It’s almost falling apart, going mouldy and sometimes it lets in water, but after eight amazing years of use, I can’t do anything but praise my Coleman Cobra lightweight tent.
The Cobra is billed as a lightweight tent aimed at bikepackers and hikers; at only 2kg, it's definitely at the lower end of the weight spectrum for tents.
Back in 2015, I was looking for a tent for a three-month, 2,000-mile bike ride down the West Coast of America with my sister.
The Coleman Cobra was a good weight and, even better at the time, it cost only £115 – astonishingly inexpensive in the world of outdoor retail (it's now £144).
The tent was a great asset. It travelled down the West Coast with us, getting used every night, and then it faithfully joined me for the next eight years on rides around Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, across the Alps a few times and around Ireland, Wales, Italy and Slovenia.
It truly is a High-Mileage Hero.
Simple yet hardy
One of the best things about the Coleman is how easy it is to put up. I can erect it single-handed in around a minute.
The tent’s simple design helps with this. It features one long pole that holds up the main bulk of the tent and pegs are used to tension the pole in place. A much smaller pole is used to hold up the end of the tent, so your feet don’t get wet.
As you can imagine, in wet weather, this fast assembly time is truly great, and a quick way to escape a downpour.
The tent poles and pegs are made from lightweight aluminium, so they add little to the tent’s overall weight.
The design is hardy, too. The only time I have ever had a problem with it was when we tried to camp on a beach in Mexico, and the pegs didn’t have enough purchase in the sand. I woke up with the tent flapping away above me, but fortunately managed to recover it a moment later.
My Coleman Cobra has endured rain, storms and hot weather. There are two little flaps you can peg out for better ventilation. It is claimed to be able to withstand 3,000mm of rain, and I can vouch for its ability to survive night-long downpours, although the groundsheet does start to struggle after a very wet night.
BikeRadar’s High-Mileage Heroes
High-Mileage Heroes showcases the products that have stood the test of time and become part of our everyday riding.
These aren’t reviews, but rather a chance to talk about the kit we depend on and the products we choose to use when we’re not reviewing fresh gear.
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On the hopeful side
The Coleman is advertised as a two-person tent, and I admit this is perhaps a bit on the hopeful side. Maybe it could be a couples tent, for those who don’t mind cuddling with each other every night.
However, when sharing the Coleman with my sister in America, the lack of space resulted in the inevitable argument every evening: “Stop taking up all the space”, “I’m squashed against the side of the tent, you must be taking up all the space”, “Stop rolling into me”, “I’m just trying to turn over”, “You’re pushing me”, and so on, for three months.
I did get to regale an audience with the particulars of this argument at my sister's wedding, though, so I wouldn’t say it caused long-term damage to our relationship.
I would, however, suggest the tent is roomy for one person and a squash for two.
Raccoon-proof
One of the best things about the tent's design is the extra outdoor space. The Coleman’s WeatherTec polyester flysheet is pegged outwards on both sides, leaving ample room to store panniers and bags safely.
The tent fabric has other benefits. Several thieving raccoons once attempted to pull a pannier under the flap of the tent and couldn’t manage it – the fabric proved too sturdy for them.
I love the inside of the tent. There are two pockets on each side for storing items, as well as hooks for hanging up torches, washing or maps.
There is just enough space to sit up in the tent. This is useful for when you’re stuck inside for a day in the rain, with only one book to read between you, so you have to sit side by side, reading it at the same time. Much fun has been had in the Coleman.
A familiar, slightly mouldy interior
After such a large amount of use, there are a few things falling apart in the tent.
The first is the bag the tent comes in. It takes the impact of day after day of packing and being tied onto racks, alongside exposure to the rain and sun. It has totally split apart from overuse, and I’ve abandoned it for a different bag.
The nylon groundsheet has now started to let in water towards the slanted end of the tent, probably because the rain runs down the tent and ends up sitting on this part of the fabric. some waterproofing spray has mostly stopped the leaking, but after a very wet night, it still lets some water in.
There is also a bit of mould in the tent, from being put away wet so many times. When bike touring, it’s sometimes difficult to dry everything out well enough, which is something to consider if you're thinking of taking a bikepacking tent on a long and possibly wet tour.
For such a cheap price, the sheer hardiness and wear the tent has endured over the years is impressive. Sure, it needs a respray to help with the waterproofing, but the construction is as solid as ever.
It accompanied me on the Pennine Rally last month, and I was very happy to wake up in its familiar, slightly mouldy interior.
