A quest to adventure is the driving force of life. Campers enjoy an adventurous time outdoors. If you would like to try out camping, the first thing to do is buy a tent. Last minute shopping for a camping trip and buying a tent in the local supermarket may seem like a great idea. But, the fun would last just until it rains. A cheap tent would fit the bill only when the weather is pristine while a quality tent would last for years.
If you are confused with different options available in the market, here is a quick guideline to help you!
Basics of buying your tent
The first thing to decide is your budget. As a rule of thumb, always buy the best tent that you can afford. Picking an expensive tent that hurts your budget can be bad for your camping trip! Spending on a quality tent is well worth the money as it would save you from buying more tents in the future. Buying a tent for camping is not necessarily the same as buying for a backpacking trip. A lightweight tent is easy to carry around. That’s why they are great tents for backpacking or hiking.
Friends camping by the fire in woods at night. Four people, two males and two females, all in their 20s and Caucasian.
Let’s check out what to look out for while shopping for a backpacking tent:
1. Tent capacity:
Think about the number of people who use the tent regularly. Most often backpackers and hikers go for a one person or two person tent but four-person tents are available. A backpacker tent is smaller than a regular camping tent and you could fit more snugly in your baggage.
2. Seasonality:
There are mainly three options when you go for the backpacking tent – 3-season, 3-4 season, and 4 season tents. If you are a frequent backpacker, the ideal choice would be a tent that can be used in any season.
3. Tent weight:
A lightweight tent is ideal when you are choosing it for a backpacking trip as it could weigh you down. Without sacrificing the space or comfort level, pick the ultra-lightweight tents. Strike a good balance between the weight, the comfort level and durability of the tent when you buy one. You could also think about the packed size of the tent when you buy to give you an idea if it would be easy to carry around.
4. Interior design and other tent factors:
Often, the interior design of the tent is called as the livability of the tent. A good tent has a great combination of all the different design factors like:
- The volume of the tent.
- The floor dimensions in the tent.
- The peak height of the tent.
- The shape of the wall.
- The door to the tent.
- The ventilation options in the tent including windows.
Wrapping it up:
Always read the manuals when you buy a tent to know more about the options available to you. You might even want to check out tent reviews before you buy one. When you buy your tent, ask yourself all the basic questions. Think about your budget, the type of tent that you would buy, the size, seasonality, and livability. This would definitely help you make the right choice!
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