Purchasing a New Tent

When you begin to look for a tent, several factors need to be considered:

• How it will be used?
• What is a reasonable weight?
• How many people are sleeping inside?
• How much money you are willing to spend?
• How easy is it to setup (do you need a PhD in Physics)?

There is no such thing as the "Perfect"tent for all people. You need to consider which of these criteria are most important to you and which tent is the most appropriate for your needs. Howis the tent going to be used?

Unless you are planning on camping in the snowthen you will probably not need a true four season tent. Quality threeseason tents (unlike cheapies from mass retailers) are designed to be used in all of the conditions that the average backpacker will encounter. They have well made, waterproof floors and waterproof rainflys (often with a vestibule).Their designs focus on ventilation, weight, quick setup, and usually price. Many have mesh panels in the walls and ceilings to increase air circulation serving to reduce condensation. Mesh panels also increase your chances of seeing wildlife, sunrise, shooting stars, and so many sights that may go otherwise unnoticed. The next best thing to sleeping outside is in an all-mesh tent, immune to the mosquito and fly, but you're really "out there."

Four season tent designs focus on withstanding such elements as high winds, snow loads, and even ultraviolet radiation. More poles mean more pole intersections which provides a more stable structure, gone are mesh panels in order to reduce cold drafts, and rainflys offer coverage to the ground. A four seson tent will usually have two zipperred entrances on opposite sides of the tent in order to thwart nasty wind or blowing snow. Also a hooped vestibule, one that uses its own pole, can allow for cooking and gear stowage. By design, four seson tents are more difficult to set up, and because they may have a more streamlined shape, such important comfort features like peak height may be sacrificed for wind shedding ability.

Today, most tents sold for backpacking, car camping, and mountaineering are free-standing, this means that the tension of the poles is enough to support the structure without stakes or guy lines. All tents should be staked or tied off to heavy rocks when the soil proves to be impenetrable. Winter campers are known to bury snowshoes or skis in the snow for anchoring in high winds. Snow and sand stakes can also be used. A free standing tent can be moved easily after set-up to avoid uneven ground or pooping birds. Perhaps the only drawback to a free standing tent is the increased weight and cost from the extra poles necessary to support the tent.

The size of the tent will be determined by the amount and size of the intended occupants. Certain smaller two person tent designs are well suited for couples. Because some tents are so small, two relative strangers may not feel comfortable sleeping so close to each other. If two people plan on bringing their packs inside the tent, a three person tent may be a wise choice. Many people spend the absolute minimum amount of time in the tent, fair weather campers who would rather sleep outside, but are forced inside at night by insects, or inclement weather. For this type of person a smaller tent is suitable, but when bad weather hits, and much time is spent inside the tent, square footage is at a premium.

The price of a tent varies considerably. In order for a tent to be storm proof, it must have a rainfly that offers full coverage to the ground. A tent that does not offer a lifetime guarantee is probably not worth the money. These types of inexpensive tents are great for when junior camps in the backyard, but prove to be disposable after one season of use orless. Tents that are manufactured by well-known producers are the only ones that can be expected to last year after year. Any tent for two people costing less that one hundred dollars is suspect. Shop for name brands if you expect to get any type of consumer support should you ever need replacement components or a simple repair. Aluminum poles are well worth the extra expense, as they are lighter, stronger, and more flexible. Fiberglass poles require more gentle treatment and eventually begin to crack and splinter, something aluminum poles rarely do. Also, a tent that uses sleeves and fiberglass poles is more difficult to set up and take down because fiberglass poles have external ferrules that tend to get snagged constantly. Finally, aluminum poles can be splinted easily with a simple tube making a broken pole a minor inconvenience.

The weight factor of a tent is something that must be considered. A four season tent will always weigh more than an equally sized three season tent. Most two to three person backpacking tents fall between four and nine or ten pounds. If a tent is used on a backpacking trip the components of the tent should be diveided up among the occupants. There are more important considerations than weight for car camping tents and backpacking tents alike, so chose one for the design and quality features you prefer, instead of being so concerned by weight. Tent manufacturers also use different ways of determining the weight of the tent; some include the complete packaged weight, and others just state the weight of the poles, rainfly, and tent body. For those extremely weight conscious users, a bivouac sac is an option as well as certain floorless tent designs.

Expect to purchase a tent with shock-corded poles that snap into place. These are huge timesavers and virtually eliminate lost poles. Clips and sleeves are often used on the sametent combining the benefits of each. Sleeves can be punctured by over zealous campers, and those tents with many poles and many sleeves can be somewhat confusing to set up. Clips on the other hand provide more unobstructed ventilation and are unaffected by U.V. degradation. With some practice, setting up any tent can be a simple and pleasurable task.

Once again, choose a tent that has a design that appeals to you and be confident that any quality tent should satisfy.*