We have a fun summer of camping ahead of us this year as we are reviewing the Coleman Valdes 6XL Fast Pitch family tent and are proud to be working with the Camping and Caravan Club for the 4th year. We are very excited by this, as the Fast Pitch tent means that we can get away more often for weekend breaks because it takes us less time to pitch the tent and get settled after school on a Friday evening.
Our love of camping
It’s no secret that, as a family, we love camping. As a child, I went camping with my mum and grandparents. I have many fond memories of our trips throughout my childhood, whether our holidays were in a family tent or my granddad’s caravan. We first introduced the three younger Beans to camping when Albie was just 18 months old, and it was an instant success. They loved being outdoors, running around in the sunshine, and exploring. Simon and I had taken William camping many times before the younger three came along, with one of our favourite camping spots being Ilfracombe.
First Impressions
Simon and I first had a good look around the Coleman Valdes 6XL when we visited the National Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the NEC in February. I first thought the tent was much bigger and sturdier than we expected. Being pitched in an arena, the weather conditions were perfect, so we couldn’t get an idea of how it would fare in the wind and rain, but it certainly looked like it would stand up to the job. We also liked the blackout bedrooms, but again, being inside, it was difficult to tell just how dark they would be once the tent was outside in bright sunshine.
Trial run at Sandringham Camping and Caravan Club Site
We rather bravely decided to take our new family tent for its first trip of 2018 to Sandringham Club Site in April. That is definitely the earliest we have ever camped in the year, so we couldn’t decide if we were being brave or downright daft, but camp we did, and it was a success (albeit a slightly chilly one).
Coleman Fastpitch Air Valdes 6 xl Tent
Usually, we would have a trial run at pitching a tent before heading off on a camping break, but we felt brave, so we just packed the car and went. I briefly watched a video on how to pitch the Coleman Fastpitch Air Valdes 6 xl Tent and of course, I read the instructions that came with the tent.
The instructions told us that we needed to peg the four corners of the tent, so we did this and then connected the pump (which comes with the tent) to the first beam and began to inflate. Initially, when you start pumping, it’s so easy to do that we were able to let the children have a go at pumping. This turned out to be an excellent idea, as it meant that by the time it got a little more labour-intensive, Simon and I still had lots of energy to fully inflate the beam to the correct PSI, which you can see on the top of the pump. The other good thing to note here is that the beam inflates with the upward and downward movement of the pump, so none of the effort is wasted.
It took around 15 minutes to inflate all four of the air beams and peg out the main body of the tent, which meant the children could go inside to start making up their beds while Simon and I concentrated on putting up the final two poles for the porch and pegging out the guy ropes. With the children helping us, the tent was fully erected and pegged within 30 minutes. It might take me a little longer if I do this alone.
What’s inside
Tents can always be deceiving from the outside; they resemble Doctor Who’s Tardis. They can look smaller on the outside but much more prominent on the inside, so let me give you a tour of the inside of our Coleman Valdes 6XL, starting with the porch. The porch isn’t strictly ‘inside,’ but it has a roof, so it is. The tent doesn’t have a groundsheet for the porch area, but we had one that was the right size, so we decided to use it to help keep the dirt from entering the middle section of the family tent.
Initially, I was a little unsure about this open porch; I would have preferred it to be sealed, but you can pull the doors back if you want it to be open. However, I have come to love it. Having this open room gives us somewhere to sit whilst still keeping some shade from the sun, wind, or rain—we camp in the UK, after all. As a family of six, there is ample space on the porch for us all to sit in our chairs out here and still space for tables or cupboards, too.
Living Area
As you can see from this picture, the living area is very bright and airy. There are doors on both sides that can be opened fully or a mesh door (as seen) to let the air and light in but keep the bugs out. There are also windows on both sides with roll-up curtains to let the light flood in during the daytime but keep you private and cosy in the evenings. There are two further windows to the front with curtains, giving the tent a real sense of space and light.
Sleeping Area
It has to be said that I do like my sleep, which doesn’t always go hand in hand with camping, but since camping in the Coleman Valdes 6XL, we have all been sleeping better and for longer—winner! There are three bedroom compartments, each with two camp beds and ample space, as you can see. The bedroom to the right is separate from the larger compartment; the larger compartment has a room divider that can be removed to make it into one large space.
I honestly cannot rave about these bedrooms enough; they are, without a doubt, the best bedrooms we have ever experienced in a tent. Once the doors are zipped shut, they are dark; even on the sunniest of mornings, the only place you can see light is at the seams, which are hardly at all. The blackout controls the light and keeps it slightly warmer in cold and slightly cooler in warm weather.
More fab features
Not only does the tent have a sewn-in groundsheet and UV Guard sun protection fabrics to SPF50, but it is packed with a host of other great features:
- A ‘hobbit hole’ hinged door with a handle. Having a door you don’t have to roll out of the way is a blessing.
- Power socket entry point.
- Adjustable straps for the bedroom compartment. So many tents we have had in the past have had elasticised straps that have snapped from being overstretched.
- Zip stops at a mid-door height so the zips can easily be found at night or in an emergency.
- Storage pockets: Storage pockets are in the main living area and the sleeping compartments.
- Hanging loops for overhead light, including velcro fastenings to hold the cable out for electric hook-up light.
We have a summer of fun planned with our tent, so keep an eye on Instagram and the blog to find out how we are getting on.
DISCLAIMER: This is a review post. All words, images, and opinions are my own and may not be copied. I have not been instructed what to write.
That looks SO COOL!!!!! Can the girls and I come with you?
That’s because it IS SO COOL!!! Yeah of course you can, don’t forget your sleeping bag . . . and wine!! x