Coleman Phad X3 tent
We finally decided to go with this tent because:
- it can be built up in the rain without the inner wall getting wet
- it is freestanding eg. can stand on its own without using pegs (however, my experience is that if the ground is too hard for the pegs, then there are stones to which you can guy down the tent)
- it has got an ample vestibule, so we won’t be too much claustrophobic in case we get stuck in the tent for days – we can cook in the vestibule, store our bags there, we can dance there, etc.
- it is made from a good ripstop material and looks cool,
- and it is just under 4 kg (3,95 kg on paper) with aluminum poles.
I just worry because of the short (16 cm) pegs although they look quite rigid and hard to bend – maybe I’ll replace them with longer ones.
So here is a short photo review, part one, which coveres only the unpacking phase – I do not have photos about the setup procedure yet. (It will be covered in tent review part 2.) I want to show you what came in the package with some close-up photos to give a clue about the material quality and size.
Here is the package as it ships (we ordered it from worldofcamping.co.uk – they did not offer sponsorship, not even a price discount). There are two compression straps on the bag, and one handle between them for carrying. And also (a pretty unusable) pocket.
There is no zip on the case, so the packing is not watertight:
The bag has got a sewed-in setup instruction and a small bag with spare parts (patches):
Here are the instructions, it is easy to understand:
The tent itself, the bigger bag with the poles and the small bag with the pegs:
The rubber straps for closure are very practical and easy to use! You won’t lose them and there is no need to knit the knots – just one movement to close or open:
Here are the pegs out of the sack with a ruler (in centimeters), you can read the 16cm length. They are 4×5mm diameter aluminum, and the heads are formed so that they are hard to bend while striking onto them.
The poles are in a nylon bag within the sack:
There are three poles: two identical uncolored for the big diagonals, and the red colored for the cross-pole over the vestibule:
There are two different endings: the you have to stick the rounded end in the hole first. The other end of the tunnel is a dead-end, so you don’t have to go there and place it into a hole when setting it up (although it is wise to check it in the back corners).
When rooled up, it is about 45cm wide:
Unrolled length: about 200 cm.
Then in half:
Then fully opened. The footprint is that of the inner tent, the vestibule is an extra 120 cm in the front. It came with the inner tent pre-attached to the outer, using small rings.
On this picture (taken with flash), you can see the reflective straps near the door and window zips:
Guy rope attachment closeup:
You insert the poles here:
O-ring for the pegs:
And you can see how is it sewed:
The dead end of the pole hole, and the connection with the inner tent (light gray):
All of the sews are carefully taped to be watertight:
Review part 2 coming soon! As soon as we can set up the tent outside.
