What to consider when buying your tent

Determine how many people and how much gear you'll be traveling with and what kind of use you need the tent for. Tents are advertised as two man, four man, six man and so on. This is the maximum number of persons that can sleep in closely with no room for personal gear.

Plan for a minimum of 25 square feet of floor space per person. Make this even higher for longer camping trips, unless reduced weight is important. Consider actual length and width. If you are six feet tall, you will need a space of at least seven feet in order to stretch out and not be crammed against the tent sides. You will need at least two and one half feet in width just for sleeping. Teenagers should be considered as adults when fitting a tent and don't forget to add space for storage

Consider peak inside height. For car camping and most trips where carrying the tent is not a consideration, try to have a tent that is tall enough for you to stand up in. Plan for the taller person in your group. A six or seven foot peak height is helpful for adults, and a four foot peak is about right for kids. Remember, the tent walls slope downward at a sharp angle, so the actual spot where you can stand up will be small. Larger spaces will be provided in tents with taller peaks.

For most backpacking tents, a height of 40 inches or more is provided so the occupants can sit up instead of standing up. Some very small one-man tents are only slightly bigger than a sleeping bag and sitting up is not an option. Pick the size which best fits your needs and intended purpose. Generally pick the smallest, lightest tent you can live with if you're backpacking or biking. If you're uncomfortable in small spaces, opt for the larger size.

Finally I would advise when making your choice that you go to a camping outlet as opposed to buying online, It is important you can see your tent in the flesh so to speak, to get a feel for the size and remember shop around for the best prices

 

Those are great considerations to remember. Also think about the type of stakes you will have to carry, thin metal, strong metal, plastic or fiberglass. Practice setting up and tearing down your tent. That should be everyone you intend to camp with so they all can help out and have seen it happen a couple of times. Even kids can learn how to be a good assistant. Even if they only hold something and wait it is an important skill.

 

These are great suggestions! Tents are awesome, and pretty easy to use. Kids love them, so we like to have some. My sons carry them while scouting and put them up themselves.

 

I was always most worried about weight, whether it was waterproof, and the relative durability of the unit. I can honestly say I never thought as much about size and stakes. Then again depending on location I have been known to exchange tent and sleeping bag for hammock.

 

I generally go with the recommendations of friends. Experience beats ANYTHING else. The information is very often biased.

 

Wouldn't you think that they are all/most of them just trying to do their job and earn money?

yes, you can't test out every brand and model but why change what's not broken?

 

bearing in mind the importance of the experience why are forgetting of your budget pals. you should have to plan and decide ahead of time how much you can afford to spend.considering the features of the tent is also as vital as considering all the above mentioned factors. thus please give much attentions to these factors to get the best tent and long lasting.

 

Those are some great considerations! Thank you for posting. Now I know what to what to look for when I go shopping for a tent. Usually, I will go shopping with my significant other but I am forced to go alone, and I had no idea what I was doing. It is going to be our first camping trip that we have planned for months. In your post, you stated something about car camping, and it confused me because I have never heard of such thing. What exactly is car camping?

 

One factor is how many people is the tent for? You want to make sure you do your research to get the best tent for your buck. Remember don't get cheap because you get what you pay for.

 

These are some great tips! I always look at size, since we are a family of 5, so we need a large tent. I always go with a trustworthy brand as well, since they seem to hold up better.

 

Great info here. I have more questions, will start another thread.

 

I bought a tent only once in my lifetime and that was when I was already working. My camping buddies were my male friends so the tent I bought was one that was good for 4 people. When we go on camping, we were at least 4 so my tent would suffice for us. But some of my camping buddies have a tent of their own. My consideration in buying a tent is the size and quality. I prefer the army tent which was thick and although heavy. It can provide full protection even when it rains for a long time. The modern tents now are light but water can seep so you can get wet.

 

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...ya gotta be kidding me @Alexandoy? One tent? I've manged to purchased a hundred or more.

 

Wow! Like army chainmail canvas? Tuff stuff.

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