Long Term Report: Coleman Cloudview 2 Tent

Features:
• Cloudview™ skylight with zippered cover for privacy also acts as a gear loft
• 4 interior mesh pockets for gear storage
• Tent clips to frame for quick set-up and better air flow between tent body and fly
• Separate storage bags for tent, poles and stakes
• 3-season tent
• 32 square feet (3 sq m) of floor space
• 9 square foot (.8 sq m) vestibule includes dual-action zippers for high and low venting
• Ample mesh, 2 interior zip vents (with pockets), and a rear roof vent provide excellent ventilation
• Center height: 43.2" (110 cm)
• Pack weight: 5.0 lb (2.27 kg)
• Tent floor: 190T, 70-D Nylon/Taffeta, PU coated to 1500mm, taped seams
• Tent canopy: 190T Nylon/Ripstop
• Tent rainfly: 185T, Polyester/Taffeta, PU coated to 1500mm, taped seams
• Poles: 2-1/2 - 8.5 mm 7001-T6 Aluminum
• Made in China

Color: Green
Size: 2-Person
Total Packed Weight: 5 lb 8 oz (2.5 kg)
Tent & Poles Weight: 3 lb 4.5 oz(1.5 kg)
Rainfly Weight: 1 lb 14.5 oz (86 kg)
Stakes w/stuff sack Weight: 5 oz (142 g)

Features:

For an in depth description of the Coleman Cloudview 2 Tent, please refer to my Initial Report.

Field Conditions/Completed Test Results

My last field trip using the Coleman Cloudview 2 tent lasted 4 days and took place in Colorado in the South part of the Cooper Mountain range just North of Cañon City. During this trip, the tent was taken down and erected 3 times. I used a ground cloth under the tent because this area was rocky with sharp shale pieces and occasional cactus spines. The ground cloth is not part of the tent and was purchased separately from a different vendor.

The tent went up quickly each time (except the stakes were more difficult to use each time as they became more bent). Once I got familiar with this unit, set-up and take-down was pretty fast. The cross supports snapped together fine after being used several times now and the layout was quite familiar to me, so the unit went up quickly each time. The most serious issue I had during this trip was the aluminum stakes. I didn't bring a hammer along and there were no hard rocks nearby, so I tried using my feet to kick the stakes into the ground. I've done this before on grassy soil, but the ground here was sandy/rocky and pretty hard. As you can see from pictures in this report, the stakes got bent up pretty badly after doing this 3 times. I'm going to have to figure out an easy way to bend them straight or get more rugged stakes for future trips.

The weather on this trip gave me a chance to really put the rainfly through a test. It had to be used each day and on the 3rd day there was a major thunderstorm. You can see from one of the pictures that when the tent is removed, it leaves a dry footprint. Just what I would expect. Although these were serious thunderstorms packing some serious rain and wind, the inside of the tent remained dry and comfortable. The 3rd evening the ground cloth blew out from under the tent and caused water to puddle along one side. Since the ground cloth is about 12 in (30 cm) wider than the tent footprint, I had to tuck the excess under the tent to avoid collecting rain water. If the ground cloth extends past the tent it doesn't allow the water to drain. It was very windy, so the sides of the tent were being pushed up and down and the excess tarp became untucked on the windward side. The puddling was maybe about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) of water along about 2 ft (61 cm) of the far right corner away from the entry. The good news is that the inside was barely damp and since I didn't have items in that corner, that was as bad as it got.

That same evening (the 3rd night) the wind also whipped the vestibule around pretty good. It was flapping and snapping, but held up well. Water blew in under the vestibule, but the area about 2 ft (61 cm) out from the doorway remained dry. No wetness on boots or hiking poles. The wind did cause one of the bent stakes to swing around and slightly loosen the left side of the vestibule, but apparently not enough to allow a lot of rain in. The left stake strap was flapping around so much that it pulled itself right out of the ground and the stake ended up under the vestibule.

Note that the rain fly does not extend all the way to the ground. It stops maybe an inch (2.6 cm) below the top of the tent's bottom seam. When I was in that rain storm that mental image flashed a few times, but apparently the bottom section is pretty water resistant if not waterproof. I was surprised to see that one section immersed in so much water with none coming into the tent.

Careful entry and exit again allowed me to be bug-free. It's just a shame on this trip that I could not take advantage of the tent's wonderful 360 degree top mesh and enjoy the stars. Of course, none were visible, but it would have been nice because that mesh top is one of the features I like best about this product.

There was always plenty of sunlight in the morning, so drying the tent and rainfly out was never an issue. Both pieces dry within minutes in bright sunlight. Of course, I also was able to turn the tent upside down over my head and shake it out (see my previous report) which makes for fast cleanup and packing.

They say pictures are worth a 1000 words, so these should speak pretty well for how this tent has held up.

	Coleman Cloudview 2 staked out with rain fly - note how the fly does not extend to the ground - also note the side stake-outs - these pull the sides of the fly away from the tent to keep them from flapping against each other and create a path for the rain to roll off. I would like to see the bottom stake be a little farther away from the tent itself.
During a thunderstorm, the whipping of the vestibule pulled the stake right out of the ground and whipped it under the vestibule. Note though that the ground is still dry about 3 in (8 cm) back from where the stake was located.

Here, see how the tucked portion of the groundcover worked its way out and collected rain water directly under the side of the tent. Note that I had already pulled the side stake out and had pulled the groundcover out to get a better picture of the water. Also see that the corner stake had worked its way up and started to twist around.

Here's to a dry vestibule! Even after losing a stake and being subjected to a deluge for hours, the ground remained dry close to the door. The fly itself does not go all the way to the ground, so in a major downpour there will most likely be wetness in the areas I experienced here.

Taking the corner stake clips off, see how much motion there was in the tent during the storm by how deep the tent support pole worked it's way into the ground.

I'm pulling back the tent - notice how far the water went under the tent. there was about 12 in (30 cm) of tent bottom sitting in water.

I took the rainfly off to dry things out. See how wet the ground is and still see the dry area in front of the tent caused by the vestibule.

There was also a little water that got up under the tent in the back windward side. Nothing serious, and no entry into the tent itself.

A close up of the bottom of the INSIDE of the tent in the area that was in the water for about 5 hours. Note the 6 or so major damp spots that were starting to work through to the inside, but none made it wet inside while it was in use.

A view that shows where the water was hitting the bottom of the tent.	Cloudview drying out. Tipped the tent on it side and spread out the rainfly in the sun.

All but 3 of the stakes were significantly bent. Once they get bent it is very difficult to keep them straight in the ground.

Packing time is easy - fold the tent and the fly up to the same height as the stuff sack, in order from top: rainfly, sack. tent, stakes, supports. Since everything is the same height now, I can just roll up the tent very tightly, roll up the rainfly very tightly, and it will all fit into the stuff sack. Yes, it all fits back into that little sack if I follow the procedure.

WEATHER CHART FOR RECENT CAÑON CITY TRIP

Summary

I really like this tent. Now that the testing period is over, I will purchase tougher stakes and be sure to use the Cloudview 2 with a proper sized ground cover, one that didn't have to be folded under. I also will consider a looser storage sack to air it out more when not in use. The tent been very comfortable and functional and I love the mesh top. I look forward to continued use of the Coleman Cloudview 2 long after this test report is posted.

Thank you to BGT and Coleman for the opportunity to test this product!

John R. Waters

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