• 60 Second Set-Up
• Awning/Rainfly
• Large, T-doors
• Side windows
• Roof Vents
• Floor vents
• Roof storage
• Lantern hook
• Wall storage
• Port for an electrical power or extension cord
• Price
• Ease of use

First on, everyone’s mind is this Core tent fabric. According to CORE, the tent fabric is a 68D polyester with a “600mm hydrostatic rating,” plus its “H20 Block Technology.” “Hydrostatic Head” means the material can support a column of 600mm of water before it starts seeping through the weave. CORE’s “H20 Block Technology” seems to be a polyurethane sealant, common throughout the industry. The floor material weights 125 grams per square meter (gsm).

What does all this mean? To give you a point of comparison, an umbrella might have an HH of around 400mm. Polyester also absorbs less water and sags less, than, say, nylon. “68D” is a measurement of the amount of thread in the fabric. “D” stands for “denier.” The formula is 9km/g = D. That’s right. A denier is the weight of 9 kilometers of thread. Silk is typically 1D, or one gram for 9km of thread. A tent made of silk would be very light, but not very durable. Summer t-shirts are in the range of 130-150 gsm.

But there’s a lot more to tents then the material, weight of the fabric or thread, and the density of the weave. There are also waterproof and UV coatings, how the seams are made and stitched, and how the seams are sealed.

This Core tent has stakes seven inches long that are made of steel. There are 14. Poles are steel and telescoping.

CORE does not give specific measurements for the awning. Some owners have complained about the amount of rain that gets in if its windy. The canopy seems to stands out a foot or so past the top of the door. So, that seems to be excellent protection. Keep in mind, though, the pitch of tent’s sides. The awning doesn’t seem to stick out much past the floor.

According to CORE, the “pack weight” is 24.5 pounds. Amazon, however, claims it is 20lbs, and its shipping weight is 24.3lbs. Looking over a range of other six-person tents, that’s about average. But it’s not the mode. Most of the other tents I looked at we’re in the 15-20lbs range. A few were much higher, about 35lbs. The lower the weight tents come with fiberglass poles, which cuts down the weight considerably. Keep in mind, though, the lower the weight, the higher the cost. The pack size of this Core tent is 8.25” x 8.25” x 48”.

This Core tent is a stable, sturdy tent. But, it must be staked down. Owners say that even in windy conditions the canvas stays upright, although it moves around a bit.

The awning adds a great deal of rigidity to the structure. It still gives so that it won’t break or tare in strong winds. With the shelter on, however, you don’t have to worry about the tent flexing about you all night and keeping you up.

You can probably take this Core tent from the point of purchase to campsite without any regrets. The stakes that come with this tent, like most tents, are minimal at best. This is probably a good thing if you stop and think about it. If you’re an experienced camper you’ve probably gone through a bunch of different stakes before you found the right design that works for you. Or maybe even different stakes for various conditions. Some buyers complain about the stakes being cheap. We think CORE is right not to jack up the price with costly stakes that won’t use anyway. It seems to be the standard practice in the industry, in any case. So, don’t let the stakes stop you purchasing CORE 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent.

Lots of vents to help prevent moisture from accumulating inside the tent from respiration. Drops of water running down the sides of your canvas, in the morning, drive you crazy, doesn't it? Keep in mind; your breath has about 100% relative humidity (RH). Typically, with every breath, you’re exhaling almost 0.02 grams of water vapor.

Over a night’s sleep, that adds up. It takes a lot of technology to promote the moisture inside the tent evaporating without letting outside tent seep in. Large doors and side windows can help ventilation. Floor vents are a significant improvement over older tent designs. Also, the space between the tent and the awning allows the air to circulate, moving more moisture away from this Core tent’s surface.

Keep in mind there is no vestibule, and the awning does not extend too far past the door. If the wind is blowing towards the front entrance, water is going to get in. It’s unavoidable with most tents. If you need a shelter that keeps the most rain out and keeps you as dry as possible, then you’re probably looking for a very different kind of tent. It’ll probably cost a lot more, too.

There are things you can do to mitigate against water getting in. A tarp or “footprint” under the CORE Tent with Awning, is a good idea in any case. It might be worth having a simple awning on hand, even if you’re not setting up the tent.

In any camping you’ve got to plan: If it’s raining, where do you take off your shoes, so you keep the mud and wet out? In any case, it’s a good practice to get your sleeping bags off the floor of any tent, during the day, to allow any accumulated moisture to evaporate from the tent and the kit.

CORE says the tent sleeps six. Doable but cramped. If you’re a family or group of friends, you want comfort. Limiting occupants to four gives everyone room to stretch out and more accessible access to more of your belongings when you need them. Otherwise, if you need to, buy a more massive tent. You won’t regret it. CORE and other companies offer larger tents.

This Core tent measures 11’W x 9’D x 72” H at the center. What is essential to have in mind is that if you use camping mattresses space becomes even tighter and cannot accommodate the suggested number of people.

The CORE Tent with Awning receives decent ratings. A few people complain of struggling the first time out. One owner admitted, however, they were “over thinking it.” That gives you an idea of just how easy it is to set up. When Core says, “in sixty seconds,” they ain’t kidding. I’ve seen home videos of kids setting this CORE tent up without too much parental intervention.

The CORE Tent is a three-season tent. It comes with an awning that covers the top ventilation, so you can keep warm air in or let hot air out, all without letting the rain in. If you’re planning on camping in a monsoon, look elsewhere. The awning is adequate for most uses. But, strong winds are going push some amount of rain under the canopy or past the doors and vents.

Lots of extra features make this tent a serious contender, especially for families.

Six person tents range from about $90 to $600. The question is not “is this a good” tent, but is this tent “good for me (or my family)?” If you’re looking for an inexpensive, quality tent, the CORE 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent with Awning is an excellent choice. Perfect entry level tent with lots of features. Great for family camping, car camping, perhaps some hiking into your campsite. If you’re planning on backpacking through the High Sierras for a week, get a light tent.

Anyone who cares about quality and customer service will appreciate the CORE’s mission statement and business model. That is, CORE seems to be very responsive to their customers. They post reviews of some very unhappy customers and address the customer’s concerns. How cool is that! The Core tent comes with a one-year warranty. A tent can take a lot of abuse in just one year.

Although Core suggests this tent for six people, based on the reviews that we researched we can sum up that if you want comfort while on the camping trip, it would be better to limit the number of people to 4. This Core tent is easy to set up as it is an instant cabin tent. In general, for this particular type of Core tent, there are not so many reviews, but the ones who did leave the comment are mostly positive with an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.

For all the features, ease of use, and customer service, this Core tent is reasonably priced, especially if you appreciate smart, consumer-friendly design. If you have a membership to Amazon, you can get it for an excellent price, shipping included. Amazon also gives you access to warranties. If you’re looking for a reliable tent, one that lets you spend less time struggling to get set up and spend more time doing what you like to do, for the price, quality, size, weight, and features, you can’t go wrong with this Core tent.