Most Americans enjoy camping with their families or friends over the summer. 40.5 million Americans went camping at least once in 2016, according to polls. Between 2015 and 2019, 500,000 people went camping. A total of 587.2 million camping days were reported by participants, averaging 14.5 days per individual. What is the most important aspect of camping? They are camping tents!
Because there are so many tents on the market nowadays, it can be difficult to know what to look for when purchasing one. You’ll need to consider the sort of camping you enjoy, the weather you’ll likely face, and the number of people you usually camp with. Look for characteristics that will allow you to enjoy your tent for years to come. This post will help you in selecting the best tents for camping —your home away from home—whether the campsite is the primary attraction or merely your base camp for surrounding activities.
Sleeping Capacity In A Tent
When picking the best camping tents, consider the size of your group and whether or not you’ll need extra space for more friends, goods, or dogs. Keep in mind, however, that there is no industry standard for tent size per person. A piece of essential advice for analyzing tent capacity ratings is as follows:
- Assume that it will be a tight fit.
- Consider upsizing your tent by one person if you or your typical tent companion(s) are big, claustrophobic, twist and turn at sleep, nap better with more than usual elbow room, and accompany a small child or a pet.
Seasonality Of Tents
When it comes to tent seasonality, you have four choices.
Tents For 3 Seasons
3-season tents for camping are lightweight shelters intended for the generally moderate weather of spring, summer, and fall. They are by far the most common option for tents. They generally include a lot of mesh panels to help with air movement. Mesh panels keep insects out; however, powdery blowing sand can get in. 3-season tents can resist downpours when properly erected with a taut rainfly, but they are not the most excellent choice for prolonged exposure to intense storms, violent winds, or heavy snow. Three-season tents serve the following purposes:
- Keep you dry while it’s raining or snowing lightly.
- Protect you from insects.
- Allow for privacy.
3-4 Season Tents
Extended 3+ season tents are designed for extended 3-season use, making them ideal for early spring and late fall journeys when moderate snow is likely. Their objective was to strike a balance between ventilation, strength, and warmth retention. They usually have one or two additional poles and fewer mesh panels than pure three-season versions. It makes them more durable and toasty than their three-season counterparts. These are affordable camping tents and are an excellent alternative for people who regularly go to exposed, high-elevation locations. While they are pretty durable, they are not as well-equipped for challenging winter conditions as 4-season tents.
Tents For 4 Seasons
Mountaineering camping tents are designed to endure strong winds and heavy snow loads and may be used in any season. However, their primary purpose is to remain steadfast in the face of highly hostile weather. In comparison to 3-season tents, they have more poles and thicker materials. Their circular dome shapes prevent the possibility of snow accumulation on flat roofs. They have a limited number of mesh panels and rainfly that are near to the ground. It obstructs ventilation, making them feel hot and stuffy even in moderate weather. A 4-season tent, on the other hand, provides a haven when the winds pick up.
Peak Height
Look for tents for camping with a higher peak height if you want to stand up while changing clothes or enjoy the airiness of a high ceiling. Near-vertical walls in cabin-style tents tend to increase total peak height and living area. Some versions have family-friendly features like room separators and a vestibule door. On a windy night, you’ll enjoy the increased strength and wind-shedding characteristics of dome-style tents. They are towering in the middle, but their walls have a slight incline, reducing the living area.
Doors For Tents
You must consider the number of doors you’ll need, as well as their form and position while selecting your camping tents. Multiple doors assist you in avoiding crawling over each other for nocturnal bathroom breaks if you’re camping with your family. In this case, cabin-style tents tend to shine.
Poles For Tents
The pole structure of a tent influences how simple or difficult it is to pitch. These days, almost all family tents for camping are self-contained. It implies they don’t need stakes to get started. The main benefit is taking up the tent and transferring it to a new site before staking it. Many tents utilize both clips and short pole sleeves to balance strength, ventilation, and setup simplicity. Aluminum poles are more robust than fiberglass poles.
Materials For Tents
When looking for fabric canopies and rainfly, consider that higher-denier fabrics are more durable than lower-denier ones. Tent floors with seam tape and high-denier materials are also less likely to leak.
Ventilation
Tent ceilings, doors, and windows frequently have mesh panels. It allows for vistas and improves cross-ventilation, which helps with condensation management. Look for more extensive mesh panels if you live in a hot, humid area.
Conclusion
Never keep food in or near your camping tents, and never eat in it. The fragrance of food will entice creatures to rip through your tent to get at it. Consider purchasing a separate screen room to use as a dining space if you’re camping in a pest-prone region. Use the ground cloth that comes with your tent. They serve as a barrier between the tent floor and sticks, stones, and rough places. They also aid in the prevention of groundwater seepage into the tent. Set up your tent in the yard and air it out when you get home after a camping trip. To extend the life of your tent, never keep it in a stuff sack; instead, store it loosely in a dry, aired location.