Sleep longer, set up quicker, and enjoy more convenience on your camping expeditions with the Instant Up 8P Lighted Northstar Darkroom.
This one to two-room tent provides more seclusion and livability, without cramming in like sardines! Featuring a 75D polyester ripstop inner, No-see-um mesh windows and vents allow for both airflow and protection. The 3000mm waterhead-rated fly features a patented treatment, keeping the inside of your tent 5 degrees cooler while blocking out 95% of light for longer sleep-ins. It’s also got a heavy-duty welded PVC floor and inverted seams to prevent moisture. Setting it up is a breeze too thanks to the patented Instant Up hub frame, attached to the inner so you’re ready to roll in just 3 minutes! There’s also integrated lighting with a double-sided light button for turning the lights on or off, from inside and outside for both rooms - plus, enjoy undercover shade under the large front awning.
With two rooms and a removable inner wall, a darker interior, and integrated lighting - the Coleman Instant Up 8P Lighted Northstar Darkroom simplifies your family camping trips.
2 bedrooms for versatility
Removable inner wall
Patented instant up hub frame for 3 minutes set up
Strip lighting for interior visibility
Double-sided light button can turn lights on/off from outside/inside
2 double-sided controllers for each room
75D Ripstop polyester fly with 3000mm waterhead rating
No-see-um mesh windows
3000mm waterhead rating
Large front awning for shade
7 awning poles included
2 welcome mats
Season:
3
Sleeping Capacity:
8 Person
Recommended Capacity:
4 Person + Living Space
Sleeping Area:
430L x 240W cm
External Dimensions:
490L x 250W cm
Packed Dimensions:
119L x 29W x 29H cm
Weight:
28.6 Kg
Max. Head Height:
190 cm
Material:
75D 185T Ripstop Polyester Fly | Dark Room Coating
What’s the best tarp size for this tent, as it will need to a bit larger than the tent size.
Khalid - Hornsby Westfield, NSW (4 months ago)
G'day Khalid,
Are you talking about a tarp to put over the top of the tent, or are you talking about a ground sheet? If you're talking about a ground sheet, the best size is the size that works for you. Just determine what space you want covered and pick a groundsheet with the closest dimensions to that. There are Coleman Tent Footprints, but if you are wanting more the Oztrail Ultramesh Tarp is a great option
Lauren - Snowys(3 months ago)
Side Entry Awning Ridge Pole4 answers
Just would like to know if that Ridge Pole to put under the big side entry awning to stop the water from pooling in your set up video for this particular tent, would that fit the Coleman Instant Up Gold 10p side awning as well? Or isn't the Ridge Pole long enough since that 10p tent is slightly wider? And if it does, how do we go about buying one by itself? It doesn't give the option to purchase let alone find one or any info about it at all on Coleman's website which is strange as this seems like a game changer for alot of ppl that own these two types of tents and have problems with water pooling in the awning area
Marc - Bowen Hills, QLD (8 months ago)
G'day Marc,
The ridgepole can be implemented on the 8P tent because the awning is engineered to be set up as a peak. The Northstar 10P's awning design doesn't allow for a peaked setup, and the design of the awning as a whole and the structure of the frame does not support the use of a ridge pole. Water pooling on tent awnings in rain is a universal problem across all brands and models, it's not specific to the Coleman 10P tent. Even on the 8P with the ridge pole, pooling still occurs. Occasionally pushing water off awnings and shelters, or having to slightly adjust your setup in heavy rain is part and parcel of camping, and generally small levels of pooling are a non-issue, but there are ways you can offset the impact of anything heavier. Check out the Customer reviews on the Northstar 10P for some photos from Melanie in Brisbane - it's a textbook example of how to manage your awning during rain. Hope that helps.
Lauren - Snowys(8 months ago)
Thankyou for getting back to me Lauren, though I think you got the tents mixed up, I asked if that same ridge pole would fit the Instant Up GOLD 10p, not the Northstar 10p, as the 10p GOLD tent has the same design and frame as the 8p Northstar, I know the 10p Northstar has a completely different framework so it wouldnt work obviously, I was hoping that the same ridgepole could be used for the Instant Up GOLD 10p as well, but wasn't sure if it can extend more, as I know it's a smidge wider in the roof than the 8p Northstar, and yes, I realise it won't eliminate all pooling but having that ridgepole there sure helps quite abit
Marc - Bowen Hills, QLD (8 months ago)
Ah! I'm so sorry Marc, yes I did misread the tent you were talking about. The Northstar is so popular its just my default though when talking Coleman 10P!
The ridge pole itself is adjustable, so it would possibly work - the question is weather or not you'll be able to get your hands on one. We don't sell them & they're not available as a listed part in Colemans catalogue. It may be possible for you to contact them and inquire about a spare part, as I know they do provide bits and pieces for these tents for people who have broken or misplaced them.
Alternatively you could possibly look at a generic spreader bar. The only real difference between the Coleman one and a normal one appears to be the end pole inserts. You could look at building one from Supa Peg parts - having a bent spigot one end, and a flat nylon end. We dont stock all the little Supa Pegs bits and bobs, but their warehouse/store is down in Yatala, QLD so you'd probably get everything you need there.
Hope that helps.
Lauren - Snowys(8 months ago)
No worries - let us know how you go if you like - real life feedback is always so valuable!
Lauren - Snowys(8 months ago)
Northstar 8P vs Gold 10P in the heat1 answer
Just wondering if there's much difference in how these two tents perform in hot weather? I tend to avoid camping in summer because my dog doesn't handle the heat well, so am looking at whether our next tent might be able to help with that somewhat. The Northstar info in some places talks about it being 5 degrees cooler inside, but I'm wondering about actual real world performance.
Brooke - Melbourne, VIC(1 year ago)
G'day Brooke,
It's very much subjective. If you're camping on a super hot day with no natural shade, there's no darkroom coating that's going to make any difference. If you're camping in natural shade, even if it's dappled, and you've got all your windows and doors open, and awnings set up to allow good airflow through the tent, you may find the darkroom coating helps keep things a little cooler. It doesn't insulate by any stretch, just merely claims to reduce the amount of UV & light, so by default blocks a little of the sun. We've not noticed a huge amount of difference when filming review videos, however, some customers have provided feedback that they have noticed a difference. All in all, if you use some common sense with your campsite location (wherever possible) and support natural airflow, it certainly can't hurt. Hope that helps.
Lauren - Snowys(1 year ago)
Yellow Velcro on Fly1 answer
What is the yellow velcro on the ends of the fly used for?
Tom - Canberra(1 year ago)
If you are referring to the velcro strip along the top edge of the end flysheet doors then they can be used to attach the awning to a gazebo. Coleman gazebo's feature a full length velcro strip that this can be attached to, other gazebo's generally have velcro patches that can be used. I hope that helps.
Ben - Snowys(1 year ago)
Lighting via 240v1 answer
Hi Team, do you have an adaptor that will allow us to use a 240v power source and run a lead into the tent and have the correct output into a USB fixture? It would be great not to have to use batteries. Cheers
Adam - Kyneton, VIC (1 year ago)
G'day Adam,
There's nothing that exists for that specifically sorry, but I can't see any reason why you couldn't use an extension cord & & a phone charger - just pull the phone cable out and plug the USB light cable in. Hope that helps!
Lauren - Snowys(1 year ago)
Size of a generic brand groundsheets1 answer
What would be the recommended size for a generic branded ground sheet? Is 8 * 16 (231 x 478cm) too small to fit? Thanks!
Eric - Melbourne, VIC (1 year ago)
G'day Eric,
That entirely depends on how much area you want to be covered, and if you want some flooring over your awning area. The Coleman branded ground sheet is 435L x 245W cm, so as close to that as you can get is preferable. If you want some awning area covered, you'll need to measure the total area you'd need, and pick a mat closest to that. Alternatively, you could get two different mats & have the awning floor as a separate part.
Lauren - Snowys(1 year ago)
6 External doors, back awning1 answer
According to your sleeping there are 6 external doors, two in the front, one on each side, and two at the front. Is this correct? And if so, does the tent come with an awning at the back?
Rod - Surrey Hills, VIC (1 year ago)
G'day Rod,
Our apologies, there i are some incorrect symbols on that floor plan, I'll ask our graphics team to fix that up. There are two doors into each room, one from the side and one from the front, so there up 4 doors in total. There are windows only on the back, so there is no awning at the back.
Leece - Snowys(1 year ago)
8 up lightwd dark tent1 answer
is the room divider detatchable ?
shar - Warrnambool, VIC(2 years ago)
G'day Shar,
Yes, the room divider on the 8P Northstar is now fully removable. This means you can set it up as either a large single room tent, or a tent with two sections. Hope this helps!
Lauren - Snowys(2 years ago)
Side panels to awning1 answer
Hi, the 10p has side panels on the awning. Does the 8p also have side panels,? If not could you use a tarp and what size would fit,?
Amanda - Artarmon, NSW(2 years ago)
G'day Amanda,
No, the 10P tent doesn't have side panels per say, they are built into the fly and can be pulled out or rolled away. Unfortunately, the 8P doesn't have this function due to the smaller size of the tent. There's not really a compatible tarp option for this, as its a triangular space once you take into account to corners of the fly, but something around the 2m² mark would be close to it.
Lauren - Snowys(2 years ago)
Fly wet with dew. 1 answer
I had an issue with dew leaking through the fly. Is this supposed to happen. Or am I supposed to weatherproof the fly. We left the awning up and it looked like the awning was raining and also went through the rest of the fly on the tent walls. Just dew, not rain which worries me if it rained.
Ingrid - Samford Valley, QLD(2 years ago)
G'day Ingrid,
It sounds like what you've actually experienced is condensation, which is incredibly common for all tents, and unfortunately unavoidable as it's a matter of physics. We've got both a podcast and a blog post on the best way of dealing with tent condensation, and the ways in which you can minimise its impacts. Hopefully these are a helpful resource!
Lauren - Snowys(2 years ago)
Connect to Gazebo1 answer
Is there a kit to connect this to a 3x3 gazebo?
Michelle - Brisbane(2 years ago)
G'day Michelle,
No, there are no options to attach this to a 3x3 Gazebo. You could add some small clips to the awning eyelets to attach it to a gazebo frame, however there is no gazebo attachment accessory for these tents.
Leece - Snowys(2 years ago)
How does this tent perform in the rain?1 answer
Hi, How does this tent perform in the rain?
Scott - Hilton, WA(3 years ago)
G'day Scott,
The Coleman 8P Northstar Tent has a 3000mm waterhead rating which is a good 3 season, or year-round, waterproof rating. In terms of how it performs in inclement weather, ultimately it's a tent, and different people will have different experiences depending on their overall set up. If you need more info on how to get the best out of your tent when camping in Wind & Rain, check out our podcast episode HERE.
Lauren - Snowys(3 years ago)
Ventilation1 answer
Hi team, does this model have the same floor vents as seen in the 10p instant up lighted Northstar darkroom tent? It’s hard to see from the photos how much ventilation the 8p model gets
Laura - Canberra, ACT(3 years ago)
G'day Laura,
Yes, the Coleman 8P Instant Up tents have ventilation panels at floor level.
Lauren - Snowys(3 years ago)
Storage 1 answer
What storage pockets are there inside this tent?
Lauren - Kensington, NSW(3 years ago)
G'day Lauren,
There are two storage pockets in each room of the tent below the windows. They are sectioned and generally large enough to fit a book, a flashlight, some keys etc.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
Keep awning out in wet weather1 answer
If you wanted to keep the awning out in wet weather, are there side awnings that would enclose the front awning? Or can you suggest how you might use an additional tarp to prevent water getting in?
Lauren - Kensington, NSW(3 years ago)
G'day Lauren,
In wet weather we'd recommend dropping the front and side awnings and zipping them shut, unfortunately, there aren't any sides on the awnings to protect them from rain coming in.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
Windows 1 answer
Are there any windows in the fly? So if it was a rainy day and you needed to stay inside and keep the fly down, would you get any lights?
Lauren - Sydney (3 years ago)
G'day Lauren,
There aren't any windows in the fly, so in wet weather with the fly zipped down you'll find it fairly dark.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
Groundsheet1 answer
Which ground sheet would be best for this tent? Also, how heavy duty are the pegs? Do they need upgrading?
Mary - 2289(3 years ago)
G'day Mary,
The Coleman Ground Mesh Footprint 8P is the best fit for this tent, you can find it in the "you might also like" section. We think the supplied pegs do a good job, but if you're wanting something a little heftier you could grab some key-head pegs, for the corners and guy ropes (they just won't fit through all of the eyelets).
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
How do these tents stand up to high winds1 answer
We recently had our tent overhead poles snap and ripped thru the fly, following high winds. It stood up well to heavy rain on another occasion, but the wind was always going to be a problem. It was an inexpensive tent, but had a good living design.
Leanne - Geelong, VIC(3 years ago)
G'day Leanne,
The Instant Up Tents are generally fairly good in moderately windy conditions, however, you do need to make sure you peg out all of your peg points and guy ropes. We'd also recommend positioning the tent so that the larger flat side isn't getting hit in the main wind direction, and using your vehicle or similar to block windier conditions.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
Is the front awning one piece or 2 pieces (zipped together) 1 answer
Is the front awning one piece or 2 pieces ( zipped together)
Linda - Geelong West, VIC(3 years ago)
G'day Linda,
The front awning is created by unzipping that part of the tent fly and adding in the awning poles to secure it in place, the entire tent fly is 1 piece.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
do you need to drop the front awning everytime you go to sleep for darkness or is there internal doors inside the tent. 1 answer
do you need to drop the front awning everytime you go to sleep for darkness or is there internal doors inside the tent.
linda de Man - East Geelong, VIC(3 years ago)
G'day Linda,
The Darkroom Coating is on the inside of the fly material, so if you want complete darkness you'd need to close the awnings down at night time.
Leece - Snowys(3 years ago)
Room size1 answer
Can you fit a queen and 2 singles in one side of the tent and leave the other side as living quarters at all? Thanks
Dave - Kingswood(3 years ago)
G'day Dave
Each room is about 205cm W x 235cm D, so generally you'll only be able to fit one queen or two singles in each side. You won't be able to fit a queen and two singles together in either side.
