Coleman Exponent Cloudview 2 Tent – Field Report

Personal biographical information:

• Name:  Josh Cormier
• Age: 26
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5’ 11” (1.80 m)
• Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
• Email address:  swifteagle1 at hotmail dot com
• City: Los Gatos, California
• Date: 31-July-06

Backpacking background:

I started backpacking with the Boy Scouts when was 11 and have been camping and backpacking ever since. I’m now geared more toward challenging trips ranging from week-long to weekend in mountainous areas covering from 7-14 miles a day. I would classify my gear as mid weight although now I am trying to move more toward lightweight. I now go backpacking at least once a year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as monthly car camping trips with the Scouts.

Product Information: (information taken from Coleman website)

- Item Description: Coleman Exponent Cloudview 2 Tent 

- Listed pack weight: 5.0 lb (2.27 kg)

- Measured pack weight:  6.0 lb (2.72 kg)

- Interior mesh pockets: 4

- Seasons for use: 3

- Floor space: 32 sq ft (2.97 sq m)

- Vestibule space: 9 sq ft (0.84 sq m)

- Tent length: 86.5 in (2.20 m)

- Tent width: 59 in (1.50 m)

- Center height: 43.2 in (1.10 m)

- Poles: Aluminum

- Manufactures web site: http://www.coleman.com

- Year of Manufacture: 2006

- MSRP: $139.99

- Item Received: 18-May-06

Field Use:

Due to my busy schedule my first night of camping in the Cloudview 2 tent was in my front yard. Keep in mind that my front yard is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, elevation 800ft (244m). The terrain surrounding my house and yard is grassy hills spotted with oak trees and brush. The temperature during this test was a warm 62 - 86 F (17 – 30 C) and there was never more than a slight breeze.

Setting up the tent went smoothly since I had set it up twice before. All the poles snapped together smoothly and were easy to place into their grommet holes. The loop and toggle on the top of the tent fastened over the crossed poles but was so loose I had to hold it in place while I set the poles. If I did not hold the loop and toggle in place they would come apart and the tent would fall away from the poles. It had been a hot day and looked like it was going to be a warm night. As soon as I set up the tent (took less than 5 minutes) I opened the top vent, side vents, door vent, and rolled the rain-fly door up. This allowed whatever breeze there was to enter the tent and cool it off.

I placed two Therm-a-Rest Guide Light’s on the floor followed by two sleeping bags. My little sister joined me in the tent for a two person test. There was enough room in the tent for us and some gear. We took along a bottle of water, a book, a couple of flashlights, and two pillows. There was enough room in the tent for us to sleep comfortably without being cramped for space. I did notice that my feet touched the back of the tent when I made room to sleep with my hands lying above my head. There was no condensation inside the tent when I woke up, however we slept with the front door and all the vents open. The pocket on the lower vent was handy for keeping my flashlight in and was easy to access.

I also took this tent on a backpacking trip to Emigrant Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The elevations ranged from 6000 to 9000 ft (1829 to 2743 m). The terrain was granite mountains spotted with trees with some meadows and sandy spots for camping. The temperature fluctuated between 52 F (11 C) at night to 89 F (32 C) in the daytime. There was usually a nice breeze blowing and the sky was clear and cloudless the entire trip. The tent was divided between my and my hiking partner, I carried the poles and rain fly, and he carried the tent and stakes.

The first night I set up the tent after hiking all night, it was 2:00 in the morning. We were located on a sandy flat piece of ground on the side of a granite mountain. Between the tent and the ground I placed a plastic painter’s throw to provide some protection.  The tent was easy to setup by myself using my headlamp as illumination. There was no way the stakes were going to go into that rock so I pitched the tent free standing. I left the rain fly off because it was a clear night and hoped to see some meteors streaking across the sky. Once in the tent I was able to see the stars through the mesh top of the tent. The side vents were the perfect height to see through while lying down and provided some great ventilation with the rain fly off.

The last night of the trip I pitched the tent by a lake and staked down all four corners. Then I put the rain fly on, opened the rear vent, and staked out the vestibule. Although the sky was once again clear and the stars were bright, the stars were blurry and hard to see through the rain fly window. Inside the tent felt I could almost feel the moisture in the air as we prepared for bed. In the morning there was no sign of condensation inside the rain fly. All the vents were open so I was pleased that the venting system seemed to work. Throughout the trip we were plagued by mosquitoes, the tent provided a comfortable place to escape even with two people inside. The vestibule did not provide enough room to place our packs under but did have enough room for our boots and a few other choice items.

Things I like:

The tent does not have to be staked down

With the rain fly off I can look through the side vents while lying down

Things I don’t like:

The stars are hard to see (blurry) through the rain fly window

The rain fly doesn’t extend al the way to the ground

In my next report I will answer the following questions:

Dependability:

Does the tent hold up well to use?

Does the tent stay waterproof in constant rain?

Do all the tent seams stay sealed?

Are the poles prone to breakage?

Does the tent floor develop worn spots or holes from use?

Do the walls keep the rain and moisture out even if they are touched?

Does the tent stand up well to wind?

Are the provided stakes durable and up to the task of anchoring the tent in all kinds of terrain?

Are the poles well designed as well as being light weight and strong?

Efficiency:

Is there enough room for 2 people to sleep comfortably in the tent?

Are the benefits provided by the tent sufficient to balance its weight?

Does the rain fly vent keep the tent from sweating?

Does the rain fly vent keep water out in the rain?

Is the tent long enough to fit a 5’ 11” (1.80 m) person?

Is the tent long enough that the sleeping bag is not in constant contact with the wall?

Can two mats be placed in the tent without overlapping?

Does the ventilation help keep the tent bearable in any weather?

Are the provided guy ropes sufficient for their purpose?

Ease of Use:

Is the setup of the tent easy and quick?

Can it be setup in the dark easily?

Can it be setup in the wind easily?

Is it easy for one person to take down the tent and pack it away?

Does the flexibility in design help the tent to be evenly distributed for shared gear?

Is the gear loft conveniently placed?

Are the vestibules large enough to stow my pack in?

Do the vestibules protect my gear from the weather?

Thank you, to Coleman and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test this item.

Josh Cormier