The Coleman Montana is the ultimate home away from home, providing a comfortable and safe living space that is sure to make your camping experience one to remember. Sleeping up to 8 people the Coleman Montana is perfect for camping with a large group.
Table of Contents
Quick Summary
- Where to buy: Amazon
- Best for: Families looking for a comfortable camping experience
- Pros: Comfortable family-sized tent with extra sleeping room, angled windows, and extended door awning providing additional weather protection. Extremely simple snag-free set up.
- Cons: Takes up a lot of storage space when packed away, making long treks or extended backpacking trips less convenient.
- Alternatives: Eureka Copper-Canyon 8 Person Tent, Marmot Limestone 8 Person Tent, Gazelle T4 8 Person Pop-up Tent
Detailed Review
The Coleman Montana is the ultimate home base for your family or large group camping trips. The large size and comfortable layout make this tent an incredibly convenient tent to come home to after a long day hiking and exploring. While comfort is incredibly important, the most important thing should always be safety, and the Coleman Montana provides ultimate protection from the elements, making sure that yourself, your gear, and your crew are all safe and dry.
Weather Protection
The Coleman Montana is built to handle all of the elements of the world. Whether you are caught in a rainstorm, curled up on a freezing cold night, or hiding from hot summer rays, you will find yourself cozy and at home in this weatherproof tent.
This tent comes equipped with an extended awning that creates a dry area for entry and storage. The angled windows help to keep water out even when the windows are open, allowing for fresh air but without losing the protection of your gear.
The Coleman Montana is made with a durable Polyguard fabric that will hold together for many years. This material is incredibly durable and does not get affected by heavy winds. The WeatherTec system in this tent includes patented welded floors and inverted seams to help keep water out.
Comfort
The Coleman Montana is the pinnacle of luxury when it comes to sleeping space. At 16ft x 7ft, there is enough room to sleep 8 people comfortably. The ample living space here gives enough room for up to 3 queen-sized beds.
There is 6’2” of standing room in the tent, allowing for most average users to stand freely inside without having to hunch over. It even includes a hinged door for easy entry and exit. Even with 8 people in the tent, you will be able to enjoy the spacious living area without feeling cramped or confined.
Fresh air is always the goal of a camping trip and this tent provides excellent air circulation. The angled windows can be left open without the risk of moisture getting into your living space. This provides great air-flow so that the tent does not become stuffy or hard to breathe in.
Set-up
The Coleman Montana is incredibly easy to set-up. On average a user can have it up and ready in about 15 minutes. The quick set up allows you to spend more time adventuring and less time working.
Coleman uses a patented pin-and-ring system to help you secure your poles to the tent. It also includes snag-free, continuous pole-sleeves for easy setup. The set up includes multiple storage pockets for organizing your gear.
The Montana is also equipped with access to an E-port. This E-port makes it incredibly easy to set up electrical power safely and efficiently in your tent. Having this easy set up makes it incredibly easy to create a comfortable long term camping situation.
Price and Value
The Coleman Montana is a very reasonably priced tent. While there are other options available at a lower price, they have nowhere near the quality of a Coleman. There are also quite a few 8 person tents that are far more expensive and they are of less or equal quality to the Coleman Montana.
This moderately priced 8 person tent is perfect for your average family who wants to go camping. The quality matches the price tag and you would be hard-pressed to find this high-quality of a tent at a lower price.
What I Like
There is a lot to love about this tent. I personally have chosen this as my tent of choice for any of my family camping trips. The overall comfort level and durability of this tent is the reason I choose it season after season.
Comfort is the main attraction of this tent. I usually bring my wife and 3 kids and we bring two queen-sized air mattresses as well as a single person cot. Even with all of this furniture in the tent, there is ample living space.
When it comes to my family’s safety, I am extremely cautious, and I have confidence in the Coleman Montana to keep my family safe. We have been caught in a few storms with heavy wind and rain and we have stayed comfortable and dry through all of them. Confidence is key when camping and I always have it when I use this tent.
What I Don’t Like
There are very few things that I don’t like about the Coleman Montana 8 person tent. That being said it does have a few minor flaws. This is a big tent, and as to be expected with any large object, it takes up a lot of storage space. I haven’t had too much trouble because the areas I use this tent in are very easy to reach. It only becomes difficult when my family and I want to get really far off the grid and camp. It is just a little too large for those tough treks and although do-able, it would be easier to take a smaller tent to those areas.
The only other issue with this tent is the lack of resale on its additional parts. I managed to lose my rainfly(my fault) and Coleman did not have a replacement available unless I bought the full tent again. If this is the biggest issue you have with your tent, you’ve got a really solid tent.
The Alternatives
If you are looking for alternatives to the Coleman Montana 8 person tent, here are a few options for you to consider:
- Eureka Copper Canyon 8 Person Tent – The Copper Canyon has the same basic features as the Coleman Montana but it has a different layout. This tent has a center height of 7 feet and is boxier than the Coleman Montana.
- Marmot Limestone 8 Person Tent – The Marmot limestone is great for the group that wants one tent, but with privacy. It is divided into two different living spaces with a retractable divider that can be easily removed.
- The Gazelle T4 8 Person Pop-up Tent – The Gazelle T4 provides the same living space and features but it is best for campers that move sites often. This tent can be put together in about 90 seconds and makes it very easy to set up at a campsite.
FAQ’s
Is this tent difficult to set up?
No, this tent is incredibly easy to set up. Two people working together can have this tent set up and ready to sleep in, at an average of 15 minutes. There are instructions included but the pole settings are easy to use and just as easy to set up.
Does this tent hold up in extreme weather?
Yes, absolutely. This tent will hold up in rain, wind, heat, and snow. I have personally weathered a few storms with this tent and it is still in excellent shape and managed to stay dry and undamaged.
Can you really fit 8 people comfortably?
Yes, this tent can fit up to three queen-sized mattresses and still have room for a few single sleeping bags or cots. I have had 10 people sleep in here before and although it was tight, there was room.
Final Verdict
The Coleman Montana 8 person tent is the perfect tent for your simple hiking trip with family or friends. You will be able to fit 8 people comfortably, have excellent air-flow, and be protected from the elements. This is a very reliable home base set-up and you won’t be disappointed with the various amenities.
The quick and easy set up allows for a seamless camping experience that will give you more time adventuring and less time working on your campsite. If you are looking for a large tent that keeps its guests safe and comfortable, I would highly recommend picking up the Coleman Montana 8 person tent.
