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Choosing a tent these days is much more challenging than it used to be, when one- or two-person pup tents ruled the campground. Today, there is a sea of options when selecting the right tent for your camping needs. Dome tents, ridge tents, frame tents, tents big enough to house everyone and the kitchen sink. All sizes and shapes exist. How do you choose, especially if you're a novice? We're here to help.
The first consideration when buying a tent is the season you plan to use it. Are you going on a summer camping trip with the family? No need to invest in a four-season tent, which is expensive and not something you really need. Most people tend to stick with two- to three-person, lightweight tents when they first set out to buy one.
Basically, tents are categorized into summer tents and three- and four-season tents. Summer tents generally have no more than two poles, making it lightweight and easy to set up. They include a rain fly that helps to protect from rainstorms and heat from the sun, and they have windows and doors that zip, allowing for proper ventilation.
Three- and four-season tents are a bit more complicated due to the fact they are built to stand up against all types of weather. These types of tents are great for avid outdoors people, and quite necessary in a variety of camping situations, depending on the type of trip. They are built with three- and four-pole high-strength aluminum construction, generally a full-coverage rain fly and hefty guy-out points on the rain fly to reinforce the tent should a storm get too chaotic.
There are different types of tents available:
A dome tent is easy to set up because of the lightweight flexible poles. This type of tent is great for a backpacker or biker because the pack size is small and portable. Dome tents come in all sizes; small enough for two and big enough to accommodate an entire family. If using a dome tent at a higher elevation, remember it needs to be a model with a lower dome. The higher the dome, the more vulnerable the tent in windy weather. In fact, the Geodesic tent is better suited to extremely windy conditions. It's essentially the same as a dome tent but has a stronger pole system.
If living space is what's important to you then a frame tent is your best bet. The frame tent gives plenty of headroom, and some are even outfitted with kitchen space, where extra air vents are provided. Frame tents boast living areas as large as the sleeping area and the walls are nearly vertical and generally around 5 to 6 feet. These tents are great for families.
Cabin tents are ideal for families on a summer camping vacation. Outfitted with awnings at one or both sides, the cabin tent comes with removable internal dividers that allow the tent to be split into various rooms. The tents come in different sizes, ranging from two rooms to four. There's plenty of headroom in the cabin tent, similar to the frame tent, and are fairly easy to set up.
Tunnel tents come with limited headroom and are generally used in high-wind situations because they are low to the ground. The tunnel tent sleeps one or 10 people, depending on your needs. It's called a tunnel tent because the poles are arranged as three hoops giving the tent its tunnel shape. Generally there is a sleeping area at one end and living space at the other.
The hoop tent uses one flexible pole making it very easy to set up and extremely lightweight. These are generally one- and two-person tents with limited headroom. Perfect for an overnight stay in a campground or at a outdoor concert.
Some things you want to make sure your tent includes:
Collapsible poles
Tent stakes (even freestanding tents need to be staked else they'll take off like a kite)
Inside storage pockets
Nylon or polyester fabric for lightness
Waterproof flooring and walls
Waterproof rainfly that hooks to poles
Mesh windows and doors that zip
Color-coded poles or same-length poles to ensure easy set-up
To view our great selection of Tents, use the following links:
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