If you’re new to camping then you may need a little help figuring out which tent would suit you best. You may not even know all of your options but I list a few things below that you should be looking out for and a few of the most common tent shapes and what they are suited to. You can get a tent of nearly any shape so once you have the basics covered the appearance will be down to your personal preference.
When I first started I just bought a tent that I could effort. A tent was just to keep you dry, right? That is true but I quickly learned that buying a cheap tent will only cost you money in the long term. Cheap tents don’t tend to last long. They rip easily and the zipper breaks leaving you stuck at camp praying it doesn’t rain.
Buying from a reputable brand will help ensure this wont happen but don’t take it for granted. If you’re buying from somewhere like amazon read the customer reviews and you will quickly see if it is a decent tent.
There was also another big lesson I learned and that was your tent has to be capable for the intended conditions. The temperature, wind speed and precipitation will all play a roll on deciding which season tent you need.
There are tents for every occasion. As my family grew I found that I needed more room. You can now get tents to cater for large groups that have smaller sleeping quarters but all under the one roof. At the other end of the spectrum you can use a bivy or even a hammock if you are camping solo and want to keep the weight as low as possible
Tent basics
Climate
This is above all the most important element when buying a tent. If your tent isn’t fit for the conditions then you will be in for an uncomfortable experience.
Mesh tent
When camping in really hot weather you can use a mesh tent. This is basically a mosquito net with a frame and their sole purpose is to do just that. To keep bugs off you and your stuff. Air can move through the tent easily so it will feel like you are sleeping outdoors.
However, you will have all of the other problems with sleeping without a tent. When the sun rises you will have no shade so sleeping in or napping during the day can be difficult. You will have no UV protecting, no privacy and if it rains then you are going to get wet.
Summer – 3 season
This would be a more sensible choice for the warmer months. They do heat up in the sun depending on the size and ventilation. I have a post here of how to keep your tent cool. You also get some privacy and sun protection. Most of these tents will also be waterproof or will have a secondary waterproof sheet or rain fly that goes over your tent. This is great for hot days as it can remove the fly allowing move ventilation in your tent.
Winter – 4 season tent
The are called a 4 season tent as the can technically be used to all year round however I wouldn’t like to be using one during the summer. They are designed for the winter months so may have extra insulation and ventilation is low. This is good for keeping your tent warm but it can overheat on hot days. They usually come in one waterproof layer so you can’t increase the airflow if you want.
If you intend on going mountaineering during any conditions then be sure to get a tent with extra supports such as an geodesic tent so they can withstand heavy wind and rain.
Weight
When car camping you don’t need to worry too much about this. Family tents can weigh up to 20 lbs so you won’t be backpacking with one of those.
Thankfulling , there has been a lot of work done to make tents as light as possible. If you want to keep weight as low as you can then the first thing you should be looking for is a single walled tent. Not only do they weigh less but they also pack away smaller so they take up less room in your pack.
The construction type will also make a big effect on weight. Freestanding tents such as a dome tent are easy to setup but you have to carry poles to create the frame over the tent.
That being said, there are some dome type tents that use a minimal amount and are very light so I wouldn’t rule out a dome tent if that is what you prefer.
However, if lightness is your thing then a non-freestanding tent will save you that little bit extra. These are a more basic design that normally rely on just two poles to hold the tent up and guylines to stop it from falling over. These poles are often made from aluminum which is fine but you can now get carbon fibre, at extra cost.
You could even leave the poles at home depending on where you’re camping. If you use walking poles you could use these as tent poles or even two branches. When camping in a wooded area you could even tie up your tent to the trees so you don’t need any supports at all.
Size of tent
Again, this will depend on if you are car camping or backpacking. The size of tent is normally referred to the amount of people that intend in sleeping in it and this will decide the floor size of the tent. For example, a two person tent is designed for two people, a 3 person is for three people and so on.
That being said, this doesn’t really give a lot of wriggle room so if you’re car camping and aren’t worrying about weight then get a tent a little bigger than you need. However, for hiking just get what you need to keep the weight down.
The height of ceiling will depend on the style and brand you get and is referred to a peak height. If all you intend on doing in your tent is sleeping then you don’t need much head room. I suggest getting one the you can at least comfortably sit up in. If you get stuck out in a rainy day at least you will have some room to move around.
Family tents are big enough so you can walk around in. They are basically a mini house.
Tent type
Dome Tent
These are the most common these days. They are held up by flexible rods that form an X across the tent which forms the main structure. Another flexible rod is normally used to create a kind of a porch area at the entrance to the tent. Once they are set up they are freestanding but will still need to be anchored it down to stop them blowing away.
Dome tents are normally dual layer. The inner layer is a single unit which has the floor attached to the walls so that the only opening is the doorway. The wall material will depend on the season of the tent. For example, a summer tent may have a lot more mesh than a 4 season tent. The floor is normally a waterproof polyester. The second layer is a waterproof fly which covers the entire tent but should not touch the inner layer. The beauty about this system is if you know that there it is not going to rain you can leave this layer off to try to keep your tent cool on warm nights.
You can get them as a single layer. They are completely waterproof and are more common on 4 season tents. However, they are prone to overheating on hot days so although the name suggests it can be used for 4 seasons, the heat will be hard to cope with in the summer months.
Geodesic
A geodesic tent is very similar to a 4 season dome tent in that they are often single layer and use flexible poles but it may not follow the cross structure over the top of the tent. They are used for mountaineering or in places where you would expect harsh weather conditions. They use extra poles and are positioned in a different way so that it can cope better in bad weather. This sometimes results on more head room off the center of the tent because the wall may be more vertical that a dome shape. They are also freestanding but need to be tied down so the dome blow away.
Popup
Popup tents are the easiest to set up. You simply pick a camping spot. Lay down your tent and (as the name suggests) your tent will pop up in a matter of seconds. They are single layered and free standing.
The only problem with popup tents is that they are very big when they are packed away. They wont fit in you backpack so they are suited to car camping and festival goers. The support rings and material are all as one.
Family tents / Face to face
Family tents are much bigger and often have a large porch area that isn’t used for sleeping in. You will be able to stand up in this area. They will then have small areas off this bigger area for sleeping in. The size and amount of rooms will depend on the of your family. You can get a two room family tent with one that sleeps two and the other that sleeps four. Or a tree room and different room sizes. Pick a configuration that suits your particular circumstances.
Obviously these are solely for car camping as they are far to heavy and bulky for backpacking. They can be quite hard to set up it will take a joint effort to get it done.
Tunnel tent
This is another large tent that is great for large groups but are a lot easier to set up. The basic structure is the same as a polytunnel or hoop house that are used for growing vegetables but instead of have clear plastic to catch the suns ray it has the normal tent fabric seen in most tents. These come in all different sizes but are better used for bigger groups. Anything from 4 – 20 people.
The floor area of the bigger sizes can be huge. You can pack away your sleeping mats and bags during the day leaving lots of space to socialize and during the night there is space for multiple people. Although they mostly come as one big room there are add ons you can get to create smaller rooms within the space in case you need some privacy. There is normally large openings along the sides of the tent to let air flow through on hot days. These can be closed off during colder weather.
This would be another tent that you won’t be hiking too far with.
Ridge tent
Ridge tents are the more traditional tent that use two poles at either end of the tent and need the be tied down to stop it from falling over so they are non-freestanding. They come as basic or modern as you like. You could technically just use a tarp held up by two poles and held down with paracord but these days they normally come a similar form as the dome tent above. Two layers, the inner layer having waterproof floor attached to a breathable fabric wall and the outer layer being a waterproof fly.
You do have to be more selective on where you pitch your tent as you’re relying on the ground to be not too soft or not too hard to hold your pegs in place. Here is a post that will help you pitch a tent if you are on hard or rocky terrain.
These can be great for hiking but it will depend on the material you use. Some outer layers for ridge tents can be quite heavy. This is to keep in more heat but will add to the weight. You could also consider leaving the poles behind and use walking poles or branches as supports.
Other features you should look out for
Bathtub floor
Make sure the waterproof floor extents up the wall slightly. This will stop moisture entering your tent and will stop rain from splashing under the water proof fly and into your tent. It should extend higher than the lowest level of the outside layer.
Mesh doorways and windows
Sometimes it’s just nice to lay in your tent and look out at the views through the open door. Or during warm weather it is important to leave to doors and vents open to let air circulate. The only problem with this is that insects can enter your tent. The last thing you want when your about to drift off to sleep is the sound of a mosquito buzzing around your head. Most tents have a second mesh door that can be zipped separately to the outside waterproof door.
Tent footprint or tarp
A footprint is a waterproof sheet that is slightly bigger than the tents floor area. They are often sold separately so people often don’t get one, however they are very important if you want to extend the life of your tent. If you didn’t want to buy a footprint then a tarp can be used to do the same thing. Read this post find out more of why a ground sheet can really help your tent last longer
Enough leg room
If you’re tall then make sure you have enough leg room in the tent. Touching the wall overnight may result in you waking up damp due to condensation. It is a good idea to tryout a tent before you buy. Most outdoor shops will have a tent section where they should let you set up a tent before you buy.
So how to decide?
If you have already read the above then you should have a good idea of what you need.
Ask yourself the follow four questions.
Do I need a lightweight tent?
If you intent on doing any hiking in the future then look for a lightweight tent that packs away small. Make sure your backpack is big enough so that the tent will fit along with all your other gear.
If most of your camping will be car camping and you will just be hiking maybe once a year then still go for lightweight. You can still pitch a lightweight tent in a campground but it would be harder to go hiking with a heavy tent.
Or if money isn’t an issue for you then why not buy a tent for each occasion.
To keep weight ultra low you could consider using a hammock or bivvy. I have some other suggestion here for keeping the camping weight to a minimum.
How many will be sleeping in the tent?
The size of the tent will depend on how many intend on sleeping in it. I have mentioned above what you should look out for but I will add that the bigger the tent then the heavier it will be. If you’re hiking in a large group it would be better to have multiple small tents rather than one big tent. This will share the load between the group rather than having someone carrying the heavy family sized tent.
What conditions will I be camping in? Climate, season, etc.
This is another major factor that you will have to consider when buying tent. Again, if you intend on camping during the winter then a four season tent will do all year round but will be uncomfortably warm during the warmer months and a summer tent is the opposite. You also need to concider the climate which we spoke about above.
How much are you willing to spend?
Like most things, you get what you pay for, meaning you will get a better quality tent if you spend more money. This doesn’t mean running out and buy the dearest tent. You need to consider your needs. How often will you be camping? Do you need extra insulation? Will one tent do for everything or will multiple tents work better?
I hope this post helped you make up your mind on the type of tent that would suit your needs. Just one more thing, make sure you know how to set it up before you go camping.
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