There’s a moment every seasoned camper knows all too well. It’s the crack of dawn, the birds are chirping, and the sun, with relentless efficiency, begins to transform your tent into a sauna. You squint through one eye, the nylon walls glowing like a giant orange lantern, and realize it’s 5:15 AM. The full day of hiking, fishing, or just relaxing you had planned is now prefaced by a groggy, sleep-deprived haze. For years, this was just an accepted part of the camping experience for my family and me. We’d try sleeping masks and positioning the tent just right, but the combination of oppressive light and rising heat was an unbeatable alarm clock. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it can genuinely ruin a trip, especially when camping with children who are easily thrown off their sleep schedules. Finding a shelter that offers a true respite from the elements—including the sun itself—is crucial for turning a good camping trip into a great one.
- DARK TENT: The blackout design camping tent is perfect for sleeping in and allows you to have privacy on outdoor adventures; It also keeps out most temp...
- INSTANT TENT: The easy up camping tent can be set up in 60 seconds and it's easy for even 1 person; easy set up and take down
What to Consider Before Buying a Family Camping Tent
A family camping tent is more than just a temporary shelter; it’s a key solution for creating a comfortable, secure, and private home base in the great outdoors. It’s your primary defense against rain, wind, bugs, and, as we’ve discussed, the early morning sun. The main benefits of a quality cabin-style tent extend beyond mere shelter. They provide a sense of space and livability, allowing you to stand up, organize gear, and create separate zones for sleeping and living, which is a massive upgrade over cramped dome tents, especially on multi-day trips or during a rainy afternoon spent indoors.
The ideal customer for this type of product is a car camper—be it a family, a couple, or a group of friends—who values comfort and convenience over ultralight portability. They are people who drive to their campsite and want to set up a comfortable, spacious base camp quickly. If you prioritize sleeping in, have young children, or are sensitive to light and heat, a blackout tent is a revolutionary upgrade. Conversely, this style of tent is not suitable for backpackers or anyone who needs to carry their gear over long distances. At over 22 pounds, its weight and packed size are prohibitive for anything other than vehicle-assisted camping. Those venturing into the backcountry should consider lightweight backpacking tents instead.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Don’t just look at the “person” rating. A “6-person” tent often means six people in sleeping bags, side-by-side with no gear. For true comfort, divide that number by two. Look at the floor area (the EVER ADVANCED has 81 sq. ft.) and, crucially, the center height and wall shape. Cabin-style tents with near-vertical walls, like this one, maximize usable interior space far better than dome tents, where the walls slope inwards.
- Capacity/Performance: This refers to how the tent handles the elements. A water resistance rating, measured in millimeters (mm), tells you how much water pressure the fabric can withstand before leaking. A rating of 4000mm is excellent for a 3-season family tent, offering robust protection from heavy downpours. Also, consider wind stability, which is influenced by the pole material (alloy steel is strong but heavy) and the number of guyline points.
- Materials & Durability: The primary fabric is typically polyester, which is durable, inexpensive, and has good UV resistance. Look for a thick floor material (often called a “bathtub floor”) that extends up the sides to prevent ground water from seeping in. The quality of the zippers, seams (taped seams are a must for waterproofing), and the frame mechanism are all critical to the tent’s longevity.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: An “instant” setup mechanism can be a lifesaver, especially when arriving at a campsite late or in bad weather. However, consider the takedown and packing process, which can sometimes be more challenging. For maintenance, a tent must be thoroughly dried before storage to prevent mold and mildew, a critical point some users have learned the hard way. The “Dry Clean Only” instruction on this tent is unusual and likely a mistranslation for “spot clean and air dry.”
Keeping these factors in mind, the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent stands out in several areas, particularly in its combination of an instant setup and its unique light-blocking technology. You can explore its detailed specifications here.
While the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- 2 PERSON TENT - This lightweight two-person small tent has enough space for you and a friend. This tent for camping is ideal for hiking, fishing, weekend...
- WeatherTec system's welded corners and inverted seams keep water from getting in
- 【Sturdy Folding Frame】The 10 X 10 pop up canopy frame is made of sturdy high-quality steel tube with rust-resistant power-coated, which is strong,...
First Impressions: Unboxing a Cavern of Darkness
Pulling the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent from its box, the first thing we noticed was the heft. At over 22 pounds and nearly four feet long in its carry bag, this is a substantial piece of gear clearly designed for the car camper. The bag itself is adequate, though like many tent bags, we suspected getting everything back inside would be a challenge. Upon unrolling the tent, the quality of the polyester taffeta fabric was immediately apparent. It feels thick and durable, far more robust than the material on many budget tents. The poles are pre-attached, the hallmark of an “instant” design. The “Orange” color is more of a muted, earthy gold, which we found quite attractive and less jarring in a natural setting than a bright hunter orange.
The real surprise came during our initial test setup in the yard. Following the simple instructions, one person can indeed erect the main tent body in about a minute. You unfold the legs, extend the telescoping poles until they click, and the structure is up. It’s intuitive, fast, and a world away from threading fiberglass poles through endless fabric sleeves. The sheer size of the 9×9 foot cabin, with its tall, straight walls, creates an impressive interior space that feels much larger than its footprint suggests.
What We Like
- Truly exceptional blackout technology for superior sleep
- Incredibly fast and easy one-person setup (“Instant Tent”)
- Spacious cabin design with high ceiling for excellent livability
- Great ventilation with four large windows and mesh ceiling
- Robust water resistance and surprisingly good wind performance
Potential Drawbacks
- Included stakes are flimsy and should be upgraded immediately
- Long-term durability of the blackout coating can be a concern (pinholes)
- Packing the tent back into its carry bag is a tight squeeze
Performance Under Pressure: A Deep Dive into the EVER ADVANCED Tent
A tent’s true character is revealed not in a sunny backyard, but in the field—facing downpours, gusty winds, and the relentless summer sun. We put the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent through its paces on multiple trips, from serene state park weekends to a surprisingly stormy mountain getaway. Here’s our detailed breakdown of how it performed.
The 60-Second Setup: Hype vs. Reality
The “60s Easy Setup” claim is bold, but we found it to be remarkably accurate for the main tent body. Our first time setting it up at a real campsite, it took less than five minutes from bag to fully erect, and that included finding the perfect spot. As one user from Alaska noted, “We had our tent up in less than 5 minutes! Others camping with us struggled with theirs and we were unloaded, tenet set up, fire going and ready to cook b4 they were done!” This sentiment was echoed by another user, a 67-year-old who put it up alone with ease. The process is brilliantly simple: unfold, lift the center hub, and extend the four corner poles until they click into place. It’s a one-person job, which is a massive benefit if you’re setting up camp alone or trying to manage kids at the same time.
Attaching the rainfly takes another couple of minutes, as does staking out the corners and guylines, but the core shelter is ready almost instantly. Takedown is nearly as fast, though as one reviewer accurately pointed out, it can be slightly more challenging. The key is to fold the legs in the correct sequence. Our main struggle, and a common one in the tent world, was wrestling the tent back into its carry bag. It’s a very tight fit, and we found it took careful, tight rolling to succeed. One user even shared a picture of the items that wouldn’t fit back in the bag. While a minor annoyance, the sheer speed of the initial setup more than compensates for the packing puzzle.
The Blackout Experience: A New Standard for Camp Comfort
This is the star feature, and it does not disappoint. The “DARK TENT” technology is genuinely transformative. On a bright, sunny afternoon, zipping the door and windows closed plunges the interior into a deep, cool darkness. As one user emphatically stated, “You will need to have a form of artificial lighting to see inside the tent when it’s all zipped up.” They are absolutely right. A small amount of ambient light filters through the roof mesh if the rainfly vents are open, but it’s negligible. This isn’t a “room darkening” effect; it’s a true blackout.
The benefits are threefold. First, and most obviously, is sleep quality. We were able to sleep in until 8:30 AM, completely oblivious to the morning sun that was already heating up the campground. For families with kids or anyone who isn’t a natural early riser, this feature alone is worth the price of admission. The Alaskan camper called it a “luxory” for sleeping under the midnight sun, and we couldn’t agree more. Second, it offers incredible privacy. At night, you can have a lantern on inside, and from the outside, there is no silhouette or shadow play, a benefit a female camper specifically highlighted. Third, the dark fabric helps regulate temperature. While any tent will get hot in direct sun, we found the interior of the EVER ADVANCED tent remained noticeably cooler than traditional tents, delaying the “greenhouse effect” by hours.
However, we must address the potential durability concerns raised by some users. A few long-term testers reported that the inner black lining can wear over time, creating tiny pinholes of light. One reviewer noted they “have to repair pinholes after Every. Single. Trip!” While we did not experience this during our testing period, it suggests the coating requires careful handling. Avoid abrasive cleaners and be mindful when packing to prevent the frame from rubbing against the fabric, which another user suspected caused scuffs on their tent floor.
Weathering the Storm: Water Resistance and Structural Integrity
A tent that can’t handle bad weather is worthless. The EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent boasts a 4000mm water-resistance rating, which puts it in a highly respectable category for rain protection. We experienced one intense, multi-hour thunderstorm during a trip, and the tent performed admirably. The rainfly shed water effectively, and the main cabin remained completely dry. The bathtub-style floor proved its worth, confirming a user’s incredible story of their tent sitting in a pool of water “squishy like a waterbed” with no leaks whatsoever from the floor. This provides immense peace of mind.
Some users noted very slight drips at some seams during prolonged, heavy rain, which is not uncommon for any tent. This can usually be prevented by applying a seam sealer before first use, a standard practice for serious campers. Wind performance was also impressive for a tall, cabin-style tent. During a night with 30-35 mph gusts, the tent held its ground. One user even reported their tent survived a freak storm with 60 mph winds and hail. The key, as always, is to use all the included guylines and to stake them out properly. This brings us to the tent’s most glaring weakness: the stakes. The included metal stakes are thin, bend easily in hard ground, and are simply not up to the task. We, like nearly every other experienced user, immediately upgraded to more robust, heavy-duty stakes. This is a small, inexpensive upgrade that makes a massive difference in the tent’s security and is something we highly recommend.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, user feedback confirms our own findings. The praise is overwhelmingly focused on two key features: the blackout interior and the instant setup. One person called it “the BEST tent I have ever owned,” specifically for these reasons. Another was “super happy with the ease of setup and the overall quality,” noting that the dark feature is from a durable, integrated fabric, not a “cheesy spray paint” like some competitors. The tent’s ability to withstand serious weather, including high winds and torrential rain, is another common theme in positive reviews, with one user calling its performance in a 60 mph storm “insane.”
On the negative side, a few consistent themes emerge. The most common complaint is the poor quality of the included stakes, with many advising to “just throw them away and buy better ones.” The second concern revolves around long-term durability and quality control. Several users mentioned the development of small pinholes in the blackout coating over time. A smaller number of buyers reported receiving products with issues out of the box, such as missing parts or signs of previous use. However, it’s worth noting that one user who received a damaged product updated their review to praise EVER ADVANCED’s customer service for resolving the issue, even outside the standard return window.
How Does the EVER ADVANCED Tent Compare to Alternatives?
While the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent excels in its niche, it’s important to see how it fits into the broader market. Here’s a look at three notable alternatives and who might prefer them.
1. Amazon Basics 3-Season Dome Camping Tent
- WEATHER PROTECTION: Water-resistant polyester construction with welded seams and removable rainfly keeps you dry in various conditions
- VENTILATION DESIGN: Features back window and cool-air port for improved airflow and comfort
The Amazon Basics tent represents the entry-level, budget-friendly option. Its primary advantage is its low price point. However, it is a classic dome tent with a traditional, multi-pole setup that is far more time-consuming than the EVER ADVANCED’s instant design. It lacks any blackout technology, has a much lower ceiling height, and its sloping walls significantly reduce the usable interior space. This tent is a suitable choice for a beginner camper on a strict budget, someone who only camps occasionally in fair weather, or for festivals where features are less important than cost. It gets the basic job done, but it offers none of the comfort, convenience, or sleep-enhancing features of the EVER ADVANCED model.
2. BISINNA 2/4 Person Lightweight Waterproof Camping Tent
- 【Durable and High-Quality Material】: BISINNA Camping tent are made with high quality Material. The INNER TENT made with 190T Polyester Taffeta+B3...
- 【Roomy 2-person Tent for 3 Seasons】: With the unfolding size of (23.6+55+23.6) x 82.7 x 47.2 (H) inches / (60+140+60) x 210 x 110 H cm.BISINNA...
The BISINNA tent is built for a completely different type of camping. This is a lightweight backpacking tent designed for portability above all else. It is significantly smaller, lighter, and packs down to a fraction of the size of the EVER ADVANCED tent. Its purpose is to be carried in a pack over long distances. While it offers good waterproofing and is easy to set up for its style, it sacrifices the space, headroom, and blackout features that make the EVER ADVANCED a great car camping shelter. A camper would choose the BISINNA tent for multi-day hikes and backcountry adventures, where every ounce matters. It is not a direct competitor for family car camping.
3. Clostnature Camping Tent 2-6 Person Waterproof Easy Up
- 2 PERSON TENT: Two person tents are favored for their lightweight and comfortable size. The Clostnature 2 person backpacking tent is spacious enough, with...
- EASY SETUP: Extremely simple 2 person dome tent with a freestanding design, moved and relocated without disassembling. And a classic X-pole design lets you...
The Clostnature tent is a more direct competitor in the family camping space, but it highlights the key advantages of the EVER ADVANCED model. While it comes in a 6-person size and is marketed as “Easy Up,” it still relies on a traditional pole-and-sleeve design that is slower and more involved than an instant-hub system. Most importantly, it does not have blackout fabric. Someone might choose the Clostnature tent if they prefer a classic tent design and the blackout feature is not a priority for them. It is a solid, conventional family tent, but it lacks the two killer features—instant setup and true darkness—that define the EVER ADVANCED experience.
Our Final Verdict: Is the EVER ADVANCED Blackout Tent Worth It?
After extensive testing and poring over real-world user feedback, our verdict is clear: the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent is an exceptional choice for the modern car camper. It successfully solves one of the most persistent problems of tent camping—the early morning sun. The combination of its game-changing blackout technology and its brilliantly simple instant setup creates a camping experience focused on comfort and convenience.
It’s not perfect; the included stakes are disposable-grade, and there are valid questions about the long-term durability of the blackout coating. However, these are minor issues when weighed against the massive benefits. The spacious, livable interior, excellent ventilation, and proven weather resistance make it a reliable and incredibly comfortable home away from home. We would recommend it without hesitation to families, couples, or any camper who values a good night’s sleep and wants to spend less time wrestling with poles and more time enjoying the outdoors. It elevates the car camping experience from simple shelter to a genuine retreat.
If you’ve decided the EVER ADVANCED 6 Person Blackout Camping Tent is the right fit for your adventures, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API