Let’s be honest.
There are A LOT of 8 person tents out there.
But amongst all of those, the Coleman Montana 8 person tent stands head and shoulders above the rest.
I’ve spent 11 hours researching this tent, diving into its pros and cons, and in this article, I am sharing it all with you – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Let’s get started with our Coleman Montana 8 person tent review.
At A First Glance
Let’s start with some technical information.
Dimensions: 16ft x 7ft x 6ft 2in (length, width, center height)
Packed size: 27in x 9.25in x 9in
Weight: 24.5 pounds
Color: Available in 3 colors – green, blue, and black.
As you can see from the specs, this tent has both the floor area (112 sq. ft.) and the center height (6’2’’) to accommodate many people.
On the downside, it only comes in 3 colors, so if you like to be colorful with your tent choices, you might end up disappointed.
Coleman Montana 8 Pros
Let’s start with all the good stuff.
- Affordable
- Practical and spacious
- Water-resistant
- Durable
- Easy to set-up and dismantle
Affordable
I’ve gone through a few dozen big capacity tents. Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent is by far the most affordable yet has plenty of awesome features.
It’s not every day that you find a tent that can bed your entire family comfortably without having to give up an arm and a leg to get it.
This is where the Montana 8 shines. You will not find a better price-for-value big capacity tent, and, in my opinion, this is Coleman’s biggest advantage.
Practical and spacious
Every camper, as experienced they might be or not, knows the importance of choosing a good tent. One might even argue that this IS the most important part of all the camping equipment.
It is a fine line between enjoying your camping experience and having it ruined by having terrible shelter.
Here’s a good rule of thumb to remember: the tent is never meant for as many people as its name says.
It doesn’t count in the gear, so basically, a 6 person tent can actually bed four people and their gear.
An 8-10 person tent can hold probably around 6-8 people.
That said, Coleman Montana is the best in this category.
With 112 square feet floor and enough space for three queen-size airbeds, it has plenty of room.
Yet, when packed in its original expandable bag, it takes up way less of your space.
The vertical walls provide the center height of 6ft 2in. This will allow even taller people to stand up straight and move comfortably.
There is a generous rainfly that extends out over the entrance of the tent. This serves as something like a porch in front of your tent.
The little porch holds up to three chairs. This will give you the thrill of enjoying the rain and the fire without getting wet.
On a more practical note, you can stash your shoes or some of your gear and keep it all dry even in case of rain.
Water-resistant
Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent is made almost entirely of polyester. This is one of the best and most common waterproof materials.
The fixed corners and inverted leak-free seams provide a dry and comfortable camping experience.
As I already mentioned, the generous rainfly will keep your tent from flooding during stronger rain.
The fly is removable, so if you opt-out for a fly-free experience, you will be able to enjoy a see-through rooftop and gaze at the night sky.
Durable
Apart from quality design and materials, this tent has swiveling doors with a velcro patch.
So what? I hear you say.
Well, let me ask you a quick question:
What is the first thing that usually gets broken first on a tent or a bag?
That’s right, a zipper.
This is why this is so important.
You see, its doors cut down on zipper usage.
The velcro will hold the door during the day, so you only need to use the zipper when you’re asleep or on a hike.
Easy to set up and dismantle
Tell me if this sounds familiar:
You are camping for 7 days straight, in the middle of the forest. You are exhausted, almost out of the water, and ready to come home straight into a bubble bath.
But, a bath has to wait because you have to dismantle your huge tent, and you know it’s gonna take at least an hour of your time.
The annoying conclusion to a joyous experience.
Well, with Montana 8, you will not have to worry about this.
This tent is super easy to disassemble as well as to put up.
It has quality stitches and pole sleeves, and the pin-and-ring setup system. The intelligible instructions are sewn into the case.
This means that two people can set this tent up within 15 minutes (and you can take it down in even less).
Considering that it’s an 8-person tent, the ease of setup is definitely remarkable.
Coleman Montana 8 Cons
- Two-season tent
- Ventilation system
- Inside organization
Nothing is perfect, and neither is this tent. Let’s dig into its downsides.
Two-season tent
Coleman Montana 8 IS made of waterproof materials, and it DOES come with a quality rainfly.
However, I would not recommend using it in heavier rains and strong winds.
During my research, I concluded that it could have a few more guyline attachment points. Especially on the tent itself, because this is where they lack.
The fly has them, but if you don’t want to use it, your tent might even lay over when the wind hits it along the wider part.
Ventilation system
The tent has three windows specifically designed to keep the rain out even if they are open.
The intent behind them is great.
Execution? Not so much.
While the windows keep out the rain, their size is insignificant if you consider the tent capacity and size.
If you don’t have the rainfly on, you can get through this problem and even enjoy some stargazing. The meshed roof of the tent allows the air to circulate through the tent nicely.
Again, that’s only true if you’re not using the rainfly. Otherwise, you might somehow need to help the air circulating.
Inside organization
Are you a neat or a sloppy camper?
I have to admit, I belong to the second group.
I usually keep half of my stuff in a bag, the other part in a backpack, or just lying somewhere around the tent.
And then there is a bunch of those small items we always lose and always need at hand.
Mosquito spray, flashlight, phone charger… you name it, I lost it.
This is not such a significant downside, but this tent has only two very small inside storage pockets.
If you don’t have a lot of small gear, it is not too much inconvenience, but more pockets would be greatly appreciated.
Alternatives
Now you might have read this review and found out that Coleman Montana is not for you.
Fair enough – I can certainly see that happening.
However, you probably still need an 8-person tent for family camping.
That’s why we have three alternatives for you:
NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person
If you don’t mind paying a bit more, I highly suggest NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person Tent.
With elegant details like storage pockets along the walls, a lantern hook, and the lantern itself, this tent really is something.
It can endure long periods of heavy rain and wind, and this is a significant upside.
So, if you often camp in stormy areas, NTK Laredo might be a better option than Montana 8.
That said, I don’t think the ventilation system works any better than with the Coleman’s.
Core 9 Person Extended Dome Tent
If you are looking for a bit more budget friendly tent, but that will hold up great to weather and looks and acts very similar to the Coleman Montana, then look no further than the Core 9 Person Extended Dome tent.
This tent includes a 16′ x 9′ floor plan, that can sleep an extra person on top of the Coleman, giving you just a bit more room that you can use for your equipment.
The Core 9 Person tent also stands up extremely well to wind and rain. In fact, we’ve been through several in ours and had no issues whatsoever.
The advanced ventilation system will also help to ensure that cool air is drawn in and hot air can escape.
Browning Camping Big Horn Tent
Browning Camping Big Horn Tent is another good suggestion if you are looking for bigger tents.
A 150 square feet tent is a HUGE tent, no matter how many people you might try to squeeze inside.
I am a short girl, so for me, tent center height is never an issue.
On the other hand, some of my taller friends would definitely enjoy the 87 inches of center height this tent offers.
It is also waterproof, but where it shines the most is its ventilating system.
With not two, not three but FOUR windows, it will allow enough air to flow through your tent at all times.
If this weren’t enough, it also has two doors, which is a major plus. Anyone can go in and out anytime without making a fuss.
The downside is that this tent is not really in the “affordable” category.
So, if you don’t want to pay a small fortune for a tent, I recommend looking elsewhere.
Our Verdict
So, to sum up.
Do you need a spacious, practical, and affordable big capacity tent?
The 112 square feet Coleman Montana 8 is the right pick for you.
With an easy setup, hinged doors, and velcro roof, it assures you a stress-free and comfortable camping experience.
Even though it is not meant for torrential rain and winds, it will be a great housing solution for most of your camping trips.
So, cool your beer and get your camping chair ready to enjoy on your porch after you quickly set up your new home away from home.
