent, or your chairs! - MOST IMPORTANT: Be sure to set it up once at home before you head out, even if you've set it up before. It's a great way to remind yourself how to set it up, and to make sure you have all of the stakes and poles together (especially if you broke camp in a hurry during your last adventure).
