Kelty Daydreamer 6 Evaluation | CleverHiker

Backside Line

The Kelty Daydreamer 6 is a front-country tenting tent designed with households and bigger teams in thoughts. What actually makes it stand out—particularly for folks with little ones who nonetheless nap through the day or go to mattress earlier than sundown – is its Twilight Tech Material rainfly. This particular materials blocks out daylight and different exterior mild sources, making it simpler for teenagers to sleep irrespective of the time of day.

With a spacious flooring plan and a tall peak peak, you’ll want quantity of area to pitch this tent. It’s additionally straightforward to arrange and take down, which is all the time a plus for busy dad and mom. The medium-sized entrance vestibule gives a handy spot to stash further gear and toys, releasing up area inside. The inside tent is nearly fully mesh, which is nice for airflow on scorching days and stargazing if you go away the rainfly off.

That mentioned, we discovered the Daydreamer 6 doesn’t vent in addition to we’d like when the rainfly is deployed. The Twilight Tech Material appears to entice warmth, making the inside really feel stuffy if it’s pitched within the solar. The poles additionally really feel a bit cumbersome, and the shock cords are looser than we’d desire—one thing we solely seen throughout setup and takedown. Whereas we haven’t had any sturdiness points but, the fiberglass poles don’t really feel as sturdy as aluminum choices sometimes present in tents of this model. We additionally discovered the ground materials to be on the thinner facet, and it allowed some water to seep via, so utilizing a footprint or floor tarp is a should.

Total, the Daydreamer 6 gives some helpful options for its worth level, making it a stable selection for households who prioritize a darkish inside for higher sleep.

If you happen to just like the look of the Daydreamer 6 however wish to discover different choices, try our in-depth tenting tent gear information for extra suggestions.

How We Examined

We examined the Kelty Daydreamer 6 over a number of months within the mountains of Colorado, tenting in a mixture of heat, sunny days and chilly, breezy nights. We set it up on rocky floor, packed grime, and grassy campsites to see the way it dealt with totally different surfaces.

Since this tent is designed for households, we additionally put it to the take a look at with younger youngsters in tow, paying shut consideration to its blackout capabilities for naps and early bedtimes. We additionally evaluated ease of setup, airflow on scorching days, and the way nicely it dealt with mild rain and condensation buildup.

Consolation

The Daydreamer 6 is a little bit of a blended bag in relation to consolation. It’s fairly spacious, however underneath sure circumstances, it might probably really feel much less comfy. At 89.2 sq. ft, it has the most important flooring space of any 6-person tent we examined, which helps when tenting with a full home. Whereas we usually don’t advocate maxing out a tent—that means six folks in a six-person tent—it’s attainable right here. Nevertheless, it’ll really feel fairly cramped until it’s two adults and 4 youngsters slightly than six full-grown campers.

Our lead tester, who’s 6’2”, often struggles with low peak heights, however at 77 inches, they appreciated the additional headroom. That mentioned, the tent’s peak peak drops off rapidly towards the partitions, which makes transferring round harder for taller campers. Whereas it’s tall sufficient within the middle, the sloping sides imply you’ll seemingly be ducking as you progress towards the perimeters.

Air flow is the largest consolation problem. The inside tent is nearly fully mesh, which is nice for stargazing or lounging when the climate is good. However as soon as the rainfly is on, it will get stuffy—quick. We examined the Daydreamer 6 in late February in Colorado, a time of yr we fondly name “first spring”—proper earlier than “second winter.” The primary time we pitched it, the temps hit 68°F at 8,000 ft, and in direct solar, the tent began to bake us. A lightweight breeze may have helped, however we had the tent oriented the unsuitable means. Air flow is strongest from the back and front, so it’s essential to pitch it going through the wind. In any other case, issues can get uncomfortably heat in a rush.

Sturdiness

The Kelty Daydreamer 6 is a medium to medium/light-duty tent, that means it’s constructed to deal with common use however isn’t designed for heavy abuse. It’s finest suited to informal summer-to-shoulder-season tenting, making it a stable choice for individuals who camp a couple of occasions a month through the conventional tenting season (late spring to early fall).

Total, the supplies really feel respectable, however the tent flooring is noticeably skinny. A footprint or floor tarp is a should to lengthen its lifespan. We all the time take a look at zippers and examine stitching on each tent we evaluation, and the Daydreamer 6’s zippers carried out surprisingly nicely—smooth-sliding and snag-free all through testing.

The Twilight Tech material used for the rainfly makes it straightforward to see imperfections from the within. We seen a number of small spots the place mild was coming via, however we’re not sure if these are defects or simply a part of Kelty’s stitching course of. We’ll monitor this throughout long-term testing and replace accordingly.

The tent poles really feel sturdy however have some drawbacks. They’re manufactured from fiberglass, which saves weight however isn’t as robust as aluminum poles. Moreover, the shock twine contained in the poles felt slightly free. This wasn’t a problem for us throughout testing, however it’s one thing to control throughout setup and teardown.

Total, the Daydreamer 6’s sturdiness is simply okay. It’s on par with its worth level, making it a nice selection for informal campers sticking to established campgrounds. With correct care, it ought to maintain up nicely for seasonal household journeys and weekend getaways.

Climate Resistance

The Kelty Daydreamer 6 gives respectable safety from delicate rain and wind, however it’s not constructed for excessive climate circumstances. The Twilight Tech rainfly does a stable job of blocking daylight and exterior mild sources, which is nice for conserving the tent darkish for noon naps or early bedtimes. Nevertheless, its waterproofing is a little bit of a blended bag.

Throughout testing, we encountered mild rain, snow, and average wind within the foothills outdoors Golden, Colorado, and the Daydreamer 6 held up nice—water beaded off the fly, and the tent stayed dry inside. Nevertheless, in heavier rain or extended moist circumstances, we’d be slightly extra skeptical. We seen small pinpricks of sunshine within the stitching on the within of the fly, which may ultimately result in minor leaks. We haven’t had an opportunity to check this tent in Colorado’s summer time monsoons, however we’ll proceed to observe this throughout long-term testing.

Air flow and condensation administration are additionally massive elements in climate resistance, and as famous above, this tent has some limitations. The mesh-heavy tent physique permits nice airflow, however as soon as the rainfly is on, air flow suffers. The fly has vents, however they aren’t as efficient as we’d hoped, and on heat days, the inside will get stuffy quick. 

Wind resistance is respectable however not nice. The fiberglass poles aren’t as robust as aluminum, and the tent is kind of tall, so we wouldn’t belief this tent in excessive winds or uncovered places. We additionally discovered that absolutely staking and guying it out is vital for getting a taut pitch and conserving rain out. Fortunately, Kelty consists of sufficient stakes and pre-attached guylines, so that you gained’t have to purchase extras.

Backside line? The Daydreamer 6 is ok for delicate climate, however for those who count on extended publicity to heavy rain, robust wind, or colder circumstances, a extra weatherproof tent could be a better option.

Ease of Setup

Ease of setup is unquestionably a powerful level for the Kelty Daydreamer 6. Our lead tester, a busy dad of two, set it up solo a number of occasions and located it surprisingly simple. That mentioned, being tall helps—at 6’2”, he had a better time reaching the height, which might be trickier for shorter customers.

The pole construction is straightforward and user-friendly. The 2 lengthy poles slide into dead-end pole sleeves, which helps information them into place with out frustration. The tent physique clips on to the poles, making setup fast and intuitive. The rainfly can be color-coded and clips into place simply, eliminating guesswork.

It’s not excellent, although. The included stakes are fairly flimsy, and we bent a couple of whereas organising in half-frozen, half-loose rocky Colorado soil. Relying on the place you camp, you would possibly wish to improve to sturdier stakes.

Tear-down can be pretty painless. The tent packs up with out a lot wrestle, however like most giant tents, rolling it neatly again into the stuff sack takes some persistence. If you happen to’re packing up in a rush, count on slightly wrestling to get every little thing again within the bag.

Options

The Kelty Daydreamer 6 has a few standout options, the largest being its Twilight Tech material rainfly. This materials blocks daylight and exterior lights, making it an ideal choice for households with youngsters who nonetheless nap through the day or go to mattress earlier than darkish. In our testing, we discovered that it noticeably decreased brightness contained in the tent, which might be a game-changer for light-sensitive sleepers.

The tent physique is nearly fully mesh, which is nice for air flow and stargazing on clear nights. Simply needless to say as soon as the rainfly is on, air flow turns into extra restricted. The entrance vestibule is medium-sized, providing you with a good quantity of area to stash gear or hold muddy footwear outdoors with out absolutely exposing them to the weather.

Inside group is stable. 4 mesh storage pockets assist hold small necessities off the ground, which is all the time a plus when tenting with a bunch. The removable gear loft is one other good contact, excellent for hanging a lantern or stashing late-night snacks (simply don’t let the youngsters discover them).

Total, the Daydreamer 6 has a stable mixture of sensible and family-friendly options, making it an ideal selection for informal campers who worth consolation and comfort.

Ought to You Purchase the Kelty Daydreamer 6?

The Kelty Daydreamer 6 is a good choice for households and informal campers who prioritize consolation and comfort. Its spacious inside, easy setup, and Twilight Tech material rainfly make it a stable selection for folks with younger youngsters who nap through the day or go to mattress earlier than darkish. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a tent that gives loads of room, respectable climate resistance, and a simple setup, this one checks a whole lot of containers.

That mentioned, air flow might be higher, and the fiberglass poles don’t really feel as sturdy as aluminum alternate options. It’s additionally not your best option for individuals who steadily camp in excessive climate.

For the worth, the Daydreamer 6 delivers good worth for campers who follow established campgrounds and fair-weather journeys. If you happen to’re after a spacious, family-friendly tent that makes sleeping in a bit simpler, this one is value contemplating.

What Different Tenting Tents Ought to You Contemplate?

If you happen to’re contemplating the Kelty Daydreamer 6, there are a couple of different nice tenting tents value trying out. Our information to one of the best tenting tents covers a variety of choices, however listed below are some robust alternate options:

Kelty Wi-fi 6 Evaluation: If you happen to like Kelty’s worth level however need a extra conventional rainfly design, the Kelty Wi-fi 6 is a good choice. It gives comparable livable area however with higher barely higher air flow. It additionally has two giant doorways and vestibules, making it a good selection for campers who want further cupboard space and improved climate resistance.

Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ Evaluation: For these on the lookout for a spacious and extra sturdy tent with glorious storage, the Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ is a powerful various. It has an enormous entrance vestibule, a secondary rear vestibule, and loads of inside pockets to maintain gear organized. Whereas setup is a little more concerned, it gives considerably higher air flow than the Daydreamer 6 and is a good match for households or teams who want further area and storage choices. It’s additionally fairly a bit dearer. 

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4 Evaluation: For a extra premium tent with standout livability, take into account the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4 (which additionally is available in a 6-person model). It options steep sidewalls for further inside area, big home windows for air flow, and high-quality supplies that really feel extra sturdy than the Daydreamer 6. If consolation, sturdiness, and a extra open really feel are your prime priorities, the Aurora Highrise is a good decide.