How to Choose A Tent
by Ambra Sidoro
http://www.famtent.com
There are two key factors when it comes to deciding on a
tent - 1. How much do you want to spend? 2. What are you
going to use the tent for? They are linked - even if you
have plenty of money you should not spend hundreds of
dollars on a little play tent for the kids to use on the
beach for a few days each year. The trick is to buy
something well-made that does the job.
For most people tents do not provide a home of a permanent
kind (though in Mongolia the nomads have tents called Yust
or Ger which are their only homes and they move them when
the seasons change). For the majority of us tents provide
a place to live whilst on holiday, so that we can connect
with the countryside around us and travel around staying
where we fancy whilst at the same time saving a bit of
cash.
So the first question is how will we be moving from place
to place? If we are travelling by automobile then weight
is no object, but space might be. One option is to buy a
trailer tent - these come in their own trailer, and are a
bit like a soft, packable caravan. The main advantage is
that the trailer is much less trouble to tow than a huge
caravan. On the other hand if you are relying on stowing
all your gear in your vehicle then you will need to give
some thought to the space that the packed tent will take
up. You are looking for a tent that gives you as much
possible space to live in when pitched, but still leaves
space in your trunk to pack the other essentials. Remember
a camping trip with a family needs a lot of equipment:
cooking gear; stove and fuel; plates, bowls and other
eating utensils; sleeping bags and mats or beds; all your
clothing; food; toys... There is plenty of equipment you
need, so do not underestimate it.
One tip for making the best of space is to look for a tent
that gives you living space without bulk - it should make
use of awnings that give you sun and rain protection and
hallways that are covered but that do not have sewn in
groundsheets. Only the sleeping quarters need to be
properly sealed from the elements and the mosquitoes -
anything more is just extra material you will need to pack.
Also remember that you will need to stand up if you are
going to try and cook under the awning. Look for the best
compromise between space and packed size, without worrying
too much about weight.
Some tents are built to withstand terrible weather
conditions. If you are planning a family camping holiday,
ask yourself if you really need this. Quite honestly, if
the weather turns really nasty, are you really going to
stick it out or just check into the nearest motel? I know
what I would do. So go for something that can stand as
much weather as your family can, but no more - all this
storm proofing usually makes a tent heavier, bigger and
more expensive.
Automobile-backed camp trips are not the only choice.
Backpacking is a sensible consideration, even with a
family. But the things you need to think about are
different - almost everything suggested above you want to
reverse. Do not ignore weight - it is you back that is
going to be hauling this stuff. If you are interested then
you might want to look into the ultra light backpacking
revolution. There are fantastic active discussion lists on
the web, and small suppliers specializing in featherweight
gear. Tapping ultra light backpacking into your favorite
search engine will take you there.
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