SO YOU WANT WANT TO BUY A POP UP TENT
stick around; I am about to list some detailed basics to help you choose what you need so keep reading
I will be covering :
- what to consider when it comes to the types of tent
-elements to look for in the tent
-different styles
let's start
TYPE OF TENTS CONSIDERATIONS :
The type depends on the purpose of your tent , witch is related to the :
-Location you will be placing it in.
-The type of weather in that location.
-Number of people that are going to occupy it .
-The nature of the people , and their behaviors .
mainly to decide the size of the tent , let's say your are travelling with a claustrophobic person or maybe that person is you , a larger tent is what you should go for , the sames goes if you are using the tent with someone who appreciate persona space.
-The amount of time spend inside and the type activities.
-The level of intimacy between the travelers , it is not the same for friends as for couple or kids and so on
-Are you bringing little kid or some kind of pet.
-The size depending on the gear that is going to be stored their , obviously you are not going to keep your belongings lying on the ground outside .
-The size depending on space arrangement , are their tall people in the group , do you have those who move a lot during their sleep , will you need to keep some campers separated ; for that you can get tents that come with two or three rooms which is perfect if you would like to put girls in a room and boys in another .
here are some general information regarding this :
- a 2-room tent provides little privacy
- a Multi-room tent comes in :
2-room styles and the rooms are separated an inside tent wall with a zippered door
or 3- room style that is just like the 2-room style but with an additional added screen room that is perfect for changing dirty or wet clothes
tip:
-you may want to have a special tent for your gears if you had a lot of it
-Always buy the tent for a size that is designed for a higher number of people ( if you are two travelers then get a tent designed fo four people
ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER :
1- THE FLOOR :
The feature that must exist in every tent is a SOLID floor , WATER-RESISTANT floor
the reason being is because the floor is carrying all the pressure of the tent , and no matter what the location you would be placing it in you are always prone to water , so you should make sure the fabric doesn't allow it to penetrate witch explains why you often find tent's floor to be heavy ( definitely not a thing to complain about) .
tip: -no matter how heavy the duty material of the floor you should always put a trap under your tent .
-best kind of tents for waterprofeness comes with " bathtub" like floor where the groundsheet extends further up the side of the tent it's usually cold " tub floor"
WHAT IS TUB FLOOR YOU MAY ASK
this element exist in ever tent made out there to make it durable and to keep you dry while you are in side , and a good tent will have one piece tub floor meaning there are no cross seams connecting the floor material
the name comes from the way the materials continue up the walls before being sewn to the walls giving it a similar look of a tub , the purpose of that is to keep the side seams elevated in order to keep them from touching the ground
2-FABRIC / VENTILATION :
The majority of tents that you will find out there are made of nylon taffeta /ripstop nylon
there are also those made of : oxford nylon , cotton , mesh , polyester , fire retardant , plastic , mlud flaps , pollen gauze ...
heavier tents are made of coated polyester / cotton poplin
when talking about fabric we are talking about the tent's wall because that's what they are made of and the choice should be made based on
1-the desired weight
2-season of camping , to determine the weather you would be exposed to
- polyester withstand the extended exposure to the sun
-there are a three-season tent ( from spring to fall ) which are made of no-see-netting making them perfect for the summer specially because they come with lighter fabrics , more mesh .
-the four-season tent ( used anytime of the year )is made of fabric that is designed to keep you warm or cool , they are heavier as you already assumed , they have less mesh , much stronger which equals more cash to spend
more on tent seasonality later on .
--the tent needs to have an adequate rainfly ( it is the tent's umbrella ) the bigger the better
OTHER FEATURES:
- A tent with folded seams and double stitching
a tent where you can pull the material on either side of a seam and see through the stitches will leak
- A tent with noseeum meshing
this should take care of those mean little bugs
- A tent with heavy-duty zippers
you will be getting in and out of your tent a lot , the very last thing we want is have a bad quality zipper leave you exposed if it breaks
as explained before , you need a water proof floor and is should come a few inches up the sides before it is sown to the tent walls , if your tent doesn't have seam in the floor this means there is no place for water to seep . a good water proof tent will have a floor made of heavy gauge polyurethane-coated nylon taffeta or oxford nylon
tip : don't go about spending you money on a heave rigid tent if you don't need that feature , just go with what best suits your condition
THE VENTILATION :
this is a very important element to keep in mind when looking for a tent , specially if you have a camper with health issues that requires ventilation ( like asthmatic people for example )
for this reason mesh panels are placed in the ceiling , doors and windows of the tent
- You should also know how flammable is the tent ( read the labels carefully)
3-TENT POLES :
-Tent poles made from aluminium ( lightweight )
-Tent poles that use fiberglass ( durable)
The Alumin :
-perfect for high -end tents
-strong
-light
-thick
-used for the four season tent
-flexible
The fiberglass :
only use them if you are a car camper
their feature :
-heavy
-fragile
-crack under cold temperature
-more flexible and doesn't require prebending or any special attachments
-it has batter packing size when folded
-cheaper
4-WEIGHT :
You are starting to narrow down your choices ... here is another thing to consider before you go and buy you tent just yet ... did you pay attention to the weight of your tent ?
it is relative to the following factors :
-Are you going to your destination using transportation , or will you carry everything manually ?
-Are you planning on spending a lot of time inside the tent , or is going to be just for sleep and rest ?
-is the chosen camping location known to be windy or is it warm and calm ?
Backpack will want a lighter tent than car campers that will focus on the size in generally and whether the tent will fit in the vehicle , so which one are you ? get your tent based on that.
5- TENT SEASONALITY :
this is the most bought type of tents ,it is
-lightweight
-designed for the temperature of spring , summer , fall
- made with ample mesh panels to boost air flow
-pitched with a taut rainfly
the pilot function of the latter are :
- keep you dry during light rain /snow.
- shield from bugs.
- privacy.
this is like an all seasons tent , for prolonged usage their main goal is
- balance of ventilation
- strength and warm -retention
Typically it includes 1 or 2 more poles and fewer mesh panels than the pure 3-season one , making them warmer and sturdier
it is a very good choice for those who make frequent trips to high elevation destinations but still, the are not fully fortified for harsh winter conditions.
designed to resist the winds and the substantial loads of snow ; it can be used any time of the year it is the altimate all season tent
main functions are :
- stand in the very serious inhospitable weather
- maximum strength
They comes with more poles and heavier fabric than all the tents listed above , normally they come with a round dome design not a flat roof that snow can collect
you will not be finding a lot of mesh panels or rainflies that extend close to the ground that way the ventilation would be limited and warm could be generated . It is a perfect refuge when winds starts to howl .
6-TENT DOORS :
Don't forget to think about the number of doors when choosing your tent depending on you need
make your choice based on their shape and their orientation . When camping with family or a big group of people , friends ..a good number of doors is better for an easier accessibility without having to climb on each other for midnight bathroom breaks .
tip: pay attention to the zippers carefully , are they noisy ? , difficult to open ? ... remember ...at night you don't want to disturb your fellows on you way out
7-OPTIONAL TENT ACCESSORIES :
it is a groundclothe that , usually , is found separately , its place is under the floor of the tent which are sized to fit tent shape
A gear loft is an additional interior piece , it is a mesh shelf for tucking greater volumes of gear out of the way .
- utility cord.
- inside/outside floor mat.
- tent repair kit .
- stakes and anchors .
- broom and dustpan.
- seam sealer .
- battery- powered fan .
STYLE:
tents come in different styles
- Traditional A-Frame tents :
the name says it all , they are an A- shaped tent they have an added tarp for extra weather protection but can be heavy to carry . They do not provide a lot of space inside which makes them a simple shelter normally they can fit only 2 people, not for the hard conditions such as winds or rain .
the only difference between the traditional A-frame and the Modified one is that the second version uses curved poles instead of straight poles providing more stability , plus the full coverage rainfly
the Tunnel tents provides a higher level of stability however when pitched the wrongly they become much less stable , made of two or more poles along the width of the tent ; this way the shape gives a much better interior space and head room .
these tents have curved poles at each end to help remain the shape and provide the stable nature .also , the come with three or more arched frames for more space and more head room .The good side of the Hoop tent is the shape that protects against snow and water . make sure you stack the fabric down well because if you don't they will rattle and flap in the wind .
this type of tent is the lightest in the market ; best choice for you backpack campers .
The single hoop tents are made of one curved pole , and the design is made to fit one person or two maximum , the easiest tent to set up ; ideal for cycling backpack campers due to the space and weight factors .
Dome tent are the most popular tents ; and they are the number one choice for most campers thanks to the dome shape that provides a lot of feature other tent fail to reach ,mainly the comfort.
they are made of two or three poles passing across the center of the roof , very spacious and great head room ; so don't worry about any back pain while camping whit this bad ass
I hope this information will aid you to choose your tent .
may you camping trip be the best :D
