Customer Reviews

Eureka! Sunrise 9 -Tent (sleeps 4-5)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have owned the Sunrise 9 since 2002 and have used it on dozens of camping trips in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California. At the time I purchased it, I was the only one using it and it's way more tent than one person needs, although I absolutely loved having it to myself.

For those doing intensive research on their next tent purchase, I will provide as much detail as I can, as I find reviews aren't terribly helpful if someone only says "the tent is great". Details are very important. :o) Read on..

SET-UP:

First and foremost, the tent is very easy to construct and only takes me [and my now partner] 10 minutes to stake and raise. I always stake tents first (and then raise them), as I never trust a free-standing tent. I don't recall ever having read the instructions, as Eureka makes this tent about as fail-safe as it gets. Staking out the corners first also allows the sidewalls to be very taught once the poles are raised.

SIZE AND COMFORT:

The center height of 6' is adequate for me and my partner, as we're both 5'7". We generally use a king size air mattress, which takes up the majority of the center of the floor, but we have plenty of room to store bags and shoes on either side of the mattress. Head room, on the other hand, is moderately compromised on either side of the mattress, as it is a dome tent. The tent would fit a queen air mattress and two children's sleeping bags with perhaps a little room to spare. It's a fabulous and very spacious two-person dream tent.

Cross-ventilation is superior, with large windows on all 4 walls (including the door), as well as a low vent on the bottom of the door to allow cooler air at lower levels. The ceiling also contains several mesh vents. Since the fly is elevated, air circulates throughout the tent and it never becomes stuffy.

There are very handy storage pockets below each window which provide a very useful space for sunglasses, reading glasses, flashlights and other gear. The hanging gear loft is great for things you use occasionally, but wouldn't need access to at night. It's also a great place to rig up a battery powered overhead lantern.

WEATHER:

Our Sunrise 9 has seen it all - rain, shine, snow, wind, hail and sleet. As noted above, I always stake first, then raise. Since the sidewalls are always taught, wind never conerns me. The tent flaps slightly, but integrity is always good and has never been jeopardized. I've never owned a tent that remains so confident during high winds.

Since Eureka tapes most seems, water has never been an issue. As always, we did waterproof each seem and the inside floor of the tent has NEVER seen a drop of water. The fly provides ultimate rain protection while still allowing a view out any window and without limiting air flow. The fly is genious and easy as pie to install. We also always place a tarp underneath the tent to prevent floor seepage.

We've camped at sea level in California and at 12,000 feet in Colorado and the tent has never disappointed when it comes to any weather conditions. Because of the excellent ventilation, the tent is never more uncomfortable inside than it is outside - an important note, especially in very hot temperatures. I've taken a nap in the tent with 98º outside and was perfectly comfortable (albeit quite warm).

BOTTOM LINE:

Without a doubt, Eureka makes one of the best budget-conscious tents you can buy if you plan to have your tent for many years. All tents require the owner to put forth a little effort and care to maintain its integrity. It's not going to remain perfect if you don't take the time to set it up properly, waterproof the seams, take it down carefully and re-pack it in the fashion you un-packed it. If it takes 5 minutes longer to ensure you're doing it right, spend the extra 5 minutes and your Eureka tent will provide you with years of enjoyable trips with your family.

I would like to think Eureka has good customer service, as I've heard they do, but my tent has not failed me in any way, so I've not needed their assistance. They make a great product, which is evidenced by the fact that they're still offering tents they've been manufacturing for many years with minimal changes.

I've recently ordered the Eureka N!ergy Screen House and the Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 so we have more room for lounging and relaxation and will post reviews once they've been put to good use!

I am happy to say that I have nothing but good words about the Eureka Sunrise 9 tent! I just purchased the tent after doing my homework... Chances are if you are reading this, it's because you care about the quality of what you are buying- well look no further because the short end of it all is that the materials used to make this tent (even within the other line of tents that Eureka makes) you will find that the walls of the Sunrise are thicker, the floor is thicker and the overall design is much better. I am a heavyset guy and like alot of room to myself. Would be plenty of room in the tent for two people with a ton of gear! (Overall rule is take the number and divide it in half- so a 4-5 person tent comfortably fits 2-3 people and all their 'stuff'!) I had purchased an XL cot from Cabela's and found it would not fit inside the Sunrise 8... So I bought the Sunrise 9, and the cot just makes it with inches to spare at the head and foot of the cot- -use furniture sliders or any type of floor-saving material under the legs of the cot to avoid putting a hole in the floor of the tent. Also, Eureka makes a pre-cut floor-saver to put under the tent and protect it from mud and dirt and debris- one word of caution... Even after you stake your tent to the ground, you will find that if you have the grey floor-saver plastic protecting the underside of the tent floor, that it makes the insides very slippery to walk on! Almost felt like walking on ice the way the tent floor would slip on the floor-saver material... Looking for a way to make the two grip each other a little so it's easier to stand on and not slip around... Other than that, one other word about the ventilation... The windows and floor and ceiling are all mesh screened and they are great, just remember to keep the windows unzipped for cross ventilation during the day, or the tent gets very warm when it's hot outside. At night, it's very comfortable to sleep in. The Hi-Lo door vent on the bottom is "ok" for extra ventilation, but nothing like what I was hoping it would do- although it's better than not having the vent at all! One final word about the whole tenting experience and bugs- The second you set your tent up, keep the door zipped up tight except to get in and out of it- with the windows unzipped for a breeze and the door zipped closed, the tent makes a great bug-free place to hang out in during the day! Looking forward to using my Sunrise 9 tent again soon!

I have camped all my life, and now that I do a fair amount of "car camping" with the kids, I look for a tent that sets up quickly (5 min), keeps you dry in rain (excellent design), won't break the bank (good price), and reasonable size. This 9x9 foot print is ideal for 2-4 people with gear. Three wide sleeping bags with extra room on the sides and plenty at the head for your duffles (aka. pillows) and feet for clothing/gear). The company stands behind their product, and when used with a ground cloth (sheet of plastic works great), it will last years! I have one that is 10 years old and in very good shape. Only needed to replace the poles once due to fiberglass fatigue from use. Just bought another for the kids to use. The next size up uses bigger poles, has a higher ceiling height and is a bit more combersome due to its size and weight, but for 5 adults, go for it! The design is awesome!

The Eureka Sunrise 9 is a very well made tent. On its first campout it weathered a thunderstorm with 60 mph wind, rain and hail and stood strong and dry. Easy set-up and has great ventilation.

Fortunately, I read all of the product reviews by other users on this tent. It lives up to its review. Lots of room. I know this is a 4-5 man tent, but my wife and I like lots of room for ourselves when we go camping and this tent is perfect. It is easy to set up and take down. I would recommend that you replace the plastic tent pegs with a 10" nail-type peg. This type tent peg is much easier to use and will hold the tent down in very high winds. Also, this type tent peg has a plastic "hood" with an eyelet and hook that allows you to anchor the tent more effectively and the eyelet allows you to clip the tent fly directly to the tent peg rather than the ring on each of the four corner locations. It keeps the fly from touching the main tent surface and provides for more stability. I would also recommend that you purchase a 9x9 ground cover to go under the tent to protect the floor. This is a tent that deserves respect. Taken care of properly, it should last for years. This is the 2nd Eureka tent that I have owned. The first was a 2-man 3-4 season backpacking tent--I still own it and it is built around similar lines to the Eureka Sunrise 9... I've had it for over 20 years and it is still as good as the 1st time I used it. What is nice about this tent is that it allows us to use 2 full length camp cots (Rios). We also purchased a plastic storage container at Wal-Mart's that allows us to store this tent and all accessories (a trunk-like container with two large snap latches). This allows us to pack away the tent and keep from stressing the fabric. It also is a great way to store the tent and load it into our SUV. If you are looking for a great tent, this is the one. One other great feature: There is an zip up opening at the bottom of the door and two small openings at the top of the tent. These openings allow air to freely circulate in the tent at night and prevent condensation. The tent stays nice and dry. We have only experienced one light rain, but no leaks. This is worth the investment. Strongly recommend.

This is a great tent for a variety of reasons. Having 4 large windows keeps this tent relatively cool even on hot days and having the rainfly with deep, large overhangs is fantastic. I had 2 of the windows opened at least 2/3 the way while it was raining and not a drop of water even came near the windows. The tent and fly are made of a very respectable weight for waterproofing purposes. Though others have mentioned seam sealing it, I've had it in a respectable rainstorm and not a drop of water came in, though it's still reasonably new (perhaps for next camping season I should consider seam sealing it). There are 2 very deep vents at the top of the tent that allow superior air flow even if the windows are closed up (i.e., you can use a catalytic heater in it without worry of asphyxiating). It is sharp as can be when set up and makes other campers wonder where they can get one. It has some nice interior features such as a gear loft (I don't use mine only because I like to be able to stand up), a sizeable detachable corner 2 shelf unit, a small detachable triangular shaped mesh storage bag and 2 bottle holders. I use a cot in mine as well as a camping closet/dresser/storage unit and have ample room for either a chair and a potra-potty inside if I'm alone or space for another full cot if someone else is with me. I am an above knee amputee (who wears a prosthesis) who camps alone much of the time and can set this up in under 10 minutes by myself without difficulty.

Two things to watch out for: 1. the rainfly can be a bit clumsy to put on if it's windy since it is almost kite-like. 2. I don't like the plastic stakes that come with this at all - I highly recommend the 10" nail-type stakes (the ones with the green on top that has a hole in it to attach the fly). The nail-type stakes work great in both soft ground (not sand) and in more rocky terrain.

For an individual or family who camps more than twice a year, the purchase of this tent is a no-brainer. Sure, you can get a tent about the same size for about 1/3 the cost, but you'll regret it compared to what you get with this tent. With proper care there's no reason this tent shouldn't last 7-10 years for the frequent camper. In fact, most people would give up camping before this tent would give up on them.

This is my second Eureka tent. The first one is 20 years old and has started leaking through the seams so I decided to get a newer, bigger version of the same basic tent design. Took this tent out of the box and set it up by myself in my living room before taking it to the Old Settler's Music fest for a 4 night camp-out. Easy up with two poles for the tent-Rain fly also easy up with 2 poles. Very comfortable inside for two adults with stuff-a 3rd person could have fit in easily.

First night out we went through a huge, several hour thunderstorm. After taking a poll of our fellow campers, nearly all of them got drenched. We had one of the only tents that didn't leak! There may be bigger tents with more room inside, but none are engineered better than this Eureka. However, even with a tarp underneath us we did get some water coming up through the floor-maybe 2 cups worth, much of which was soaked up by our foam mattresses.

Other than a little leakage through the floor (lots of water went under us, by the way) the Eureka was awesome. I highly recommend it.

...and that's saying a lot since it's my third attempt to replace a beloved Edmund Hillary tent that I bought at Sears many years ago and wore out over dozens of camping trips. I gave away the last two expensive, well made tents I purchased because I was never going to love them like that old Sears tent.

First, the superior materials and craftsmanship are a joy to own. But most important, it had to be large enough for comfort, but very easy for one person to erect and take down. I am a woman in my 60's with painful, stiff hands, wrists, and knees from arthritis. I have camped at every opportunity over the last 50+ years and have no intention of giving it up while on the sunny side of the ground. The last two tents did not survive beyond one trip each because of the time and pain required to set up.

The initial setup was in Idaho's Farragut State Park under ideal conditions. It took less than half an hour to put up, but will take half that when I'm no longer preoccupied with enjoying the quality. Soon after erecting it, I realized that I needed to move it to the opposite side of the camp site. It was no trouble to remove the fly (which was the easiest ever to set up and attach), the stakes, and simply pick up a side and pull it over. It is solidly free standing...but take it from this veteran outdoors woman and always stake your tent. Taking it down could not have been easier or faster.

That old Sears tent lasted about 15 years and it wasn't nearly the quality of the Eureka Sunrise 9. Always place a tarp or footprint under the tent, seal the seams, never store it wet, keep it clean removing pine sap as well as dirt or sand from the ferrules. I also protect the floor on the inside as well as my knees with large cushioning pads. Wipe your feet on a mat before entering, or, best of all, use camp shoes which you can slip off at the door. When storing between trips, never use the bag it came in - I use a large sleeping bag sack. Just like with a sleeping bag or pad, you compress it between set-ups while traveling to save space, but store between trips uncompressed.

If you are new to setting up tents, give yourself lots of time at first. Carefully read the instructions. Any difficulties with this tent will be a user problem resulting from inexperience and/or hurry.

Update: After erecting many times on a 2-month solo road trip beginning in Northern Idaho and continuing through Utah's canyon country, I am even more impressed. It did not even sweat in 16 hours of steady rain. I was able to put it up in wind and blowing sand (never fun)with the fly...the kite-like qualities can easily be overcome. With 4 extra guy lines, it withstood 2 windy days at Kodachrome State Park far better than I did. It is easy to put back into the bag: unzip all the windows before taking it down and it will compress right down. One more hint: do NOT stake this tent before raising. For some reason it makes it much harder to erect it well, which contradicts the usual wisdom. Also, I have not sealed the seams since they seem to be extraordinarily well sealed from the get-go. A great tent.

Absolutley great tent just as advertised and reviewed by buyers. We have had another model Eureka tent for 20 years, camp frequently as a family and with boy scouts and it is still very usable. From what I see so far, I expect to do the same with this tent. We just had a Boy Scout Campout in 17 degree temperatures and the tent was great. When compared to most other tents used at the campout or that we looked at the quality of the Eureka was so superior. The floor and walls are much thicker and the frame is almost twice as strong. There are other comparable tents out but at a much higher price and even then I would feel good about the Eureka. This is a no-brainer 5 rating.

Bought this as our family tent. Plenty of room and well made. This tent has been rain tested by Florida summer downpours. The only sign of rain was a quarter size drop of water in one corner. We've packed this tent with 2 adults, one child and one dog.

Nice ventilation and the screening keeps out all bugs.