Selecting a Camping Tent

Your first priority is determining what type of camping you are going to utilize the tent for. Camping together with your car or van at an established campsite requires different kinds of tents than walking in to a wilderness site.

Camping tents belong to three broad categories: "A" frame, dome, and cabin styles.

- "A" frames have two upright poles that support a ridge pole. Generally small, they have a maximum capacity of 2-3 people. Models range between low-cost pup tents to high-quality backpacking tents. In most cases, "A" frames are designed strictly for sleeping, and for providing minimal shelter from sun and rain. For family camping they're often used as separate quarters for the kids, who insist upon having their own bedroom.

-Dome tents resemble high-tech igloos and use three or more poles based on configuration. Models can sleep from two to eight people. Some dome styles permit you to stand erect inside, while some have little headroom. In most cases, dome tents are the easiest to erect, once you learn the basics. Plus they can often be moved, while pitched, if you realise the ground is more suitable several feet away.

-Cabin style tents are simply what the name implies, and so are designed to accommodate larger groups of people. Main support is a horizontal ridge pole linked to uprights that extend to the bottom front & back. Often they will have side ridges and poles aswell. The better models use external poles, thus providing more usable space inside. You should have more than enough headroom to stand comfortably in this sort of tent, not always the case with other styles.

All of this tends to over-simplify, because many tents are hybrids, combining top features of all three styles. These often are identified as "modified domes"---which covers quite a bit of ground.

Over the years my family has used almost every design of tent. Our initial family camping trip, for instance, was made out of a cabin tent. We'd some toddlers, a crib, a portable potty, mounds of clothing, and sundry other items. As the boys grew, so did our interests, from family camping to backpacking, which needed high-tech packing tents. By the time the kids were within their teens these were camping on their own, and we expanded our interest to whitewater rafting and four-wheeling. For  Great post to read  modified dome fit the bill.

Selection of tent style is often a matter of personal preference and lifestyle needs - as is additional camping equipment. If you don't care for sleeping on the floor you are going to bring along a folding cot. If so, make sure the tent is big enough to accommodate one.

If you don't object to crawling in and from the tent on hands and knees, a backpacking tent is ideal. They are lightweight and, when folded, make a small package. This makes them ideal for canoe and bicycle camping, where weight and bulk are considerations.

However, if you want to stand up and stretch each morning, a dome or cabin tent will suit you better. There's plenty of headroom, and, depending on size, space to stow your gear as well. It's therefore not unusual for two people to work with a six-person tent, particularly if they need their equipment inside using them.

Whatever tent style you choose, it's vital that you give it a dry run before heading on a camping trip. Set the tent up in your yard or perhaps a nearby park, to learn what pitching and striking it really is all about. You'll find nothing worse than attempting to create a tent for the first time at two each morning, after a long drive. It could really put a damper on your own camping trip.

Some tents additionally require that the seams be sealed, using compounds the maker supplies. You can better do this through the test run then while actually surviving in the tent.

Finally, be aware of warranties. A reputable company will stand behind its gear, offering a multi-year or lifetime warranty. Furthermore, the client service department usually has a policy of repair or replacement if there are any manufacturing problems. A company that's afraid to offer replacement parts or repair service on its tents is not confident about its equipment---which should let you know if you really want to buy that product.