Camping Tent Guide
| Camping Tents |
 A quality camping tent is possibly the most important piece of camping gear to ensure that you have a great camping experience. With proper care, a camping tent can last a very long time. Camping tents come in a variety of shapes, styles, sizes, materials and colors, but the purpose of them is basically the same: to provide you with a comfortable Tent Size: In addition to the actual size dimensions, camping tents are often categorized by the amount of people they fit. When tents are advertised as being a 4-person tent, for example, it means it can generally fit a maximum of 4 people. –That doesn’t always mean they will fit 4 people comfortably. If you are looking to have some extra space in your tent to store things like bags, and to be able to move around comfortably to do things like change your clothing, you might want to consider purchasing a larger tent than it is rated for (especially if you mainly camp in warm weather). A 4-person tent will usually sleep 2 people comfortably (dividing the advertised number in half is generally a good rule of thumb if you are looking to have a good amount of space in your tent). While smaller tents might have more limited space, they usually have the benefit of being lighter to carry and are easier to keep warm. While some tents are designed specifically to be used in cold weather, having a small tent can also work to your benefit when sleeping in cold weather. Peoples’ body temperature can go a long way toward keeping your tent warm, and a smaller tent can ‘warm up’ quicker than a large tent, as there is simply less space to heat. As far as tent length, you generally want a tent that is at least 1 foot longer than your height. One last important thing to consider regarding tent size is the height. Do you usually use a camping pad or an air mattress? If you use an air mattress, keep in mind that the mattress will usually take up a foot or two in height, so you would want to make sure you at least have enough room to be able to sit up on the mattress without hitting your head on the top of the tent. A 6 or 7-foot peak height is usually good for adults. Tents designed by Season: Most commonly, you will see tents sold as either 3-season or 4-season tents, although you may see 1-season tents on occasion. 1-Season tents are geared for use in the summer. 3-Season tents are designed to be used in the Spring, Summer and Fall. A 3-season tent should be able to withstand heavy rain or light snow. 4-Season tents are designed to withstand winter conditions. In addition to 4-Season tents, manufacturers also produce Expedition tents; Expedition tents are highly sturdy and durable, and are meant for more ‘extreme’ winter conditions, such as heavy winds, rain and snow. Lastly, there are ‘Convertible Tents’ which are 4-Season tents with removable pieces/sections to serve as a 3-season tent. 3-Season tents are the most common and most popular camping tents. Tent Weight: Minimum Weight: The total weight of the tent, rainfly and poles. Packaged weight: The total weight of the tent, rainfly, poles, stuff sack, pole sack, stakes and any other items that come with the tent. Tent Materials, Components and Common Terms Fabric: Most camping tents are made from Nylon, due to its durable, lightweight and waterproof qualities, although the material varies in thickness. The thickness is measured in millimeters, and generally the thicker the tent, the more rugged the tent, and the better the rain resistance. Factory Sealed Seams: Since there can be tiny holes in the stitching of the tent’s fabric, tents are usually taped or sales to ensure they are completely waterproof. Fly Sheet/Rain Fly: A waterproof cover that goes over the tent roof. Also helps provide increased shade. Footprint: A groundsheet that is used underneath the camping tent to help prevent damage to the tent floor. In addition to providing an extra layer of protection when camping on wet grounds, Tent Footprints can help keep the bottom of your tent clean, and help prevent it from being punctured by rocks and sticks. Footprints are usually in custom shaped to fit the shape and size of different tents. Often overlooked, Footprints are a cheap way to help greatly extend the life of your tent. –It’s must cheaper to replace a damaged footprint than to have to replace an entire tent in the event of damage to the tent floor. Footprints are usually sold separately from camping tents. Gear Loft/Attic: A fabric or mesh shelf inside the tent used for storage. Most tents come with a pockets built in, but gear lofts and attics can often be added for increased storage capabilities. Gear loft loops: Loops on interior tents walls used to attach a fabric or mesh shelf for storage. Guyout Loops: Loops on the outside of the tent used to attach guy lines/Rope. Guy lines/rope allow you to tie down the tent in heavy winds. No-see-um Mesh: common material used for tent window screens. Poles: Tent poles are usually linked together on the outside of the tent to form the tent’s structure and support. Poles are either connected by tent clips, or fed through tent sleeves. Most tent poles are made out of aluminum, although some are make from fiberglass (aluminum is generally much higher quality than fiberglass). Pole types include DAC Featherlite (most common), DAC Featherlite NSL (a bit lighter and stronger than DAC Featherlite) and Yunan Air Hercules (light weight and high strength). -Generally, the fewer the poles, that quicker and easier the set up. Tents with pole clips, as opposed to tent sleeves, are also usually quicker and easier to set up. Pole Hubs: A piece that is used to connect poles together. Stakes/Pegs: Usually made from metal or plastic, stakes and pegs are used to anchor tents to the ground for support in heavy wind. Swift Clips: Clips on the outside of tents that clip on to the tent poles for easy setup. Swivel Hub: A component on the top of the outside of tents to lock the tent poles in place to provide stability. Ultra-Fresh Tent Guard: Treatment to help prevent the buildup of mold, mildew and odors on tents. Vestibule: A covered area outside the tent doors used to provide a small area for storage of things like shoes or other pieces of small equipment. Vestibules often extend from the Rain fly. |
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