Camping trips are becoming a popular lifestyle.
People, especially during vacations or weekends, want to relax and get rid of stress. As a first-timer, you are faced with the arduous question of how to choose your first camping tent
This article is designed to help you solve that dilemma by giving you insight and advice to guide you in choosing your first camping tent because there are as many as there are coins on Paybis.
Some things to consider when choosing a camping tent
Your Budget
Some people would argue that buying a cheap tent is not a good idea. When buying the best camping tent, you should ask yourself how much you want to spend and if your budget will be good enough to get what you want.
More expensive things most often have higher quality than those which are cheaper.
It would be best to consider how often you want to go camping or get involved in camping-related activities. It is advisable to go for moderate-priced tents so that you do not end up with a piece of junk.
The Type of Camping
If you plan to go on a camping expedition with your whole family, you will need a larger tent than if you are alone. If you are driving to a place close to your camping venue, the weight of your tent will be no big deal.
In contrast, if you will be trekking or hiking to the venue of your camp, you will need to buy a lightweight tent.
How Many Campers You Are Accommodating
The number of people you want to accommodate in your tent is important to consider when choosing your tent.
If you are camping alone, you will need something much smaller than if you are with your family. Bear in mind that larger tents are costlier and more challenging to set up than smaller ones.
The Weather
Tents can be 2-season, 3-season, or 4-season. For a beginner, the most advisable is to go for a three-season tent. This is because a three-season tent can withstand moderate rainfall, mild wind, and a little snow.
It also allows good ventilation and protection. A three-season tent sometimes consists of extra storage that allows you to keep camping gear outside and sometimes has rain flies that can be removed.
The Tent Design
What you will be doing in your tent will generally determine the design to go for. There are different designs of camping tents. There is the dome tent which is the conventional tent. This tent doesn’t have much room but is very easy to set up, especially for beginners.
There is also the cabin tent. The cabin tent is usually larger and a little bit more technical to set up.
However, it gives room for standing up, unlike the dome tent. There are also instant, pop-up, and tunnel tents, among others. Some other useful tips for buying your tent are.
Set Up Your Tent Before Purchase
It is advisable to buy your tent for camping from a store that will allow you to set it up before you pay. Doing this will guarantee that you have bought what you want, not something else from a random store.
Check Size and Dimensions
If you do not pay attention to the size and dimensions of the package of your tent, be ready for unpleasant surprises. This is because you might buy a child’s tent when you need an adult tent. In another extreme case, you might buy something bigger than you need.
Find Out the Ease of Using the Camping Tent
Getting to your campsite only to discover that you cannot set up your tent will be frustrating. You must research how easy it is to use and maintain your tent before you purchase it.
Check Out the Tent Accessories
A rainfly is usually a covering that is made of waterproof material. This covering is built to be under the roof of your tent.
It is useful whenever you expect rain or dew, or need a little more warmth in your tent. You might need to check accessories such as rain flies, footprints, vestibules, and tent poles.
A footprint is a material built to be under your tent. Its job is to preserve your tent floor for a long time by preventing abrasion. Usually, it is either the same size as your tent or smaller. It could retain a puddle of water and damage your tent floor if it is bigger.
A vestibule is some outer storage where you can keep your dirty boots. The tent poles depend on the quality of the tent. More quality tents come with aluminum poles which can be straightened carefully if bent. Cheaper tents usually come with fiberglass poles that can shatter.
Conclusion
Shopping for a tent should not be a difficult thing. Armed with the right information, you should be able to get a good, durable, and affordable tent.
Tents last for a long time. When you want to buy a new one, you will have had some experience to guide your choice.
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