Wenzel Pinon Sport 7-by 7-Foot Three-Person Dome Tent

by Wenzel

Product Features

• Square-shaped, dome-style tent for two to three sleepers; measures 7 by 7 feet
• Lightweight enough for hiking and traveling
• D-style door, back window, full rain fly
• Shock-corded fiberglass poles; lightweight steel stakes for stability and strength
• Nylon floors have taped floor seams; tent is backed by 10-year warranty

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Nicely lightweight and easy to set up and breakdown, the sporty Wenzel Pinon dome-style tent is a great choice for a weekend car camping outing. It features a generously sized single room that measures 7 by 7 feet--great for storing lots of gear--and a 50-inch maximum height. In addition to the good-sized D-style door (with a mesh window covering half of it), this tent also includes a window on the back for cross-current ventilation. The interior is quite spare, with only a small gear pocket in one corner near the door.

Setting up the tent 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. This tent also includes a fly that offers a good coverage area, including a bit of an extended cover over the door and back window. While we didn't have rain during our testing, we did use a sprinkler for an extended period, and were pleased to note that the fly ably handled the water run off, guiding it away from the bottom of the tent. To improve this tent's weather resistance, it's recommended that you use seam sealer to coat all exposed seams, applying only to the underside of the fly and inside the seams of the tent.

Overall, the Wenzel Pinon is a good choice for car campers and for the occasional hiked excursion. While it won't stand up to the worst that Mother Nature can throw your way, it should handle a decent amount of rain. And its ample 49 square foot interior will hold two good-sized adults and a good amount of gear. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

What's in the Box?
Tent, 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 more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.

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 those 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 more lightweight. 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 also 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 Pinon Sport Dome is 49 square feet, sleeping 2-3 people. Lightweight enough for hiking and traveling anywhere you go. 7' x 7' x 50" is a square shape dome providing lots of head space.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 27 x 5.3 x 5.3 inches ; 6.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6.8 pounds
• 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: B000AO3J9A
• Item model number: 36275
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,500 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good tent, November 8, 2005

By 

Ron Jones (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wenzel Pinon Sport 7-by 7-Foot Three-Person Dome Tent (Sports)

I like this tent more than the other reviewer. I used it for one night with my son, and it worked well. Woke up dry and happy.

It's got about a 4 foot height, so you definitely can't stand up in it, but it is a legit 7 feet by 7 feet. Pretty good size. Haven't seen anything on the market at this price.

Other things I liked:

-Easy to get in and out of (D-style door is a plus)

-Fiberglass poles and overall easy set-up.

I forgot...I did use a seam sealer for all the edges of the tent. Worked well.

Still can't believe the price.

76 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising quality for price..., November 8, 2005

By 

Brett Schmidt "El Jefe" (North Carolina (and proud of it)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wenzel Pinon Sport 7-by 7-Foot Three-Person Dome Tent (Sports)

Since when were tents this affordable? I just received this tent yesterday. I set it up in my backyard, and I like the way it looks. Easy to set-up. Intuitive.

This is not a tent that I am going to use to climb a mountain, but rather use for easy day trips around the area.

Everyone calls these tents 2 or 3 person tents. But, I am certainly going to use just as a two person. I am 5'9" and my wife's the same height as well. We will be snug sleeping next to one another, but it will work...and at this price? Why not.

Realistically, I am hoping that this will work for the next few trips out. If it lasts for 7 years, then this is the best buy on the market.

Last thought-- I think some folks will like this in their backyard. A good family tent for sleepovers or for playing in the backyard or campsite...

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Zipper knocked a star off., September 19, 2007

By 

John B. (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wenzel Pinon Sport 7-by 7-Foot Three-Person Dome Tent (Sports)

You really can't expect much for $25 and this tent packs a lot of bang for the buck. If it wasn't for the incredible frustration I had with the zippers, this would be an easy four- or five- star review.

Pros:

-Price

-Performance

-Ease of setup/breakdown

Cons:

-Zipper

-Zipper

-Zipper

It stuck. When it wasn't sticking, it was getting mis-toothed. When it wasn't doing either of these things, it was sitting there being sweared at because the pull-tab had snapped off completely. Had it been a lovely summer night, this would've just been an inconvenience. Unfortunate, Wisconsin was experiencing record low temperatures and not being able to close the tent door would have been disastrous. Anyway, stupid zippers.