Product Description
In the early 1950′s, Dick Kelty made backpacks for his friends in the Sierra Club. Time and experience proved that hiking was more pleasurable when the hiker could carry heavy loads without shoulder pain. This was accomplished with Kelty’s ideas of a hipbelt and light weight aluminum frames. A few of Kelty’s popular items are backpacks, adjustable poles, rain covers for backpacks, camp pillows, fanny packs, a carport tent or shelter, Thermolite Quallo sleeping bags,and chuckwagon dog packs.Amazon.com Product Description
An ideal family-camping tent that offers a view of the stars at the campground or in the backcountry, the Kelty Trail Dome 4 features a simple pole design and clip-sleeve construction that make it a snap to pitch. Offering spacious room for four, the Trail Dome 4 has a 55 square foot floor area (but does not include a storage vestibule). It features internal storage pockets, mesh ceiling, gear loft loops, side-release buckle tent-… More >>
Kelty Trail Dome 4 Four Person Tent
Hiking Backpack | Camping Sleeping Bags
Tags: Aluminum Frames, Amazon, Camping Tent, Carport, Club Time, Dome, Family Camping, Four, Heavy Loads, Internal Storage, Kelty, Kelty Backpacks, Light Weight Aluminum, Person, Person Tent, Popular Items, Shoulder Pain, Sierra Club, Sleeping Bags, Spacious Room, Storage Pockets, Tent, Tent Camping, Thermolite, Trail, Vestibule
Max
Price: $159.99 at local Sports Authority
Weather Conditions: Cloudy, with sunbreaks. 2 days car camping.
Weight: Fairly light. 8 lbs.
Set-Up: The strength and durability of the aluminum poles are definetly worth the investment. You don’t have to worry about snapping the poles unlike the fiberglass poles. I recommend putting the poles in the base “fastex” clips first, and then attaching the plastic clips on second. It’s not really clear in the instructions. If you just bought this tent, I recommend practicing pitching the tent a few times. The first run took almost 30 minutes. I was able to set up this tent in under 10 minutes by myself. Always, always use a footprint or tarp when camping to save you from damaging the tent floor and moisture from the ground. Be sure to sweep your area of pine cones and small rocks. I also recommend getting beefier stakes. I’ve read the MSR Groundhog stakes are nice, but I got some $3 plastic ones at Walmart for a set of 6.
Tent fly: I like how the tent fly “clips” into the fastex clips at each corner. Also, I’ve read complaints of how the tent fly doesn’t provide a good awning if you decide to step out during the rain. Pay attention to the color coded straps that will tell you how the tent fly is installed.
Front opening: The zipper of the opening is overstretched near the top. I was nervous that the zipper couldn’t handle the stress of the two poles stretching it. I had to use a fastex clip with a strap (similar to the cross strap on a backpack) to wrap around the poles and pull them together to relieve the stress on the zipper. That solved the problem.
Storage compartments inside the tent: There are 4 mesh pockets at each corner of the tent. But they’re aren’t any hooks near the top of the tents if you wanted to hook a lantern to the roof.
Inside Space: I’m 5’7″ and I was able to stand up completely with my head crouched a little bit. This is truly a 2 person camp with gear. I was able to fit a queen size air mat with no problems. The zipper wasn’t as quiet as I hoped it to be. It still sounded like a zipper being pulled. The zipper was very smooth once I adjusted the two poles with the plastic strap. I didn’t see any condensation the next morning, so I guess the tent vents very well.
Suggestions for design: This would be a perfect tent if it had a vestibule to store dirty clothes, boots, etc. A 2nd door would be nice, too.
Overall, I think I’ll upgrade the the Kelty Gunnison 4.1 since it has a vestibule and a 2nd door. This is a nice tent for the camper on a budget.
Rating: 4 / 5
K. Sayles
Great tent. Went through a couple heavy rain storms and watertight as long as you keep equipment off the front and back upper portions. The tub is watertight, the fly keeps the sides dry, if equipment is touching the front or back above the tub floor water will come in. That’s because the front and back above the tub is breathable nylon. But nothing a few towels can’t clean up if you wake up in the night in a rain with equipment against that part of the front and back. As in most tents, this is hardly a 4 person tent. It is 6′x8′ afterall. (I guess each person gets 2′x6′) I used it for 3 weeks straight but as a one person with gear and found it perfect. If 4 people were to use it, they better be kids and have another place to store gear. It is indeed freestanding. I was in a sheltered area and never staked it out. But then again I was car camping and had plenty of gear in it. If I was at the beach or any other windy area, I would stake it down or find it rolling away I’m sure. Setup was easy but as in any tent, trying it at home first will make sure you have all parts and look smoother at the campsite the first time. I would suggest a ground cloth if car camping to extent floor life but that goes for any tent.
Not super light for serious backpacking but for an overnight or weekend trip where you won’t be carrying huge amounts of food and other gear and if you can share some of the other gear’s weight with another person, it would be one of my first choices.
I actually used this tent while working out of town while remodeling a house. Set it up on the patio and had access to electricity and used a radiator style electric heater in there on a week of record cold. Several nights below freezing and with the electric radiator style heater in there the tent stayed above 55F (60s for the most part) so with a electric radiator style heater it can be used in the winter as well.
The wind flap on the door zipper got stuck in the zipper often but this is common with any tent with a weatherproof door. Just be careful and use 2 hands when possible.
Seems to have classic Kelty Quality. (I used a Kelty frame pack hiking the AT years ago) Sad to say it was made in China, but quality seems to still be there.
Rating: 5 / 5
Steve
Great tent. Went through a couple heavy rain storms and watertight as long as you keep equipment off the front and back upper portions. The tub is watertight, the fly keeps the sides dry, if equipment is touching the front or back above the tub floor water will come in. That’s because the front and back above the tub is breathable nylon. But nothing a few towels can’t clean up if you wake up in the night in a rain with equipment against that part of the front and back. As in most tents, this is hardly a 4 person tent. It is 6′x8′ afterall. (I guess each person gets 2′x6′) I used it for 3 weeks straight but as a one person with gear and found it perfect. If 4 people were to use it, they better be kids and have another place to store gear. It is indeed freestanding. I was in a sheltered area and never staked it out. But then again I was car camping and had plenty of gear in it. If I was at the beach or any other windy area, I would stake it down or find it rolling away I’m sure. Setup was easy but as in any tent, trying it at home first will make sure you have all parts and look smoother at the campsite the first time. I would suggest a ground cloth if car camping to extent floor life but that goes for any tent.
Not super light for serious backpacking but for an overnight or weekend trip where you won’t be carrying huge amounts of food and other gear and if you can share some of the other gear’s weight with another person, it would be one of my first choices.
I actually used this tent while working out of town while remodeling a house. Set it up on the patio and had access to electricity and used a radiator style electric heater in there on a week of record cold. Several nights below freezing and with the electric radiator style heater in there the tent stayed above 55F (60s for the most part) so with a electric radiator style heater it can be used in the winter as well.
The wind flap on the door zipper got stuck in the zipper often but this is common with any tent with a weatherproof door. Just be careful and use 2 hands when possible.
Seems to have classic Kelty Quality. (I used a Kelty frame pack hiking the AT years ago) Sad to say it was made in China, but quality seems to still be there.
Rating: 5 / 5
