CORE 10 Person Cabin Tent Review

The Review

Camping in large groups can sometimes be a hassle without the proper gear and preparation. Cabin tents, such as the CORE 10 person cabin tent, provide an excellent way to handle multiple campers under one roof. Their large surface area and straight-wall design provide ample room (in most cases) for 8+ campers simultaneously. CORE offers a variety of models of tents to help make camping easier for anyone to just go out and have some fun. We have reviewed CORE’s 10-person straight wall tent to see how it stacks up and whether it provides good value to potential buyers.

CORE tents are made by a relatively new company called CORE Equipment. Their team is comprised of staff who previously worked for some of the biggest names in the outdoor equipment space. They gained notoriety as one of the first “Instant Tents” available to the public. These tents were a huge success and allowed campers to bypass the hassle and time often required to set up a tent. Furthermore, as a whole, CORE tents are some of the best reviewed and most loved tents you will find anywhere. The company has a short, but very good, track record at creating quality products that do exactly what the buyer needs.

Spacious and Roomy Interior

This CORE cabin tent offers an interior that provides plenty of room and features for campers to feel right at home. A 14’ x 10’ floor is large enough to sleep 10 people in sleeping bags, or up to two queen-sized mattresses. Although their specifications state that it can fit two queen-sized mattresses, there is plenty of room for a third, or possibly a fourth, depending on the amount of room you prefer to be able to move around. If you are using two queen-sized mattresses, there will be plenty of room for comfort and space to move.

In addition to the ample floor space, the height of the tent reaches 7 feet, for those tall campers who find themselves constantly needing to hunch and stoop in most tents. Another nifty feature is the zippered room divider. While many cabin tents offer a similar feature, they often feel as if they have just been jammed in there without much thought. This room divider has a feel of utility and does a good job at separating the rooms. When used in combination with the multiple entrances, it provides a great way to allow campers to have their own “room” that won’t wake up others if they need to leave the tent at night.

Weather Resistance

Camping often involves dealing with unexpected weather concerns such as driving rain, high winds, or extreme heat. The CORE cabin tent uses CORE’s H20 block technology to prevent water from entering the interior of the tent. Through the use of water-resistant materials and thermal sealing of the seams, water is repelled, and the interior of the tent remains dry. This technology works very well, in coordination with the rainfly, at keeping the water out as buyers report extended periods in the rain cause only minimal leakage. After 16 hours in the rain, only a few drops are noticeable, which is an excellent showing when considering moderate to high winds and drenching rain. In fact, this tent made our list of the best cabin tent for rain.

The cabin tent also does an excellent job in moderately high winds (20-30 mph) and high heat. Traditional stakes (5mm – 7” steel) are used to anchor the tent in place to withstand winds and keep the tent stable and in place at all times. Additionally, vents and a mesh top are in place to make venting the heat easier and the interior a cooler and more comfortable temperature. Depending on the environment, don’t be surprised at the cool breeze that accompanies the venting of hot air. While the mesh top does a good job at venting the heat, in the winter this can be an undesired effect. This can be quickly remedied by attaching the rainfly to the top to prevent heat from escaping in cold temperatures.

Convenience Features

The included features offer good utility for the average camper with a cord access port, dual entry points, air vents, gear loft, and side pockets. An electrical cord access port is available to feed a power cord through. This comes in very handy and keeps any cords out of the way of walking paths. Dual entries work exceptionally well with the divider to create “rooms” for the campers. Additionally, vents are on the bottom of the tent to help ventilate air. Combined with the mesh top, air circulates very well to stave off extreme heat. A weatherproof rainfly is also included to cover the mesh top when weather intrudes on your camping trip. The rainfly could be a bit bigger, but overall it does a good job. Furthermore, the rainfly can be used during cold camping to trap heat inside the tent.

Potential Concerns

There is a lot to like about the CORE cabin tent, but as with most things, there are improvements that could be made. First, the materials used feel so light, that it gives the appearance of being cheaply made. While most buyers have reported that the tent is durable, there are reports that some have experienced tearing at the seams and holes wearing in the rainfly. The rainfly can also cause problems when trying to attach it to the mesh roof. The design of the attachment can sometimes cause confusion, but after a couple of times, it feels natural and can be completely attached very quickly.

One of the aspects of CORE tents that made them famous are their Instant Tents. Unfortunately, this cabin tent is not of the “Instant” variety. This is a conscious decision on CORE’s part to provide increased stability during inclement weather and the fact that some just prefer to set their tent up in a traditional manner. Another possible issue with the tent is the mesh roof design. While it works great while camping in the heat, extreme cold presents issues as the heat escapes through the roof. The rainfly can be attached to reduce the amount of heat that escapes, but it isn’t really a substitute for a solid roof.

The Verdict

The CORE 10-person cabin tent is a solid camping tent if you have several people in your group. It works exceptionally well if you have fewer people and just want the extra room. In instances such as this, there is enough room to comfortably fit 2 cots, backpacks, a card table, and still have room to walk around, depending on your setup. It can almost feel like you never left home and still experience the joy of camping in the outdoors. While there are a few issues with the tent, it is still an excellent alternative for anyone not looking to spend too much money on a premium model. The convenience features, affordability, huge surface area and tall ceiling make this a solid, if unspectacular, entry from CORE.