Wenzel Catskill "Tall" Dome Tent: Camping Equipment Review

I once camped for two nights in the Mohave Desert with an aviation archeology group surveying an old "flying wing" crash site. The small tent I took was easy to pack and reasonably easy to pitch, but it had a center height of only about four feet and the bottom of its small door was nearly level with the ground, meaning I had to get on my hands and knees to exit the tent. This might not have bothered me so much had I not noticed a Tarantula nearby one morning.

Most inexpensive, lightweight tents will protect you from insects, spiders and assorted small animals as you sleep. When you open your enclosure, however, you may have a closer encounter than you wish with the native inhabitants of your campsite if the tent design does not permit egress in an upright posture. And when you change clothes, a tent that allows you to stand up inside can really make camp life easier.

Wenzel "tall" dome-style tents are easy to set up, have an interior height of 6' or better, and include a thoughtfully placed "D" shaped door that you can move through without having to crawl on your hands and knees. It's a great tent for camping in moderate-weather conditions and at locations such as church camps where sturdier shelter is available if truly severe weather threatens.

The Wenzel Catskill 4 8'x 8' "Tall" Dome Tent can be purchased online for less than $70.00. I have owned a Wenzel "Tall" Dome 9'x 9' model for a couple of years, but I could not find that particular model during an online search in April of 2009. The larger model is easily assembled by one person and does not require any unusual strength or coordination to do so. Since the design is the same, the smaller model should be capable of being set up by one person even more easily. Shockcorded fiberglass poles snap together and fit through sleeves along the sides of the tent; when the structure is raised into place, clips and pole pockets keep everything secure. Spaghetti-thin stakes are included with the tent, but if you expect windy conditions you'll want to purchase thicker and stronger metal stakes at a camping goods store.

Two large mesh vents in the upper half of the tent provide good ventilation in warm weather. The cream-and-hunter green color scheme of the tent is attractive, and the entire package weighs a little under 11 pounds for the 8'x 8' size. Although the 8'x 8' tent is advertised as capable of sleeping four people, like most tents you'll be more comfortable if you do not fill it beyond half of its advertised capacity.

For the occasional camper wanting a three-season shelter with a 6' center height, easy egress, and easy set-up and take-down qualities, the Wenzel Catskill 4 "Tall" Dome Tent is an excellent choice.