Coleman Northstar Instant Up 10 Lighted Darkroom Tent

Fast to put up and take down, very dark inside, but terrible in wind. Anything over 15-20kts and tent keeps collapsing, poles break and guy ropes tear off. Quality dome tents are vastly superior in the wind, particularly if gusty.Very dark inside which wife loves, but I don't. In the middle of the day you need a torch to find items in your bag if doors/windows are shut.Great ventilation options with big windows and doors and some smart design. Lots of pockets and storage options.I suspect it would survive wind better if pitched so the awning is facing into the wind and if theVelcro's went around the hinge. Currently, the Velcro's do NOT even line up with the guy ropes! I am considering modifying the fly so that velcro attaches to the guy ropes and goes around ... MoreFast to put up and take down, very dark inside, but terrible in wind. Anything over 15-20kts and tent keeps collapsing, poles break and guy ropes tear off. Quality dome tents are vastly superior in the wind, particularly if gusty.Very dark inside which wife loves, but I don't. In the middle of the day you need a torch to find items in your bag if doors/windows are shut.Great ventilation options with big windows and doors and some smart design. Lots of pockets and storage options.I suspect it would survive wind better if pitched so the awning is facing into the wind and if theVelcro's went around the hinge. Currently, the Velcro's do NOT even line up with the guy ropes! I am considering modifying the fly so that velcro attaches to the guy ropes and goes around the hinge = stronger and fewer Velcro's.2 minutes to put up, good luck, 5 minutes more realistic. Packing up maybe 10 minutes by the time you tidy up the tent to get a tight roll and undo all 16 Velcro's, pegs, guy ropes etc. Definitely quicker than a similar sized dome tent with 3+ poles.Tent size is very functional, for 3 people on stretchers, enough room at one end for bags etc. The awning is very useful for storing stuff.We have used for ~12 nights in last 6 months and pitched tent ~6 times.Would I buy again, unsure. Reason: disappointing performance in wind. To be fair other cheap tents were having issues, but expensive/quality tents seemed okay.

A good, solid tent with few downsides

Put up side-by-side with an older Coleman 6-man dome tent, this one is significantly quicker and far easier overall for one person to erect, though the term 'Instant Up' is a stretch. Folks shorter than 6' may need another pair of hands available if there's any wind around while setting up.The base is completely waterproof, but the outer layer in contact with the ground is canvas not plasticized, so if you don't have a tarp down between tent and ground, this canvas layer will be damp when you pack the tent away; not a great feature.The 'Darkroom' blackout is provided by the fly cover itself, which has some great integrated awnings - though this means on sides where those awnings are up, there is no blackout. The awnings also radiant significant heat when stood ... MorePut up side-by-side with an older Coleman 6-man dome tent, this one is significantly quicker and far easier overall for one person to erect, though the term 'Instant Up' is a stretch. Folks shorter than 6' may need another pair of hands available if there's any wind around while setting up.The base is completely waterproof, but the outer layer in contact with the ground is canvas not plasticized, so if you don't have a tarp down between tent and ground, this canvas layer will be damp when you pack the tent away; not a great feature.The 'Darkroom' blackout is provided by the fly cover itself, which has some great integrated awnings - though this means on sides where those awnings are up, there is no blackout. The awnings also radiant significant heat when stood under on a hot day, due to their construction being focused on providing blackout.The connection to the battery pack for the strip lighting is a USB-A plug, easy enough to adapt to the rest of your camp lighting instead of relying on batteries, but these days a 12v connection may have been more useful.Other reviews mention water entry at the upper door corners when the awnings are used; this can happen when a single door awning is up as in the picture, but the 'full-veranda-with-walls' configuration did not give any leaks in my case, in significant rain.When packing up, the integrated poles can be uncooperative, and it requires a bit of a knack to get the tent rolled up in compact fashion. If you're used to rolling up a swag, this may be a frustrating experience the first couple of times. Allow ample time on your first go!

Assembled incorrectly from factory

We bought this tent for the easter long weekend. During setup, one half of the tent ceiling poles would not lock in, meaning the roof was inverted. After some time spent mucking around we noticed in previous reviews people had similiar issues, where the tent from factory has been assembled incorrectly. We unscrewed the poles and rotated them 180 degrees, this solved the issue. My question is, with a known manufacturing problem, why hasnt coleman taken back existing stock to check them? Had we not read other reviews we would have had a very poor weekend, as it was raining. We would have had a swimmimg pool, not a tent.Coleman has some answering to do, how on earth can you make such a simple manufacturing mistake, known about it and done nothing..

Good tent for medium to large families

We bought this tent to accommodate our growing family of 4 (we have since retired the 4 person sardine can we had).The tent itself is well thought out, with some great features.At the price we bought it ($799) I would recommend it, but for the original price (or so it is stated) of $1,500 I would be hesitant.So if I recommend it, why did I only give it 4 stars instead of 5? Simple - it has some issues.1. The quality of workmanship is not as good as it should be. On our first use, one of the window tags to hold the window shade up when you roll it up, tore off in my hand as soon as I touched it. On close inspection I noticed it has been sawn together with only one thread which is really ridiculous (see attached images). I did notice other areas with similar ... MoreWe bought this tent to accommodate our growing family of 4 (we have since retired the 4 person sardine can we had).The tent itself is well thought out, with some great features.At the price we bought it ($799) I would recommend it, but for the original price (or so it is stated) of $1,500 I would be hesitant.So if I recommend it, why did I only give it 4 stars instead of 5? Simple - it has some issues.1. The quality of workmanship is not as good as it should be. On our first use, one of the window tags to hold the window shade up when you roll it up, tore off in my hand as soon as I touched it. On close inspection I noticed it has been sawn together with only one thread which is really ridiculous (see attached images). I did notice other areas with similar issues, and expect other parts to also do the same thing. So bring a sawing kit with you.2. The tent poles that hold the door open is very flimsy and will probably not last more than a couple of uses - so be prepared to replace them (thought they are only about $15 each).3. The tent pegs are really useless from factory. Be sure to bend the top (the bit you hammer down on) into a V shape (40 degree bend), because they are from factory in the shape of an L (90 degree bend) and as soon as there is some tension of the pegs (like wind), the pegs turn around and release the tent or the ropes. By bending the pegs in a V like shape, they stick into the ground and do not move (see attached image). On our first night it was windy and the entire veranda collapsed because the pegs turned around and part of the tent was also released. Trust me on this - bend the peg tops!Otherwise, a good investment.

Great choice for big family

The tent is great! We upgraded a couple gear to family gear and this was the tent of choice. Bought it about year and a half ago and have used it 4-5 times already. Great design, with plenty of vents for quick cool down when back from beach or tracking. In colder nights when windows are closed off it keeps nice and warm and with the advantage of keeping dark in the morning is amazing. Have tested in very windy nights and in rain - passed the tests very strongly. The wind may bend and flap but didn't move or knocked any bit. The lights are great addition, use them on power in a powered camp site or more savvy when no power and relying on battery.The 3 separate section fit us perfectly for a family of 5, with a room for parents and another for children with an ... MoreThe tent is great! We upgraded a couple gear to family gear and this was the tent of choice. Bought it about year and a half ago and have used it 4-5 times already. Great design, with plenty of vents for quick cool down when back from beach or tracking. In colder nights when windows are closed off it keeps nice and warm and with the advantage of keeping dark in the morning is amazing. Have tested in very windy nights and in rain - passed the tests very strongly. The wind may bend and flap but didn't move or knocked any bit. The lights are great addition, use them on power in a powered camp site or more savvy when no power and relying on battery.The 3 separate section fit us perfectly for a family of 5, with a room for parents and another for children with an access room for luggage or play room.The set up is quite easy (not 3 minutes thou, plan 15 minutes for two people for full set up), in fact is easier than taking down and pack up. The packing down may be tricky, so need to do it few times to get what goes where - if not done correctly won't fit in the bag.For the actual tent size the packed up in bag tent is quite good size. We're travelling with big car (not 4WD), so have to fit a lot of camping gear in the boot, and the bag fits straight. It is somewhat heavy with >30kg, so not comfortable for long carrying in hands.I definitely rate the tent 5 out of 5. Excellent manufacture and design. Great for the Australian climate.

Highly recommended. Great Family Sized Tent = A+

Straight to the point - I am no expert but I highly recommend this tent. This is a great large family sized tent. It is easy to setup and pull down and pack up despite it's size. Heaps of room inside with the 3 seperate rooms/compartments with heaps of room for queen size mattresses and the inbuilt LED lights work a treat with the bonus of being able to swap out the included 4 x D cell battery pack with a usb power bank. The blackout technology is great and it makes it really dark inside. We recently had this tent tested whilst camping with constant rain over 2 days and it performed perfectly keeping us dry. The numerous verandah configurations provide great versatility depending on the weather. We did use Spinifex foam floor tiles purchased from Anaconda through ... MoreStraight to the point - I am no expert but I highly recommend this tent. This is a great large family sized tent. It is easy to setup and pull down and pack up despite it's size. Heaps of room inside with the 3 seperate rooms/compartments with heaps of room for queen size mattresses and the inbuilt LED lights work a treat with the bonus of being able to swap out the included 4 x D cell battery pack with a usb power bank. The blackout technology is great and it makes it really dark inside. We recently had this tent tested whilst camping with constant rain over 2 days and it performed perfectly keeping us dry. The numerous verandah configurations provide great versatility depending on the weather. We did use Spinifex foam floor tiles purchased from Anaconda through out the inside of the tent to provide extra protection and comfort which added to the overall comfort.

Must have for family camping!

Absolutely love our new Coleman Northstar 10 Person Darkroom Tent with LED! For a first time tent owner, it only took a few minutes for two people to set it up, I was immediately impressed. We stress tested it in the backyard when we had plenty of rain in Sydney a few weeks back and took it to our first family camp just this past week where we had some nice weather and a bit of rain in the end. It did not disappoint! It also is a true darkroom tent which allowed my two young kids to sleep-in and the LED lighting is great too, it worked with D batteries and plugged in to my own powerbank. The tent allowed for multiple configuration as we adjusted to the shift in weather throughout our trip. It's a winner! We can't wait to take it out to many more camping trips!

Simple and Easy

...Easy and honest review...Bought this tent recently on special and put it to the test in Bathurst. 10min to set-up at most and that was my first time. Strong flooring, good zippers and easily fits queen blown mattress in each room.Only flaw is mesh roof in the middle collects condensation throughout the night. Easily fixed with a throw over tarp next time.Upgrade the pegs. They will do the job but make it easier and buy bigger stronger pegs.Overall the tent is great. Anyone rating below 4 has obviously bought a dud or shouldn't be using a tent.There's an awesome review on YouTube providing a walkthrough and set-up.Hope this helps anyone considering the choice.

Spacious tent, integrated LEDs are great.

Have only used it for 1 trip (2 nights) but I think the tent is brilliant. It says 10P but this is really best suited for a 4/5 person family to have the 2 bedrooms on either side and the middle (smallest) room for storing all your gear - that makes it nice and spacious. Love the integrated lights! They make a huge difference. The darkroom factor with the fly on top is just as described. The tent is super easy to open up and even very easy to pack away too (both can be done without too much difficulty by 1 person, although obviously easier with 2 or more - and probably need at least 2 if the winds are high). I haven't packed it back into the carry bag yet but a tight roll looks critical for that. Suggest to get a tarp/mesh to lay underneath the tent, just to add a ... MoreHave only used it for 1 trip (2 nights) but I think the tent is brilliant. It says 10P but this is really best suited for a 4/5 person family to have the 2 bedrooms on either side and the middle (smallest) room for storing all your gear - that makes it nice and spacious. Love the integrated lights! They make a huge difference. The darkroom factor with the fly on top is just as described. The tent is super easy to open up and even very easy to pack away too (both can be done without too much difficulty by 1 person, although obviously easier with 2 or more - and probably need at least 2 if the winds are high). I haven't packed it back into the carry bag yet but a tight roll looks critical for that. Suggest to get a tarp/mesh to lay underneath the tent, just to add a layer between it and the ground. It bucketed rain on our trip and the tent stayed completely dry inside, although I strongly recommend to close the awning if heavy rain - the awning acted like a sheet filling up with water and halfway through the night the support poles gave way and probably 20L of water dropped in front of the tent (!). I'm a camping newbie though so will learn from that mistake next time!Recommended. Anaconda have recently had this on sale (I bought it on sale) and I feel this is great value, but even at full price I think if you camp enough it would be worth it.

Ticks all our boxes

We were looking for a few things in a tent: room for us and a room for our daughter; space to stand/change easily; and not hard to put up with random poles to lose. This gives you all of that and more.First up, its massive. That could be good or bad, but for us it's a positive. More than enough room for us in one end on a large queen blow up, our daughter in the other, with the middle as an entry point/dirt filter/storage for bags, esky, etc.Its very easy to put up - two people make it easier but its doable with one. Main tent up in a couple of minutes, fly and guy wires a little longer. But its worth it because on one side you get a full length, covered patio. No more lugging the marquee around as well a tent.Lastly, it's dark. With the windows up and the patio ... MoreWe were looking for a few things in a tent: room for us and a room for our daughter; space to stand/change easily; and not hard to put up with random poles to lose. This gives you all of that and more.First up, its massive. That could be good or bad, but for us it's a positive. More than enough room for us in one end on a large queen blow up, our daughter in the other, with the middle as an entry point/dirt filter/storage for bags, esky, etc.Its very easy to put up - two people make it easier but its doable with one. Main tent up in a couple of minutes, fly and guy wires a little longer. But its worth it because on one side you get a full length, covered patio. No more lugging the marquee around as well a tent.Lastly, it's dark. With the windows up and the patio walls down, you wont be up with the sun. The LED lights inside are an awesome touch.