Editors' Choice Award: Coast HL7

Overview

The Coast HL7 is our top scoring headlamp and an Editors' Choice winner. It has arguably the best close proximity lighting as well as one of the highest measured brightnesses. And somehow it did all this for only $59, trumping many of the lights that cost over $100 and were twice the weight. It comes in a lightweight package (for its brightness) and had the most intuitive beam control lever. Its only stumbling point, and this is significant, is short battery life when in high beam mode. For this reason we gave a second Editors' Choice award to the Black Diamond ReVolt which does a better job of balancing brightness and battery life and can also be recharged.

Performance Comparison

The Editors' Choice winning Coast HL7 throws an incredibly strong and bright light for the price.

Credit: Micah James

Trail Finding

While the beam power of the Coast is incredible, the evenness of the light is a just little off, which prevented it from getting a top score. Interestingly, the light and lens is diffused such that the brightness is the same right up to the hard edge of the beam pattern. The best trail-finding lights, we found, are slightly brighter in the middle of the pattern and smoothly diffuse out to nothing at the edges. That said, this light lets you see almost as far as any other we tested. As you can see below in the beam comparison photo with the Black Diamond Icon, a headlamp that is twice as heavy and more than double the price, the beam of the Coast goes further.

Beam Distance Photos

Coast HL7

Black Diamond Icon

Only our Top Pick for Trail Finding, the Fenix HP25 is brighter overall. The beam of the Fenix is also fairly even, but focuses a bit more intensity in the middle of the spot. As noted above, we found this preferable in most action situations than the Coast's even distribution of light.

The difference between the Coast and another popular headlamp, the Black Diamond Spot is particularly dramatic as you can see below:

Beam Distance Photos

Coast HL7

Black Diamond Spot

How does the Coast compare against a 10 of 10 trail finding light? The comparison below shows the Petzl NAO being noticeably brighter. But, the NAO is 5 times as expensive, 50% heavier, and had an ANSI high-beam run time of only 2 hours vs. 3.3 hours for the Coast.

Beam Distance Photos

Coast HL7

Petzl NAO

Close Proximity

This is the best headlamp we tested at close proximity. Not only does it have the most even beam with no hot spots, it gives you incredible control of how wide and bright you want that beam to be. No other headlamp gives as much control or made controlling the beam diameter so easy. As you can see below against the Spot, the beam pattern is perfectly even whereas the Spot, which scores high, can't match the Coast and puts more brightness in the middle.

Close-proximity Beam Pattern

Coast HL7

Black Diamond Spot

Battery Life

Here the Coast falls flat: just a score of 5 since it only lasts for 3.4 hours in our measured high mode run-time test (ANSI). Check out this battery life vs. beam distance graph against the ReVolt and this matchup against the Black Diamond Icon.

Beam Distance Photos

Coast HL7

Black Diamond ReVolt

The tradeoff is clear: the Coast is three times the brightness of the ReVolt but has less than half the battery life in ANSI measured high beam mode. This is why the ReVolt also earns a Editors' Choice award. Read our complete Headlamp Review to learn more about the ANSI standard.

The Hunt for the Best Headlamp

Which headlamp, of many, is the best? To find out we took 28 top headlamps and put them through a gauntlet of side-by-side tests. Each product was both lab-tested and extensively field-tested. We used industrial light meters to measure brightness. We built an automated "light coffin" rigged up with a data-logging light meter to measure battery life. We measured weight, rated ease of use, and photographed beam output. We compared performance around the campsite and reading in the tent, blinding our camp-mates countless times. Then, we loaded our packs and hit a rugged trail on many a moonless night – regularly switching between each of the lights as we went – to see which performed best on poorly-defined trails. In the end, we learned a lot about each product we

tested, scored them all, and picked winners.

Find out which headlamps we loved, which to stuff in your rucksack for an epic backcountry trip, and which are best left on the store shelf.

You may also be interested in The Best Lantern Review for more campsite oriented lighting.

Kodiak Canvas 6-Person Flex-Bow Review

Overview

For being the most durable and well-made tent we tested, we chose to give a Top Pick award to the Kodiak Canvas 6p Flex-Bow Canvas Tent. It's also a really comfortable tent and with all that comfort comes the weight. It weighs in at a whopping 68 pounds, which may seem ridiculous, but when you see this tent set up you'll want to live in it. The duck canvas is treated with Hydra-ShieldTM, which is a waterproof coating that's both waterproof and breathable. This is our go-to tent for base camp style camping, where comfort and durability are key.

Comfort

We loved sleeping in this tent. The canvas acts as a noise canceler, which allows you to sleep wonderfully even though your neighbor might be snoring his brains out. The floor of this tent is also pretty thick, which makes it nicer to walk around barefoot in – a nice upgrade from a thin nylon tent floor. The downside to the floor being so awesome is that it smells like plastic the first few times you use it, and it's pretty hard to get that smell out.

We took points off of this tent's comfort score because it didn't have a vestibule. Instead of a vestibule it has an awning, which we like for the sunny days but in windy conditions is unstable. When it rains water pools on the awning no matter how hard we tightened. This tent can also get a little hot in the summer since the canvas doesn't breathe as well as the fabric on nylon tents.

Storm Resistance

This and the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 are the only tents we tested that the manufacturers called "4 season tents." However, the roof does not have much pitch so snow will accumulate. If you are in a severe winter storm, you have to constantly push off the snow. This was one of the few tents that failed the water hose test. When we sprayed water directly at the material, water passed through. However, in all our testing and in reading a huge number of user reviews, we have not found leaking to be an issue. So in real world situations, the tent keeps you dry. This tent is a tank in the wind. We set it up in 40+mph winds and it had a slight bulge in the fabric but the structure was stable and strong. 

Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 Review

Overview

If you are looking for a tent that will keep you comfortable all year long, then the four-season Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 is for you. This tent allows you to go camping whenever you want, regardless of what the weather might be. Its dome shape and pole structure make it ideal for windy conditions while the huge rain fly and vestibule handle the rain and snow.

Another huge plus with this tent is the carrying bag that conveniently separates the rain fly from the tent body and poles. It also has big pockets that allow you stuff the material, unlike most tents that require meticulous folding and rolling. The bag saves you time and your sanity; no more wrestling your tent into a stuff bag that it barely fit into when it was factory packed.

Big Agnes put a lot of workmanship into this tent, from the ripstop polyester to the awesome rain fly and vestibule. The one thing we don't like about the rain fly is the color scheme, but that's not really a big deal. If you are wondering why Big Agnes named this tent the Flying Diamond, then here's why:

"The Flying Diamond Ranch is the largest remaining ranch in Routt County. In 2009, ranch owners sold their development rights to a ranch closer to Steamboat Springs, securing the area's status as a nature preserve for at least another generation." 

Comfort

The Flying Diamond 8 scored fairly well for comfort. It doesn't have the most standing room and you often have to crouch to open one of the doors. The top is designed so that with the rain fly off you can see the stars through cool mesh windows.

This tent has the best vestibule of all the tents tested. We loved how much extra space they gave us for gear, and in the heat of the day we could pitch up the vestibule to create a sun shade in front of the doors.

Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 camping tent with vestibule propped up with trekking poles

Credit: Big Agnes

The rainfly also has six vents that are key to its breathability and allow all the moisture to escape without a problem.

If you are looking for a tent that doesn't compromise comfort for too much storm resistance, then check out our Editors' Choice award-winning REI Kingdom 8. The Kingdom 8 didn't perform as well in bad weather but it was the most comfortable tent and was still decently storm resistant.

Storm Resistance

Out of all the camping tents we tested, the Flying Diamond 8 is the most storm resistant. Now it's not a hardcore four-season tent like one of the $5000 Mountain Hardwear Space Station, but it will get you through snow and high winds better any of the other family camping tents we tested. If you are looking for the best four-season tent, check out our review: The Best 4 Season Tent Review

This and the Kodiak Canvas 6-Person Flex-Bow Canvas Tent are the only four-season camping tents we tested, but we like to call them 3.5 season tents since they can't handle heavy snow loads. This tent will get you through just about any rain or wind storm you encounter, and will keep your friends and family dry.
 

Coleman Instant Tent 6 Review

1.We chose the Instant Tent 6 for our Best Buy award because it gives you the most bang for your buck. It's very comfortable and has amazing ventilation for those hot summer days, but it also allows you to bundle up to stay warm and dry in a storm. The Coleman Instant Tent series makes setting up a tent exceptionally easy. You don't have to worry about finding the right grommet for the right pole because they are already attached for you, and you don't even need to worry about a rain fly because this tent's fabric is totally waterproof.
 

2.Comfort

The Instant Tent 6 is a very comfortable tent. It is not as roomy and spacious as our Editors' Choice award tent, the REI Kingdom 8, but it is less than half the cost. One of our favorite parts of this tent is the big windows that allow you to sit inside on a hot day to escape the sun and not overheat. In fact, I'm sitting in this tent writing this review right now in the heat of the noon and were out of the sun, with a nice breeze coming through, too. This tent comes without a rain fly, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. You can purchase a rain fly separately through Coleman, but it still does not include a vestibule, which when you have it can be a nice way to keep your gear out of sight and out of mind.

3.Storm Resistance

This tent did not score highly for wind and rain resistance. This is a single wall tent with no rain fly. This wouldn't be a problem if the material breathed, but it doesn't. The only vents are on the top of the tent, and you want those closed if it's raining very hard. For those reasons we don't recommend this tent if you anticipate big and burly storms. If you're looking for a more stormproof tent, then check out the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 and the Kodiak Canvas 6-Person Flex-Bow Canvas Tent. All that said, the Instant Tent does just fine in the average summer, spring, and early fall storms most campers encounter.

REI Kingdom 8 Review

1.The Kingdom 8 wins our Editors' Choice award because it's the most comfortable tent we tested and comes loaded with great bonus features. It features best-in-class head room, convenient dividers, and a huge vestibule for organizing your groups gear. It's easy to set up and packs down into an awesome backpack style carrying bag. It's also a solid value.

2.Comfort

With its huge ceilings and spacious cubic design, this tent is the king of comfort. The 6'5 tall ceiling throughout the tent allows multiple people to be standing at once, and creates space in an otherwise crowded environment. This tent is also fitted with mesh walls and ceilings, allowing the tent to breathe and keep the air moving on those hot days when you just want to read in a bug-free shaded zone. The rain fly is very versatile as well. With several attachment points around the tent you are able to roll up the rain fly on the sides in the middle of the day to cool off, and easily roll them back down at night to keep the heat inside.

The Kingdom 8 also has an internal divider in case you want a little bit of privacy every now and then. It can also be fun for kids to feel like they have their own room in the tent with their very own door, or you can use one half for all your gear and the other half as a clutter free sleeping space.

This tent has several different accessories you can buy to make it even more comfortable. REI sells an extended vestibule that you can attach to either side called the connect tech garage. This gives you a nice awning in front of the tent, which can be nice if its raining and you want to dry off before you enter the tent, or in case you want to store extra gear.

3.Storm Resistance

The Kingdom's barn house style frame is not ideal in high winds. If you don't take the time to properly stake out the tent and attach all guy lines, the wind will turn the tent into a dancing caterpillar. In all camping situations you should look for a wind-protected site and orient the tent so the widest part is not perpendicular to the prevailing wind. With the Kingdom 8, this is particularly important. In our testing in Joshua Tree (famous for high winds), we found that as long as it was staked down and had all the guy-lines out, then it was fine unless the winds were exceptionally strong.

As for rain, this tent's rain fly covers the entire tent and will keep you dry in a storm. Although it only has one vestibule, REI sells an additional one that you can buy for about $40 to cover both doors completely. Without this extra vestibule, you want to be sure the vestibule side is oriented into the prevailing wind.

If you are looking for a more bombproof tent that is a little less comfortable but will be able to withstand more powerful storms, then check out the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8

how to choose tents

1.Comfort

We valued comfort as the most important rating category in our tests. The best tents had enough standing room for a dance party, while the smaller tents only had room for one person to stand up in the middle of the tent and crouch or bend everywhere else. We crowned the REI Kingdom 8 the comfort winner. It has enough screen windows and shading for your whole family to hang out in on a hot summer day and still be comfy. It also has a huge vestibule that allows you to keep a cluster-free environment in your tent by giving you more storage space for you gear. On top of that its barn house shape allows you to stand up throughout the tent and lets people circulate throughout it.

This tent exemplifies the qualities of a comfortable design. Other tents we tested that are similar in comfort were the Eureka Copper Canyon 8 and the Kelty Parthenon 8. Both allowed adults to easily walk around in the tent without crouching and also offered good ventilation.

2.Storm Resistance

When there is a surprise storm, you want to be ready for it and have a tent that can handle it. The most storm resistant tent we tested was the Marmot Limestone 6. It is the only tent we tested we would trust in a snowstorm. The design is very strong and the roof pitch sheds snow better than the competition. It is also a stable tent in high winds, something that few other tents of this comfort level can claim. The other top scoring tents for storm resistance was the Kodiak Flex-Bow.