Best 3 Person Tents: A Review of the Sundome vs Copper Spur
Best 3 Person Tents: A Review of the Sundome vs the Copper Spur
Hey guys, welcome to our site! If you’re interested in finding the best 3 person tents, you’re at a good starting place.
Each review covers specs, durability, season rating, and comfort level. (And so much more!) I’m claiming to have the best 3 person tent reviews, so I’ve worked hard to live up to that claim.
Reviews of the Best 3 Person Tents – A Few Quick Notes
First, just a few quick notes:
When you see ‘Wallet-O-Meter,’ that’s a price ranking of one to five, with five being the most expensive. And as always, please feel welcome to looking up the meaning of any tent terminology in Best Tent Fabric Structures: Tent Buying Guide.
Reviews of the Best 3 Person Tents:
Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tents
Dimensions: 7 x 7 ft
Peak Height: 4 feet, 4 in
Form Factor: Freestanding Dome
Doors: 1 door with awning
Sleeps: 3 adults (or 1 queen size mattress)
Season Rating: 3
Available Colors: Green and Navy
Packed Weight: 8.3 lbs
Wallet-O-Meter: $
Included Set Up: everything
Overview
If you’ve done any poking around the web before landing here, chances are you’ve seen the Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tent popping up everywhere. And rightly so; it’s among the best 3 person tents on the market.
Pros:
The Coleman Sundome best 3 person tent is easy to set up two people can do it under 10 minutes. The frame is also sturdy enough to stand strong against 35+ MPH winds.
Although it isn’t perfect, the floor is damn near impenetrable. Its tub floor has protected seams, patented corner welds, and covered zippers. The rainfly does a good job of directing water out and away – just remember to make sure to really drive the stakes into the ground and keep the rainfly taut.
Additionally, the ventilation is good. The floor and dual window vents help keep the air flowing.
Cons:
I’m in love with my Coleman Sundome. But even though it’s among the best 3 person tents, it has a few downsides.
First, the peak height is pretty low. Add three tall people, and there’s even less head-space. That being said, most tents durable enough to weather strong winds are low to the ground. Hopefully you like being up close and personal with your tent mates!
Even so, there are ways around this. Just buy a bigger tent. I use a queen size mattress and it’s perfect for me and my boyfriend. The Coleman Sundome 4 Person Tent is like an over sized sweatshirt. For just three people.
All that being said, the Sundome best 3 person tent really is just fine for 3 people.
Bonus Features
- An “E Port” makes it easy to bring an electric power cord into the tent.
- The camping flashlight loop on the ceiling is another great feature.
- Storage pockets help you organize your stuff
- The carry bag is expandable, so you can tear away the rip strip to make packing easier
- It comes with a 1 year warranty.
Best Uses
The intended purpose of the Sundome 3 Person tent is camping and backpacking. When you divide the parts of the tent between three people, it helps distribute a little bit of weight to everyone so one person doesn’t get stuck with an 8 lb monster in their backpack! I use it mainly for car camping, though.
It’s great for small families, too. Two adults with a child allow a little bit more room, and if the kids are small enough, two adults can fit two kids between them.
Keep in mind that Coleman tents aren’t designed for rough and tough usage. They’re made for the people who camp a handful of times a year and don’t go into the backcountry. (Usually.)
>>Click Here for Discounts and More Reviews
Coleman Sundome 3 Person Tents: Recommended Accessories
#1. The Intex Classic Downy Airbed Set
- 60 x 8.75 x 80 ft (W x H x L)
- Able to hold up to 600 lbs
- Vinyl with plush flocking on top
Included Parts:
- 2 inflatable pillows
- Hand Pump
Reviews of the Best 3 Person Tents:
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV Ultralight 3 Person Tents
Packed Weight: 3.17 lbs
Dimensions: 90 x 70 x 62 inches
Peak Height: 43 inches
Form Factor: Freestanding Dome
Doors: 2
Sleeps: 3 adults
Season Rating: 3
Available Colors: Orange, Grey
Wallet-O-Meter: $$$$$
Included Set Up: poles, stuff sack with sewn-in instructions, lightweight tent clips
Overview
If you’re a frequent backpacker, Big Agnes Ultralight Tents just might become your new best friend! Either that, or you already own one.
Ultralight tents are preferable for backpacking for two main reasons. First of all, they’re super duper light. Equally as important, they have designs that fold up as compact as possible, leaving you more precious space in your backpack.
Pros
Two doors is always a plus, to minimize bumping into each other. The dual doors have large vestibules, giving you space for storage.
There’s something unique and extra high quality about the mesh in Big Agnes tents. They’re definitely not transparent, but when you take off the rainfly at night, you can see the stars clearly.
Cons
It’s important to realize that all ultralight tents have their weak points, including the Big Agnes Copper Spur. While their extremely thin material is crucial for backpacking, it’s a little less durable than nylon or polyester. Another quirk to be aware of is the lack of ventilation in ultralight tents.
Bonus Features
- 8 interior mesh pockets for storage
- Eight super light aluminum J stakes and gear loft loops
- Special media pockets located higher up make it easy to route earbud cords from the pocket to your ears
Best Uses
Backpacking, for sure! This is the kind of thing you want on treks like the Appalachian Trail because it’s so darn light.
Big Agnes Copper Spur UV UL 3 Person Tents:
Recommended Accessories
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XL
This extra large sleeping pad is practically weightless. It’s small enough to fit in a tent with two other people’s mats. According to Therm-a-Rest, this is the best 3 season backpacking sleeping mat with the lowest weight on the market today.
>>Click Here for More Info and Pictures
Okay, so these are both these are both the best 3 person tents. Which one should you pick?
As you can see, both tents are very different from each other. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. But we’re also all interested in different styles of enjoying the great outdoors.
For frequent backpackers, the Big Agnes Copper Spur is the obvious choice. But if you only car camp a handful of times a year, the Coleman Sundome is your match made in heaven.
Have fun picking out accessories – these ones will take your comfort level up a notch.
Check out the rest of site for more tent, hammock, and cooler reviews. Readers who enjoyed this post also liked:
Best Backpacking Hammock Reviews 2017