Gear

Just bought a Coleman Avior X2.http://www.coleman-eur.com/sunbeam/coleman_site/products/list_of_result.asp?type=1&profil=3&acc=
As a complete novice it seems like a good buy. Fairly well spec'd and cheap!
Set it up on Saturday evening, took me 15 mins first time and 10 2nd. (Good start). Sunday morning I noticed a number of flies around the bright green fly sheet. oops I thought, my heart sank, I think I have bought a 'fly trap' wrong colour :(
I spent last night out, in the highly secluded back garden no wind but plenty of that wetting type rain. No problems here, all bone dry and a good nights sleep. But again a few flies between the fly and inner sheet but thankfully not inside the inner.
Reading some posts this morning regarding high winds I have begun to wonder how my tent will stand up to higher winds. I do intend to (eventually) wildcamp.
My questions:
Does anyone suffer from flies settling onto their tents (any colour)?
Should my tent be capable of withstanding high winds? (assuming it is reasonably well positioned and set up as designed).
Where would you put extra guys (ropes not people:)) ?
How else do you make your tent "Bombproof"

Q. "Does anyone suffer from flies settling onto their tents (any colour)?"
A. Oh yes, red, blue, yellow and orange. The good news is that most of the flies dissapear around November and only return in April. My yellow tents are like "bug magnets" except when the wind is knocking up the Beaufort scale

Q. "Should my tent be capable of withstanding high winds? (assuming it is reasonably well positioned and set up as designed)."
A. you should be able to weather 40-55 mph'ers (tail to the wind) any more and you'll be lucky not to bend poles beyond re-use or spring pegs or even worse rip the flysheet

Q. "Where would you put extra guys (ropes not people:)) ?"
A. you will have dedicated guying points factory fitted to the tent, these are positioned to strengthen the tent without placing the flysheet under any undue stress, to add more(by sewing some in) will invalidate the warrenty and potentially cause to much tension on areas of the fly and lead to a seam failure.

Q. "How else do you make your tent "Bombproof"
A. Not sure you can make a Coleman Avior X2 bombproof, other than using a cargo net guy system to litterally strap the tent to Terra Firma. Best thing to do is pitch it tail to the wind and hope that it's very aerodynamic profile shed the wind efficiently enough.

Hope this helps

Drew

Hi Drew

Thank you and yes it does help. as a complete novice it is reassuring to know that I have not completely wasted my money.
I realise that my purchase is at the budget end of the market but as I am having to buy all items compromises must be made. No doubt my wish list will remain as such. And as I become more experienced and am able to buy at different times the I will be able to buy kit that is more suitable to my needs.
I do not expect my Coleman to stand up to adverse weather as some of the better models but I would like to experince the odd wild camp or 2.
Thanks again for your words of wisdom.

Paul

Hi
Just wondered how you were getting on with your Avior tent. I'm just about to buy one (probably) but hard to find reviews. Although as you say it is a budget price it does have aluminium poles and 4000hh fly - which indicates a better quality than the price would suggest. (Something to do with the dollar exchange rate??).


David G.

Done the hydrostatic head actually make any difference, doesn’t that mean you can have a head of water of 4000mm on the fabric before is squeezes water through the fabric. So in reality, where we don’t camp underwater, you would need a VERY strong wind blown shower to put that amount of pressure to push water through the fabric. Having a good DWR would be more effective surely?

That tent looks pretty good, its fairly aerodynamic looking. Relatively light and cheap.

As for the bug issue I always get a few in my tent, just like us, bugs like to be out the wind and rain so it’s hardly surprising.