 This Product
Coleman Skydome XL 8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for the Buck |  Most Versatile | |||
| Price | $244.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $375 List $239.73 at REI | $219.95 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $130 List $136.99 at Amazon | $135.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | You may have to sacrifice a little on quality, but this tent is fairly solid, cleans easily, and can sleep a platoon of kids and pets | Small but mighty, this tent will quickly be your go-to for short overnights | A spacious, high-quality, six-person budget tent ready for large family adventures | A no-frills shelter that will fit the budget, but may not stand up to the harshest weather | A 4-person budget tent that is simple, quick to pitch, and can handle a little bad weather |
| Rating Categories | Coleman Skydome XL 8 | Mountain Hardwear M... | Kelty Wireless 6 | Coleman Sundome 6 | Kelty Tallboy 4 |
| Space and Comfort (35%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (15%) | |||||
| Family Friendliness (15%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Coleman Skydome XL 8 | Mountain Hardwear M... | Kelty Wireless 6 | Coleman Sundome 6 | Kelty Tallboy 4 |
| Measured Weight | 20.3 lbs | 7.1 lbs | 17.2 lbs | 14.8 lbs | 11.0 lbs |
| Max Inside Height | 6' 1" | 4' 0" | 6' 4" | 6' 2" | 5' 10" |
| Floor Dimensions | 16' 2" x 7' 1" | 7' 6" x 5' 8" | 9' 10" x 8' 10" | 10' 1" x 10' 1" | 7' 1" x 8' |
| Floor Area | 114.5 sq ft | 42.5 sq ft | 86.9 sq ft | 101.5 sq ft | 57 sq ft |
| Seasons | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season | 3-season |
| Windows | 2 | Mesh top | Mesh top | 2 | Mesh top |
| Pockets | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Number of Doors | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Room Divider | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Vestibules | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vestibule Area (total) | N/A | 37.5 sq ft | 28 sq ft | N/A | N/A |
| Packed Size | 28" x 11" x 11" | 7" x 25" | 27" x 8" x 8" | 28" x 9" x 9" | 24" x 7" x 10" |
| Floor Materials | Polyester | 68D ripstop polyester | 68D poly 1800mm | Polyester | 68D Poly 1200mm |
| Main Tent Materials | Polyester | 40D polyester mesh, 75D ripstop polyester | 68D poly 1200mm, 40D No-see-um mesh | Polyester | 68D Poly 1200mm, 40D No-see-um mesh |
| Rainfly Materials | Polyester | 68D ripstop polyester | 68D poly 1200mm | Polyester | 68D Poly 1200mm |
| Number of Poles | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Pole Material | Fibergblass | DAC Pressfit | Fiberglass | Fiberglass | Fiberglass |
| Extras | Integrated string lighting system | Fly rolls back and secures halfway for stargazing, footprint included | Pole pockets for easy setup | E-port for electirical power | Lightweight |
The Skydome XL 8 is our favorite tent for families or large groups. Its most unique feature is its sheer size, measuring a whopping 201 inches from end to end, this tent takes up space, so you best have a decent sized campsite.
The Skydome XL 8 earned some of its best scores in this metric. Not only is this tent super spacious, it also boasts some key features that make it comfortable to use. Although it can sleep eight (on basic sleeping pads), we like that this tent can also sleep six more comfortably on three queen-sized air mattresses.
At more than 16 feet wide, the Skydome takes up more real estate than any tent we've studied. However, during our testing, we also liked that its head-to-toe depth is more than seven feet, so even taller campers can sleep comfortably without having to sleep on an angle.
Despite its lower cost, we were impressed at the comfort features that Coleman was able to incorporate into the Skydome XL 8. This tent is well-vented, has six large mesh pockets for gear, several gear hooks, string lighting, and a small electrical port which makes it easy to bring electrical cords into the tent without having to keep the main door unzipped. The manufacturer's website also makes claims of a room divider; however, our tent did not ship with one, and we saw no evidence on the interior of where a divider would attach.
Although this tent's durable tarp flooring is super tough, it's also super loud. It magnifies the sound of every nighttime twist, roll, or pillow replacement, creating quite the symphony crackling and crinkling. On the plus side, no one will be sneaking out of this tent at night without being heard.
Our favorite comfort feature is this shelter's massive mesh rooftop. It runs the full length of the tent, making warm-weather camping a literal breeze. On clear nights, we loved sleeping without the rainfly. The mesh top allowed cooler nighttime air to pass easily into the tent's interior, and it also is thin enough to enjoy a fair amount of stargazing.
The Skydome XL 8 is perfect for basic fair-weather camping. It could even do battle with short term wind and rain from a passing mountain thunderstorm. However, after weeks of examining our Skydome, we weren't convinced that it could really hold its own against more severe weather. Our doubts resulted in lower scores for this metric.
We doused the Skydome XL 8 with gallons of hose water for more than five minutes, and were pleased that none of it made its way into the Skydome's interior. Basic rainstorms were never much of a concern to us, but the rainfly isn't full length so we don't think it would perform as well against blowing rain or snow.
Our testers felt the rainfly is also a little too thin, and they collectively didn't like the bungee-and-hook system that secures the fly to the tent. The consensus was this system isn't as reliable or secure as staked or buckled options on other tents, and it also lacks the ability to adjust or tighten the rainfly when its time to batten down the hatches.
Our biggest concern with the rainfly is its small awning over the door. We felt the awning worked perfectly if rain or snow was falling vertically. However, we didn't like this design during blowing precipitation because the awning directly exposes the tent's mesh rooftop. Wind-swept rain or snow could easily penetrate under the awning and instantly make its way to the interior of the tent.
Finally, due to its size and design, the Skydome XL 8 isn't very sturdy and is heavily dependent on ground stakes for its stability. During our wind tests we noticed the tent bowing and moving when exposed to very moderate winds. Performance improved greatly when all stakes and guylines were anchored properly, but at its core, we felt the Skydome had a lot of room for improvement at being more wind resistant and more sturdy.
A lengthy setup process, catchy zippers, and a very annoying rainfly were some of the key reasons we awarded the Skydome XL 8 lower scores for this metric. It's also a little more difficult and time-consuming to roll up and stow into its stuff sack.
We did not like this tent's setup process. The poles are very long and awkward to manage, and the tent itself is large and tends to bow and twist out of place throughout the entire process. During our timed tests, most of our reviewers required between 6 to 10 minutes to complete the task (not including the rainfly). All four of the lengthy poles are permanently attached to the tent on one end. Although this design feature is supposed to streamline the setup, we actually felt it did the opposite, and we feel the process would be easier if the poles were unattached.
We loved all of the zippers on the Skydome. All are constructed from quality materials and they have a smoother glide than those on many of the more expensive models in our lineup. However despite their buttery zip, we did have consistent trouble with the main door. Regardless of our efforts, the zipper slider routinely bound in the storm flap fabric, creating a stop-and-go pattern every time we opened or closed the tent. We didn't feel this was a huge construction flaw, but it was annoying.
An unmatched ability to sleep several people resulted in top marks for the Skydome XL 8 for this metric. This gargantuan shelter is perfect for families and their pets. It also is a great choice for organized youth camps or any other event with a lot of campers.
When it comes to meeting basic criteria for family use, there was a lot that we loved about the Skydome XL 8. Although loud and crinkly, we loved this model's tub-style tarp flooring (flooring that continues up the sides of the tent). It's super durable, waterproof, and it cleans easily, making it ideal for spills, messy kids, or even a muddy paw print or two. As stated, the Skydome can sleep eight on regular sleeping pads, but it's also large enough to accommodate three queen-sized air mattresses. This lowers its sleeping bandwidth to about six snoozers, but you'll be sleeping in luxury. Our favorite feature of this metric is the Skydome's interior string lights. They aren't overly necessary, but they're a fun accessory that kids love, especially when night falls and the monsters come out of the forest.
After weeks of testing and use, we awarded the Skydome XL 8 so-so scores for quality. This tent is well-made, and with proper care, we feel it's tough enough to withstand years of basic use. However, we just don't feel it has grit to do battle with on-the-go campers who like to be outdoors on a very regular basis. Our consensus was that intense use by large families, or similar groups, could prove to be more than the Skydome can handle. However, we still love this tent and feel it performs very well in the lane it was built to ride in.
Both the tent and rainfly of the Skydome are double stitched, reinforced, and sealed with seam tape. The tarp flooring is very rugged and all of the connection points (clips, loops, zippers) are solid enough to stand the test of time, if used with care. This tent's skeleton (four long tent poles) are fiberglass, not aluminum, so they are a bit heavier, but still very strong. In fact, we feel fiberglass poles may be a better option for families because they can handle more abuse without denting, bending, or breaking. Another quality feature we loved was a thoughtfully placed exterior awning that shields the Skydome's floor vent from rain and snow.
This tent is built like a free-standing shelter, but its size and weight make this virtually impossible. Our testers discovered very quickly that without ground stakes the Skydome will not stand on its own, especially in breezy conditions. Considering this fact, we were very disappointed in the quality of the stakes. They are thin, cheap, and average at best.
If you camp in large groups or like to enjoy the great outdoors as a family, the Skydome XL 8 is a great less-expensive option that offers the space you need for rows of sleeping bags. This tent has a lot of thoughtful features and it is resilient enough to handle an occasional storm or wind gust. However, everything has its price, so don't expect the Skydome to perform like a $600 tent. It certainly has its limitations, but for basic family camping on a budget, you simply can't go wrong with this mega shelter.
The Skydome is the only eight-person tent in our lineup — tents this size are somewhat rare. However, we've tested several tents that can sleep six. Our favorites are the The North Face Wawona 6 and REI Co-op Base Camp 6. But if you're on a budget, the Kelty Wireless 6 will do the trick. For families, we also highly recommend the Gazelle T4 Hub because it's super durable, self-contained, and literally pops into place in less than a minute.
