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Coleman is one of the oldest tent-making brands which still has its place in the outdoor market.
In this post, we’re going to answer some real questions about Coleman tents which will help you whether you should invest your money into it or not.
Are Coleman Tents Good Quality?
Yes, no doubt Coleman is known to make some of the good quality tents in the outdoor market. However, as you decrease your budget you’ll need to compromise in some areas of the obvious tent.
The reason for Coleman to be so famous is their very affordable price where the same size tent which other brands sell over $100, Coleman can do it in $70 or so.
But it is completely legal to say that currently, many brands make more reliable tents than Coleman.
Why are Coleman tents so cheap? They are cheaper because they use polyester which is an inexpensive material compared to nylon and cheaper Coleman tents are not entirely waterproof to further cut the price which means their customers need to do some level of waterproofing by themselves.
Keep reading to know more about Coleman tent’s waterproofing.
Are Coleman Tents Waterproof?
Yes, Coleman tents are waterproofed but not all their tents have the same level of waterproofing because they make tents under all budget types.
So that you know, when I look for the tents of different brands, Coleman is one of them which has its own system for testing called as WeatherTecTM System.
It means that Coleman has a special room in their factory where they simulate the weather conditions from light rain to fast and heavy rains.
With this, they ensure that all their tents withstand rains by having weather-resistant polyester fabric with anti-wicking thread, protected seams, wind-strong frame, the bathtub-style tent which has seams about a foot above the ground, zipper protection.
Coleman guarantees that their tent will keep you dry from the rain and wind speeding 35 miles per hour so if you’re a normal guy who does not camp in storms a decent Coleman tent will keep you dry.
Here’s the weather performance video of Coleman vs their competitor’s tent:
No matter which brand tent you buy, you should at least go for a 100mm PU-coated tent. Increasing the MM coating will increase the water resistance.
A very pure misconception in tent waterproofing is – only tent fabric is enough to make the tent safe from the rain which is entirely false.
Yes, the quality of the tent’s fabric matters but to make the tent strongly waterproof they need to put the waterproofing coating or PU coating which Coleman does provide in most of its tents.
Are Coleman Tents Machine Washable?
Coleman tents are not machine washable that’s why instead of using a washing machine use a sponge and a mild soap to clean the dirty tent.
To make the cleaning process easier it is recommended that you should sweep all the dirt, rocks, leaves, and branches from your Coleman tent before packing it.
But, why Coleman tents are not machine washable? Because all the tents including Coleman one are designed to be portable and lightweight shelter and this very thing which makes any tent a great tent makes a washing machine their enemy because even the gentle cycle is rough enough to damage the tent in most cases.
I know cleaning a tent without a washing machine really challenges your comfort but to ensure that your tent lives long you must clean using a sponge and mild soap if it’s dirty and does not pack it immediately before letting it dry completely.
Does Coleman Tent Come With Stakes?
Coleman support team says that all the Coleman tents come with stakes included in the pack. Although, they don’t confirm that all the tents come with the same quality of stakes regardless of the price of your tent.
If you find that your package does not include the stake or of cheap quality then you can always purchase some at a very affordable price on Amazon.
Yeah we know Amazon is flooded with stakes (also referred to as pegs) and not all are of top quality. If you don’t want to go through all the stakes available in Amazon, you can check out Eurmax Galvanized which is reviewed by more than 5,000 people with 5 stars.
But you might wonder, are tent stakes or pegs really needed? It depends on the weather, you don’t any stake if you usually camp in peaceful weather but becomes an important factor to keep the tent stand strong in heavy winds and rains.
Instead of stakes, you can use sticks and nails even though they are not the best because you need to make sure the length and width of sticks are perfect and they won’t break when hammering them into the ground.
Are Coleman Tents Made In USA?
No, not all Coleman tents are made in the USA in fact most of their products are made in Asia.
Despite the fact, Coleman says that the tents that are American-made are listed as ‘Made in the USA’ in the tent’s product description.
To be honest, I have no access to their manufacturing data that’s why I can’t guarantee that ‘Made in the USA’ is not ‘Made in China.
But the fact that gives me hope is it is USA-based company William Coffin Coleman currently has headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and the United States, and their US-based facilities in Wichita, Kansas, and Texas have approximately 4,000 employees. This clearly means that many of their tents and gears are still made in the USA.
Which Coleman Tent Is The Best?
Honestly speaking this will be another blog post if we go into all technicalities of choosing the best Coleman tent.
But to save your time I am making a table of all the top-rated Coleman tents listed on Amazon where the tents must have a 76% 5 stars rating.
No reviewer can purchase and review all the Coleman tents.
That’s why I recommend you to read positive and negative reviews of the tent you want to purchase and then decide if the particular tent is made for you or not.
| Best Coleman Tents Available On Amazon | Amazon LInk |
| Coleman Sundome Tent | Know More |
| Coleman Kids Wonder Lake | Know More |
| Coleman Canyon Car Camping Tent | Know More |
| Coleman 8 person tent | Know More |
| Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 | Know More |
| Coleman Steel Creek Dome Tent | Know More |
| Coleman Lightweight Cobra Backpacking Tent | Know More |
| Coleman 2000014008 Instant Tent Rainfly | Know More |
| Coleman Tent for Hiking and Garden Camping | Know More |
| Coleman Cabin Tent | Know More |
| Coleman Octagon 98 | Know More |
| Coleman Coastline 2 | Know More |
| Coleman 2000010950 for Bugs | Know More |
How Long Do Coleman Tents Last?
Depending upon your usage and care Coleman tents can last from few months to years.
It is the case with all the brands and gears. If you are a lazy and irresponsible one then any gear can die very soon.
However, to improve the life of your Coleman tent it is recommended that you should not leave the tent in the sun for an extended period because UV rays can damage any fabric over time.
By damage I mean, the tents then can be easily torn apart during setup, packing, or just by applying some force with your hands.
Final Thoughts
After going through all the research I can say many tents Coleman offers are worth buying. Most of their tents satisfy the price tag excluding some that don’t.
All Coleman tents have some level of waterproofing which means as increase your budget the quality of waterproofing, durability, comfort will become better and better. On the other hand, reducing budget will compromise from material to comfort to a good extent.
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
