Camping has officially gained the status of one of the most popular hobbies during these times when COVID-19 has forced everyone to follow social distancing. And if you are someone who has just started to consider camping, it may feel quite overwhelming to think of all the things that would be required. Of all the tasks that you would have to do while preparing for a camping trip, the most daunting is to go shopping for a tent.
A quality tent can make or break your camping trip, turning it into an amazing fun expedition or a wet, exhausting, and cold trip. To help you steer clear of any camping disaster, we have some handy purchasing tips that would offer you all the comforts and a relaxing excursion ahead. Before you set out to hunt the market for a perfect portable shelter, you need to visualize that what you’re going to buy is going to be an outdoor house for you and your family. Once you have imagined the significance of this camping gear, you would be able to prioritize the qualities that you should be looking for. Below are some of the tips to help you purchase a reliable and good-quality camping tent.
Set Up An Evaluation Criterion
While shopping for a camping shelter, you need to develop evaluation criteria that have to complement its purpose or the situation in which they are going to be used. Usually, there are three types of camping situations; car camping trips, hiking, or family camping. When you are driving to a campsite in your own car, you are not concerned about the weight of the camp or the gear that accompanies it, so the key factors for this camping trip would be comfort, setup convenience, and space. If you are hiking, you should be concerned about the weight and go for a balanced combo of performance and weight. On the other hand, if it is a family camping trip then your evident priority is durability and space. So, deciding upon a camping type helps you identify your priorities and preferences in a tent.
It Should Be Durable
As a general rule, a nice portable shelter should be durable as well and would last you for about five or six years. Go for a tent that has taped seams, sturdy built and is waterproof. A good option is to go for polyester or nylon fabric with plastic poles. The material is important because it is your overall protection while sleeping outdoors so you should always test out the durability of these tents before embarking upon the actual trip. One better way to make your assessment is to spend two to three days in the tent out in the open.
Your Tent Should Be Easy To Meddle With
It would be a nightmare if you go through a frustrating time while setting up the tent, so you should be looking for a tent that you can set up easily and quickly. Also, camping brings unexpected challenges as well, like a storm in the middle of the night, and if your camp is easy to set up and takedown then you can be on your way pretty quickly.
Make Sure That It’s Waterproof
You should always opt for a waterproof tent unless you have a nag for sleeping under a dripping roof (yikes!). Nobody wants to wake up in the middle of a peaceful sleep because the rain is seeping through your tent. Even if the weather forecast shows no signs of rainfall at all, you should always buy one that’s waterproof because when you are camping, unexpected scenarios happen quite often.
Be Mindful About The Space And Weight
For most backpackers, the ratio of space to weight is quite important and a decisive factor in purchasing a tent. It makes sense not to be too excited about an unnecessarily heavy tent if you are hitchhiking, although you may have to meet midway. It would be a good idea to go for a tent manufactured with nylon because it is lighter and durable. Additionally, with more weight comes more space and comfort, so a balance between the two is required.
With the above-shared tips, you should have a clear list of what qualities you need to be looking for when purchasing a tent for your next camping trip. It would be quite tempting to go for the lowest priced option but it might often mean that you would be compromising on the quality and it won’t be worthwhile. You may not need to go for a very highly-priced one but staying in the median price range would be a good idea. In the end, your ultimate goal is to find a tent that would add to the fun and comfort during the trip.