Camping With Tents

Camping with tents

If you are new to camping then you are going to have a lot of gear to purchase. One of the most important camping investments you will make is your tent. When you are shopping for a new tent you will want to consider several different factors to ensure you are happy with your purchase. If you buy a good tent the first time around, you will be happy with it for a very long time and you will definately get your money's worth out of the tent.

Tent sizes, Multi-Room Tents and Other Tent Options

The first thing to consider is the size of your tent. If you are planning a backpack, mountain biking, canoe or other type of camping trip, you want a tent that wqill be easy to carry. Tent capacity is based on the aquare footage of the tent and how many sleeping bags you can fit in it.

Tents range from one person "pup" tents to 6+ multi-room tents. However, you will find that you will want a tent that is slightly larger than how many people the packaging says it sleeps. Two people, for example, will be much more comfortable in a four person tent. A good rule of thumb is to buy a tent that sleeps two more people than you have. If you are bringing large dogs along as well you will also want to have a room for them, as they need to sleep inside too.

Multi-room tents are nice as well, especially if you have a large family. There are two room style tents where the tent is basically split down the middle with a zippered divider. There are three room styles to accomidate larger families. If you are camping in one tent with a large family, then these are very handy. One room can sleep the kids, the large room can sleep you and your spouse and the other room can be used as a changing room or a storage room. You can also put pets in one room if you wish.

Types of Tents:

Dome Tent:

-Freestanding

-Easy to move

-More headroom in center

-More floor space

-No large surfaces exposed to wind

Cabin Tent:

- A lot of headroom & floor space
- Large surfaces are exposed to wind

can easily be destroyed by wind.
- Guy ropes needed to support tent to

reduce risk of tent damage

- Usually is a Heavy Tent

Multi-Room Tent:

- Multi-function capabilities
- Available in two and three room models

- Usually takes a little longer to set up

Tips For New Tent Campers

Camping is a new experience for everyone, we all have to start somewhere, right? I'm sure there is a camping story that made you rethink the idea of doing this camping thing again. There is an old saying that applies to every camping situation "live and learn?" Here are a couple tips to prepare you for the long haul:

Tryout your gear:
Before you arrive at the campground you should always try out your gear. There is nothing worse than arriving at your site and then trying to put together a tent that your not familiar with, that has so many poles you have no clue where they go. Most of the time the colored stickers that are applied to the poles for "easy assembly" can be found at the bottom of the tent bag. " LOL " Your best option is to purchase a camping tent with intergrated poles for quick and easy set up, a bathtub style floor, heat taped seams, and quality materials. This will make your trip a lot easier, drier, and more fun for everyone.

Buy a bigger tent for family comfort:
New campers usually make the mistake of buying a tent just big enough for their family members. I recommend purchasing a family tent with a capacity rated two higher than the number of campers. So for a family of 4 I would recommend a 6 person tent, for a family of 6 an 8 person tent and so on. For a more comfortable experience buy smart and go big.

Choosing a Sleeping Bag:
Sleeping bags can somtimes be overlooked, when choosing the right sleeping bag keep in mind the temperature of the location you will be camping at and the time of year. Your body will generate heat inside of the bag so base the sleeping bag rating accordingly.

Practice setting up your tent in the backyard and sleep in your sleeping bag one night prior to your trip. This will save you the aggravation later.