Features
- Square-shaped, dome-style tent for two sleepers; measures 6 by 5 feet
- Lightweight enough for hiking and traveling
- Half-moon door; 3/4-ventilated top with mini fly cover
- Shock-corded fiberglass poles; lightweight steel stakes for stability and strength
- Nylon floors have taped floor seams; tent is backed by 10-year warranty
Price: $39.99
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
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Amazon.com
Nicely lightweight and easy to set up and breakdown, the sporty Wenzel Nova dome-style tent is a great choice for a weekend car camping outing. It features a single room that measures 6 by 5 feet, and a 38-inch maximum height. It has a half-circle door with a mesh window covering half of it (and an interior zippered closure) as well as a three-quarter vented dome with no-see-um mesh. The interior is quite spare, with only a small gear pocket in one corner near the door.
Set up was easy, for the most part, and we erected the tent (with its two shock-corded fiberglass poles) in under five minutes. The one impediment to an even faster assembly was the heavy-duty nylon corner pockets that secure the poles, which included a polyester-reinforced interior flap that's not seamed at the top of the entry. Thus, we had a tougher time than we should have trying to make correct purchase with the pocket, continually hitting the space between the nylon pocket and the interior poly pocket.
But we could forgive this slight design flaw for such a nicely light and easily backpacked tent. However, it should be noted that this tent isn't suited to an all-out assault by rain, with just a small rain cover (instead of a full fly) to protect the dome's three-quarter-ventilated square, which is quickly attached using integrated plastic hooks. That said, the water-resistant polyester exterior (polyester utilizing Wenzel's Weather Armor coating) will shed drizzle and light rain (tested under our extended sprinkler test in our backyard) and keep you warm and protected inside. It also features a heavy-duty nylon floor with taped seams.
If you're an occasional camper who sticks with fair-weather weekends, the Wenzel Nova is a fine, affordable choice for camping duos. --Agen G.N. Schmitz
What's in the Box?
Tent, mini rain fly, metal stakes (with bag), two fiberglass shock-corded poles (with bag), stuff sack, printed instructions; backed by 10-year warranty
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 take 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
