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Coleman Valdes 6 Person Inflatable Tent Review

We have been researching what we need to consider when camping with kids. There are so many incredible family campsites in the UK, Europe and elsewhere with various facilities, it is hard to work out exactly what type of campers we are and what sort of camping equipment we need. 

With a young family, the thought of spending hours erecting a tent with possible spousal arguments, did not appeal, so when Colemans asked us to review the Valdes 6 L fast pitch tent which has inflatable beams, I was keen to try it out and see if it worked for our family plus dog! Setting up was easier than I thought, so we didn’t really earn our meal cooked on our camping stove!

What are Inflatable Tents

Inflatable tents have inflatable beams which are filled with air via a manual pump. Each beam just takes a minute to inflate, which makes the beams rigid and support the rest of the tent.  They are a fairly new development  in camping and can be pitched in minutes. 

What should I look for in a tent for family camping?

• How many persons does it sleep?
• How may sleeping areas are there?
• Does it have a blackout canvas?
• Is there a fly mesh?
• Does it have a one-piece floor?
• Consider how often you will be using it
• Can both adults stand up in it?
• How quickly can you set it up?
• Price

The following will answer all these questions and all the other features the Coleman Valdes 6L tent has. 

How many persons does it sleep?

The Valdes can sleep up to 6, with 2 in each bedroom. However, one bedroom can be removed if you require more living area space. This diagram from the Coleman website clearly shows the layout and sizing. 

How quickly can you set the Valdes 6L tent up?

The first time took us about 25 minutes. A fair bit of the time was initially spent faffing looking for the red corner handles mentioned in the instruction booklet. We couldn’t find them for love or money so opted for the 4 black corner handles, which were thankfully right. I suspect this was a small oversight on the instructions manual from past models.

After that initial small hurdle, it was just a case of getting to know our tent for the first time. The valves to attach the pump are fairly easy to find (there are small pockets near the inflatable beams, and they are located inside the tent). Then you simply make sure the pin is extended and use the air pump to inflate between 6 – 7PSI ( the pump and manometer are both included)

With the Coleman Valdes 6L, you pump up each air tube individually.

Each air beam takes a minute or two to inflate and then all that is left to do is to fix the flexible poles into the door and porch frame, make sure the pegs are all attached and furnish the tent.

The blackout bedrooms are already set up, but you can take down room dividers or adjust to your own needs.

The second time we put up this fastest pitch tent, it took us just 12 minutes to do, as then we knew where each part was, and exactly how the tent should look. Whilst it is not an instant pitch tent, an inflatable camping tent is the next best thing!

The Valdes Air Tent Bedrooms

There are two bedrooms in the back for four people. They do come with a detachable dividing screen to make into one large space if you prefer. It’s incredible quick and easy thing to remove. There is some room ventilation via the small closable pockets near ground level, plus by the rear window.

The other double bedroom is another blacked out double (an update to the previous model which didn’t have this blackout facility) which can also be easily dismantled if you require more living space.

What features does this Valdes Coleman blackout tent have?

• Fly screens
• Cable entry points
• 3 black out bedrooms (older versions just have the 2 smaller ones as blackout)
• Pockets in bedrooms and main living area.
• Hanging points for torches.
• Fire retardant and UV protection fabric
• Hinged front door
• Large covered porch area
• 6 person
• 3 rooms, but you can remove one to make larger living area.
• Integrated groundsheet
• Tapered seams
• Comes with carry bag and pump

Weights and measurements

• Pack size: 78 x 58 x 41 cm
• Weight: 26.6kg
• Living 7.7m²
• Porch 5.4m²

For more features, this video will help show all the exterior and interior.

Deflating and packing away the tent

Packing away the tent took us exactly 27 minutes the very first time. (This was with two people helping) It was incredibly easy to do, and we rolled it up enough the first time to fit into the provided bag. 

Can inflatable tents puncture?

Yes they can, but ones like the Valdes 6 L do come with a puncture repair kit and spare parts can be bought.

Price

The price for an inflatable tent can be slightly more than traditional tents. In the USA you can buy the Valdes directly from Amazon and from the UK from Outdoor Gear plus other providers.

Overview

I was overly impressed with how easy pitching an air tent was. This Coleman blackout tent address my fears of the girls waking up early (they slept til 0730 the next day – which was a bright sunny morning. Tents with blackout bedrooms are a must if you have kids!

Although it is a 6 man air tent, you can easily fit a cot or extra in, if you don’t mind losing a bit of living space. The only bit which slightly puzzled us as novice tent builders, were the slight errors in the instruction manual, but that was easily rectified.

It is heavy, (26.6kg) and I found it impossible to lift by myself, so if you are planning on setting it up by yourself, you will need assistance to take it directly to your pitch. But for the ease of being able to set it up and take down, I’ll take that!

Do let me know if this Coleman tent review has been useful?

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