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Best Dome Tents
We’ve narrowed our favorites down to a top ten to make your shopping task easier so you can pick one, pack up, and get out there and camp. Whether you’re looking to hike and camp alone or spend a long weekend with the whole family, we’ve got an option for you, your needs, and your budget.
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Weather Resistance
A big wind can pick up anytime. Be prepared!
We want you to find a tent that you can feel safe in. No one wants to worry that the wind might be picking up and could take your tent with it. We chose tents that could withstand very strong winds. Several of our tent choices were made to withstand 35 mile per hour winds or stronger! We checked things like pole and line strength, fly materials, and other user experience to come up with tents that will keep you safe even if things get a little windy.
Speaking of safety, protect yourself from the sun! Not everyone even knows that tents can be UV protected or that it’s even important. Tents are not made of very thick material and they are often not great reflectors of sun rays. Tents, and usually their fly, can now offer UV protection. This is especially important to consider if you’re out camping in the desert, on the beach, or a campground without a ton of tree cover.
Water Resistance
A good tent should have no issues keeping you dry.
You never know exactly what the weather will be when camping. It’s really stressful to try to plan an outdoor adventure vacation knowing a downpour could ruin everything. We only chose dome tents that would keep you dry, even in fairly severe storms. We especially like bathtub bottoms and waterproof flies but found other cool technology like inverted seams and zipper covers we had never even thought about before.
Ease of Use
No one wants to struggle for a long time just to set the tent up.
We came across some really great tents in our research that we simply could not include because they were way too difficult and timely to set up. We had to narrow down our choice to only ten, so we only included tents that took a reasonable amount of effort and skill to set up. Once you arrive at your camp spot, you want to set up as quickly a possible. If you are exploring a new destination and arrive later than expected, setting up your tent in the dark can be a difficult task. Easy efficient set up is also really important for correct use and safety.
Weight
Some tents are too heavy to carry for long hikes. Plan ahead.
The reason you need to consider weight is that you might want to take your tent hiking or cycling or you might just have a long walk to your site. Our choices ranged from around 8 pounds to over 20. 20 pounds might not sound like a lot if you’re not used to backpacking with gear, but that 10 pounds can make a huge difference. Most of our tents are honestly better used as car campers instead of backpack campers. We included these weights though so you could be aware and make that decision yourself.
Value
Altogether, the features need to be worth the money.
We took all of these things together; weather and water resistance, ease of use, size, and weight, along with any cool features or lack thereof and came up with what kind of value each tent would hold for the average user. Of course, everyone has different needs and wants when it comes to camping, so we made sure to explain why we thought a tent would or would not work for certain types of campers.
Top 10 Picks
1. Alps Mountaineering Lynx 4
Alps Mountaineering makes a lot of great outdoor products. They claim that the Lynx 4 is one of their best selling products and we believe it. The Alps Lynx is designed to comfortably sleep 4 people, is lightweight, and offers good protection and easy setup.
Read moreWeather Resistance
When you think of weather resistance in tents, you might picture wind and rain but this tent also protects you from the harmful effects of the sun. The polyester fly protects from UV rays. If you camp in open sunny areas, like the beach or the desert, this will be a winning feature for you.
Many users have used this tent in full-blown storms with high winds and heavy rains and the tough little tent stood its ground. Some people suggest investing in higher-grade stakes and guy lines after years of use, though.
Water Resistance
The 1500mm polyester fly and the 2000mm polyester floor provide a lot of protection against rain and tent flooding. The factory sealed seams are strong and tight and really helpful with water resistance.
Ease of Use
One of this tent’s best features is how easy it is to put up. It has clips instead of sleeves for the poles, which are a breeze to use. Most users can set this up solo in less than 10 minutes. We also love how the double doors make getting in and out of the tent quick and easy.
Size
This is a 4 person tent. The base is 7 ft 6 inches by 8 ft 6 inches. At the center, the height is 52 inches. Users find it pretty roomy and have had best comfort success with two adults, an adult and two children, an adult and a dog, or even two adults and two large dogs. These users had room to spare.
Weight
The total weight is under 8 lbs and it comes with a duffel-style bag. It’s a little too heavy for long backpacking treks. It’s possible to use it as a backpacking tent (you could strap it to your pack for comfort) but most users find the weight of it more suited for car camping.
Value
We fully think this tent is well worth its very reasonable price. If you’re looking for a good tent that will sleep 2-4 people and pets comfortably, protect you from strong natural elements, and take very little time to set up, then we definitely recommend the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 4.
2. Coleman 10 person Darkroom
If you’re camping with a big group and really don’t want to wake up with the sun, check out the Coleman Darkroom. It has darkroom technology that blocks 90% of the light from the sun and helps keep the tent cool at night for a more comfortable slumber.
Read moreWeather Resistance
Coleman claims the tent can withstand winds over 35 miles per hour, which is pretty impressive and users have had no complaints in this area. This tent has proven to stand up to some intense storms.
Water Resistance
This tent has a bathtub or tub style floor structure that comes up several inches instead of the seems being directly at a wall/floor angle. This helps keep water from seeping in from below. In extremely heavy rains, some users had had leakage.
Ease of Use
This tent is a big one, but it’s still easy to put up and take down and can be done by one person in a matter of minutes. We really like the light reflective guy lines for making it easier to put the tent up in the dark and for safety reasons.
Size
This is one of the biggest tents we looked at. It’s a 10 - person tent. You can easily fit a queen size mattress in there with room to spare. The tent measures 4 feet by 10 feet at the base and in the very center there’s enough room for someone over 6 feet tall to stand comfortably.
Weight
It weighs over 20 pounds, so this is a car camping tent for sure. It comes in a typical rectangle-shaped carrying case.
Value
If you need a tent that fits several people or pets, or you really need extra space to move around (especially when the weather is bad outside), you’ll find a lot of value in this choice. We think the darkroom technology really, really adds to its worth because sometimes you just don’t want to wake up with the sun.
If you frequently camp in bad weather, this might not be the tent for you, but there are waterproofing options if you love everything else about it.
3. NTK Colorado GT8
NTK makes great tents and the Colorado GT8 is no exception. This well-reviewed tent is beautiful to look at and comfortable to live in. It has one door, plenty of room, and lots of storage.
Read moreWeather Resistance
Colorado is a 3-season tent and it stands up well to snow, rain, and heavy winds. The fiberglass poles with strong chrome connectors and hardware.
Water Resistance
NTK says this is 100% waterproof and users agree. Even in heavy rainstorms, the inside of the tent stayed nice and dry, thanks to the 2500mm rain fly and bathtub style bottom.
Ease of Use
This isn’t the easiest tent to set up and that’s one of the only reasons this one isn’t our top choice, to be honest. Users found the instructions to be confusing and needed more than one person to set the tent up efficiently. If you’re a tent pro, this might not be a problem for you.
Size
NTK calls this an 8-9 person tent but as we know that means sardine-style for most tent guidelines. Real life experience says this one comfortably fits a family of 4 or 5 with children or pets. You can fit two queen size air mattresses side by side. The height is 6 ft in the center of the tent.
Weight
It’s a 20-pound tent to carry but it comes with a sturdy bag with good handles.
Value
We think the only reason this tent might not be right for you is if you camp alone or with children who aren’t able to help you set it up. Though, if you’ve set up many tents, you should be fine.
Otherwise, the price for this is fantastic and well worth it for the waterproofness and comfort.
4. NTK Cherokee
The Cherokee is another NTK masterpiece. It’s a 5 person quality tent with great waterproofing and elements protection.
Read moreWeather Resistance
The Cherokee has held up for users in pretty violent storms and we feel safe saying this is a really, really sturdy 3 season tent.
Water Resistance
The 2500mm Fly and bathtub style floor make this 100% waterproof. Even in storms with heavy downpours and flooding, campers stay dry.
Ease of Use
For all of the wonderful features and benefits of NTK tents, they seem to struggle with the ease of setup. For some campers, this is an obstacle they’re willing to deal with for that 100% waterproof, 3 seasons, camping the tent provides. For solo campers or beginners, this is something to think about, though.
Size
This is technically a 5 to 6 person tent. Users comfortably fit 3-4 people or a queen and twin size mattress with some room to spare for gear. The tent measures 9.8 ft by 9.8 ft and in the very center has 5.9 ft in height.
Weight
The Cherokee comes with a nice carrying bag and weighs about 15 pounds.
Value
If you’re looking for a roomy tent for up to 4 people, want protection from the elements for a good night’s sleep, and aren’t concerned with a slightly higher learning curve when it comes to set up, this tent is absolutely worth the already great price.
5. Coleman Sundome
Coleman is a trusted name when it comes to outdoor recreation and adventure. The Sundome is an airy, roomy, sturdy 6 person tent. It comes with a lot of storage and an e-port.
Read moreWeather Resistance
The Sundome is designed to withstand pretty tough winds with strong hardware and durable polyguard material.
Water Resistance
The Sundom uses a technology called Weathertech that consists of welding-like connections at the seams for great water resistance.
Ease of Use
This tent is really, really easy to set up, mainly due to its “continuous pole” design so you only have to feed the pole through the sleeve one smooth time. Most users can set this one up in less than 10 minutes.
Size
The Coleman Sundome measures 10 ft by 10 ft and 6 ft high in the center. Coleman says it fits two queen mattresses. Users found it comfortable with 2 adults and 3 children, or similar combinations.
Weight
This tent comes with a nice carrying bag and weighs around 20 lbs so it’s more of a car camping tent than a hiking or backpacking tent.
Value
This is a pretty affordable tent for its features. If you’re looking for an easy-to-setup tent with room enough for a small family or you and your pets, you’re going to get a lot for the price on this one.
6. Cedar Ridge Rimrock 4
The Rimrock is a 4 person tent with a tub-style bottom and lots of well-designed storage space. It also comes in at a really affordable price range.
Read moreWeather Resistance
The fiberglass poles and high-quality material allow users to feel safe in windy situations in the Sundome.
Water Resistance
The tub style bottom keeps water from coming in, even in downpours. The fly is really effective at keeping the rain out. Just make sure you close the mesh!
Ease of Use
It uses a two pole setup system that is incredibly quick and easy.
Size
This spacious tent is roomier than it appears on the outside. It measures 8 and a half feet by 7 and a half feet and is 60 inches tall in the very center. Users very comfortably fit two adults and a child, two adults, or an adult and two kids or dogs with room for storage. The elevated storage loft really helps with this!
Weight
The most popular option is the black easy-to-recognize Joe Jacket with the white brand text but we found a lot of really cool designs to choose from, too! They come in fun, bright colors, neutrals, and all sorts of designs and prints. The best part? Pet lover? They have a ton of animal prints you’ll want to check out.
Value
The tent weighs just over 10 pounds so it’s not quite backpacking weight but it’s not super heavy for transporting either. It comes in a handy carrying bag.
7. Coleman Evanston
It’s not surprising that Coleman has now made our list three times. They really stand behind their products and usually put out great gear. The Evanston model tent is a room 6 person tent with a separate screened in area. It’s pretty affordable, too.
Read moreWeather Resistance
Like the other Coleman tents on the list, the Evanston uses Weathertech technology and welding-like seams for strength.
Water Resistance
The main part of the tent is extremely water resistant, easily holding up to storms and downpours. However, the screened in part is not as waterproof.
Ease of Use
Like the Sundome, the Evanston uses the easy single pole sleeves and clip-on design. Most users should have no problem setting the tent up, fly included, in 15 minutes.
Size
The Evanston is 10 ft by 9 ft with a 5 ft 8-inch height at the very center. The screened in porch area is 10 ft by 5 ft. All in all, it’s a pretty roomy tent that can easily fit 4 kids, or 2 adults and a couple of small children, etc. with plenty of space for gear or pets.
Weight
It weighs about 20 pounds in total and comes with a decent carrying bag.
Value
The best part of this tent other than its durability and water resistance is definitely the space and the extra screened in room. If you’re camping with family and want a place to hang out and play cards or eat without leaving the tent completely (or hiding from the rain), this affordable choice is a good one for you.
8. Wenzel Pine Ridge
The Wenzel Pine Ridge is a 2-room family-friendly tent with lots of ventilation and a sturdy structure.
Read moreWeather Resistance
The Pine Ridge has really sturdy shock cord fiberglass poles and stands up well to inclement weather.
Water Resistance
Wenzel uses something called Weather Armor technology and a polyurethane coating that keeps you really dry in the rain. The fly is very effective. Just make sure you get the zippers all the way closed as they can sometimes get caught in the door flaps.
The bathtub bottom keeps water from seeping in from below.
Ease of Use
You should have no issues tent setting this up in a matter of minutes. Two beginners could easily get it up in 10 minutes or so.
Size
This is a roomy tent at 10 ft by 8 ft with a 5 ft high center. You can fit 4 adults or a similarly sized group easily with a bit of room to spare. The storage pockets help keep gear off the ground, out of your way, and easy to find in the dark.
Weight
The Pine Ridge comes in a carrying bag and weighs just under 12 pounds so it’s one of the lighter options on our list.
Value
If you’re looking for a budget tent that sleeps like a pricier version, this is a good choice. We really like the extra storage pockets, the easy setup, and the room divider.
9. Longs Peak Fast Pitch
Longs Peak is actually a Coleman brand. They call it Fast Pitch because of its improved system of set up that makes it super quick and easy. We also think this one just looks really great style-wise!
Read moreWeather Resistance
While this tent is a sturdy one, it didn’t hold up quite as well as others in extreme winds. In normal summer storms with 20+ or so winds, it holds its ground pretty well, though. Users found that grabbing some extra stakes helped improve this.
Water Resistance
With the waterproof fly, Weathertech system that Coleman tents have, and its welded seams, you’ll stay dry in the Longs Peak Fast Pitch. We especially like the zipper cover that keeps that area from leaking.
Ease of Use
This is a ridiculously easy tent to set up. A solo camper could easily set it up in 5 minutes. At most, you might prefer two people just for getting the fly pulled down on both sides. The two-pole system with the criss-cross feature at the top means you only have to attach twice.
Size
This is a very, very roomy tent for a 6 person dome. It’s 10 ft by 10 ft with a 6 ft high center. If you like being able to move around in your tent but still want a smaller dome, you’ll like this choice. You can easily fit two queen size mattresses in it and not feel too cramped.
Weight
This is not a lightweight tent and many users find it unnecessarily heavy for its size due to the two pole system. Others think it is worth it for the easy of the said system when setting up quickly.
Value
If you want a tent that looks really cool in the great outdoors, for a decent price, and the easiest setup we’ve seen, go for the Longs Peak Fast Pitch.
10. Eureka! Tetragon
Eureka has been around since 1895 so they’ve had over a century to perfect their outdoor gear. This three-season Tetragon is a lower mid-priced tent with decent room, a lot of ventilation, no-see-um mesh for bug protection and easy setup.
Read moreWeather Resistance
The extremely sturdy fiberglass poles and clip system plus fly make it a very durable tent, even in high winds. It has great ventilation for hot days, too. The no-see-um mesh keeps the mosquitos and tiny pests out while letting the air in.
Water Resistance
The seam-taped seams and bathtub style floor, along with the waterproof fly keep you dry during rainstorms. However, the fly does not go all the way to the bottom.
Ease of Use
This is a very easy tent to set up. Even beginner users, setting up a tent alone for the very first time, have no issue setting it up in minutes.
Size
The Eureka Tetragon model tent measures 9 ft by 9 ft with a 6 ft height at the very center. You should easily be able to fit one adult and 3 kids, three adults, 4 or 5 children, and various similar combinations without feeling to snug and squeezed in.
Weight
The Tetragon is a fairly lightweight car camping (or possibly backpacking?)tent for its size, coming in at around 12.5 pounds and including its own carrying case.
Value
This is a fairly priced tent that’s about in the mid-range of our top 10 list of domes. It’ll be worth it to you if you want an easy to set up a tent that will keep your family dry and cool on hot summer days or in downpours. We really appreciate the micro mesh for keeping out even the tiniest of pests.
Sources
- , Best Dome Tents, Review
- , What is a Rainfly, Article
- , Staying Safe, Article
- , 29 Best Dome Camping Tents in 2019, Camping Blog