Coleman Instant Canopy Tent with LED Lighting System, 10 x 10 Feet

This is a shade canopy. It's NOT a rain shelter. If I have this in a rain storm, I don't expect it to keep water from getting under it..The first thing I did when I got this out of the box the first time and set it up was to seal all seams inside and out with Kiwi Camp Dry. I then left it up for a day to ensure the seam sealer dried. That said their is still an open vent at the top. Rain WILL get in. It is not a tent.With that said, during a recent 4 day camping trip, this canopy was exposed to steady afternoon showers 3 days in a row. On one of those days it was exposed to what I would call 30 - 45 minutes of torrential downpour. I spent the entire time under this canopy during that downpour and not a single drop of water leaked through the cover.We camp a lot so we were looking for a canopy we intended to leave up for days at a time over the picnic table that normally comes with the campsites in the state parks we typically visit. After a lot of online research and seeing what other fellow campers were using, it came down to this and the equivalent EZ-Up brand and this one won out because of the lights.The carry bag comes with wheels which is helpful except when pulling it in really rough terrain. One end of the inside of the bag has molded indentions where the leg feet go helping give it a secure fit. There is a second zipper which expands the bag slightly if you are having trouble getting it to zip closed. There are also latch straps on the outside of the bag top and bottom to help secure it. So far we have never had any trouble getting it to fit back in the bag or use the expansion zipper to do so.Set-up, with two people, takes under 5 minutes counting staking it out and attaching the velcro to the frame, and hooking up the light switch module. That last 1/4" - to 1/2" when raising the bar to lock in place will take a little umph to get it to snap lock but after the first couple of times doing it you get the hang of it.The guy lines are good and come with adjustment clips for easy tightening. The stakes are the solid 10" variety. If you think you will need it to withstand stronger than normal, sustained winds or gusts, I would suggest using a set or two of canopy weights in addition to the guy lines and stakes. If you have no way to stake it down because it must go up on a hard surface like concrete, then I personally would add some canopy weights to the legs.The four LED puck lights are a really nice feature. They come already attached. You will just have to add some D sized batteries to the light dimmer switch and slide it into place on the leg with the already attached bracket. The connection wire is already there and ready for you to plug it in to connect the switch to the lights. The dial dimmer is really a nice touch as it allows you to get the lighting just the way you want it.The vent at the very top center of the canopy can help exhaust heat on those hot humid days like we get in Southeast Texas in the summer.I highly recommend this canopy. Just seal the seams and it will not leak if it is put up correctly.

I really liked this canopy, while it lasted, which was a total of two uses.It is much better-built than the cheaper versions you find a Wallymart. It goes up easier, because the parts snap into place very well - with a large friendly red button to work the latches. It uses velcro to hold the canopy in place, and that also makes setup easier. It comes with heavy-duty stakes to hold everything down. It packs away in its case very nicely, but it is quite large, and certainly the largest single item I own for car-camping.The lighting system is simply awesome. Put four D-size rechargeable batteries into the CPX-6 module, and lighting will last 3 nights in camp before recharging, assuming 4 hours per night and medium brightness. It's fully dimmable, going from dim mood lighting, all the way up to very-bright, and brighter than you would set the lights over the dinner table at home. The silver finish on the inside reflects light downwards, resulting in an enormous, super-soft light source.It made me rethink owning two LED lanterns, because those lanterns need to be placed up high, (in a tree) they spill light everywhere, and are annoyingly bright single source of light. This canopy's lighting is so so much better. Combined with LED headlamps, there's no other lighting you need around camp.Unlike most other outdoor stuff I own, this canopy is not very durable. A moderate 25 mph wind will completely destroy it, and that did happen to me. If the base is securely staked down, wind will easily push the canopy sideways, and the thin metal frame will buckle and break apart. Such damage is not repairable, so time to go shopping for a new one, or just give up on Coleman.If you're like most people, you stake it down, but you don't bother with the four tie-downs, but that would be an error. I suspect that if I did secure those tie-downs, it might have survived the wind. In future, to guard against wind damage when left unattended, I might consider lowering the canopy legs, so that the whole thing sits lower to the ground -- in addition to securing it with the tie-downs.I'm waiting to hear from Coleman as to whether a replacement frame is available. My experience with Coleman is that you're on your own, so I'm not expecting much help from them. I bought it 2 years ago for $139, and now they cost $180 and the new model (double-capacity battery module) is $240. Ouch! I can't complain too much, it's very inexpensive for what you get, although one should set expectations that it won't last a lifetime.Compare with the 12x12 screen-room shelter made by Eureka, which I used to own, and cost $400. The Eureka packs smaller, is lighter, has full flyscreens and storm flaps, and it would just bend in the wind. I feel like it would have lasted much longer than the Coleman, but I do prefer the easy setup and features of the Coleman.