Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot, 4 Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent
Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot, 4 Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent Review
I bought this tent for our family to use for summer camping trips to local campgrounds. We used it for the first time last week and it served our needs quite well. There are 4 of us with my wife and two kids and we had plenty of room for sleeping and changing clothes. There was room for a queen sized airbed, two twin airbeds, two duffle bags of clothes and a lantern. Admittedly, there wasn't much additional floor space, but our main concern was a comfortable place to sleep and change clothes. The weather was perfect the entire time we were there, so I can't comment on the tent's rain worthiness, but there was fairly heavy dew on the tent each morning and none seeped through to the inside of the tent. The manufacturer reccommends sealing the seams on the inside of the tent with a waterproof sealant and I did. So, hopefully the first time we have to face a rainy day our tent will remain dry. I am extremely pleased with the purchase of this tent and would highly recommend it to any small family who is looking for a high quality tent for some fun family camping. I wouldn't recommend it for families larger than 4 people, but 4 can be relatively comfortable. The tent is high enough in the center that most men can stand with a minimum amount of stooping which is nice when getting dressed or just stretching.
Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot, 4 Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent Feature
- 4-person, 2-room dome tent made of rugged, weather-repellent polyester
- Welded polyethylene tub-style floor; rain shingle keeps water from seeping in
- Front and rear Dutch D-style doors; 5 polyester mesh windows and mesh roof
- Lightweight, shock-corded fiberglass frame; divider curtain creates 2 rooms
- Removable fly with hoop frame over doors; measures 12 x 7 feet
Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot, 4 Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent Overview
Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot 4-Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent
Wenzel Cedar Brook 12- by 7-Foot, 4 Person 2 Room Family Dome Tent Specifications
Spacious and weather-resistant, the Wenzel Cedar Brook 12-by-7-foot dome tent sleeps up to four campers in its two rooms, making it ideal for smaller families. The Cedar Brook is made of rugged, weather-repellent polyester with a polyurethane coating for reliability, helping it keep water out and warmth in. The welded polyethylene tub-style floor, meanwhile, includes a rain shingle that creates a watershed effect, so rain doesn't seep in through the seams. And campers will love the variety of ventilation points, including front and rear Dutch D-style doors, five polyester mesh windows, and a mesh roof.
The Cedar Brook is also quick and easy to set up, with a lightweight, shock-corded fiberglass frame and a straightforward pin-and-ring system. And when it comes time to hit the sheets, you can either create one large sleeping room or roll down the divider curtain to create two separate rooms. The rooms can function as individual bedrooms for the campers, as a bedroom and living space, or as a bedroom and a gear storage room. Other details include water-repellent threads, zippers, and webbing; double-stitched, lap-feld seams; a removable fly with a hoop frame over the doors; and ABS and steel pegs for locking down the tent.
Specifications:
- Base: 12 by 7 feet
- Center height: 66 inches
- Area: 84 square feet
- Capacity: 4 people
- Warranty: 10 years
Amazon.com Tent Guide
Selecting a Tent
Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Expect the Worst
In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all-purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in. If you're a backpacker, alpine climber, or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to buy something designed to handle more adversity.
Three- and Four-Season Tents
For summer, early fall, and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three-season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are specifically designed for summer backpacking or other activities. Many premium tents will also feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain fly for enhanced waterproofing.
For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four-season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.
Domes and Tunnels
Tents are broadly categorized into two types: freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and tents that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being lighter. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.
Size Matters
Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.
Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 11, 2010 13:50:09
