The Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent name is meant to help you with having protection while camping and sleeping. The product is one that does this job HOWWELL. However, we know Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent is one that a lot of people have questions about. That is why we have decided at Today’s Camping Gear it was time to carry out our own review on Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent and fill you in on what makes this standout from others on the market.
Features Of Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent
- Dark Room Technology Blocks 90% of sunlight.
- Walls are almost completely vertical.
- Frame has been tested up to 35 MPH.
- Has a storage loft.
- Easy to set up.
What Are The Dimensions Of Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent
The dimensions makes it easier for you to know exactly how much space you need. Since that is the case here are the dimensions of Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent.
12’L x 9’W x 6’4”T
22.61 pounds.
Dark Room Technology Makes It Dark
This is a technology that you would think is fairly old, but its really new. The technology is meant to almost completely remove the sunlight from getting into your tent.
Well, the best part is the technology does work. The tent here has a tendency to be block out close to 80% of the sunlight.
Now, the 20% of the sunlight that does come into the tent is not going to generate a lot of light. This does mean that if you are going into the tent during the day that you may need to use a flashlight or hope that your eyesight is very good.
Plenty Of Storage For Gear
Gear storage in a tent is at a premium. I know from my own experience that a tent that does not have the storage pockets are starting to become a thing of the past and that is a good thing. However, you may have more gear than what you thought when you are camping.
With this tent you do have the mesh pockets in the tent. These pockets make it quite a bit easier for you to store all of your gear that is smaller and your wallet. At the same time, the location of the mesh pockets can make it easier for you to reach your stuff quickly at night.
What else is great about the Coleman tent is it does have a storage loft. This loft is not that large and obviously cannot support a ton of weight, but it can support some weight and gives you a place that can store some of your items while you are camping.
Rain Is Not A Major Issue
Weather is definitely a major concern when you are tent camping. The best part is the tent here has a frame that is properly set up is designed for winds up to 35 MPH. So the wind is not going to be a major issue.
The tent for the floor uses the 1,000 denier polyethylene floor, which is a durable floor and will keep water from wicking up into your gear from the ground. The sides are durable as well and the entire system is using the inverted seams along with the WeatherTec system welded corners.
While the rain does not really become a major issue the temperature in the tent can. As you can tell from the images and the video the tent is very dark. So you are going to have the issue of the tent drawing in and trapping the heat with the dark color.
Poles Are Pre-Attached Making Setup Easy
Preattached poles are a plus to a point. With the tent here the poles are pre-attached and that makes it easier for you to get the tent set up quickly. That comes from the fact you only have to get some of the poles locked into place and it will be ready for you to set up.
What else the poles do for you is make it easier for you to avoid losing any of the pieces. I know in some of the tents that I have used in the past I would always end up losing a single pole. This was a nightmare and made it very difficult to find a replacement pole.
On the downside when a pole does have any issues it can be difficult to get the poles detached and replaced. However, even then once you get the poles replaced it does make it easier for you to get the tent set up and ready to go for the next camping adventure.
Compact Size Makes It Easier To Move
I have to say that by compact I do not mean the foot print of the tent. In fact, the footprint of the tent goes to a space that is about 10×8 if not slightly larger.
The compact size I mean is when the Coleman Skydome tent is completely collapsed down. The tent in its carrying bag is not that large as you would expect which does make it easier to move around. The downside is the weight can make it difficult to move around by yourself at times so if you have a friend to help move the tent it would be best.
It is possible for you to misunderstand by what I mean with ease of moving as well and think this is a tent to take backpacking. That is not the case at all either. The size, while compact when folded down would quickly wear on you while hiking. The other issue that you would have is the weight of the tent is heavy enough that you would quickly get fatigued.
Lack Of Ventilation Makes Tent Hot
As you can imagine this tent to get the full blackout technology really sacrifices the windows and other ventilation features. This means that you are not going to have as much in the way of ventilation or air flow.
The lack of air flow means the air can grow stagnant and lead you to opening up your door. This does help to a point in getting the air moving in the tent, but it does not really help to overcome a lot of the stuffy heat.
Something else that becomes an issue with the lack of windows is when you do need light in the tent it is not able to penetrate the material. This means that the tent is going to be very dark and if you are searching for something, even in the middle of the day, you may need to use a flashlight.
Dark Technology Makes The Tent Hot
The dark technology does wonders at keeping out the sun. However, you have to ask yourself what exactly was used to make the tent so dark in the middle of the beating sun?
Well the quick answer is looking at the picture you can see the tents are mainly dark in color. This darker color, just like the city buildings or roads, tends to absorb heat, but does make it darker.
On the downside the other part of the technology is the fact that it does restrict the number of windows. This means that not only is the tent going to be hotter, but you may not have as much in the way of ventilation that you would want to have for a cross breeze.
Pros and Cons
- The dark technology limits sunlight.
- The frame is preconnected making it easy to set up.
- The tent does have decent weather resistance.
- The space in the tent for stretching out is acceptable.
- Gear storage can be quite a bit easier than expected.
- The tent can be very hot from the dark technology.
- To help improve the dark technology of the tent it is lacking in a lot of the ventilation.
Who Would Like This
One group that would really love the Coleman Skydome Dark tent would be the ones that like sleeping during the day. I know camping can be boring at times and for some people staying up late at night watching the fire makes them tired. Well, the sun would usually wake them up, but with the tent here it blocks out the majority of the sunlight allowing for more sleep.
As you can imagine a tent that blocks out the majority of the sunlight provides maximum privacy. That comes from the fact that the tent is going to be darker and the windows are more compact as well, which makes it easier to have the privacy you want.
Who Would Not Like This
People who have issues with getting too hot will have issues with this tent. The darker almost black color of the tent definitely will get hotter than what you expect. So this is going to make it hard to get comfortable in the tent.
Finally, the people that would not like the tent as well would be those that are looking for a tent that has plenty of windows for outside viewing without the bugs. Yes, this tent does have some windows, but they are hard to see through and for the most part the tent on the inside is so dark that you most likely would not like how the outside looks or the inside even.
Whats In The Box
Buying the Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent often means you are going to get a great item to take care of protection while sleeping at night. Still, it is important to know what is inside of the box to guarantee you get everything you need. Since that is the case here is what is in the box for the Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent.
In the box you are going to get everything you need to set it up. You are going to have the tent, stakes, and the poles. All of these are the basic items that are included in the box for the tent.
Something else that is included in the box is the rain fly. This is going to fit over the tent properly and will keep the rain at bay for a longer period of time if you are camping and the weather turns crappy.
Additional Accessories To Consider
When you are buying Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent you may want to consider the following items to help make the product work even better. Some of these accessories will help out right away, but others are going to be items that you find out down the line.
I have to admit with any tent the first thing that breaks is either the poles or the stakes. Since this is the case, anytime I buy a tent I try to buy an extra pack of stakes as well, which then I can use to put the tent up and get it secured down and not have to worry about any of them breaking.
What else would be great to buy at the same time is the seam sealer. Yes, the tent it water proof and is made with the inverted seams, but I can tell you that in a blowing wind you will wish that you had sealed the tent. With the sealer, you can seal the tent and not have to be overly concerned about it leaking in a blowing rain.
What Others Are Saying
While I do provide quite a bit of information about the item here, I want to give you information from others. Here is some of the feedback that has been left by other reviews online.
ANewton left this on Amazon. ”Winds were in excess of 35 miles an hour”. As you can imagine being in a tent in that type of weather can be very scary and I know that from going through a tornado in a tent! However, I will tell you that the reviewer mentioned that the tent handled the wind without any issues.
Mike J actually left some negative comments on his Amazon review. ”there is no ventilation in this tent”. This is a point that we brought up as well in our drawbacks and I have to admit in a tent I want ventilation or it feels like you are sleeping in a bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Coleman Dark Room Skydome Waterproof?
Yes, the tent has been given the factory sealing and will resist water for the most part, but a blowing wind could force rain in the seams.
Does The Tent Have An E Port?
No, it does not have a port.
Is The Tent Hotter Than Most?
As you can imagine the darker color of the tent is going to have it running hotter than expected.
Does The Tent Have Windows?
The answer is yes and the door does not fully zip down, which does make it run warmer than expected.
Does The Tent Really Get Dark?
Yes, the tent is very dark on the inside and if you are going into it during the day, you may need to bring a flashlight with you.
My Final Thoughts On Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent
I have to say that this product has some positives and negatives. Overall, the Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent is going to provide you with some headaches while you are using it, but overall it does what it is advertised to do. Overall, I would have to say I do recommend the Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-person tent if you are in the market for a tent that is dark, but also one that is durable and easy to set up.
Coleman Dark Room Skydome 8-Person Tent
Main Features:
– QUICK PITCH: Sets up in under 5 minutes thanks to pre-attached poles
– DARK ROOM TECHNOLOGY: Blocks 90% of sunlight so you can sleep in past sunrise; reduces heat (vs. a comparable Coleman tent) for a more comfortable rest anytime of day
– MORE HEADROOM: 20% more headroom than traditional Coleman dome tents thanks to nearly vertical walls
– WEATHER PROTECTION: WeatherTec system’s tub-like floor, patented welded corners, and inverted seams help keep water out; strong frame withstands up to 35 mph winds
– WIDER DOOR: Makes it easier to move air beds, sleeping bags, and other gear in and out of the tent
– ROOMY INTERIOR & EXTRA STORAGE: 8 x 7 ft. with 4 ft. 8 in. center height; fits 1 queen-size air bed; mesh storage pockets and a gear loft keep small items organized
– COMPACT SIZE: Great for car camping or backpacking and includes a convenient carry bag
– 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
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