Wenzel Ponderosa 10- by 8-Foot Four-Person Two-Room Dome Tent

Manufacturer: Wenzel
Customer Rating:
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $69.99
Availibility: Usually ships in 4-5 business days

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Product Description

Great for hiking and biking trips, the Ponderosa two-room tent is lightweight enough at 10.8 pounds to carry on a backpack or saddle bags yet spacious enough to sleep four people at once. The tent base measures 10 feet by 8 feet, with a height in the center of 60 inches--more than enough space for an informal game of cards at midnight. The removable divider curtain, meanwhile, adds a bit of privacy in crowded conditions. Construction details range from a shock-corded fiberglass frame with a pin and ring connection to a weather-armor polyester fabric with a polyurethane coating. The frame is designed for quick and easy setup--a far cry from the clunky frames of yesteryear--while the coated fabric is reliable and sturdy regardless of the weather.

And should the rains come pouring down, the tent's armor-tough seams and water-repellent threads, zippers, and webbing stand ready to resist. The tent even includes sonic-sealed floors that are welded (not sewn) to eliminate stitch and needle holes, ensuring that water from rain-soaked dirt won't sneak in. Additional details include three windows (two in the front and one in the rear), Dutch D-style doors for easy entry from either side of the tent, and four mesh roof vents for circulation and moisture control. The Ponderosa is backed by a 10-year limited 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 Details

Four-person tent with lightweight construction for hikes, cycling trips, and other camping occasions
Lightweight, shock-corded fiberglass frame with pin and ring connection for quick setup and break down
Weather-armor polyester fabric with polyurethane coating is tough and reliable
Dutch D-style doors; removable divider curtain for 2-room orientation; 4 mesh roof vents
Sonic-sealed, welded floors; measures 10 feet long x 8 feet wide; 10-year limited warranty

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Customer Reviews

This tent is all you need!

Review Date: October 10, 2008

Reviewer: Andrea, Arizona

We are a family of four with kids 9 and 11, a father who is 6'3", and a mom who is 5'4" with that said this tent was just right for us. We went camping in Sedona, AZ during the Fall which the temps run from 80 during the day to 40 during the night. Next time, I would bring a tent fan for the day and a tent heater for the night. Now, we were plenty cozy, but we did have room for two queen air mattresses, our 4 backpacks, and space for our shoes. All the compartments advertised came in handy for ipods, flashlights, books, and hand sanitizer. The ceiling compartment we attached our flouresent lantern to. It was easy for me (the mom) to set the tent up. However I made my 9 year old son help me for the experience. This tent is AWESOME considering the price! It is good quality with good features and it does hold four people. I'm glad I bought it! I'm sure we will get many years of use out of it whether it is one person in the tent or four. Oh, I almost forgot all the parts fit back into the bag it came in and it is easy to carry. Also, you will need to buy a tent mallot. A mallot doesn't come with it and I'm glad it didn't because I bought a great rubber mallot with hook at the bottom for 1.88 at a well known chain.

perfect for a first time camper

Review Date: September 12, 2007

Reviewer: J. Dy, LV,NV

ease in assembly - 5 (one person and someone holding the other end)
roominess - 5 (fits a queen inflatable bed with room for storage)
appearance - 5 (looks good - got lots of complement with the color)

I had no problems with this tent - my husband assembled it all by himself (With a dry run in our home). We camped by the beach and we did not have any issues with the wind or any moisture. If there was an option to get one where I can stand in it - that will probably be a better selling factor for this tent. You would need another base for this (for the floor) coz it can get hot and it would be hard to step on it.

Overall, for a first timer- I was completely satsfied plus the price is not bad.......

great tent, great value

Review Date: May 15, 2008

Reviewer: Jen C,

I bought this tent thanks to the reviews and took it out for a weekend. It is so easy to set up, was plenty big for 2 people (3 max) and came down easily. We had a HUGE thunderstorm roll through (hail and all) and it stayed in place and held up fine. The seams did leak a little but I was impressed that was the worst that happened. Once you put some sealant on this tent it would be perfect for any situation!

Disregard anything less than a 5 star review.

Review Date: October 2, 2009

Reviewer: David A. Geers, Cleveland, OH

This is the best tent you will be able to purchase under 100 bucks.

I have had mine for this entire camping season and has held up through the worst of weather nature has thrown at it.

First off, I have to make a major point, this isn't an all season, $300+ tent.

It is very airy inside and will keep you nice and cool on the hottest of days. Anyone who was complaining about the cold, try getting a warmer sleeping bag. With the fly off, it is drafty yes, because it is suppose to be. Slap the fly on and this tent keeps the wind off you very well. A tent isn't a miracle heated room, but this one will keep you cozy if you have the proper sleeping gear to go with it.

Set up is a breeze. 2 poles and 8 clips gets you set up, 2 more poles, 4 hooks and 4 velcro strips and your rain fly is on, takes less than 5 minutes. Like any other "regular" tent, yes, the poles will snag the guides, so don't force them through.

I have no clue how anyone could snag the zippers on the weather guards. Its 2x thicker than the tent walls, you would have to force it between the teeth of the zipper to get it stuck.

You can easily fit 2 queen sized air mattresses and all your gear in the dome, and at 6'2", there is plenty of room to get changed inside. I have fit 4 adults, 2 adults and 2 mountain bikes, or 3 grown men inside with room to spare! And the double front door is nice to not rustle sleeping campers on the other side of the tent by stepping on their feet if you have to get up in the middle of the night.

A can of seam sealer on all seams and this baby took on 3 days and nights of constant hard and heavy rain in the Allegheny foothills outside of Wisp, MD. Out of 4 tents, I had the only dry one! The only moisture was condensation on the walls. This isn't a high end tent folks, that will happen, and you will have to break down and spend that extra 7 bucks on a can of seam sealer and hit those "pre-sealed" seams. After that, she'll hold up to some nasty weather.

In all fairness, there is one flaw for this about 60 buck tent... it is a pain to get back in the bag. You really gotta roll it down tight and bag it first before anything else and once you rip the seam on the tent bag, your kinda out of luck. SHUCKS

This tent is amazing for the price. If you have common sense and don't expect this inexpensive tent to compare and function like those costing hundreds more, you will be more than pleased with your purchase.

Two-Room Tent great for families

Review Date: May 30, 2007

Reviewer: D. Shaeffer, Northern California

This two-room tent is great for families who need a small divider to seperate siblings from each other. Works as a privacy screen, and keeps them from bugging each other when it is time to go to sleep. Great idea!

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