Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent Review: A Starter Tent With 8 Remarkable Features
Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent works for those looking to get into camping on the cheap.
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Related: 7 Best Tents For Camping And Backpacking
Price: (-30%) ₹4,899 List
Manufacturer: Coleman
Our Verdict
The Coleman Darwin all seasons dome camping tent stands out as one of the most widely reviewed tents available. Its uncomplicated design, compact size, and budget-friendly price make it an obvious choice for many. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that this dome tent lacks essential features for top-tier performance, such as fiberglass poles, plastic fly hooks, and somewhat questionable netting material.
On the positive side, it offers decent ventilation, two convenient storage pockets, and a reasonably functional rainfly. Therefore, if you’re considering a tentative foray into camping to test the waters, this tent isn’t a bad choice.
- Simple setup
- Affordable
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Good for all weather
- Nothing severe
The Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent Remarkable Features
Effortless Setup: Thanks to its innovative Ring-and-Pin system, assembling this tent is a breeze.
All-Weather Durability: The WeatherTec System ensures that this tent can endure the harshest conditions, be it heavy rain or strong winds.
Superior Rain Protection: Boasting a 3000 mm Hydrostatic head, the tent’s material provides reliable protection against heavy rain, keeping you and your belongings comfortably dry.
Resilient Fiberglass Poles: The lightweight yet sturdy fiberglass poles offer excellent resistance to the elements.
Fire Safety: Crafted from self-extinguishing material, this tent minimizes the risk of fire-related emergencies, offering peace of mind.
Ample Headroom: With its extended dome structure, the tent is designed with your comfort in mind, offering plenty of headroom for ease of movement.
Sun Protection: Enjoy added security with the SPF 50+ protective guard, shielding you from the sun’s harmful UV rays, and preventing sunburns and premature skin aging.
Versatile Groundsheet: This tent not only features a built-in groundsheet for the interior but also comes equipped with a removable PE groundsheet for the front porch and living area, enhancing your camping experience.
Technical Specification
- Product Dimensions: 46 X 15.5 X 15.5 cm
- Capacity: 2 Person
- Weight: 2.8 kg
- Waterproofing: 3,000 mm HH
- Seasons: 3 seasons
- Included: Camper’s Multi-Tool Kit
Must Read: Guide To Perfect Camping Tent: 9 Features You Can’t Ignore
Our Evaluation and Testing Outcomes
The Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent prioritizes simplicity and affordability. Its traditional dome design, single entrance, and ventilated roof contribute to a straightforward setup, though we encountered challenges with the rainfly.
The tent floor is made of inexpensive polyethylene material, which resembles sleeping on a tarp. Additionally, we experienced pole issues right from the start.
Nevertheless, weighing in at 2.9 kg and offering 2.9-meter square of interior space, it can adequately accommodate a family of 2. It has two more variants one for accommodating 3 people and another one also 3 people but with a porch.
Roominess and Comfort
This tent embodies simplicity. It’s a 2-person dome design with limited headroom, lacks vestibules, and employs thick, insulating materials, which were not primarily chosen for maximum comfort.
However, a couple of features prevent the Sundome from falling short in this aspect: the inclusion of a floor vent and an open ceiling to counteract the heat-retaining materials.
It does offer essential conveniences, including two-floor pockets, a modest rainfly that surprisingly performs well, and ample floor space to comfortably accommodate two twin beds.
Weather Durability
The Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent performs fairly well when it comes to weather resistance.
Its broad, low-profile design, coupled with the provided guylines, handles windy conditions effectively, and the tent floor boasts a tub-like structure to keep moisture at bay.
However, the potential vulnerability lies not in the design but in the construction. The use of less robust materials, such as inexpensive plastic clips, elastic connection points, fiberglass poles, and a tarp-like floor, could pose a risk of failure after prolonged exposure to harsh conditions.
User-Friendliness
The Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent’s straightforward construction allowed us to set it up in a mere 5 minutes and 43 seconds.
The fly and pole assembly presented a minor challenge, as Coleman opted for a pin-and-pole attachment method rather than the more common grommet system.
While not the most convenient, it becomes relatively manageable with practice. Repacking the tent into its bag is also a fairly straightforward process.
The removable bottom extension likely included for shipping purposes, can be taken off to provide a bit more room when storing the tent in the bag.
Longevity
Several key elements of this tent, from the mesh to the poles to the rainfly, exhibit a susceptibility to wear and tear.
An illustrative example is the string used to connect the pole sections, which snapped during our initial setup. In essence, if you opt for the Coleman Darwin, it’s advisable to keep a pole patch kit on hand.
Alternatively, considering upgrading to a set of aluminum poles could be a wise choice for enhanced durability.
Suitability for Families
While it can accommodate a family of 2, this tent offers enough space, with just 2.9 meters square of floor area.
We managed to fit a full-sized and a twin-sized air mattress with a slight margin, but it left much room for additional storage or bags.
With only one interior pocket, you should anticipate the possibility of someone misplacing their keys or phone.
Bang for Your Buck
The value offered by this tent aligns closely with its price point. Nevertheless, it’s important to consider that the overall value might hinge on the luck of the draw, as we didn’t encounter any pole breakage issues.
FAQs: Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent
Is the Coleman Darwin 2 Plus Tent festival-friendly?
This tent is an ideal choice for a pair seeking shelter at festivals, boasting waterproof capabilities to tackle inclement weather should rain decide to fall.
Can the Coleman Darwin 2 Plus Tent withstand winter conditions?
While it excels in most seasons, it’s not specifically engineered for severe winter conditions. However, it remains suitable for use in cold weather, offering protection against light rain and snow during winter outings.
Is packing up the Coleman Darwin 2 Plus Tent a hassle?
Setting up and packing up this tent is a swift and straightforward process, a rarity among camping tents, ensuring convenience during your outdoor adventures.
How should I clean the Coleman Darwin 2 Plus Tent?
For cleaning, we recommend using lukewarm water or a damp, warm cloth. Stubborn stains can be addressed with a brush to maintain the tent’s pristine condition.
In Summation
For beginners, frugal campers, and festival enthusiasts, the Coleman Darwin All Seasons Dome Camping Tent presents a cost-effective solution that can fulfill your needs without causing any tears if it eventually succumbs to wear and tear. Its user-friendly setup, effective ventilation, privacy features, and affordability stand out as the key attributes for those considering this tent.
