CuteCamper
After several days’ hard work of researching and comparing, we have made this review.
It covers everything you need to know about the Coleman instant setup cabin tent.
The 10-person Coleman instant setup cabin tent is a relatively large and tall tent with dark room technology, instant setup design.
It has 2 doors from either side, 5 huge windows, and an included rainfly.
Table of Contents
Who is it for and Is it worth to buy
Although you can only put in 5~6 people for comfort instead of the officially declared 10, it is still a relatively large tent. The instant setup design makes it easier to set up in less than one minute.
The dark room technology gives you more time to sleep in the morning, also it is useful in the hot summer sun.
The peak height is 6′ 7″(201 cm), it is tall enough for most people to stand.
If you are a family with many kids, this is a good choice. It also has a room divider inside which you can split the children and parents.
It is also good for a group of friends camping out on the weekend/festival.
This is one of the most popular tents of Coleman’s product line which many people buy.
Compared to other products, the price is good and relatively low. It has a lot of features which other cheaper tents lack.
- Instant setup in 60 seconds
- Good ventilation
- Hinged door
- Reflective guy lines
- Lantern hook and wall pouch
- Can’t withstand extreme weather
- Not so spacious for 10 people
Key Features
Instant setup
It is officially claimed that you can set up in 60 seconds. However, according to our test, we spend about 3 minutes on the first try, and the average is between 1 and 2 minutes when we are familiar with the tent. But anyway, it is still quite impressive to set up in such a short time.
To many people, instant setup tents are a great feature, although the price costs a little more. But it’s worth it if you can avoid the tedious labor and enjoy more of the wild.
If you fall into this group, the Coleman instant setup tent is a good choice. You just simply unfold the tent, extend the poles, click and lock it into place. All of this can be done in minutes. Leaving you with more time to relax and enjoy.
Also, the instant setup design is great for people who change location frequently, for example when you are on a road trip across the country.
Dark Room Technology
As it literally means, Dark Room Technology can block 90% sunlight from outside and gives more darkness inside, which is especially useful when you don’t want to get up early in the morning, or want a short nap in the middle of day.
Reducing heat is a side benefit of Dark Room Technology. By blocking out the sunlight, it can prevent less heating from outside which makes it much cooler on hot days. It also prevents heat loss on relatively cold days.
According to Coleman’s official statement, it can keep your bedroom up to 5°C(9°F) cooler during the day and up to 1°C(1.8°F) warmer during the night.
Space and capacity
The interior room is 14 x 10 ft(4.27 x 3.05 m), about 140 ft² (13 m²), So it is large enough, you can put 4 queen-size air beds inside. Theoretically you can put 10 people in as Coleman officially claims, but for comfortability 5 or 6 is the threshold. For a family with 2 or 3 kids, this tent is quite commodious.
The following picture gives you a rough idea on the inner size. Note the dimness due to the dark-room technology we mentioned before.
This tent has a removable room divider inside as you can see in the picture above, which can split the inner space into smaller ones that gives you more privacy.
This is useful when you’re camping out with kids, or a group of boys and girls.
Hinged door
As you can see in the picture below, the door is hinged like a real room. You can easily get in and out. It is useful and convenient. Especially for kids that are always messing up with zippers.
Performance under different weather conditions
Rain
The tent is waterproof and performs well on rainy days. It has Coleman’s patented WeatherTec system, which consists of welded floors and inverted seams, that makes waters and moistures hard to seep in.
It also comes with a rainfly which if you set up properly can even sustain from a downpour.
Please note, the 4-person and 6-person version of this tent does not come with a rainfly by default.
However, don’t expect too much, this is not one of the best waterproof tents. There are zippers on each big window so the chance of leaking is high. You’d better avoid extreme rains.
Wind
According to an official video by Coleman, It can withstand winds up to 35wph if you stake it properly.
But it is tall and large, which is vulnerable in extreme wind conditions. We don’t recommend using it in places with strong winds.
Ventilation
There are five big windows and a lot of mesh on the ceiling, so the ventilation is good.
However, under some circumstances, like big rain days when you have the windows zipped all the way up to avoid water seeping in, that can be a little problem since there are no floor vents.
Reflective guy lines
The wild is dark at night, no street lights. A reflective guy line makes it easier to find your tent when coming back late. Also it helps you avoid tripping over it or dragging down the tent.
Portability
The tent comes with a carry bag which you can easily pack it up into. It is easy to carry for a short distance. But it’s a heavy tent about 42 lb (19 kg), so you can’t take it for backpacking and hiking. Car camping is a wise choice.
Other notable features
It has a pouch in the tent so you can put your phone or glasses inside without messing it up on the ground.
Also there is a ring on the ceiling, where you can hang a lantern at night.
Specifications
| weight | 42 lb (19 kg) |
| capacity | 10 people |
| Dimensions | 14 x 10 ft (168 x 120 in; 427 x 305 cm) |
| Area | 140 ft² (13 m²) |
| Peak height | 6′ 7″ (79 in, 201 cm) |
| Packed size | 42 x 9 x 9 in (107 x 23 x 23 cm) |
Frequently asked questions
Is this a freestanding tent?
Yes, It is a freestanding tent. Which means it can hold it’s shape without being staked out. You can pitch it up in different types of terrain like desert sands, concrete platforms, and forest floor.
Can I camp with this tent in winter?
This is not a cold weather tent, please use it in warm seasons.
If you want camping out in winter, please pick other ones. We have a dedicated review on winter camping tents.
Can I use this tent in the desert?
Yes, Someone have taken this tent to the Burning Man Festival in the desert. It works well.
Competitors and Alternatives
Here we give you two other alternative products, note that the Core 9 instant lacks the Dark rest technology.
Despite the slight difference they have almost the same features.
Coleman 10-person instant cabin | Ozark Trail 10-Person Dark Rest Instant Cabin | Core 9 instant | |
Weight lb (kg) | 42 (19) | 20 (9) | 33 (15) |
Peak Hight In (cm) | 79 (201) | 78 (198) | 78 (198) |
Floor size ft² (m²) | 140 (13) | 138 (12.8) | 126 (11.7) |
Doors | 2 | 1 | 2 |
People | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Instant | yes | yes | yes |
Freestanding | yes | yes | yes |
Dark rest | yes | yes | no |
Conclusion
The Coleman 10-person instant setup tent is one of the most popular tents of Coleman’s product line, a lot of users buy it and the rating is high. It may have some small issues but there is no perfect tent in the world.
After all, It is a great tent with lots of features. It is a solid choice for casual campers who don’t want any hassle with setup.
