Tents for Camping

As you might imagine, because people camp and hike in all different kinds of terrain and cilmates, and in different size groups, there are dozens of different kinds of tents. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for a tent for camping:

Plan for the Worst – and Then Get Conservative from There

As a general rule, you want to choose a tent style and size that’s designed to withstand the very worst possible conditions you think you’ll face on your expedition. For instance, if you’re a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictably mild, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick – especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can pull up stakes and move to safety if really bad weather swoops in! If you’re a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you’ll want to take something designed to handle more adversity than a light shower.

Three and Four Season Tents

For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.

For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents weight about 10 – 20 percent more than three-season tents, and are also more expensive.

Domes and Tunnels

Tents for camping come in two general types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents usually incorporate a dome shaped design. Four-season tents are more often designed this way to present a downward curved surface to the elements. Snow will not accumulate on, and collapse, a sloping dome. Domes are also structurally sounder than any other design. Remember the Bucky Dome?

Three-season models are designed with modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome type tent. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being lighter in weight. Tunnel models can also be set up faster than a dome because there are fewer poles to deal with.

Size is Everything

How many people will you be fitting in your fabric hotel? For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you are planning for big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the best choice. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. If you don’t need or want bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.

Family campers who travel by vehicle and only in good weather conditions have a wide variety of jumbo tents to choose from. An 8 person tent will feel huge and provide plenty of room for a medium size family even when you all have to duck into it to avoid a sudden shower. The Wenzel 10×8 4 person dome tent is a good example.

The major decision points are floor space, useable interior volume, weight, and ease or difficulty of set up. If your group is off-road and humping everything then see how many separate parts into which you can break up the tent’s components. Even a really big tent may be doable with enough people in the party.

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