Wednesday 18 September 2013


Camping in tents is becoming an increasingly popular activity. This has resulted in a bewildering choice of gear, especially tents. These days, camping tents are available from $30 to $3,000. So, with such a vast variety to choose from, how do you know which one will suit your needs the most? After all, the quality of your outdoor experience will be largely dependent on your choosing the right tent.

Take Space into Consideration: Even if the specifications of the camping tent may be for four people, often it can be cramped when four people actually use it. Hence, it is best to check out the actual measurements of the camping tent. Take into consideration various factors like: the number of people that will be in the tent; what will the tent be used for apart from sleeping; whether you will need to seek shelter in the tent due to bad weather; and the amount of things you will have with you in the tent. Moreover, another thing you should keep in mind is the terrain and how big the space will be for setting up the tent.

The Camping Tent's Material is Important: Since there are always chances of getting caught in the rain in the outdoors, always make certain that the tent you are looking at is weather proof. Usually, tents that are made of a single layer of material have the potential of developing leaks and drip when there is a build up of moisture. Extra layers add extra protection against many weather conditions. Also, screens that can be opened and closed provide more protection against cold weather. If you plan to be camping out in the open in hot weather, choose a color of the camping tent that reflects the sunlight, which will prevent it from getting too hot inside. Also, check out the kind of flooring material the tent has, and choose one according to your needs.

Choose the Shape of your Camping Tent: Tents are basically of four types of shapes: the A-frame, the wall, the dome or geodesic, and the umbrella. The A-frame tent is the common pup shape, although it can also be fairly large. The wall shape is similar to the A-frame, however, it usually is larger, with side walls that are vertical. The geodesic or dome comes in many kinds of shapes, although all of them are made up of connected triangles. The umbrella shape of camping tent is the most common type chosen by families that go out camping. It comes with large size windows with rain flies on top, plus it also has plenty of standing room. Tents that have their floor in a square shape are the most convenient for arranging the sleeping and other gear. If you select a geodesic shaped tent, which has a round floor area, make sure to allow for some extra floor area, since the round space layout is less efficient.

Decide on the Material of the Poles: You can choose between either fiberglass or aluminum poles. Most camping tents have poles that are connected together with an elastic shock cord, which is helpful while setting it up. Poles can break or bend, hence many manufacturers of camping tents supply emergency repair links that you can take along on the trip.

Check the Ease of Setting Up the Camping Tent: There are tents that require just a few poles to be clicked together to put them up, while there are also other tents that are far more complex, requiring a lot of assembly. It is advisable to choose a camping tent that is easy and simple to set up if you are a novice camper. Another thing you should make certain of while choosing a tent is that it comes with sturdy stakes, which will help in anchoring it securely to the ground. Also, it is a good idea to try out setting up your tent in your backyard before actually heading out for your trip.

Check Out the Extra Features: Camping tents come with various options these days. There are tents that can be zipped together to form a larger tent. There are also tents that have special vents, which help in keeping the circulation of the air going.

Keep in Mind the Cost of the Camping Tent: Generally, camping tents that are more expensive have stronger stitching, are made of stronger fabric, and have stronger poles. They have the ability of withstanding heavier rain and stronger winds. They are also longer lasting. However, not everybody requires this kind of durability and strength. Actually, the less expensive tents can be good bargains if the climate is drier and milder and you plan on camping fairly close to home. Also, it makes more sense to go for an inexpensive tent if you are just a beginner, and do not know yet whether you will actually like camping. If you do find that you like going out on trips, you can always get a better tent, keeping the less expensive one for camping in milder conditions.

Checking out all your options will ensure that you will get the best camping tent according to your requirements.

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