There are many questions to be answered and aspects to consider when buying a tent that will be used for something other than “backyard camping”.  The answers to these questions will help narrow your search and put you on a better footing when you enter the outdoor store with check book or credit card in hand.

Will the tent be used primarily for “car camping” or were you planning on using it to “backpack” or “canoe camp”?  The answer to this question will help in guiding you toward the desired weight of your new tent.  If you are primarily “car camping”, then the weight of the tent is not as important a factor as it would be if you were backpacking or canoe camping.  Another aspect not be overlooked is the size of the tent.  This determination is made based on the number and size of the people who will be sharing the tent?  Today, many modern family tents come with plenty of head room to stand in and also contain separate rooms within the tent for privacy.  On the other hand, backpacking tents economize in internal space to cut down on weight.

 

Another important aspect to be considered is the cost.  Camping tents can range from as little as $20. for a backyard version of a two person tent to several hundred dollars for a high tech, special use tent for mountaineering conditions.  A family can generally find a good tent in the $100 – $300 range, while backpacking tents can range as high as $500 for one that will house a couple of adults and be serviceable for all four seasons of the year. 

 

Over and above the preceding information, there are several specific points that should be discussed.  The following information addresses these points and is taken directly from an article on About.com by David Sweet, “Buying a New Camp Tent? Features of Camping Tents”.

What tent features should I look for?


* A tent with aluminum poles.
Tents may come with fiberglass poles, but they are fragile and more likely to break. If you bend or break a pole, most camping stores sell replacements or repair kits.


* A tent with an adequate rain fly.
The rain fly is your tent's umbrella. The bigger the better. Look for a fly that comes well down the sides of the tent rather than just across the top. Rain flies are waterproof. Tent walls are water-repellant.


* A tent with folded seams and double stitching.
If you can pull the material on either side of a seam and see through the stitches, this tent will leak. Be sure to use seam sealer on all seams.


* A tent with a one piece tub floor.
The floor should be made of waterproof material, and it should come a few inches up the sides before it is sown to the tent walls. No seam in the floor means there is no place for water to seep in.


* A tent with adequate guy lines.
Tent walls, and sometimes rain flies, have loops sown near the middle. These loops are used to attach guy lines that pull out the walls so that they are taught. It's impossible to sleep in a tent that's flapping in the wind.


* A tent with good-sized stake loops.
There should be loops at the base of your tent in every corner and at the center of each side. These loops need to be big enough to accommodate the large plastic stakes sold in camping stores. Material stake loops are preferred. Plastic ones might break when you hammer in the stakes.


* A tent that uses noseeum meshing.
This is the best material for keeping those nasty little bugs out.


* A tent with a roof vent.
Opening this at night will help create some air circulation and eliminate condensation inside your tent


* A tent with heavy-duty zippers.
You'll be in and out of your tent a lot so you want zippers that will hold up to frequent use
Good luck and happy tent shopping!!
 

Till Next Time

Eric

Tags: , ,