The Spruce Falls is a classic four-man tent from Coleman with a few useful modern twists. It features the practical symmetrical design with a bedroom at either end and a living space in the middle. This division provides some much-needed privacy for families with older children or a group of mates. As with many of the Coleman tents the Spruce Falls has a fibreglass pole construction, a great material providing a strong and flexible framework that responds well to wind and storms whilst keeping the weight to a minimum for ease of transport.
One of the most annoying things about camping in the summer is the abundance of daylight - the sun can rise as early as 4:45 and set as late as and 9:30; with only fabric as a barrier it can easily get very bright and very warm way before breakfast time, which can be a bit of a nightmare for getting kids to bed, keeping them asleep in the morning, not to mention adults with hangovers! However, the BlackOut Bedroom technology helps to prevent 99% of daylight from entering into the sleeping area, allowing you to get a longer and more comfortable sleep at any time of the day. If you use a torch or light inside the bedroom at night you cannot tell from the outside. The BlackOut tech also helps to regulate temperature, keeping the bedroom up to 5°C cooler during the day and up to 1°C warmer during the night by storing energy from the sun in the surface of the fabric.
The Bedrooms have an extra-large design. With more room than the average tent, it can house the larger Coleman double air bed with room to spare for essentials. The UV Guard Sun Protection also provides SPF50 protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. For defence against the elements the Spruce Falls has WeatherTec, which offers the waterproof properties of a hydrostatic head of 3000mm, this mean that a 3m column of water can be placed on its surface before any drops will show through the underside of the fabric (The Ministry of Defence in the UK classifies fabric with a hydrostatic head of 800mm+ as waterproof). Other features include the integrated bedroom groundsheets and a PE removable groundsheet in the living area. There are taped seams, No-See-Um mesh, fire retardant material, and an included carry case which compresses the tent down to 60 x 30 x 26 cm and weighs just 14.4 kg.
Straightforward and intuitive to pitch if you follow the instructions, after testing it out on a particularly horrible night with both wind and rain there were a few small puddles in the living area, however the bedroom, pegs and guy-lines all performed well. The Blackout bedrooms work well against blocking light, ensuring a longer lay in, but we couldn’t feel a huge difference in the temperature - with two bodies sleeping in such a small space all night it is going to get warm. The Spruce Falls is a practical tent with a traditional configuration. There are limited features, but the Blackout bedrooms make it a great choice for short family trips or festivals. RRP £309.99
4 out of 5
Pros
Blackout bedrooms
Easy to erect
Compact and lightweight package
3000mm hydrostatic head
UV Guard
Standing room in the living area
Cons
Limited features
Small living space for four people
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