Coleman Peak 1® Cobra™ Tent

Review Date
November 5, 2008

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: splash07s ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $69.00 at Coleman outlet

Summary:
If you are here readin this, like the 40th review then you already know the upsides of ths tent. That said here are its definate downfalls. First: no bathtub floor Second: not freestanding Third: heavy compared to similar products out there today (not nearly as cheap as this one though) I have owned this tent for about 5 years and it has performed very well for me.

Customer Service:
never used

Similar Products Used:
Similar Pek 1 tents that are just as light and freestanding, Northface something or other (too expensive in my opinion)

Review Date
December 5, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: freebirds77 ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $80.00 at Don't remember

Summary:
I'v owned this fantastic tent for 10 years now, it is the best tent I have ever used. I lived in it for 160 days when I hiked the Appalacian Trail, no complaints. It withstood driving rain, 30+ mph winds, even a few critters crawling on it. The only downfall is you must stak it out to set it up, bad if all you have is a hard rock surface.

Review Date
September 27, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: barkpacker(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $45.00 at walmart (on clearenc

Summary:
I've had this tent for about four years.
I live in oregon and am no stranger to hiking in the rain. It has seen some serious downpours and never leaked. I have never used a groundsheet. In really heavy rain I make a small trough around the tent to divert water flow. This is definately the best backpacking tent I've ever used. The only setbacks are condensation, and the fact that it is not freestanding. If you are a smart hiker you can deal with a non-freestanding tent. I've piched this tent in sand in high winds using the factory stakes and some carefully placed diftwood. The only tent I would consider using over the cobra is the new big agnes ultra light 2 man. (only slightly lighter, slightly more room, and freestanding) Take into acount the fact that the big agnes costs five times as much and I'll still with my trusty coleman.

Customer Service:
N/A

Similar Products Used:
sierra designs lightning

Review Date
March 11, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Jeff(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $75.00 at Coleman outlet in Pi

Summary:
I love this tent! I'm an avid weekend backpacker, and usually get out for a few full week trips each year, and have used this tent since getting it in 2001. Six years later, and it is still going strong! This tent has been everywhere with me, and has worked great for both summer and winter camping. It was a steal for this cheap, and add in a ground sheet from a painters drop cloth and you're good to go. I used it for solo hikes all through college, and only recently bought a small MSR one person tent that is quite a bit lighter.
The great feature about this tent is the full open mesh main tent and the giant rainfly. I've used this in 15 degree weather on the AT, and while there was some condensation, it was nothing compared to the condensation/snow/ice that lined the kelty tent my friends used.
Overall, I've been really satisfied with this ol Coleman, and I'm just about to pack it up and use it this week.

Review Date
December 9, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: cyerka ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $60.00 at Smortmart

Summary:
I got this tent 7 years ago to use in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota and have since used it from West Virginia to Alaska to Arizona. It has been great in all situations except when I pitched it in a flood area and got washed out. The light weight and incredibly small pack size (about the size and weight of a 1/2 gallon carton of milk) make it great for fast packing when sleeping under the stars just won’t cut it. The full mesh upper is great for fly-free pitching in bug zones where the only protection you need is from blood-suckers. The vestibules on both sides provide just enough room for a pack, muddy boots, and a critter. The double doors are always a plus in a tent. Fast and easy to put up and take down solo.

Now for the cautions: It is a backpacking tent, which means it will naturally be small and light-duty. In its element, it does wonderfully. Outside its intended usage, you'll probably run into problems. It is not freestanding, which limits it to softer pitch sites (aka not rock bars, frozen ground, or bare rock). You can also pitch the rain fly right to the ground, so it does not get much ventilation. Condensation has been a bit of a problem when completely staked out. To avoid this, simply don't stake it all down. It would be nice to have an accompanying ground tarp, but for $60 and 7 years of considerable use, I’m real happy with it.

Bottom line: For a cheap, entry-level, super light backpacking tent for 1 or a cozy 2, you’ve found a great tent.

Customer Service:
7 years, countless nights (and days) use, never had to give 'em a call.

Similar Products Used:
TNF talus, MSR hubba hubba (obviously a superior tent for 4x the price).