Coleman Instant Dome 5 Real Review

When it comes to finding a tent that meets the needs of the entire family, the Coleman Instant Dome 5 frequently comes up as a top choice among camping enthusiasts. Renowned for its quick and easy setup, the Coleman Instant Dome 5 has garnered attention for its unique design and practicality. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the Coleman Instant Dome 5, exploring its performance in real-world camping scenarios to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your outdoor adventures. We’ll delve into aspects such as the tent’s ease of setup, interior space, durability, and performance under various weather conditions, offering you an in-depth look at what the Coleman Instant Dome 5 has to offer.

"I had high hopes for this tent, but Coleman quality is dropped significantly. We used this tent exactly three times before the plastic pole hub broke and a wear hole developed in the floor. The tent is useless without this plastic hub piece and good luck finding parts for a Coleman tent older than a year. I have been searching the Coleman website using both the item number and part number and it simply results in a item not found message. I am meticulous with me gear, but am frustrated with the lack of quality on this apparently cheaply constructed tent. I will not be purchasing another Coleman tent. Time to move on to a higher quality brand with parts available."

"I bought this tent for Burning Man and I couldn't have made a better choice. It is super easy to set up, it's durable, and it has zip up windows which you absolutely need for the Playa. I took this to the 2015 Burn, where we had the worst dust storms I have experienced in 5 years (complete white out). This tent stood firm and didn't let in any additional dust (all dust was from my comings and goings). It didn't rain, so can't comment on how it stands up to water, but I have no doubts that it will do fine in my first rainstorm.

Hardest part is folding it back up to fit into the bag, but you just have to fold neatly and not be in a rush."

"It is indeed very easy, almost instant, to pitch this tent because it is more or less like an EZ-Up shade tent that is enclosed. All you do is snap the poles into place and you are done. The problem is that this ease of setup makes it very weak and poorly made. The 3rd time I ever went to use this tent one of the top parts of the tent where all the polls connect to got twisted and then snapped. We were putting it up like normal and despite spending a long time trying to get it untwisted, couldn't, and even while being very cautious not to break anything the piece broke and made the tent unusable. The problem is not only that it is cheaply made but also that everything is already attached and it is almost impossible to fix if anything goes wrong. Needless to say I won't be buying a Coleman tent again because the one I had before one of the poles kept snapping because of just poor design putting way too much pressure on the pole. Spend some more money and get a better tent, it will save you money in the long term so you don't have to keep buying new ones."

"As a single woman I needed a bigger tent that I could erect and take down by myself. My backpack tent is OK for weekend use but not for a longer car camp stay. I can actually stand up in this tent and it is very spacious for all my gear, even a small chair. Despite back problems I can haul it around and it is reasonably easy for me to put up and take down. On its initial camping trip a very strong windstorm came up and hit the tent broadside. It survived without any damage to the tent poles. Love the tent."

"I bought this at Costco. I was looking for a tent I could set up in the rain without its getting wet inside. Nope. It comes with the door unzipped and it would rain in like gangbusters while you were setting it up. In addition....I made an attempt to set it up, and gave up. I suppose it's a paradigm shift in setting up tents, but I found it much more difficult than a similarly sized regular tent. Then, after I got it flat but couldn't figure out how to get it to stand up, I could not get it folded to anywhere near small enough to go back in the bag that came with it. I noticed when I took it out of the box that it would require a steam roller to compress it that far, and yep I was right. The entire thing is going back not even set up, in a huge garbage bag with poles sticking all over the place. I don't think I broke anything but am sure glad I did not end up in the wilderness with a flat tire and hoping to be able to sleep in this thing. Back to my Big Agnes with the vestibule, because at least it fits in the bag and I can figure out how to set it up, even if it does take me 30 minutes."

"I must say, I really like this tent. I picked it up last night from Costco and set it up in my living room. From unzipping the carry case to stepping into the tent, it probably took me less than 5 minutes. Didn't even bother looking at the directions (which comprise of half a dozen or so illustrations). I'll definitely be able to do it in a minute or less next time.The "auto roll" windows is an interesting (if not exactly necessary) feature.

I do wonder how durable the thing is. basically the tent poles telescope out until a button (sort of like opening an umbrella) pops into a hole. To release, press the button and slide the pole back down into it's retracted position. The poles also have an elbow that folds up. Since these are all plastic parts that operate each time the tent it used, I wonder about their longevity. I guess everything is plastic nowadays, and how ofter am I really going to be using the tent each year. UV radiation can degrade plastic, but I don't plan on keeping the tent set up for more than a day at a time.

"I looked up a whole bunch of YouTube videos on this tent on how easy it is to set up. It's really SUPER easy to set up! I was a little skeptical on the built-in rain fly, but for the camping trip I just took, it held up very well... I know, I live in the Northwest area and we get rain. Plenty of space inside for two to sleep comfy, but not five. I did not know when I bought this tent on amazon, that it had windows that roll up themselves.. there is a small 1 inch wide and the length of each window rolled up tin metal to insert into the slot on the window and when you go to open the window, the metal piece retracts and rolls the window up so you don't have too... that to me was a bonus and an AWESOME idea - I'm still kind of shocked to see that!

In summary, the Coleman Instant Dome 5 proves to be an exceptional tent in many respects. Its rapid setup capabilities, spacious interior, and reasonable price make it an ideal choice for family camping trips. While it may have some limitations in extreme weather conditions, it still offers solid protection and comfort for most moderate camping environments. If you’re in the market for a tent that combines convenience with practicality, the Coleman Instant Dome 5 is definitely worth considering. For your next outdoor adventure, give this tent a try and experience a more enjoyable and hassle-free camping experience.