Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Instant Tents

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Instant Tents

    So does anyone own one?

    I ordered one but don't have it yet. The only thing I don't care for is the lack of a bathtub floor so will have to take that into consideration when preparing for bad weather. Not a real problem, just a minor inconvenience that I hope is offset by all I love about it.

    I see that Coleman & Ozark Trail make them now, but I ordered the largest Bushnell. I'm going to alter the ground vent to take a window A/C.

    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bushnell-1...undle/44935009

  • #2
    Re: Instant Tents

    I had a 3 person Coleman dome instant tent. I was reasonably happy with it. Never expected it to take harsh weather too well - was just happy that it took less than a minute to set up. The only real issue I had with it was wondering what I would do if one of the hinges on the poles broke. With regular poles, a field repair with a sleeve and some duct tape is a simple matter. On the instant tents the hinges look like severely arthritic knuckles which makes for a more difficult repair.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Instant Tents

      We are in FL and only camp in state parks now and in fair weather.

      The hinges do worry me a bit, as that could ruin a camping trip. The ones on Bushnell look sturdier than the ones on Coleman, at least in pictures and videos. But if one does break, not sure it would be repairable. I'll post more thoughts once I get the tent and we set it up.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Instant Tents

        If the parts are relatively interchangeable, it may be worthwhile to get a spare to keep on hand. Or rpeemptively figure out a way to repair them and keep the parts handy, or at least have a plan and parts list for the hardware store in case of trouble.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Instant Tents

          Originally posted by Malamute View Post
          If the parts are relatively interchangeable, it may be worthwhile to get a spare to keep on hand. Or rpeemptively figure out a way to repair them and keep the parts handy, or at least have a plan and parts list for the hardware store in case of trouble.
          I plan to do do this as soon as the tent comes and I get a look at it. It was supposed to be at store for pick up on Friday, but now saying this coming Wednesday. I could have had it shipped to my home if I wanted to wait this long.

          Hoping that the hinges are replaceable, but not holding my breath for that. I'm sure it will take a bit more creativity to be prepared. Just so little info out there on Bushnell tents.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Instant Tents

            Picked up the new tent today along with 2 camping chairs and 2 queen size air mattresses that were more or less free with it. With the bundle they equaled out to $7.50 per item so couldn't pass it up.

            The tent really did set up in under 2 minutes with one person doing it. I was mostly standing there dumbfounded, as it didn't really come with directions and I'm very much a rule follower. I didn't want to wing it ... I wanted a step by step. We did find the directions after it was up but they didn't really say anything.

            Anyway, about 3 minutes to put on the rain fly. Very easy but one hook and two velcro on each pole so it took a few minutes. Not sure why my husband put all the guy lines on as it really was not necessary, but that probably took 5 minutes or so.

            All in all, 10 minutes to completion, including inside inside gear hanger thingy and two walls. Tomorrow thunderstorms so it will be put to the test.

            I love the little covered entryway with pockets on both sides to hold shoes, flashlight, bug spray, whatever. There are also several pockets on the inside in different places. Has a power cord port and I intend to make one of the low air vents into an air conditioner port eventually.

            The rainfly is metallic on the underside that is supposed to keep the tent cooler. I was skeptical but it seems to work. Even with the windows closed, stepping inside it feels cooler, rather than stuffy the way a closed tent usually feels.

            Have not got a look at the hubs yet. They are covered with padded fabric. I'll investigate further tomorrow.
            Attached Files

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Instant Tents

              Nice tent! My Coleman InstaTent has a bathtub floor, btw.
              - Laura
              Coleman Dome/Instant Cabin Tents, Kamprite IPS, Shasta Oasis 18ft Travel Trailer

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Instant Tents

                Originally posted by actad View Post
                Nice tent! My Coleman InstaTent has a bathtub floor, btw.
                I noticed that on the Coleman ones but the biggest they make is 9 person. Not big enough for me. Even though it's just the two of us, I like huge tents. One of the reasons I prefer tents over campers and we are making the transition back. Being in a trailer makes me feel claustrophobic.

                If Coleman made a larger instant tent, I would have been all over it. I am still semi-leery with Bushnell having no real history with tents.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Instant Tents

                  Our tent got thoroughly tested in a full fledged Florida monsoon!

                  Had it up over the weekend and one of the nights it down poured for hours. I mean serious down pour where you can't see inches in front of your face. It was the kind of rain the makes people pull over because you just can't see. The equivalent of a white-out in places where it snows.

                  Adding to the crazy amount of rain was wind that damaged some trees. Even with the rain like that and being driven by wind, we had no leaks! Not a single drop of water! I had some serious concerns about the lack of a bathtub floor on this model but it didn't turn out to be a problem.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Instant Tents

                    Originally posted by MountainMama View Post
                    Our tent got thoroughly tested in a full fledged Florida monsoon!

                    Had it up over the weekend and one of the nights it down poured for hours. I mean serious down pour where you can't see inches in front of your face. It was the kind of rain the makes people pull over because you just can't see. The equivalent of a white-out in places where it snows.

                    Adding to the crazy amount of rain was wind that damaged some trees. Even with the rain like that and being driven by wind, we had no leaks! Not a single drop of water! I had some serious concerns about the lack of a bathtub floor on this model but it didn't turn out to be a problem.

                    Originally posted by MountainMama View Post
                    Our tent got thoroughly tested in a full fledged Florida monsoon!

                    Had it up over the weekend and one of the nights it down poured for hours. I mean serious down pour where you can't see inches in front of your face. It was the kind of rain the makes people pull over because you just can't see. The equivalent of a white-out in places where it snows.

                    Adding to the crazy amount of rain was wind that damaged some trees. Even with the rain like that and being driven by wind, we had no leaks! Not a single drop of water! I had some serious concerns about the lack of a bathtub floor on this model but it didn't turn out to be a problem.
                    Good to hear!
                    I received a gift of an instant tent after a fluke high wind rainstorm one night on the CT shore this summer. I think we are going to have to prepare more for the higher winds since this is the 3rd time it's happened and only once did we have any warning. Anywho the next morning we awoke to a sodden landscape of fallen tents, missing campers and EZ shade frames hanging from trees. Apparently, several people who lived near by just went home when their tents collapsed and returned the next day to cleanup. The woman next to us had several tent structures fall (but not her screen house which amazed us all) and went out and bought new tents to continue her vacation. The pop up tent she gave us was the only one that hadn't failed. We successfully used it as a play tent and bike storage for the kiddos during the following 2 weeks. I think the big enemy of pop up tents is the wind as opposed to the rain so if you camp in an area with noticeable wind velocity proceed with care. I also wonder about that umbrella type pole system and would never bother to try repairing it unless desperate. Still the instant tents normally sell at considerably less money than the traditional versions and that is no small consideration in today's times. I recall how much I had to lay out to start camping again and it was a nice chunk of change.

                    Oh and just for the record a corner of my traditional poled Copper Canyon collapsed during that night and pulled half of the rain fly off. I knew it hadn't been connected properly when I set it up but figured I'd fix it the next morning- famous last words:D. For my laziness the oldest kiddo and I had to get up in the driving rain around 2:00 AM in the morning. It was an easy enough job (the pole connector was put in backwards..sighhh) but sooo unnecessary to be accomplished at that hour of the day. Mind you the minor imps (otherwise known as the 9.5 and 6 y/o kiddos) I camped with just slept through most of the night after piling into my bed early in the evening. One stuck his head under the covers and butt in the air (ah for a camera right then) and the other started asking if the tent would blow away like Dorothy's house. Calmed them down and into the the Land of Nod they went.
                    2017:

                    July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
                    Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Instant Tents

                      We don't normally camp in rain or wind anymore. This was just a fluke. Usually our rain is a 10 minute event, with no real wind, and then back to Florida sunshine like nothing every happened.

                      I do love sleeping in a tent in the rain though.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Instant Tents

                        Hey, you guys want to hear something really stupid that my husband did? :he:

                        When he took down our "instant tent" last time, he removed all the poles from the tent, rendering it no longer an instant tent!!!!!!

                        Got to the campsite after dark. Opened instant tent and encountered this insanity. No directions because it's not supposed to be like that. I never paid any attention to where the poles went because they were never supposed to come off.

                        Two minute tent turned into a two hour tent. Never again. I supervised the repacking this time. I still have not gotten a straight answer as to why he did that.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Instant Tents

                          I would like to say, that once we had all the poles put back on and packed it up properly, it has returned to being instant.

                          Today I set it up in the yard to air out and clean a bit. I refused help of both my sons who offered as I wanted to see if I could do it alone in a reasonable amount of time.

                          I'm 51, overweight, both knees needed replaced over a decade ago and barely work at all at this point. I have arthritis in my back, hips, knees, and shoulders. I have osteoporosis in my spine and left hip. Plus I have faulty veins in my legs that make me have to change positions regularly and wear compression stockings or my legs swell up. And I have fairly severe asthma. Yep, I'm a mess. lol

                          With all these physical issues, I put the tent up completely alone in under 5 minutes. I could have done it quicker if it were not so heavy. It weighs 70 lbs and the weight was an issue for me. But I'm thinking that if I could do it alone, and moving at a slow pace, in that time, ANYONE could put this tent up. :-)
                          Last edited by MountainMama; 10-17-2015, 09:06 PM.

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X