You could be in the castle of tents while your buddies and co-campers are in tents that are like efficiency apartments! Buy the Eureka Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 Cabin 12 Person Tent 2010
now or continue with another fabulous review. This is a very large tent. I get excited writing family tent reviews for tents this huge. Measuring 15 feet by 12 feet the Cooper Canyon is a great family tent that will hold just about everything you could dream to put in it (including some of the other campers tents). With nearly vertical walls the square footage is true and not cheated with walls darting in at sharp angles. Twelve grown people as advertised could fit easily, but it might be a little tight. You could probably fit an entire Scout troop in this thing. At over seven feet of height in the center you will never need to stoop or bend in this Eureka. As a matter of fact shorter folks may want to bring a step ladder if you plan on hanging a light or closing the divider that separates the tent into two rooms. The two doors are located so that each room has its own door, which is good if you have different sleeping habits than the people you are sharing the tent with.
Copper Canyon Dimensions
Height: over 7 feet
Length: 15 feet
Width: 12 feet
weight: 39 pounds
Weather Resistance of Copper Canyon
Camping in the rain has never been more enjoyable than with the Eureka Copper Canyon. We had several nights of rain, one of which was a rather heavy rain, without a drop making its way inside the tent. The fly is big enough over the end windows to allow you to open them some for ventilation even in hard rain. The top of the tent is mesh ant part of the rain fly is plastic allowing you to gaze at the stars or have a sky light if you wish and also aiding ventilation. Of Course you can zip shut the area where the see through panels are to keep out the light or add privacy. We had some winds that I’d estimate in the 20– 25 mph range without any problem from the tent.
Set Up of Eureka Copper Canyon
Setting up the tent is pretty easy, of course I have much experience with previous tents so my times may be better than a beginner tent erector. Our first test run took a little over twenty minutes. This included stretching out the tent for set up and laying everything out. The second time we got it up in 17 minutes. Erecting this tent could possibly be done by a single person, but two or three makes it much simpler. The rain fly mat require two people to get it on properly.
Extra Features of the Copper Canyon
The Eureka Copper Canyon comes with a storage loft. Also two power ports near the doors allow you to run a power cord to the tent. You can close the ports with a zipped flap to keep out the rain.
Eureka Copper Canyon Cons
The stakes could be a little better. I’m finding this to be common with most new tents, but stronger stake are available. You should buy a tarp for underneath the tent (this is always recommended with any tent though). One for inside may also be beneficial.
Measuring 15 feet by 10 feet and over seven feet tall the Columbia Cougar Flats II Family Cabin Dome Tent has a vast cavernous interior which is dividable into two rooms so you can put those kids in a separate room. Or you could use one room as a bedroom and the other like a living room. If you prefer you can zip up the room divider and just have one big room. The Columbia Cougar Flats easily sleeps six people, and we even manged to squeeze in ten people one time though it was a little tight. This may be my favorite 10 person tent available at the moment. Someone actually fit an extra large cot, a normal cot and two twin air mattresses inside of the Columbia Cougar Flats with some space remaining on the edges. With two entrance doors access to the tent should never get jammed. Also on the rain fly is an awning that is big enough to cover two or three seats. Weighing in at 54 pounds this is not a tent for hiking. But the tote bag has wheels and this helps a lot with transporting the tent. In the Colombia Cougar space should never be an issue.
Cougar Flats Dimensions:
Width: 15 feet by 10
Height: over 7 feet
Columbia Cougar Flats II
Set Up
The Columbia Cougar Flats goes up rather easily. The poles are color coded which makes things pretty easy yo figure out. The instruction manual is a little vague so the first setup took a little longer than the second. The first time took us 35 minutes. The second only about 20 minutes. It is possible to setup with one person but 2 makes the process much easier. Chances are if you are buying a tent this big you will have someone to help you. Taking the tent down is a rather quick process. I found that it is very easy to collapse. Also the EZ Pak that comes with the tent is expandable so no more struggling to stuff your tent back into the bag. This is actually one of my favorite features of the Columbia Cougar Flats II.
Weather Resistance of Columbia Cougar flats
The Columbia Cougar Flats II is equipped with a rainfly that has an 800 mm coating, and although I’d usually recommend an 1000mm coating the Cougar held up just fine in stormy weather. The seams of the Cougar are factory sealed but it is recommended that you use the Kenyon 3 sealer that comes with the tent as extra precaution. We camped in the Columbia Cougar Flats II during mild storms without a leak or puddle. Although we did use a tarp underneath the tent, which is always recommended. The Bay window design allows you to keep your windows open during stormy weather. The Cyclone venting system allows for greater air circulation inside the tent allowing you to beat the heat. The roof is ventilated and has much mesh , so with the rainfly removed you can get even better air flow and free light provided by the sun. When we took our Columbia Cougar Flats II camping on the beach it held up to the constant winds without a problem. The upper poles being made of fiberglass and the bottom ones of metal make for a sturdy hybrid pole system.
Additional Features
The interior of the Columbia Cougar Flats II includes several features to aide in organization. A loft for hiding gear and other items out of your way. I found the loft to be not only cool but also a handy feature on this10 person family tent. There are also storage lockers for placing items in. The hanging cup holders are a feature that I truly love. Several internal pockets are also located within the Columbia Cougar Flats II. This is one of the better organization aiding tents out there. There is also a Camp port for any cables that need to pass through the tent.
Columbia Cougar Flats Cons
There are only two cons I have found with the Columbia Cougar Flats II. The first is that both external doors enter the same room. This is only a con in some situations. With small children this would be considered a bonus. The second potential negative is that the placement of the awning isn’t over one of the two doors. But at least it has an awning.
Summary
In summary the Columbia Cougar Flats II is a great tent. In fact it is my favorite at the moment( I think its the hanging cup holders). With its large size, good weather resistance, and great organizational features camping this summer should be a breeze. Columbia has really outdone themselves this time with another high quality family size camping tent. This 10 person tent usually ships with free shipping. Click Here to see if there is still an 18% discount on the Columbia Cougar Flats II Family Cabin Dome Tent.
This Coleman Red Canyon 17-Foot by 10-Foot 8-Person Modified Dome Tent is a large family sized tent. Measuring 17 by 10 feet it sleeps up to 8 people comfortably. Although if your family or friends are large size 6 may be a more realistic number. With a 72 inch center height most people can maneuver within the tent without any problems. With these large dimensions fitting the whole family in a single tent should be a breeze. It also features removable privacy walls that allow you to choose whether you’d like 1 large space or 2 or 3 smaller spaces. This is great for separating misbehaving children or just getting a little privacy from your friends and family.
Red Canyon Dimensions:
Width: 17 by 10 feet
Height: 72 inches in center
Weather Resistance of Coleman Red Canyon
red canyon-interior
The Coleman Red Canyon is a weather resistant tent that features Coleman’s exclusive Weathertec System and Leak-Free protected seams. The Red Canyon is made of a Coated polyester fabric with anti-wicking thread for further rain protection. And if that wasn’t enough, a rain-fly to cover the tent is also included. The doors are also protected from weather by the zipper cuffs. With the wind strong frame that uses guy-out triangles you are not likely to have the tent blown away which is a possibility with lesser tents in the wrong weather conditions. This thing held up for me in 20 mph winds without any problems. I’d bet it hold up in much heavier winds also. My favorite part of the weather resistance is the water-proof floor. Being protected from the rain is great but not having to sleep in a puddle is even better. I love this tent on long camping trips that make the weather harder to predict.
Set Up of the Red Canyon
Red Canyon
Set up of the Coleman Red Canyon 8 Person Tent is rather easy. My first practice run took my 30 minutes by myself. With the help of my 2 nephews it took 15 minutes. With a little practice I suspect the time could be cut even more. Easy instructions are sewn right onto the storage bag. The shock corded color coded poles made the assembly process headache free. Getting the rain tarp over alone can be tricky for a shorter person alone, but possible. For taller people putting on the rain tarp should be no problem.
Additional Features
Extra features of the Red Canyon include a Cool-Air port for adjusting ventilation or moving your stuff through. I found this feature a little odd looking but it did help cool off the tent which was greatly appreciated in the Texas heat on my last camping trip to Lake Caddo. A welcome mat comes with the tent helping to keep the floors clean. Interior pockets also aide in keeping the place neat, clean, and organized. Separate storage bags for the tent and the poles help prevent damage to the tent and help with organization. The Red Canyon is a good tent for running a clean camp.
Coleman Red Canyon Cons
The only con to this tent is the height on the ends of the tent are shorter than the center. Some ducking may be required in the two end rooms.
Summary
All in all the Coleman Red Canyon family sized tent is highly recommended and is priced much lower than tents that offer similar features. As a matter of fact it is the lowest priced tent I’ve found of this size. Free shipping is likely available. Click to see if the Coleman Red Canyon 17-Foot by 10-Foot 8-Person Modified Dome Tent is still 36% off the regular price at Amazon and get your camping trip started off the right way,that is, dry with room to stretch out. And don’t forget to read our other 8 Person Tent Reviews.
The Coleman Instant 8– Person Tent is the easiest and quickest tent assembly I have ever experienced. I don’t believe that there is another tent on the market of this size that can be assembled with such ease and speed. This is a feature I should always look for when I buy a tent. Many claim quick set-up but the Coleman Instant delivers in a way I never would have expected. The pole system comes pre-attached to the tent which is the key to the simplicity of it all. Once the tent is unfolded and spread you simply extend the tent poles, snap them together, then lock them in.If your number one buying point is assembly ease then this tent will not disappoint. Coleman claims assembly and collapse is possible in under a minute, but actually spreading the tent out and setup took me about 5 minutes the first couple of times but was able to get the time down to about two and a half minutes once I got used to it. I was able to set it up by myself. Since the frame and poles don’t come apart you also don’t have to worry about losing parts which can be a problem for the absent minded among us (myself included). There is nothing worse than being in the process of setting up your tent at a site only to realize you are missing pieces. That will never happen with the Coleman Instant 8 person Tent. This is among the many reasons I believe this is one of the best multi person tents available at the moment.
Coleman Instant Tent
Size
The Coleman Instant is a huge tent. Measuring 14 by 10 feet at the base it will sleep 8 people comfortably. The center height is 6 feet and 5 inches so hardly anyone will have to stoop while inside of the tent. The tent comes with one room divider making 2 rooms possible and lessening the chance of sleeping in the same room with the in-laws or the kids. The tent also has two doors for easy access. If the Coleman Instant 8 Person Tent is too much for your need it is available in a smaller size.
Tent Dimensions:
Width: 14 feet by 10 feet.
Height: 6 feet 5 inches
Weather Resistance of Instant Tent
The Coleman Instant Tent has the WeatherTec system and waterproof walls (made of coated polyester) to help keep you dry, but it does not include a separate rainfly. Unless its a severe thunderstorm you’ll stay dry, but if your planning on doing a lot of camping or camping in hot weather, buying a universal rainfly will allow you to keep the windows down for ventilation while raining in windy conditions. The tent has a welded waterproof floor so you will stay dry and puddle free, but adding a tarp underneath is still a good idea for extra protection. Another weather feature is the wind responsive frame which will keep you from blowing away during heavy winds. The tent has large windows, seven of them surrounding it. They are great for keeping cool and ventilating the tent with fresh air. The windows also provide a view of all sides of the tent so you can keep an eye on the kids ‚the BBQ,and the campfire, or just for enjoying the scenery.
Coleman Instant tent interior
Additional Features
Additional features of the Coleman Instant Tent include an interior pocket for helping you stay organized. Easy instructions are sewn into the carrying bag. You probably will only need these once but great to have handy.
Cons of the Coleman Instant Tent
There are not many cons to this tent but there are a couple minor ones. The pegs are not the best quality. This is a common issue with most tents available these days. It is always advisable to buy some sturdier pegs with any tent you purchase. Putting the tent back in the bag can be a problem, but I seem to always have this problem with big camping tents (probably due more to my impatience.)
Here in Houston seeing some friends, about to got to the zoo. Went crabbing down around Surfside and at Chocolate Bayou. Thought about setting up the tent on the beach, but decided against it because I wasn’t properly prepared. Too short of notice. Gonna swing by REI to see if there is any last items that are needed before next weeks trip to lake Same Rayburn. Gonna try out a new tent there, but not sure which one yet. The last two tents I have tested and reviewed were both made by Coleman. Perhaps next week I’ll test a different manufacturer.