Wenzel Big Bend 12-by-10 Foot Five-Person Two-Room Family Dome Tent

by Wenzel

Product Features

• 5-person, 2-room family dome tent ideal for mid-size families
• Weather Armor polyester construction with polyurethane coating
• 2 mesh doors, 2 mesh windows, and mesh roof for cross breeze
• Shock-corded fiberglass poles and pin-and-ring system for easy setup
• Hanging divider curtain; measures 12 x 5.6 x 10 feet (W x H x D)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Spacious and weather-resistant, the Wenzel Big Bend 12-by-10-foot family dome tent sleeps up to five campers in its two rooms, making it ideal for mid-size families or couples with lots of gear. The Big Bend is made of rugged, weather-repellent Weather Armor polyester with a polyurethane coating for reliability, helping it keep water out and warmth in. The sonic-sealed, polyethylene tub-style floor, meanwhile, is welded and not sewn, eliminating needle holes that might otherwise attract water seepage. And campers will love the variety of ventilation points--including two mesh doors, two mesh windows, and a mesh roof--which combine to create a refreshing cross breeze on warm evenings.

The Big Bend is also easy to set up, with shock-corded fiberglass poles and a 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 or as a sleeping room and living area. Other details include an integrated mud mat to keep the tent clean, a removable fly with a hoop frame over the door, two hanging pockets for storage, and a storage duffel.

Specifications:

• Base: 14 by 10 feet
• Center height: 68 inches
• Area: 94 square feet
• Capacity: 5 people
• Carrying weight: 14.3 pounds
• 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.

Product Description

The Wenzel Big Bend is a 12-foot x 10-foot, seven-sided-dome tent with 68 inches of center head room. It accommodates five campers on a welded-polyethylene tub-style floor to keep out ground moisture and is made of rugged, unique Weather Armor weather-resistant polyester with a polyurethane coating for toughness and reliability. The hanging divider curtain creates two separate rooms for privacy. A removable hooped fly over the back to back D-style door keeps out the rain. Double-stitched, lap-felled seams through out the body of the tent provide a shingle effect against water. All threads, zippers and webbing are treated with superior water repellency applications to enforce these critical areas. Mesh doors, two windows, and mesh roof provide a cross breeze. The lightweight, shockcorded fiberglass frame has a pin and ring system for easy set-up. This tent includes two hanging pockets for storage, an integrated mud mat to help keep the tent clean and has a 10-year warranty against defects. Specifications: • Base: 12 ft. x 10 ft. • Center Height: 68 in. • Area: 94 sq. ft. • Doors: Back to back Dutch "D" style • Floor: welded polyethylene • Frame: fiberglass • Stakes: plastic • Sleeps: 5 • Carry Weight: 14.3 lbs

Product Details

• Item Weight: 14.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002PAYI3S
• Item model number: 36422
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,849 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good tent, just NOT for five people, April 19, 2010

By 

M. Napier (Fayetteville,NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wenzel Big Bend 12-by-10 Foot Five-Person Two-Room Family Dome Tent (Sports)

I bought this tent thinking the dimensions of 12'X 10' would be plenty big for four people. What is not mentioned is that this tent is hexagonal and that it only reaches 12' X 10' at the very corners. We were able to squeeze 3 cots into the tent with only enough room for our bags under the cots. I would venture to say it would fit only a full sized mattress. Having said that, this is a pretty good 2, maybe 3 person tent. Set up was easy and the door zipper didn't stick like most tend to do. It did not rain, so I'm not sure about it's waterproof capabilities, but the dome shape stood up very well to windy conditions. Bottom line: small, but good, sturdy tent.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Bend review, August 14, 2010

By 

yankee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wenzel Big Bend 12-by-10 Foot Five-Person Two-Room Family Dome Tent (Sports)

I love this tent. I can set it up alone(or with the help of a 6 and 7 year old). We were in 2 storms the first time we used it and stayed dry. The only problem I can see is that when it rains and you unzip the door you may get a little water in the tent off the door. Once I realized this I now make sure we push the door out and it works,it stays dry.The amount of water was minimal and could be wiped up with a paper towel.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars previous reviews where right..., August 2, 2010

By 

Christopher Chandler "Littleharbor" (Marblehead, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wenzel Big Bend 12-by-10 Foot Five-Person Two-Room Family Dome Tent (Sports)

Greetings,

2 small children to 2 adults where about the max I would recommend for this one... It is
shaped strangly... I will need to replace it sooner then later as the kids are growing
to fast. Seemed well made though.

Cheers