Tents are always a bit "stuffy." It doesn't seem to matter what the weather is, as I recently went camping with my worthless mutt, spending a few days basking in the great outdoors. This was the first of our several camping trips each year, as my wife and other family members dont seem to enjoy this activity, and my son is too young yet to go. That will be changing soon, and what will not be brought along again, is the Coleman Free Standing Tent Fan. I can't believe I wasted money on this, and also that this company of which I have so much respect for, turned out such a low quality product. There are more expensive camping fans out there, so perhaps that could be part of the equation, but this is just extra weight on any excursion.

As for the fan itself, its a bit bulky in size. I thought this would somehow make it perform well, but it failed to deliver any bit of ventilation or chilling temperature, in the tent that I brought. After two days of using this, I can say that it is a pathetic excuse for a fan. Its made of cheap plastic material, and the fan blades are made of a foamy composite. While those are quiet, the little engine that powers these on four D sized batteries, makes a whining noise that really irritated me. I think even my dog was angry about it. The best comparison I have for it, is my friends old 1989 Chevrolet Nova, when pushed to the max. Yes, that sound. It intrudes on the peace of just reading while in bed, and especially due its weak performance, it won't work on really hot days.

The weather was fairly cooperative, so for this fan to adequately cool/ventilate the tent, shows what a failure it is. If you live in Virginia, or the deep South, this is not going to stand up to any discomfort from the sun or the humidity. While it does fold down, I found it to be bulky in size and weight. It does stay in the standing position without any problems, and there are two speeds to choose from. Either way they don't make a difference, other than making a noise that will bother you. True to its word the 4D batteries do last twenty plus hours, but I eventually had to turn it off. At least with the foamy, cheap blades, I know that you cannot hurt yourself when jamming your head into it out of frustration.

I cannot in any shape or form, give my recommendation to this fan. Made in China, and out of the cheapest quality parts, its a shame that the Coleman Company went this route. I hope their more expensive fans are better. This one is just simply not worth it. If you like noises that bother you or someone you are camping with, by all means you can have mine for free. It does fold down, yes the blades do twirl, but it just doesn't bring any type of performance that is worth the cost of tranquility while away from home and work. It just adds stress to camping, rather than making it dissipate.         

Recommended: No