Camping Tents

A Camping Tents buyer's guide. We'll give you some pointers about tents and how to buy one that fits your needs.

Camping tents are available in a wide price range. Where do you start? Well, the first thing is to identify the where, how often, who, and when that you will go camping most.

• Do you need a 3-season tent, that is good from spring through fall?
• Does it rain a lot where you are going, or is it dry?
• Do you plan on camping often, or just once a year?
• How many people are in your family?

These questions will help you answer the type of camping tent you need. Generally, the more you spend determines the higher the quality of tent you need, but not always.

Your tent is one place that I would spend the money to get one that will last. Since it will probably the most expensive single item you purchase, get as good a tent that you can afford. If an extra $75 or $150 will buy an extra five or ten years of service, then plop down the money, especially if you plan on camping several times a year. If you just plan on camping for 2 or 3 days a year, then you won't need to spend so much. Eureka tents are high quality, more upper end tents, that will last a long time. Coleman tents are good too, in the mid-priced range. Ozark or Great Trails would be lower end tents.

Tents are rated in size by how many they will sleep. Generally, there are two numbers, such as sleeps 3-4. What this means, is that if nobody brought any stuff with them, then you could fit 4 adults laying down, side by side. I always go with the low number or even one lower than that to be comfortable.

Tent Anatomy 101

Tents can have windows, doors, rooms, and even vestibules and awnings. The windows have "screens" that keep the bugs out. Make sure that the screen mesh is is really tiny, so that bugs- gnats,mosquitos, etc. can't get through. There should be "Flies" you zip to close the window.

Make sure that the top of the tent has a window so that the tent can breathe. People in the tent breathe out carbon dioxide, so you need to have ventilation to bring some fresh air in. Windows on the sides help with that too.

The door usually has a screen door too, but not always. Most tents have dual zippers that you can zip from the top or bottom. Make sure that there is a way to tie the door to the side when you want to keep it open. Some larger tents have more than one door.

Larger family tents generally have rooms, usually 2-3. This means that there is tent material (usually nylon) the drape to form rooms. There is no noise dampening, just prevents you from seeing. It can be nice if you have children.

Probably the most important item is the rain fly (sometimes called a wind fly). This is what protects you when it rains. If you have ever been in a tent when it is raining and touched the side of the tent, you know all of a sudden, water starts coming through where you touched the tent. The larger the rain fly, the more protected you will be. Ideally, it comes down close to the ground on all sides of the tent. Will you find a tent that has that? Probably not exactly, but get a fly that covers as much of the tent as possible. If it is great weather and no rain is forecasted (yea right!), then you can leave the rain fly off.

Next, look at the floor. Is it made of thicker material? Does the flooring go up the sides of the walls about 6 inches? Just remember that you will be putting your tarp inside your tent to protect you from water, but the thicker floors will last longer.

What kind of poles does it use? I like the shock-corded poles best. These are generally made out of short, thin fiberglass poles, that are tied together by elastic cords. When disassembled, the elastic cord is stretched, but the poles are only as long as the individual poles themselves. When you fit the poles together, they make for a sturdy but flexible long pole. Our 15 x 7 Coleman tent uses 4 such poles. Alunimum poles are begging to get bent.

Some tents have awnings over the door. Our tent has one. The door portion of the rain fly opens up, and with two poles makes a nice shade awning over the door. We usually keep this up, unless hard rain is coming our way.

Another nice feature is a vestibule. This is like having an enclosed porch in front of the door. This is where you can take off you shoes and put your bags too. It also helps if it is windy, to keep the inside of the tent not so windy when someone comes through the door. Look for a vestibule if you are going to be camping outside of the summer time.

The tent pegs that come with it probably need to be replaced. I recommend going to an Army Surplus store and buying some Army tent pegs. These are made out of thick aluminum that won't bend when the hit a rock. Also, if you are pitching your tent in sandy ground, they won't pull out as easily.

I trust this helps you as you purchase your family camping tent to be more informed and to buy the tent that is right for your family. Make sure you get a great camping tent.

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