Coleman Avior X2 Backpacking Tent

[al_yrpal]

I bought this tent for cycle touring. Its not the sort of tent that cycle tourists buy because its seen as to heavy with a small vestibule. I paid £51 for it, but a year later its on sale everywhere at £80 or so. Even at that price its a steal. Here is the spec:

2 person tent
Flysheet fabric: Polyester ripstop, 4 000 mm PU coated, taped seams, UV Pro
Fabric: Polyester breathable and no-see-um mesh
Groundsheet: Nylon, PU coated 5 000 mm taped seams
Poles: Aluminium 7001-T6
Carry bag type: 2 way
Compression with V-shape
Carry bag dimensions: 40 x 15 cm Ø
Headroom: 100 cm
Weight: 2.45 kg

First of all its not a comfortable 2 man tent, but its spacious and very practical for one. At 2.45 kg its not the lightest tent around, but I think the design is fantastic. Most tents don't have side entry, this does. As well as not having to crawl in over your kit in a vestibule, entry from the side is dead easy. You can just blow up your sleeping mat and toss it in, as well as your sleeping bag and personal stuff. At the head end there is a small vestibule with its own zip off groundsheet and a door in the this area from the sleeping compartment. That means you can put all your panniers and the tent bag in the vestibule and get easy access to them from the sleeping compartment. You can unzip the side entrance in the morning grab your stove and kettle from the vestibule and have a brew in safety still in your sleeping bag - luxury! It has an inside height of 1 metre so its comfy to sit up, and there is ventilation openings at each end and a top mesh in the inner sleeping compartment which is brilliant.

Its dead quick to put up. The inner can stay permanently in place attached to the flysheet. Bang in two pegs at each end, snap together the two sectional aluminium poles and insert them and set 4 guys and its up. I rarely bothered with any more pegs than that - 3 minutes with practice.

The quality of the materials stitching and the taped seams is outstanding. The flysheet is 100% waterproof and very tough.

I sat out heavy rainstorms and it didn't leak a drop, as you can see from the photos there's a 4" skirt on the groundsheet.


Front by Alyrpal, on Flickr






View from the vestibule by Alyrpal, on Flickr

I recently toured with another guy with a very expensive 1Kg tent. His was low at each end, it sagged when damp, it was cluttered inside with all his kit, it was a dark material and gloomy inside. He kept looking at the Avior with envious eyes, making appreciative noises. I could see that that he was thinking that he could be camping like me in comparative luxury if only he weren't so fixated on weight.

I would thoroughly recommend this tent to anyone, particularly if you aren't fixated on weight and have a tight budget - its unique design with the extra side entrance is absolutely brilliant. I bought it after seeing the consistently good reviews on Amazon.

I have just sold it for £10 more than I paid for it ! I have decided to buy the Avior X3 which is 1 lb more at 2.95 kg for £103. Why cramp yourself into an eye wateringly expensive £300 to £600 tent when you can have a much better designed but less well known Avior !

Al

[al_yrpal]

The Avior X3 arrived. At £103 it cost just £40 more than I sold the X2 for. At 2.95kg its huuuge! More than enough room for 2 in great comfort. No wonder the guy who backpacked with his wife and 2 dogs was so happy with the space and spec. With the side door open and the air flowing through the front as well its a great solar shelter too.

As well as only being 1lb more in weight than the X2, it gives me oodles of room to spread out on my own, and, it will make a great overnight stop tent for when I am camping with my wife. It packs easily into my large Crane Creek stuff sack with my sleeping bag and air bed. I bungee the stuff sack on top of the rack where it sits comfortably on my Altura panniers

I have put a pannier in the vestibule so that one can see the massive amount of space there is for gear stowage. The headroom, at 1100 mm is great, it allows one to sit up and move around inside with ease.

Very happy with this extra bit of touring comfort. Will now have to shed another lb from belly!

Al



IMAG0268 by Alyrpal, on Flickr


IMAG0269 by Alyrpal, on Flickr


IMAG0274 by Alyrpal, on Flickr


IMAG0271 by Alyrpal, on Flickr


IMAG0276 by Alyrpal, on Flickr

[mrjemm]

Hi Al,

You just linked to this, so thought I'd ask here than there, as it's a model I've read up on and liked the look of.

How have you found this one (X3) after a season's use? I have an older Coleman, which I can't remember the name of, but it looked similar, albeit smaller like the X2, and I found it to be wet inside- largely due to the sagginess causing a lot of layer contact. I notice your's is quite saggy too (IMG0271), so wonder if this happened.

Cheers, Jem.

[al_yrpal]

Never had any problems with sagging despite rain and heavy condensation. The guys are either end and pull on the pole hoops so you can stretch it really tight. I do usually pitch it better than that though. My pals expensive very lightweight 1 person Vango Helium tent always sags though, I think he is getting rid of it and getting one of these. I saw Avior x3s for about £70 recently, so they are a steal. Coleman tents are really well made, better than Vango, the finish is excellent. Never a leak yet.

Al

[mrjemm]

Cheers Al. I had seen a similar good price, and thought I'd look into it. My older Coleman is definitely of a better quality than Vangos I've had. Seems to have had a lot of thought put in, and nice touches. I was just put off it by the wet getting in on a journey through France, and didn't use it again- bought a no-brand at a French Decathlon on the next trip that's served me well since, but the quality is lower than the Coleman, though probably better than Vango. Have found it's too small for the 2 of us now (another French trip!) though, so want a 3 manner.

Thanks, Jem.

[newbootclimbco]

Hi Al, looking with interest at your tent and thinking i must have a go at, camp touring[ if you know what i mean ].Anyway back to my question,Ihave a Brooks SORE as U LIKE saddle b17,but i noticed you have a Carrera on your bike.I urgently need a change and wondered if you would recomend the Carrera, cheers, now wheres my tent. Tim