It Lives Up To Its Name!
Written: Mar 30 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Definitely a weather master, it passed the test
Cons: Heavy (because its built of quality materials)
The Bottom Line: If you plan to car camp in a wide range of weather this tent has what it takes.
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| prashton's Full Review: Coleman Weathermaster |
We already own three tents, a screen house and two tarps. But none of these are appropriate for cold weather rainy camping for a couple who no longer feel inclined to crawl around small ridge tents! Our REI tents were great on Texas beaches when we basically lived outdoors anyway. But now we live in England, the scene has changed a great deal.
So we went to the Outdoor Show at the NEC and tested a wide range of frame tents in the aptly named Tent City display. Perhaps the American brand name had something to do with our final choice, but the build quality and common sense design seemed to put the Weathermaster above many of its European competitors.
After looking at US websites, we know we paid a lot for our tent, but the dealer threw in two Coleman Poplar sleeping bags and also knocked off £10 from their already "low" price. Even so, the price was about 80% higher than in the US.
First comment is that this 17' by 9' tent is heavy. It weighs about 60 lbs. The bag it comes in is just big enough for the professionally folded packing at the factory. We were advised that it is simpler to keep the poles separate in their own bag rather than try to stuff everything back into the main canvas sack.
The tent bag is quite long but fits across our X5's trunk space.
This Easter we spent four nights on a shake down holiday in East Devon. We experienced cold nights, sunny days, cloudy days and finally a rainstorm that continued relentlessy as we struck camp. All in all a good test run.
The tent passed with flying colors. The ventilation system is very clever in that baffles prevent wind-blown rain from entering under the fly along the center part of the roof. All the zippers are nicely protected by velcro flaps and did not leak unless we forgot to seal them properly.
The groundsheet is heavy duty black reinforced plastic and is sewn in across the base of the entire tent. Most of the competitors did not have this feature but opted for a separate groundsheet in the open area. This would allow flooding to cause problems in very wet weather. Coleman has thought this one through very well indeed.
The two inner "rooms" come ready installed but either one can be removed very quickly. With both removed the tent starts to look like an aircraft hanger! The rooms have excellent ventilation options which we will be sure to need in the summer in southern France.
The main doors (front or back) can be converted to an awning with two poles and guys. This is very useful but there is one design flaw. When up, the awning sends rain water back toward the tent and there is only a mesh screen to protect the interior of the tent. Two doors would have been useful. I suggest this because when you leave the tent you have to pull down the awning to zip up the door and make it secure. The effort needed to do this is not great but it would be better not to have to do this every time you walk down to the toilet block!
The instructions are minimal but are printed on waterproof material sewn into the carrying bag. Coleman's website provides a pdf document with additional details. The tent comes with a small repair kit.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
prashton
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Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Geologist and Photographer - Interested in Nature, Travel, the Arts
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