Initial Report: Coleman Exponent Krypton 2 tent

 

Personal biographical information

David Posalski
31
Male
5’11", 180 cm
280 lb , 127 kg
dposalski@***.com
Aloha, Oregon, USA
10/12/05

I started backpacking as a kid in the Boy Scouts doing overnighters. In the last year, I have caught a bug that wants me to go out and see things that a relatively few people have seen. This has drawn me back to backpacking. I have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I know. I have gotten my wife involved and we get out and hike at least once a month. I generally carry about 30 lb ( 14kg) and am in the process of decreasing that weight.

Manufacturer’s Data

Manufacturer- Coleman
Website- www.coleman.com
Model- Krypton 2 Tent
Size- 31 sq ft (2.88 m/sq)floor
Center height- 40.1 in (102 cm)
Carry Weight- 7.7 lb (3.5 kg)
Fabric-

Tent floor: 190T, 70-D Nylon/Taffeta, PU coated to 1500mm, taped seams
Tent rainfly: 185T, Polyester/Taffeta, PU coated to 1500mm, taped seams
Tent canopy: 190T Nylon Ripstop
Use- 4-season tent
MSRP- $199.99 US

Initial Report

 The tent arrived in its retail box that was very attractive. It had information on it that talked about the features of the tent and the warranty on the tent. It also showed other items that are part of the Exponent line of gear that the Krypton 2 is part of. The tent felt heavy in the box. I say this as someone who is a tent hiker that normally carries a 2-3 person tent on all of my hiking. My wife will not sleep outside of a tent.

I laid the tent out to put together by myself on my first attempt. There are four aluminum poles that hold the tent up. It is free-standing and I followed the directions that came with the tent. I placed the red poles through the sleeves that run diagonally from corner to corner. I then slid the silver poles through their designated sleeves. The poles are color-coded to match the ribbing that is sewn to each of the ends on the correct sleeves. I found the aluminum poles to be a welcome change from the fiberglass poles that are part of the other tents I have used. The aluminum poles fold into many sections and are held together with shock cording. When they are straightened they slide together so that the seams between sections are almost invisible. There is no ferrule that the pole slides into, so the pole is completely smooth. I have found that this makes it easier for the poles to glide through the sleeves. There is nothing that catches on the ends of the sleeves. The sleeves are made of a mesh material and feels like nylon with large holes in it. The sleeves overlap each other, so there is no confusion in where to put the poles.

The ends of the poles are notched cylinders that are placed into grommets that are in nylon webbing at each corner. The notch helps to hold the pole in the grommet and aids in assembly of the tent by one person. It does require a little more effort to remove the pole from the grommet when disassembling the tent than would smooth-cylindered ends. I like the notched feature. The poles also feel lighter than the other poles I have used. The weight of the four poles together is 2 lb, 2.5 oz (.98 kg).

I also have removed the two silver poles to determine whether the tent can be used without them and have found that the tent pitch is not taut when you remove the silver poles. The side of the tent could be kept taut with a guy line if there was an attachment at the midpoint of the side of the tent where the silver poles cross. This would allow someone to use the tent without the two silver poles during fair weather and reduce the weigh that they would have to carry. The weight of the tent and all four poles is 4 lb, 13.2oz (2.19 kg). By eliminating the two silver poles a lightweight hiker could lower the weight to under 4 lb (1.81 kg). I would find this a great option in a four-season tent. Not only do I want a secure shelter in rain and snow, but a lightweight alternative in the summer months.

The stakes that came with the tent are aluminum shepherd’s hooks that are quick stout. My tent came with 26 stakes. Oh my. I don’t think I would ever use the entire 26 stakes and would not carry those many with me, so I have extras if any bend or break. There are eight stake places on the tent at each point of the four poles. There are also numerous attachments on the fly that will be discussed later in this report. The weight of the stakes and their carry bag is 13.8oz (391 g). These are nice lightweight stakes.

I made some measurements of the tent and will list them as follows:

Inside center height- 41.5 in (105 cm)
Inside floor dimensions- 52 in (132 cm) X 84 in (213 cm) / 30.3 sq ft (2.81 m/sq)
Eye-level dimensions while sitting in tent- 28 in (71 cm) X 64 in (163 cm)
Top of door to ground- 31.5 in (80 cm)

The tent feels spacious inside and has some nice features. There are four pockets that line the inside of the tent and run almost the entire length of the tent on both sides. They are about 12 in (30.5 cm) deep. These are spacious, but run along the wall of the tent; I am concerned about condensation running down the tent into anything put in these pockets. They are mesh screening and may allow some things to dry, but condensation may be an issue. The tent has a door at each end of the tent rather than at the sides. The doors zip down so the door sits on the floor of the tent when unzipped. They are half-moon shaped. The doors have a screen section that can be unzipped to enhance ventilation. The zippers have bright nylon corded pulls. I think these will be adequate when wearing gloves, and I will confirm this during testing. The zippers seem to work very smoothly so far. These windows are the only vents in the tent. There is no top vent. I am worried about condensation buildup in the tent. I think it will be imperative that tent placement maximize airflow through these windows.

At the center top of the tent, there is a fabric loop for hanging things in the tent like a lantern. These are also located at each corner inside at eye level. The floor comes up 3 in (7.6 cm) around the bottom creating a bathtub-type floor. At each corner outside the tent are buckles that the fly snaps to. The fly is quite complex.

The fly buckles to each corner of the tent. The fly has the Coleman Exponent logo on each side. The fly extends out 31 in (79 cm) at each end of the tent from each door. The farthest point of the vestibule is wide with two zippers so that there are two stakeout points for each vestibule base. The zippers have covers that are closed with hook and loop closures at the end. Each of the sections of the vestibule/fly fabric can be rolled back and secured by toggle and loop fasteners. Each stakeout point has two stake loops. This makes for a very spacious vestibule at each end of the tent. The sides of the tent fly have three guy lines that were included with the tent and are bright orange in color, matching the fly. The vestibules also have rain awnings that are staked out at two places each. The sides of the fly also have two stake loops on each side. There are actually 26 stake points on this tent and it came with 26 stakes. I believe this tent would stay in place in just about any windstorm. Perhaps, I will be able to test this. The fly weighs 2 lb, 7.7 oz (1.13 kg). It is a heavier fabric than the tent is made of and does not feel like it breathes. With the fly fully closed, I would be concerned with airflow over and through the tent. The fly produces a strong orange glow inside the tent. I wonder how this will be on the eyes during extended periods in the tent.

Some of the things that I want to know about this tent are listed below.

How easy is it to set up in good and in foul weather?
How well does it keep inside dry on the bottom?
Does it keep warmth in well?
Does it hold up in wind and in snow?
How much condensation collects when it is totally enclosed?
How much light comes inside when it is fully enclosed?
How easy is it to use the zippers with gloved hands?
Is there enough room for gear?
Can I cook in the opening of the tent?
How well does the tent dry?
Does it shed snow well?
Can the tent be used effectively without all four poles during mild weather?
How well do two end doors work versus on the sides for each camper?
Is the center height adequate for pulling on heavier clothes worn in winter?
How well does the venting of the tent reduce condensation?
How well does this work together with the Coleman Exponent XtremeCat Heater to make a comfortable place to sleep in cold weather?

Testing Strategy

I will be carrying this tent for use for 2-person camping in the snow. I
plan on spending a weekend in the rain and two weekends in the snow. I will
be interested in seeing how packing the tent in parts allows two people to
carry about the same weight for the tent. I plan on using the tent also in
fair weather to determine its capabilities without the fly. I plan on
setting it up in snow and on dirt. I want to know how well it does as a
freestanding tent and how well it does in the snow. I will be using the tent between sea level and 6000 ft (1829 m) in temperatures from 50 F (10 C) down to 15 F (-9 C).