The biggest material difference between the Sundome and our other picks is its crunchy, tarp-like polyethylene floor. The other tents in this guide all have bathtub-style tape-seamed polyester floors, which is the standard among high-quality tents. The Sundome’s tarp is clearly a budget material, but for what it was, we found it user-friendly. It’s easy to mop up after wet paws and spills, and it doesn’t hold moisture. It’s unlikely to be as durable, though, as the softer, stronger polyester found in our other picks. Despite having the smallest capacity of the tents we tested—42.5 square feet—the Mineral King 3 easily fits two people with a full-size mattress, or two sleeping pads, and gear.
Like our couples’ tent pick, the Wireless 6 is a dome-shaped tent with a tried and true two-pole design. It has an interior footprint of 87 square feet, which sleeps four adults on single pads, or two adults and two or three children, and can accommodate a crib. That ozark trail instant cabin wasn’t the tallest we encountered—the Eureka Copper Canyon LX 6 and the Alps Mountaineering Camp Creek 6 each topped out at 7 feet—but it’s enough space for most adults to maneuver standing up. The tent comes with a full rain fly that adds two vestibules for storage (each 14 square feet), totaling 115 square feet of livable space—which is fairly generous yet still practical for most campsites. Car campers who plan to brave miserable weather will appreciate the extra strength and protection of the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent.
To mimic heavier rain and to test the tent’s ability to withstand soggy ground ozark trail shower tent conditions, we also soaked our tents with a garden hose. A few weeks later, we brought the front-runners to a platform in an area that had higher elevation, near the Waianae Mountain Range, and camped out overnight in intermittent but consistent rainfall. It’s natural to focus on the quality of a tent’s rain fly—you need that piece to work when the skies open up. But according to our experts, the durability of the floor of your tent is actually more important. If the tent you buy doesn’t come with a footprint (two of our recommended tents, the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 and the Marmot Tungsten 4, do), we recommend purchasing a companion footprint, if one is available. A footprint doesn’t take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears.
After reviewing the Ozark Trail 10×10 instant shelter we couldn’t leave out its closest competition, the Z-Shade tent. Z-Shade has been a staple in manufacturing instant canopies in a variety of sizes and colors since 2000. The brand is wholly owned by large conglomerate Activa Leisure Group who has been in the umbrella and shade business since 1842, so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about outdoor canopies. Product DescriptionUpgrade your outdoor experience with our modern and durable pop-up canopy tents. The upgraded frame design ensures ventilation and cooling with a vent on the roof. Made with a strong and durable steel frame construction, reinforced stress points, and high-quality plastic parts, our pop-up canopies are built to last.
Both Base Camp tents have two doors and lots of mesh in the main tent body. But unlike the Mineral King 3 and the Tungsten 4, the mesh on each Base Camp tent starts high on the walls—more than 4 feet from the ground. This design is a big plus for people who regularly camp in crowded campgrounds and don’t like to get naked in front of strangers. And you can unzip the front door, remove it, and neatly stash it into one of the tent’s internal pockets—a useful feature if you’re feeling sociable. The Wireless 6 goes up easily, using the same kind of intuitive pole and clip method as our couples’ pick. The fly is equally simple to attach and orient with color-coded clips.
The pyramid frame design is made of durable and powder-coated steel that is resistant to rust and corrosion. The steel legs are almost exactly the same thickness as the Ozark Trail and similar to that of most cheaper tents, but it’s still noticeably thinner than any commercial-grade shelter. The trusses are thin but actually hold up surprisingly well under stress when rotational pressure is applied. The truss connectors are adequate in terms of durability and will help to support the pyramid frame maintain structural integrity during mild to moderate windy conditions. Anything more than mph winds and you might find your Z-Shade tent starting to buckle where it shouldn’t be buckling.
We found that company representatives are reluctant to estimate the lifespan of their tents. When pushed, most of the reps we talked to estimated five to 10 years, though the actual lifespan will vary widely depending on care and frequency of use (for more advice, read REI’s excellent tips). In conducting research for this guide, we heard multiple tales of careful campers who had been using the same tent for 15 years or more. For casual outings as well as possible commercial use or for tailgating, this is a fantastic and trusted choice. With bonus stakes, guylines, and a wheeled carry bag, you’re certainly getting value for your money.
The separate fly, which covers the upper half of the tent, uses a third, shorter “brow” pole to form protective peaks over the door and the back window. In our tests, an experienced camper took only about six minutes on the first try to set up the tent body alone and stake it out. Getting the fly placed and staked properly took about five more minutes. To compare tent fabrics, you also need to know their overall rip strength.