Tips For Choosing Camping Tent

By Staff

Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 11:19

Camping outdoors can be a miserable tale if you do not have the right camping tent. Here are some guidelines to choose the best tent according to your needs.

Your camping needs helps you make the first choice

Consider the below things before making a choice

How many people does it need to hold?
How often will you use the tent?
Under what conditions will you be using the tent, backpacking, biking, colder weather or family camping in August?
Once you have the answers for the above, choosing the best tent will be an easier task.

Tent capacity ratings

The first to consider is the number of people who will be using it. This will generally determine the suitable size of the tent. If it is a family of four members with two adults and two kids, go for a tent that can accommodate five people. This will help you to keep all your packed in stuffs for the trip within the tent like your clothes, cot, food, backpack etc. Don't think that a small kid is less than an adult! They may not be that big, but all the gear that you need to keep them happy takes up all the rest of the room!

Different styles of tents

I would suggest to go for a tent that has a dome style that is round in shape as it offers wind resistance aside from it being small and simple to set-up. If the camping holds for a large number of people like 5-9, buy a family camping tents. Many prefer the umbrella style too as it offers roomy head room for many people and more over it is well-ventilated. Another style that can house many people is screen houses. Compared to the previous style, this offers first-rate ventilation.

If your planning for a seasoned camp, then go for the A-frame style tent and backpacking tent as it is lightweight and simple to set-up. The latter comes in varying sizes for 2 to 4 people. Make sure to choose a tent that is lower and wider, as the tents that are higher than its width will have more problems in windy days, especially monsoon. If you are camping in the rainy season ensure the tent has waterproof rainfly that clips to poles and requires only minimal additional stakes.

Choosing according to durability

Another factor to consider is the sort of conditions the tent will have to cope with. This will in turn lead to choosing according to durability. For those on a budget the two-season tent is one of the cheapest in the market. However make sure you choose it only if you are going to fairly good campgrounds.

According to a research, the three-season tent is the most popular pick because it is sufficiently durable to deal with rain throughout the seasons except winter. The four-season tent is recommended for extreme weather conditions. It is intended for heavier winds and snow compared to the previous style for this kind of tent is comprised of a higher class of fabrics and added poles for increased strength.

Features To Avoid

Metal zippers of any kind.

Discount stores and cheap tents rely on cheap fiberglass poles. Avoid choosing one with them as these poles break, shatter and disintegrate with alarming frequency.

Avoid tents that require fully staking out to set up if you are planning on camping on terrain that is rocky, icy, or sandy, unless you are very skilled at making alternative anchors for your tent.

Too large a tent footprint with sharply angled walls inward may offer strength but require a large lot to set up in while offering minimal use able interior space.

Never buy a ten that is so small that you feel as if you're the filling in a nylon burrito.