We have used this tent for over 10 years on a remote island in Canada for two weeks at a time. It has kept us dry when we had 11 days and nights of constant rain. It was sturdy and held its own through wind storms. I have been looking to replace it for the past two years due to some minor issues nothing to do with the craftsmanship of the tent. Frankly I am afraid to replace it since it has served us so well. If anyone has any suggestions of a replacement for us, please feel free to help me out.

Customer Service

Do you still make the Grand Canyon 9 tent? If not, what is your replacement? I love this tent but am close to the point when I will have to replace it. Thanks.

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We have use a Eureka sorry don't know which one. There was no comparison

For those that would like some information on the Kelty Trail Dome tents, I have prepared the following review which I would be willing to share. It was a recent purchase and the tent was used for two camping trips, with the failure of the older Trail Dome on the next to last day at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. I attempted to contact Kelty and for a week waited patiently. In the meantime I had contacted the retailer and they appeared to have solved the problem with the assistance of the sales representative of Kelty. Then I received the email letting me know that Kelty’s Warranty people could possibly help me, but I would have to send in the tent for their inspection.

I had contacted the warranty folks, and included all of the information that I had shared with Backcountry Edge, including the pictures. But Kelty’s warranty folks had not read, or could not read, the e-mails and had responded pro forma to follow their directions and they would get back to me within four weeks after receipt of the defective tent – but I would have to wait for five days before I could respond as their person would be out for that time taking vacation.

So, here is my two-bits worth:


For what it costs to stay at a motel you can own this 2010 upgraded Kelty Trail Dome 6 tent and enjoy many camping trips. Unlike the blue and white of the older Trail Dome this current model is a colorful white with orange and brown trim. You should note that difference for some will sell you an older version while claiming it is the essentially the same, except for the colors. More importantly, either model will accommodate you and in a pinch up to three friends for a camping experience. This “6-Person” tent is an ideal 3-season ventilated tent for the campground, but it is not for six average people - unless you are willing to cram them. But, then leave your other gear outside, including those slippers you want to bring along.

Kelty's two-door Trail Dome 6 Tent is one of the best values you'll find in quality camping tent designs. Like the smaller Trail Dome it is well ventilated, but this larger version also has sturdy aluminum brow poles and two doors instead of one.

After a long ride to the campground you have to look forward to getting out the ground cover or footprint and then pitching the tent. It has been made easy, even for the shorter person. A simple pole design and clip and sleeve construction makes the Trail Dome a snap to pitch. It is freestanding, which makes it easy to set up and fine-tune the placement to avoid rocks and uneven surfaces, especially if it has attached a Kelty footprint.

While the fly contains four “guyout points” there is little direction for the placement of the guy lines for optimum value in moderate wind, unlike directions given with Eureka tents. With the longer sleeve design there should not be the hang-up on the clips for shorter persons to navigate while placing the fly over the tent body.

If you are looking for a drawback, it might be that the Trail Dome 6 does not have a vestibule. But for car camping, you will probably put most of your gear inside your vehicle, especially when you are in bear country where it will be required. And there is some likely slight leakage when the rain is combined with wind because the brows do not cover the doors adequately. Unlike tents with vestibules, Kelty's new Trail Dome offers exceptional ventilation with its mesh ceiling that works exceedingly on those warm summer nights. The mesh ceiling offers incredible breathability and a view of the stars - when not using the included rain fly.

1800 mm coated watertight walls and taped floor seams do keep the moisture from wreaking havoc on you in the middle of the night and you never worry about condensation because of the exceptional ventilation.

You can cram a headlamp, a book, and other items in the internal storage pockets. Great for family camping, there is plenty of interior storage space. If you need even more storage, rig up your “gear hammock” to the Trail Dome's loft loops. But forget that extra space if you want to cram in five or six people for sleeping; it just won’t do.

The two DAC 14.5 mm Pressfit poles are structurally rugged but slightly heavier than the ultra-refined tent poles that you usually find on higher priced tents. The DA17 pre-bent poles are made of proprietary aluminum alloy designed by DAC specifically for tents, which provides a large diameter pole with high stiffness, strength and durability at an affordable price.

The “clip” construction provides great fly separation and increased air movement, while making it easier to set-up your tent, but offers less strength than full-length sleeves in the older Trail Dome tents. One of the improvements for 2010 takes care of that problem because the sleeves have been lengthened. Three clips connecting to the poles on each of the four sides are color-coded so set-up is easy and quick in low light conditions.

Above the doors, both front and back, next to mesh window you'll find grommet attachments on the upper clips for the shorter aluminum 8.5 mm brow poles that help keep rain from seeping inside the tent door whenever it's open. This apparently is a refinement for 2010 because the tent clips also serve as fasteners for the brow poles, but they no longer are free standing but part of the sleeves. This is perhaps one of the drawbacks of not having a vestibule but the 2010 offerings have been modified by the rounded doorway, with wide flaps covering the ultra silent zippers to keep out any water. It also lessens the tensions that were on the older brow clips.

As for tears in the tent fabrics, I experienced this firsthand in a recent camping experience when my new 2009 Trail Dome 6 had a disastrous seam tear in the mesh and fabric, with tearing continuing down the body for about 28 inches, when we returned from a hike. While the brow pole had been very tight fit I hadn’t forced anything, but obviously it was enough to cause a tear in the 68 Denier nylon fabric. This probably has been corrected in the 2010 model, with the change to a 70D polyester fabric from the nylon one, but that remains to be seen.

If you insist on a Kelty tent, it seems that Backcountry Edge is a good place to look. If you're looking to pick one up at the lowest possible price wait until they go on clearance in the late summer to early fall. Don't wait too long though; you know how fast clearance items can sell.

American Recreational Products, a subsidiary of Kellwood Company and part of its Other Soft Goods segment, makes outdoor gear including tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, outdoor clothing, and related camping accessories. Brand names include Kelty, Sierra Designs, and Slumberjack.


If you end up getting a "cheap tent" (cheap until you have to buy another to replace it, or listen to your partner complain for the entire trip) make sure to pick up some seam sealant like McNett’s so your seams are "sealed" although there may be waterproof taping. Even with good tents like Kelty’s they sometimes have small pinholes where you can see the light shining through. Also if you have a leak around the door, check the zipper first as it can be a problem.

But then I have also seen campers string a tarp between trees or even drape it over the top of the tent to make sure that the rain does not affect the camping experience. I can't say I recommend this but I guess it worked for them in a pinch, particularly if one was just starting a camping trip in a cheap tent.

Customer Service

I've also heard of some people having problems with refunds and or warranty issues with their Kelty tent. My suggestion, if you still feel you have to have one, is to buy it at Backcountry Edge because they will probably be your best bet as far as warranty work or returns go. Had it not been the work of Taylor Eshleman of Backcountry Edge I would still be trying to get my older Trail Dome 6 tent replaced or repaired by Kelty.

All Kelty tents come with a limited lifetime warranty that states “the materials and workmanship will be free from defects for the life of the product.” A warranty is a guarantee that states a product is reliable; free from known defects and that the seller will repair or replace any defective parts that should later be discovered. In the event that if a tent fails to meet those warranty terms, or that the product is not reliable and free from defects, the repair, replacement or the return of monies paid should be within a reasonable time frame. When that promise made is broken, i.e., your tent is defective or is not as should be expected by a reasonable purchaser, a breach of that warranty has occurred. While it is actionable, it should at least be reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.

Dealing with Kelty direct should be avoided at all costs and if you feel that you must have a Kelty product it is best to work with someone like Backcountry Edge, REI, Altrec, Sunny Sports, Mountain Sports or Cabela’s. They will intercede with Kelty or even make repairs themselves. But, unlike dealing direct with Kelty, the process won’t take eight weeks, and a lot of headaches, to attain satisfaction.

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Until this year I have used the Eureka Sunrise 9 and have had very good luck with it. When I had a problem with one of the graphite poles starting to fail with a lateral seaparation Eureka's warranty department stepped in and had replacement poles sent out in two weeks total time - from my first contact to getting out on the road again.

bought this as a family tent because it's one of the few with a full-coverage fly. Also the front vestibule is very nice for getting out of the rain. However I'm rather disappointed in the quality. The first one I returned because the pole sleeves were ripped after 3 uses. I'm not sure when/how, been pitching tents for 30 years and this the first such problem. Then the replacement tent: 1. first use - one of the sockets on the end of the poles fell off and vanished in the long grass. The tent can't be pitched without this. Manufactured a substitute and duct tape to hold it on, worked OK. 2. second use - the vent at the back has the only non-taped seam in the fly. Water came through the seam and dripped on our sleeping heads. Not good. 3. third use - the poles are all bent at the insertion points into the aluminum sleeves. I don't think they're going to last much longer. I'm going to try to return it and get my money back.

My review is of the Grand Canyon 11. First of all, this is a very good tent. Once you get into the large 10ft by 10ft size, selection becomes limited and prices escalate. This tent is solid, with 4 poles, has a full polyester fly, and quite the versatile vestibule. Feels very roomy. Do get an extra ground sheet, even if it is a plastic tarp. We previously had an Escape hexagonal 10 by 12 tent with 5 foot sides, it was OK for two adults and 2 small children, but not for 4 adults. The Grand Canyon fits the bill and we can easily line up 4 sleeping bags side by side with room for gear. Among the large tents most are 9ft by 12 foot, which means when you enter the tent you have to watch out not to step on sleeping bags. Other tents were too large, being 10 by 14 or 10 by 15 feet. Good luck trying to find a flat pad to put those tents on. That is why my limit was around 10ft by 10ft. The review below by Ollieswood certainly noted all the faults, but he was too critical. The tent is easy to set up, I had no trouble with the fiberglass going in the sleeves, aluminum poles would cost significantly more (cost is an issue), and the only part I had to stake outwards was the back fly (the front vestibule needs to be staked too). The fly clipped in nicely. I wish the front door had a cover for the screen (most tent seem to lack this nowadays), and wish the back vent was smaller (those who need ventilation will be happy), but there is no perfect tent out there (I think Kelty was worried about suffocation and condensation). The vents could have had curved plastic fittings to hold them open as in the Bon Echo, rather than staking, but the Bon Echo is too small and only a 2 pole tent. The Mantra 7 is nice but 20 inches longer and much less roomy due to the triangular shape. All in all the Grand Canyon best fits the bill for my family.

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

Eureka Bon Echo, Kelty mantra 7, Outbound.

I wanted to place a review for the Grand Canyon 11 but it wasn't available and the Grand Canyoy 9 is identical except for the size. My wife, three children and I spent 4 days in rain and fairly high winds in the 11. We stayed dry with no problem. However, during setup (the first for this new tent) one of the rings at the bottom where the poles attach opened up almost competely just from the force of the pole tension. I bent the ring closed as best I could. The foot print, I purchased extra, was smaller than the tent floor (no problem) but the attachment clips are positioned so that the footprint is very loose after installed. Staking the loops on the ends of the straps helped to hold the footprint down but prevented the use of the snaps directly to the tent??? This brings us to the fly. The fly extends all the way down, nice job Kelty. Most tents lack this very important feature! However, the buckles used to attach the fly to the tent, at the pole tips, cause the fly to lay loosely on the sides of the tent at the bottom. I could not get the fly tight all the way around the bottom. The tent bottom is just not the same size as the fly. I tried to move the tent pole locations outward as far as possible but the tent floor was already extremely tight. I finally gave up and used stakes, through the buckle straps, to hold the fly taut and about 4-6 inches from the base of the tent floor. This helped to prevent the rain from running down the fly and directy onto the seam ajoining the floor to the sides of the tent. (No bathtub floor design). One other interesting feature that I can't leave out is the visor type fly flap at the rear of the tent. This feature is supposed to be staked out and downward to cover a mesh panel in the fly. Driving winds can easily force rain up and through the mesh into the top of the tent. Not sure why the fly was designed this way. Having two doors and two vestibules would have been better. Moving on to the poles. Kelty, why fiberglass. These poles are very large (diameter) but crackle as they bend, weigh a ton and have those stupid aluminum joints that alway get stuck passing through the sleeves. Aluminum! It's worth the money for the easy of assembly, weight and strength. All and all it's a very large tent but my 12 yr. old REI GeoDome (6 man) is much more robust and just as water tight but too small.

Customer Service

Haven't used it.

Similar Products Used:

Sierra Design Mondo 5, REI GeoDome

My opinion of the Grand Canyon 9? It''s a "best buy". It meet and exceeded my car camping needs, and I would have no problem giving this tent as a gift to someone I care about. I just returned from my first 3 day camping trip in 25+ years and yes, I did have a leak the first night (10 hours of a heavy constant rain), but the problem that I encountered was of my own doing. In short, read the instructions, and guy the tent out correctly!!! (I didn''t guy the back out at all, and yes..it did get wet inside). The next day, I saw why, corrected the problem and that next evening .....NO PROBLEMS. Oh, the second night, instead of rain we experienced light rains, and in the morning ... HEAVY condensation on the fly, but not one drop came into the tent! Dry, dry, dry!!! I don''t think you can go wrong for the price, but for my needs...alum. poles aren''t necessary. Easy, and fast to set up (with or without a partner. It says 4 person; however, two campers will have it made, and 3 would still be acceptable.

Customer Service

Haven''t had any experience with them, but have heard only good things.

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None..this was my first tent!

I am extremely impressed with the Kelty Grand Canyon. It comes with a nice carrying case with handles. It was easy to set up with the color coded clips. The rain fly gives complete protection down to the ground. I have not gotten wet inside the tent yet. The vestibule has a lot room to move around. And finally, it has a lot of room in the tent. I can stand up straight and I am 6''3. I have had other big tents but this one is far and away the best big tent I have ever owned. If you are looking for a family or base camp tent, look no farther.

Similar Products Used:

Eureka Wind River